Etihad First Suite booking via Virgin

[Danger UXB]

I got quoted 187500 for F Syd -> CDG but sadly the seats were unconfirmed

Is this price a standard velocity fare or a cheap one equivalent to an SQ saver ? Sorry no idea about velocity points pricing, and I am assuming one way ?

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Just an update. I talked to velocity today and they informed me that the 15% discount on partners is a system error and may be fixed shortly (the T&C's do say Virgin operated only :S). So if you want to book Etihad business at the 15% discount price (or economy for that matter) you better get in soon. Was told that there was no way they could honour the 15% discount in Etihad first

Fingers crossed they honour my J booking on a mix of VA/EY!

 

[Jobeki111]

They will honor existing bookings. It's only for new bookings once they change the redemption price on the website... So not sure how long that will be

 

[lovestotravel]

So what's the current cost for say a SYD-AUH-LHR return in F and rough cost in taxes ?

Can you add a stopover with EY when booking a FF ticket on VA FF miles ?

1 or 2 stopovers ?

 

[Danger UXB]

So what's the current cost for say a SYD-AUH-LHR return in F and rough cost in taxes ?

Can you add a stopover with EY when booking a FF ticket on VA FF miles ?

1 or 2 stopovers ?

187.5k points one way. With about $79 in tax from MEL. Not sure about SYD tax or stopover rules

 

[andy2015]

So what's the current cost for say a SYD-AUH-LHR return in F and rough cost in taxes ?

Can you add a stopover with EY when booking a FF ticket on VA FF miles ?

1 or 2 stopovers ?

It is one redemption if the connection will be under 24 hours from what I have read online - so basically no stopover.

I booked F BNE-AUH-IAD. First call the agent told me it'd be two redemptions of BNE-AUH and then AUH-IAD (141k+141k). Hung up thinking maybe everything I had read online wasn't correct. Called back later and tried again and the next person seemed a lot more knowledgeable. Booked it no problem 187.5k points. Hope there aren't people out there getting the wrong information costing them 100k points too many. Taxes were $110 but will be different for LHR.

 

[EUROPA]

It is one redemption if the connection will be under 24 hours from what I have read online - so basically no stopover.

I booked F BNE-AUH-IAD. First call the agent told me it'd be two redemptions of BNE-AUH and then AUH-IAD (141k+141k). Hung up thinking maybe everything I had read online wasn't correct. Called back later and tried again and the next person seemed a lot more knowledgeable. Booked it no problem 187.5k points. Hope there aren't people out there getting the wrong information costing them 100k points too many. Taxes were $110 but will be different for LHR.

Well done, as I think 187k points from BNE-IAD via AUH is too cheap and may even be a mistake. Everytime I have enquired about SYD-East Coast USA via AUH (numerous times over last couple of years) I have been told it needs to be booked as the two individual sectors (i.e the 141k+141k). Going to europe/UK is a different story and is possible for 187k oneway in F.

 

[lovestotravel]

Thanks for the replies.. But would love to know if/how I can add a stopover in AUH. I have rang Virgin and they just say I need to book 2 seperate bookings which costs lots more in FF points

 

[andy2015]

Well done, as I think 187k points from BNE-IAD via AUH is too cheap and may even be a mistake. Everytime I have enquired about SYD-East Coast USA via AUH (numerous times over last couple of years) I have been told it needs to be booked as the two individual sectors (i.e the 141k+141k). Going to europe/UK is a different story and is possible for 187k oneway in F.

That's strange because I think what the issue was with the first agent is if you search BNE-IAD it doesn't show up on Etihads website as a valid route. Where as SYD-IAD does so that has me stumped why you've had such a tough time. The second agent I believe said she'd manually build it and then sent it off to Etihad to approve it (took about 5 minutes on hold). My understanding is if the stopover/connection is under 24 hours then it should be one redemption. Although I haven't read that from any official source. Well just know I and others have booked it for 187k so keep trying I'd say.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

It is one redemption if the connection will be under 24 hours from what I have read online - so basically no stopover.

I booked F BNE-AUH-IAD. First call the agent told me it'd be two redemptions of BNE-AUH and then AUH-IAD (141k+141k). Hung up thinking maybe everything I had read online wasn't correct. Called back later and tried again and the next person seemed a lot more knowledgeable. Booked it no problem 187.5k points. Hope there aren't people out there getting the wrong information costing them 100k points too many. Taxes were $110 but will be different for LHR.

If it's a stop over at AUH for a few days, is it treated as two separate bookings? That's what I got told. Or 187.5k for the trip. Syd-AUH-Lhr?

 

[smit0847]

If it's a stop over at AUH for a few days, is it treated as two separate bookings? That's what I got told. Or 187.5k for the trip. Syd-AUH-Lhr?

Yes. VA dont allow stopovers on award bookings.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

What's the maximum layover you can have before the sectors have to be split? 24hrs?

 

[knasty]

That's correct.

 

[lovestotravel]

Trying to get 2 F seats on Etihad using Virgin points is a total PITA

I search for 2 seats on the EY website

Go to book by calling VA and on more than 10 dates, I am told that VA have less availability that EY

Basically out of LHR I am told that VA usually only get access to 1 seat per flight instead of 2 if I was booking through EY

Thanks EY/VA for making things hard and making me direct my points back to SQ

However, is this correct from others experience ?

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Trying to get 2 F seats on Etihad using Virgin points is a total PITA

I search for 2 seats on the EY website

Go to book by calling VA and on more than 10 dates, I am told that VA have less availability that EY

Basically out of LHR I am told that VA usually only get access to 1 seat per flight instead of 2 if I was booking through EY

Thanks EY/VA for making things hard and making me direct my points back to SQ

However, is this correct from others experience ?

I always thought the availability was the same, but I've never booked F through VA so haven't had to do it over the phone.

I just wish you could search/book F online – I mean, both SQ and EY offer it. Surely there's money to be made for VA!

 

[lovestotravel]

I always thought the availability was the same, but I've never booked F through VA so haven't had to do it over the phone.

Well that's what I thought as well, but I have spoken to numerous agents and they are all adamant that I simply can't get 2 F seats LHR-MEL even though the EY website shows them as available!

 

[rtyuiop]

I ran into much the same problem once, and it was only by intervention from the reps monitoring this forum at the time that we got it sorted out.

The sticking point in my case was with 2 sectors together - can they see availability separately on MEL-AUH and AUH-LHR?

 

[lovestotravel]

I ran into much the same problem once, and it was only by intervention from the reps monitoring this forum at the time that we got it sorted out.

The sticking point in my case was with 2 sectors together - can they see availability separately on MEL-AUH and AUH-LHR?

Looking at the EY website, is shows NO seats when looking at LHR-AUH but then 2 seats when looking at LHR-MEL

The agents have consistently said that they can only get 1 seat LHR-AUH but then 2 seats AUH-MEL

 

[rtyuiop]

Hmm - is it possible someone has snaffled the seats you were seeing on AUH-LHR before the agents could check? I don't think I've ever heard of VA seeing availability that isn't there on the EY site, it's normally the opposite.

 

[mark4217]

I always do J from LHR and F from AUH - BNE or MEL. Works for me most times for 2 pax