VA Codeshare Flights on Air Berlin to Scandinavia? Status? Points?

[ChipChip]

Hi,

Great to see Air Berlin added as a partner to link VA to Europe better, particularly Scandinavia in our case, so no more flying on a non-partner Brussels Air with EY codeshare.

I have noticed that the flight from AUH to TXL is a codeshare VA6693 thus earning Status and Points, but can’t find anything to confirm that further flights from TXL on AB are codeshare with VA? (actually can’t even book them!)

The further destination flights from TXL on AB appear on the Codeshare partner maps. But when trying to book from any Aus Port (ADL or MEL) to GOT (Which is now listed as destination on VA Online Booking) only receive the following message regardless of the dates entered.

“There are no flights available for your selected dates. Please choose alternate dates.”

Thanks your help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[knightman7]

My wife has flown VA to OSL using VA29 and then two AB flights via TXL and all flights credited points and SC to VA and recognised status at lounges, although she was in J so not sure 100% if Y pax will get lounge access on VA WP or SG but I would imagine they would

 

[ChipChip]

Thanks for the confirmation knightman7, now just need to be able to book those flights, as I have had no luck getting any dates with those destinations on VA online. Did our wife book the flight through VA or agent?

 

[knightman7]

Through VA website. But AB don't fly every day that's why on some dates you search you won't get any availability. For some reason, even if the outbound flight has available but the return isn't, it comes up with nothing available. I just ended up searching one way flights to find the right dates.

 

[williamsf1]

VA only codeshare on AUH TXL at this stage. You can earn both points and status credits on these flights.


You can earn points only on AB marketed and operated flights ( but some of the cheap fares earn nothing) ... no status credits on AB flights .....

 

[knightman7]

I just had a quick peak at her velocity account and it shows SC for all 3 legs both ways. AUH - TXL and TXL - OSL were both AB flight numbers. Maybe it was an error? She has the same flights booked in May so will check again then.

 

[williamsf1]

I just had a quick peak at her velocity account and it shows SC for all 3 legs both ways. AUH - TXL and TXL - OSL were both AB flight numbers. Maybe it was an error? She has the same flights booked in May so will check again then.

sounds like a error
from the VA website
When travelling on eligible airberlin fares and flights with an airberlin (AB) flight number, you can earn Points on your ticket.
You can also still earn Status Credits on airberlin flights marketed by Virgin Australia (with a VA flight number) when travelling on eligible Virgin Australia fare types.

VA also codeshare AUH DUS as well as TXL

 

[ChipChip]

sounds like a error
from the VA website
When travelling on eligible airberlin fares and flights with an airberlin (AB) flight number, you can earn Points on your ticket.
You can also still earn Status Credits on airberlin flights marketed by Virgin Australia (with a VA flight number) when travelling on eligible Virgin Australia fare types.

VA also codeshare AUH DUS as well as TXL

Hence my confusion... Destinations like GOT & CPH are listed for booking on VA site, but:
1 - They are difficult to book (Still no luck finding any flights on any dates to GOT, even 1way as knightman7 suggested, and AB flies to GOT daily so shouldnt be an issue)
2 - Destinations appear on VA Flight Maps, but can't find any codeshare VA numbers even on arrivals and deparures from those ports.

Be nice just to get some clarity and when full integration will take place..

 

[williamsf1]

I just had a look on ZUJI and can bring up a return journey with VA flight numbers as far as TXL with a AB connection to GOT. The VA site may not be showing as the elapsed travel time is 46h30mins on the outbound and 37h40mins on the inbound.....

 

[ChipChip]

Appreciate the help williamsf1 and knightman7, might put it in the too hard basket for now.. and fly on EY metal to BRU and forfeit points, status and lounge access from there as have done in the past.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Hi,

Great to see Air Berlin added as a partner to link VA to Europe better, particularly Scandinavia in our case, so no more flying on a non-partner Brussels Air with EY codeshare.

I have noticed that the flight from AUH to TXL is a codeshare VA6693 thus earning Status and Points, but can’t find anything to confirm that further flights from TXL on AB are codeshare with VA? (actually can’t even book them!)

The further destination flights from TXL on AB appear on the Codeshare partner maps. But when trying to book from any Aus Port (ADL or MEL) to GOT (Which is now listed as destination on VA Online Booking) only receive the following message regardless of the dates entered.

“There are no flights available for your selected dates. Please choose alternate dates.”

Thanks your help will be greatly appreciated.

Hi ChipChip,
Unfortunately VA only codes on AUH-TXL and AUH-DUS on Air Berlin hence why you can’t find any VA coded flights to GOT.
You can however book via the va.com, where the AB flights will be on the AB code. (from Sydney)

In terms of Status Credits and Points – You can still earn points just at the AB levels (of course dependent on fare class), but no Status Credits sorry.

 

[ChipChip]

Hi ChipChip,
Unfortunately VA only codes on AUH-TXL and AUH-DUS on Air Berlin hence why you can’t find any VA coded flights to GOT.
You can however book via the va.com, where the AB flights will be on the AB code. (from Sydney)

In terms of Status Credits and Points – You can still earn points just at the AB levels (of course dependent on fare class), but no Status Credits sorry.

Hi,

Thank you for that clarification, can you also confirm is if VA Status is recognised on flights on AB outside of TXL & DUS? example would lounge access be granted at GOT (Menzies Lounge) as a VA Gold flying on an AB flight?

Thanks again!

 

[williamsf1]

Hi,

Thank you for that clarification, can you also confirm is if VA Status is recognised on flights on AB outside of TXL & DUS? example would lounge access be granted at GOT (Menzies Lounge) as a VA Gold flying on an AB flight?

Thanks again!

No lounge access in Europe with AB, the best they will offer is access to the " exclusive waiting area" in TXL and a few other German ports


Lounge Access with Velocity Membership | Velocity Frequent Flyer

 

[ChipChip]

No lounge access in Europe with AB, the best they will offer is access to the " exclusive waiting area" in TXL and a few other German ports


Lounge Access with Velocity Membership | Velocity Frequent Flyer

Thanks for the link williamsf1, not a great selection for VA Plats/Gold considering that VA are looking to AB to expand it's network into Scandinavia. So as far as I can see besides points it doesn't offer any real incentive to change our regular flight route through BRU on EY/SN. Unless flying on AB in J where you receive Lounge Access in CPH and GOT in shared lounges. Not to mention it's alot easier to book the flights with available dates on EY. (Yet to still even find a flight available in Oct14 to GOT on VA website..)

 

[Phillippe M]

We flew with AB last month (CPH-TXL & TXL-ORL); when I made the bookings I used my VA #, to get the benefits of the extra baggage etc. But when at the airport after check-in I changed it to my QFF # as the booking class that we had booked would have got us nothing with VA, but SC with QFF.