Star Gold Flying VA / NZ trans-Tasman

[avsrock90]

Hi All,

About to book an Air New Zealand itinerary SYD-CHC-ZQN. The SYD-CHC leg is operated by Virgin. Will I be entitled to access the Air New Zealand lounge in Sydney on an NZ ticketed (but VA operated) outbound flight as a Star Gold? If not, will I be able to access as a DL Gold (given their reciprocal relationship with VA), or does does the flight need to be VA-ticketed?

Similarly, does anyone know if I will be able to accrue United Miles on the VA flight? (Presume that I cannot. Similarly presume that I'd be unable to accrue DL miles for the VA SYD-CHC leg and UA miles for the NZ CHC-ZQN leg?)

So many questions - thanks for any insight!

 

[drewbles]

Interesting question. Not quite sure if you'll have access in SYD at all.

Based on the NZ Terms & Conditions:

5.5 Access to Air New Zealand International Lounges is subject to the following conditions:(a) Members must present their Card and a valid Air New Zealand boarding pass or ticket for an Air New Zealand ticketed and operated flight on that day which has not yet departed from that airport. In some airports, Members will be issued a lounge invitation at check-in for access to the lounge in that same airport.
(b) Access to an Air New Zealand International Lounge is only available to the Member prior to the Member's boarding of an Air New Zealand International flight or at such other times as determined by Air New Zealand in its sole discretion.

That would imply your *A Access would only be valid if it was NZ Metal, and if it's an NZ code on VA Metal, your DL membership won't be much use either.

Can you get on the VA code for SYD-CHC?

 

[serfty]

By NZ "Ticketed" I presume you mean "Marketed" as in a NZ flight number.

With the lounge access, it is bad news.

Lounge Information - Koru - Airpoints - Air New Zealand - Australia Site

Virgin Australia trans-Tasman alliance

• ...
• Star Alliance Gold members (excluding Airpoints Gold Elite and Gold members) do not have access to lounges when travelling on Virgin Australia operated services.

(You never know if the lounge might make an exception in this case - It should not hurt to pleasantly ask and if unsuccessful, pleasantly accept it.)

FWIW, Delta use the AirNZ lounge in SYD T1 as well.

AFAIK, *A earn is generally based on the operating carrier (metal), not the flight number (unlike *O where it is mainly the Flight Number (Marketing carrier). Although it is possible this will be moot for earning as not many fare buckets actually earn miles on these flights.

 

[avsrock90]

Thanks for the advice.

By NZ "Ticketed" I presume you mean "Marketed" as in a NZ flight number.

With the lounge access, it is bad news.

I presume that even though it is a Virgin flight, since my ticket will booked on the "Marketed as NZ###" equivalent, my delta status won't do me any good? Shame that booking the itinerary a combination of DJ / NZ flight numbers is $100 more.

I suppose I can always turn up at the lounge and show my Delta and United cards and hope the attendant empathizes with the ridiculousness of the situation.