VA Gold lounge access on Westjet

[Obzerva]

Hi,

Couldn’t see an appropriate thread to post this on, but thought I’d share.

Just arrived in LAX off a VA flight and had a separate ticket in the same agency booking on a DL flight number operated by Westjet.

Two unexpected things happened.
VA tagged my bags through to my destination from Australia, even though technically speaking I hadn’t paid for the bags on my final flight as it was a US-Canada, no checked bag, separate ticket.

Also, I thought I’d try my luck accessing the Delta Skyclub, just to see if they’d let me in (would have played dumb if necessary), was let in no questions asked.

Was I just lucky, or have other people had the same experience?

 

[serfty]

Interesting. Westjet run their own airline.

Pethaps DL * Westjet are just like DL. If so its called wet leasing I think.

I recently flew Westjet from SJC to LAX as AS and everything was Alaska.

In recent years I have flown "Compass" airlines several times; sometimes with AA branding, some with DL branding. When AA I had AC access and earned with QFF as for AA and when DL I had Skyclub access and earned with Velocity as for DL.

The hiring carrier will handle all ground handling, fueling, catering, etc involved for the flight while the carrier performing the subservice will provide the aircraft, crew, aircraft maintenance and insurance.

These leases can be short term (such as AirNZ is doing with its current B787 issues) or long term where the aircraft is generally fitted out in the hiring carriers livery.

 

[Obzerva]

Interesting. Westjet run their own airline.

Pethaps DL * Westjet are just like DL. If so its called wet leasing I think.

I recently flew Westjet from SJC to LAX as AS and everything was Alaska.

In recent years I have flown "Compass" airlines several times; sometimes with AA branding, some with DL branding. When AA I had AC access and earned with QFF as for AA and when DL I had Skyclub access and earned with Velocity as for DL.

The hiring carrier will handle all ground handling, fueling, catering, etc involved for the flight while the carrier performing the subservice will provide the aircraft, crew, aircraft maintenance and insurance.

These leases can be short term (such as AirNZ is doing with its current B787 issues) or long term where the aircraft is generally fitted out in the hiring carriers livery.

Not so sure on the above, Westjet isn’t a regional carrier like Skywest, it is its own carrier, own branding, own ground handling, just like Aeromexico rather than a regional carrier

 

[dajop]

Not so sure on the above, Westjet isn’t a regional carrier like Skywest, it is its own carrier, own branding, own ground handling, just like Aeromexico rather than a regional carrier

Yes, I agree , it’s a codeshare not a wet lease. Not sure which route you travelled on but a quick look at expertflyer on a random date on a random route (LAX-YYC) indicates codeshare arrangements are in place. For example on the day I looked it showed a 12:50 departure as WS 1511 and the same flight as DL(WS) 7179.

 

[Obzerva]

Yes, I agree , it’s a codeshare not a wet lease. Not sure which route you travelled on but a quick look at expertflyer on a random date on a random route (LAX-YYC) indicates codeshare arrangements are in place. For example on the day I looked it showed a 12:50 departure as WS 1511 and the same flight as DL(WS) 7179.

Just did a auick check on Wikipedia, not the most reliable source i realise, however, DL do not fly from LAX to Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto or Vancouver, looks like thryve handed those over to WS.
Good to know you can seemingly still get in to the lounge though, no other recognition/points however