Best way to book flight from Europe to Australia?

[goldfishinabowl]

Hello all, I have a question. :?:

I need to book a flight from Paris to Sydney and I'm keen to fly Etihad and then VA from Abu Dhabi. Work is paying so I need to ask a travel booker to do it - what is the best way to find out the flight numbers etc that I need to book with to a) fly the right airlines and b) get VA points? The VA site doesn't seem to offer booking from Europe yet but does from Asia and the US. Got any tips on a good website to use?

Thanks!

 

[notzac]

Tried booking on the Etihad website? I don't know the flight numbers to look for if you want to end up on VA metal AUH-SYD, but it's definitely bookable.

 

[ozmille]

What dates are you looking at? Pointy end or at the back? People on here will be able to give you the flight numbers on specific dates if you like. For websites you can have a look at the major ones, eg expedia, webjet, jetabroad, ...

 

[notzac]

Tried booking on the Etihad website? I don't know the flight numbers to look for if you want to end up on VA metal AUH-SYD, but it's definitely bookable.

Found them .. EY6451 is the codeshare flight number for VA29 SYD-AUH and EY6450 is the codeshare flight number for VA30 AUH-SYD.

 

[Mh4k]

Book directly from the Etihad site. It is quite clear when looking at flights which ones code share on VA.

If you'd consider a short flight from CDG to MXP you can do J return MXP to SYD for under $3700AUD, in which case I'd avoid the code share as Etihad's business is superior to VA's IMO. This is also (considerably) less than the one-way fare from CDG to SYD.

 

[ozmille]

If you'd consider a short flight from CDG to MXP you can do J return MXP to SYD for under $3700AUD, in which case I'd avoid the code share as Etihad's business is superior to VA's IMO. This is also (considerably) less than the one-way fare from CDG to SYD.

Which dates are you looking at, might be interesting for my parents but the prices I see are around 4300...

 

[Mh4k]

I have that booked currently ex MXP feb 15, ex SYD Sep 24. Was €2900. Have a play around with dates there were a lot in the €2700-3000 range when I looked last month.

Dublin and Munich are often cheap departure cities for Etihad J too

 

[airtraveladdict]

If you do book with travel sites in economy, and you want to earn velocity points. Make sure the Etihad flight has a Etihad flight number NOT Virgin codeshare flight number.

Because if you bought a discount economy fare type on Virgin you earn less Velocity points, whereas you earn 1 velocity points on Etihad economy, regardless of fare type.

but if you are flying Etihad business, I'd try to score the NEWLY fitted A340-600, which is better than the old business product.

 

[goldfishinabowl]

If you do book with travel sites in economy, and you want to earn velocity points. Make sure the Etihad flight has a Etihad flight number NOT Virgin codeshare flight number.

Because if you bought a discount economy fare type on Virgin you earn less Velocity points, whereas you earn 1 velocity points on Etihad economy, regardless of fare type.

but if you are flying Etihad business, I'd try to score the NEWLY fitted A340-600, which is better than the old business product.

Thanks, I definitely needed to know this. Only flying economy unfortunately.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I should indeed have checked the Etihad website.

 

[airtraveladdict]

Thanks, I definitely needed to know this. Only flying economy unfortunately.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I should indeed have checked the Etihad website.

Yes I made that mistake, because when i booked via expedia the agent just picked the flight with the VA flight number, instead of the seperate flight numbers for VA and EY.
Luckily I was flying premium economy, so the Etihad flight which had a VA flight number was ticketed as a "full economy". So I didn't lose any points, but if i was flying economy, I'd ticket it on Etihad all the way.

Sometimes its worthwhile looking at PE, you never know when there is a Tuesday flight that they need to fill in PE and the fares are a bargain!

FYI this is the earn rate
Etihad
Economy (Y, B, H, K, M, Q, L, V, U, E, T) 1 Velocity Point per mile.

