BA and Qatar secure approval for UK-Australia joint venture

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BA and Qatar Airways secure approval for UK-Australia JV

British Airways and Qatar Airways have received approval to form a joint venture on routes between Australia, Europe and the UK.

www.routesonline.com

The approval, which comes into effect on May 29, will run for five years. It goes beyond codesharing to allow the two airlines to cooperate on schedules, pricing, sales and marketing, frequent flyer programs and lounge access on routes from four Australian cities to the UK and Europe, via Doha (DOH).

The Australian cities included in the agreement are Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Sydney is not included as the London-Sydney market is highly congested and BA already serves the state capital of New South Wales using its own aircraft.

Hopefully this will mean getting COS bonuses when I fly Qatar to Aus although it looks like only for ex-UK trips rather than ex-EU.

 

[StevoQFtraveller]

BA and Qatar Airways secure approval for UK-Australia JV

British Airways and Qatar Airways have received approval to form a joint venture on routes between Australia, Europe and the UK.

www.routesonline.com

Hopefully this will mean getting COS bonuses when I fly Qatar to Aus although it looks like only for ex-UK trips rather than ex-EU.

Certainly increases the availability of using oneworld. With these alliances it will leave QF left to do niche services, such as the PER-LHR, and any other long-haul non-stop operations that they may consider after CV19. Good for the QFF scheme.

 

[morfergus]

COS?

 

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COS?

Class of service

 

[JessicaTam]

Another codeshare option. Noice!

 

[Mattg]

Another codeshare option. Noice!

Fly Qatar Airways to Europe and earn BA segments for it by crediting to Executive Club? Sounds good to me!

 

[JessicaTam]

Fly Qatar Airways to Europe and earn BA segments for it by crediting to Executive Club? Sounds good to me!

And I would rather fly QR J than BA J.

 

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And I would rather fly QR J than BA J.

Although the new BA J product isn't bad, when you can bag it. I've found that I have swayed a bit more toward's BA's food over QR in the past year or two also.

 

[andye]

BA Exec Club looking a very good Australian option now including for PER-based. PER-SYD is a notably good status earner too

 

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BA Exec Club looking a very good Australian option now including for PER-based. PER-SYD is a notably good status earner too

I guess it depends on how you book your flights. I read it (for me, as an example) as needing to book ex-UK for example. My QR flights in J are always ex-EU as they're considerably cheaper, so I'm not sure I'll get much additional benefit from this.

 

[Tad]

And I would rather fly QR J than BA J.

Most definitely. In addition BA inter EU connections are the ones to avoid. You don't even get a (free) bootle of water and can expect problems with luggage limits (BA 23kg) even when you may have QR ticket with 30kg allowance.
If you can, select QR - EU flights from/to Doha.

 

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Most definitely. In addition BA inter EU connections are the ones to avoid. You don't even get a (free) bootle of water and can expect problems with luggage limits (BA 23kg) even when you may have QR ticket with 30kg allowance.
If you can, select QR - EU flights from/to Doha.

I'm not sure that's the case unless you're booking a hand baggage only (Y) fare; but YMMV.

Of course if you're booking longhaul Y with a connector via the UK then yes it's only paid food. But if you're flying J it's a moot point, as in Club Europe you still get the usual European style J food, service and accompaniments.