Book on VA website or Etihad

[titfilou]

I'm planning on booking a J seat SYD-CDG return. As a platinum member, am I better of booking on the VA website or on Etihad website?

Also planning on going to Travel expo tomorrow. Do you know if there is any good deal on J seats? Is it really worth going there?

Thanks.

 

[mella2007]

Are you using points or paying? Sometimes the travel expos have deals, but they want you to book then and there...it also depends on your chosen dates. Don't overlook also looking at MEL/SYD/BNE to AUH and then booking AUH/CDG separate. The Etihad website has often great deals and can be a lot cheaper if booking that way (exchange rate is favourable for us also)

 

[ausi ski bum]

I booked two seats on VA in Premium Economy to Abu Dahbi via Etihad and saved about $1200 compared to the same two seats on the VA site. Worth a look at before booking.

 

[markis10]

I booked two seats on VA in Premium Economy to Abu Dahbi via Etihad and saved about $1200 compared to the same two seats on the VA site. Worth a look at before booking.

Did you ring them, as PE is not an option using the online booking engine?

 

[777]

Did you ring them, as PE is not an option using the online booking engine?

I'm curious about this too!

 

[CeeJayOz]

So if I was to book PE to LHR on Etihad via Zuji, are there any traps to look for? It doesn't seem to allow you to select VA/velocity as preferred Frequent Flyer program. It seems to be the only way to book a Premium Saver fare ATM. I wouldn't get as many bonus points for Being Gold (50% instead of 75%).

 

[mella2007]

So if I was to book PE to LHR on Etihad via Zuji, are there any traps to look for? It doesn't seem to allow you to select VA/velocity as preferred Frequent Flyer program. It seems to be the only way to book a Premium Saver fare ATM. I wouldn't get as many bonus points for Being Gold (50% instead of 75%).

Etihad don't have premium economy. Is it a VA flight?

 

[CeeJayOz]

Etihad don't have premium economy. Is it a VA flight?

Yes - probably should have made that clear! Can book the same flights either with Etihad or VA through Zuji, but the Etihad version is cheaper. Either way, one of the flights is a code share. And both are significantly (thousands) cheaper than booking directly via VA website as it stands.

 

[mella2007]

CeeJayOz: Ensure you check the booking class as some flights with Zuji won't give you points for either airlines programs.

 

[CeeJayOz]

I ended up booking at the Travel Expo in Melbourne on the weekend for roughly the same price as Zuji had (maybe a little cheaper). The next day I got a reply from my enquiry to Virgin saying the reason there were no Premium Saver fares is that they had sold out. Oh well - I paid roughly $4,000 less than the rates quoted on the VA website. The staff at the expo told a few porkies, like that the domestic leg Mel-Syd would be in Business (it isn't) and the Etihad leg is 2-4-2 in economy (it's 3 4-3, not looking forward to that!).

Now thinking I should have bought it through Etihad so I have some chance of upgrading the Abu Dhabi to London leg!

 

[Fruitcake]

You might be pleasantly surprised - as far as I am aware Etihad's 777 fleet (the only type in their fleet where 3-4-3 is used by some carriers) is 3-3-3. However from AUH-CDG you're more likely to be on an A340, which is 2-4-2.

 

[CeeJayOz]

Yeah that's what I thought, but the seat maps on the Etihad site definitely have 3-4-3. Funnily enough, I was originally going to book to CDG, but decided on London instead. And of course now Etihad has opened its new lounge at CDG. Oh well - post purchase dissonance!

 

[Fruitcake]

Yeah that's what I thought, but the seat maps on the Etihad site definitely have 3-4-3. Funnily enough, I was originally going to book to CDG, but decided on London instead. And of course now Etihad has opened its new lounge at CDG. Oh well - post purchase dissonance!

My apologies, you are correct. The third party seat map (seatguru) I looked at showed 3-3-3 for the Etihad 777. A bit disappointing, I thought they were one of the 'good guys' in terms of 777 Y cabins.

 

[ausi ski bum]

Sorry to clarify I did book an Etihad flight in PE flying on VA but I booked it through Zuji and did save huge amounts doing this. Basically shop around.

 

[obrienja]

Having just flown SYD-AUH with Etihad I can confirm their 777 is 3-4-3 and it's cramped and uncomfortable. They're wise to call it "Coral Economy" as that's what it feels like you're sitting on. You might be lucky though and get the upgrade auction email. As a data point I booked mine through Etihad (not VA) as I could pick the fare class to earn more SCs (not all Etihad economy earns equal SCs) which of course haven't posted yet and the price was also less via Etihad (VA wanted full-fare economy money for discount economy SCs & flexibility).

 

[jneufeld]

Having just flown SYD-AUH with Etihad I can confirm their 777 is 3-4-3 and it's cramped and uncomfortable.

Are EY now flying 773's on the SYD-AUH route? I thought it was on A346's

 

[obrienja]

It's both.
http://airlineroute.net/2012/10/11/ey-feb13/:

ETIHAD starting 31JAN13 is boosting capacity on Abu Dhabi – Sydney service, where 7 of 11 weekly flights will switch from 292-seater Airbus A340-600 to new 3-class 330-seater Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Schedule:

Abu Dhabi – Sydney
EY450 AUH1010 – 0720+1SYD 346 x135
EY454 AUH2145 – 1855+1SYD 77W D

EY451 SYD1555 – 2340AUH 346 x246
EY455 SYD2150 – 0535+1AUH 77W D eff 01FEB13

 

[CeeJayOz]

Having just flown SYD-AUH with Etihad I can confirm their 777 is 3-4-3 and it's cramped and uncomfortable. They're wise to call it "Coral Economy" as that's what it feels like you're sitting on. You might be lucky though and get the upgrade auction email. As a data point I booked mine through Etihad (not VA) as I could pick the fare class to earn more SCs (not all Etihad economy earns equal SCs) which of course haven't posted yet and the price was also less via Etihad (VA wanted full-fare economy money for discount economy SCs & flexibility).

Bugger. Oh well, at least it's only the short(er) 7 hour flight in economy.

I'm ticketed with VA, so I won't get the upgrade auction email. Does anyone know if the airport upgrades are possible if you haven't booked via Etihad? I'm assuming not?

 

[notmensa]

Sorry to clarify I did book an Etihad flight in PE flying on VA but I booked it through Zuji and did save huge amounts doing this. Basically shop around.

I did dummy bookings on Zuji and Expedia last. Zuji didn't display the fare class codes as part of the flight; Expedia did.

Velocity's fare class table is here:

Status Earn Fare Class| Velocity Frequent Flyer