VERSUS
Virgin Australia (formerly V Australia)
V Promo - Economy (A, T, Q, V) 0.5 Velocity Points
V Deal - Economy (N, E) 0.5 Velocity Points
V Saver - Economy (G, K, H) 0.75 Velocity Points
V Flexi - Economy (Y, B) 1 Velocity Point

And I assume you are Velocity Plat FF? in which case you earn 100% extra on the Virgin Australia flight and 50% extra on the Etihad flight.

 

[goldfishinabowl]

Yes I made that mistake, because when i booked via expedia the agent just picked the flight with the VA flight number, instead of the seperate flight numbers for VA and EY.
Luckily I was flying premium economy, so the Etihad flight which had a VA flight number was ticketed as a "full economy". So I didn't lose any points, but if i was flying economy, I'd ticket it on Etihad all the way.

Sometimes its worthwhile looking at PE, you never know when there is a Tuesday flight that they need to fill in PE and the fares are a bargain!

FYI this is the earn rate
Etihad
Economy (Y, B, H, K, M, Q, L, V, U, E, T) 1 Velocity Point per mile.

VERSUS
Virgin Australia (formerly V Australia)
V Promo - Economy (A, T, Q, V) 0.5 Velocity Points
V Deal - Economy (N, E) 0.5 Velocity Points
V Saver - Economy (G, K, H) 0.75 Velocity Points
V Flexi - Economy (Y, B) 1 Velocity Point

And I assume you are Velocity Plat FF? in which case you earn 100% extra on the Virgin Australia flight and 50% extra on the Etihad flight.

Gosh no, I'm only Silver, I live overseas.

So this means I should book only on Etihad codes; I should use the Etihad code even if on the VA aircraft from Abu Dhabi to Sydney? Is that right?

Would love to fly PE but it's my work that books it I'm afraid. I'm afraid they'll want to put me on Malaysian or Emirates because they're cheaper

 

[airtraveladdict]

Gosh no, I'm only Silver, I live overseas.

So this means I should book only on Etihad codes; I should use the Etihad code even if on the VA aircraft from Abu Dhabi to Sydney? Is that right?

Would love to fly PE but it's my work that books it I'm afraid. I'm afraid they'll want to put me on Malaysian or Emirates because they're cheaper

Yes ticket it on Etihad to earn better velocity points in economy. Um Etihad also flies its own planes from Sydney to Abu Dhabi, so you have lots of options, you can chose to fly Virgin or Etihad to Abu Dhabi. Just need to make sure it is an EY flight number.

If you fly Malaysia airlines, you can still earn velocity points, albeit at a very very very very very poor rate.

 

[Mh4k]

Yes ticket it on Etihad to earn better velocity points in economy. Um Etihad also flies its own planes from Sydney to Abu Dhabi.

If you are flying in Y then take the VA codeshare. Much more pleasant seating and you'll maybe get some onboard recognition of your silver status - particularly on the return leg which will have VA ground staff (they'll stick you in an exit row as a silver, at the very least).

 

[goldfishinabowl]

If you are flying in Y then take the VA codeshare. Much more pleasant seating and you'll maybe get some onboard recognition of your silver status - particularly on the return leg which will have VA ground staff (they'll stick you in an exit row as a silver, at the very least).

That's what I had in mind, I'm keen to try the international product!

 

[airtraveladdict]

Now I'm in abit of a bind also, because I can't book Virgin Australia PE flights from Europe to Melbourne one way on the virgin australia website.

I tried the Etihad website but it only offers Economy, Bus, and FC.

I've tried zuji, webjet, expedia but no success either, so I guess you can't book Virgin Australia PE flights from Europe to Australia.

Can anybody offer assistance please?

 

[Flashback]

Now I'm in abit of a bind also, because I can't book Virgin Australia PE flights from Europe to Melbourne one way on the virgin australia website.

I tried the Etihad website but it only offers Economy, Bus, and FC.

I've tried zuji, webjet, expedia but no success either, so I guess you can't book Virgin Australia PE flights from Europe to Australia.

Can anybody offer assistance please?

Might be worth asking a TA.

 

[777]

There was never any P/E MEL-AUH and for the next few months there are no VA flights between SYD and AUH while their 777s are undergoing maintenance and a makeover. Normal 777 service resumes later in the year.