[cwoodward]

Virgin AU starts scheduled flights to Japan in June ex Cairns. An odd route but they have no equipment to fly ex SYD

According to various AU on-line reports Vietnam, Hong Kong and Bangkok are due to be added later in the year when the airline takes delivery of the first of 35 leased aircraft that are capable of flying SYD or MEL to Asian destinations.

At present the airline has no aircraft in its fleet capable of making the trip charring a commercial number of PAX.
The airline has made a very significant and costly investment to become a long haul carrier and it would seem rather odd not to fly the HK route given the popularity of HK to Australians be it as a destination, stop-over for a night or two on the way to/from Europe
or a connection to other Asian destinations

[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=1347068]Pre-pandemic, at least, they had a bit of additional traffic with their Virgin Australia collab but even that’s not there now.[/quote]

Indeed. I don’t know about the UK but travel agents in Australia would sell discounted business class (maybe Y class too) tickets using these two carriers right through to London (via Hong Kong).

Great to sample Upper Class HKG-LHR at a special price.

[DavidGrodentz]

I thought Virgin Australia were buying or leasing Boeing Max aircraft. So, not going to be much of a business class experience if Virgin linked up with them in HK, for onward to Australia

[cwoodward]

If you look at their extended website it shows what mid range aircraft are on order (2 orders)

I would suggest that whatever equipment they use it is likely to be superior that the ancient A330s and older 767s that Qantas use around Asia most of the time. The bar is at the moment set very low other than the 380 to HK which is only until June according to Qantas info.
Rather like their HK lounge…. here today – gone tomorrow

[AMcWhirter]

Maybe this is the reason why VS is quitting Pakistan.

Reported by Pakistan media is the news that the issue may concern difficulties foreign airlines face (VS isn’t specifically mentioned) when it comes to sending their ticket revenue back to their home countries.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1740194

[sparkyflier]

cwoodward – you mentioned that Virgin Australia use aircraft which are likely to be superior to the ancient A330s and older 767s that Qantas use around Asia most of the time”.

However the 767s left the fleet… 9 years ago! And the QF A330s have a very competitive and attractive J cabin:-

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=qantas+a330+business+class&form=HDRSC2&first=1

Virgin Australia got rid of their long haul aircraft to survive the pandemic and I am not sure their 737s can match the Qantas A330 in terms of comfort in J or in Y – with the very comfortable 2-4-2 seating.

Back on topic still no route news from VS so with Qatar and Saudia seemingly easily adding slots ex-LHR I wondered if VS perhaps are leasing some out until they decide what to do with them…

[AMcWhirter]

Tweet speaks for itself.

https://twitter.com/skyteam?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

[cwoodward]

The 767s did NOT leave the fleet years ago sparkyflyer but you are partially correct.
There has been a Qantas 767 arriving in Hong Kong every day for the past few years thus I was puzzled by your post – they now carry freight…..
The A330s of which they have 26 in operation are old – ancient equipment to use to major 1st world destinations for a major airline these days – average age 17 years with some of the 300’s 20 years old – that is old and according to pax’s posts many are not in great condition……domestic use perhaps.

[MarkivJ]

[postquote quote=1347973]

When you’re Arab and have lots of money, Britain always bends!

[AMcWhirter]

LHR connections between Skyteam members Virgin Atlantis and Air France/KLM will not be so easy soon.

At present travellers can connect within T3 but, as some of you will have seen on our News page, Air France / KLM are moving back to T4 soon.

Virgin Atlantic remains at T3.

[AMcWhirter]

*Update*

AF/KLM have finally confirmed that they are moving to T4 from March 26.

So it’s a blow to Skyteam connectivity at LHR. VS remains at T3.

[sparkyflier]

MarvivJ

Seems you re right with your point. I am very disappointed with VS – for years whey whinge about not having enough slots and go crying to government/route authorities yet.. when they do have some spare ones they cannot decide what to do with them/ cannot be bothered and so give them away!
All these unserved markets around the world – there is no shortage, and VS cannot be bothered.

They should be reminded of this next time they whinge.

On Alex’s piece about changing terminal, I did not see that coming. And very late notice indeed.

I was actually thinking KL and AF might introduce wide-bodies to some LHR flights given that here is now a Skyteam carrier in the UK who might want to use AF/KL for their extensive networks in Asia/Africa or Latin America and add to their points balance.

I think the only people happy about this must be the Virgin lounge entry staff trying to keep out the AF & KL passengers.

Terminal 4 is IMO less convenient to reach by tube etc and as detailed they sold off the lounge years ago.

Do we know why this is?

Do we know why they changed terminal?

[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=1348932]Do we know why they changed terminal?[/quote]

Hello sparkyflier,

Since we ran the piece on March 9 a number of reader comments have appeared.

AF/KL itself only provided comment days after we ran the news.

The posting from HeathrowLady provides the answer.

Air France and KLM to switch back from Heathrow T3 to T4

1 user thanked author for this post.

sparkyflier

[Tramor01]

Last week I had to fly from Bangkok to Hanoi and back
As a gold card holder with Virgin Atlantic, and, as they became full members of Sky Team at the start of March I thought I’d take advantage of my newly acquired Sky Team Elite Plus membership.

The process didn’t start too well.
When booking my ticket to Hanoi on the Vietnam Airways website, Virgin Atlantic wasn’t included as one of the member airline, so I couldn’t attach my frequent flyer number to my booking.
Once I got to the airport I thought things would improve.
I queued up at the Sky Team Elite desk only to be told by the service agent that they did not recognise Virgin Atlantic as a Sky Team member, and showed me the Sky Team web page on her phone to prove her point!
She grudgingly checked me in, and sent me away saying Virgin Atlantic not member of Sky Team.

Having eventually passed through security and immigration, I’d now found the Virgin Atlantic page which highlighted it’s status as a full member of Sky Team.
On the way to find a Priority Pass lounge I happened to pass by the Vietnam Airways transit desk, so I stopped, showed them the Virgin Atlantic web page on my phone, and ask them if they could enter my FF number onto my boarding pass/booking.
Unfortunately after several attempts they failed to do so, and told me to contact Virgin Atlantic.

On board, the Vietnam Airways magazine proudly announced Virgin Atlantic as the latest member to the Sky Team club – I had to laugh.

On the way back from Hanoi I thought the process would be easier, but it wasn’t.
Again the Vietnam Airways system could not identify Virgin Atlantic Airlines as a Sky Team member, so the staff couldn’t enter my FF number.
They issued my ticket apologising for the issue and suggested I contacted Virgin Atlantic to register the flight.

However, before leaving check in (having tagged my bag as priority), they told me to follow the Elite line and to show my Virgin Atlantic FF number and the Virgin webpage showing they were full members of sky team.
This “blag” allowed me to use both the fast track route and the Vietnam Airlines lounge.

I don’t know if other Virgin Atlantic members have faced similar issues with other Sky Team partners, but I guess almost a month in the transition to full membership isn’t running too smoothly.

The whole process seems to be echoing the issues previously faced by ITA Airlines frequent flyers when they joined Sky Team.

[cwoodward]

Will ether airline (Virgin and ITA) exist in their present form in three years ?
Will the brands survive ?
Sky team seems to lag other alliances rather and perhaps lacks professionalism ?

[Author]

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