Virgin expands United relationship.
Apr 23, 2004, 9:43 am
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: FLL, WAS, MEL, SIN
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,396
Virgin expands United relationship.
Saw the following on the news:
Now... would it be great if the entire Virgin Group could join *A... my wishful thinking..
Virgin expands United relationship.
23 April 2004
Travelpress
English
(c) Copyright Travelpress 2004. All rights reserved.
United Airlines and Virgin Blue have expanded their codeshare arrangement to include flights to and from more Australian cities.
The two airlines have had a codeshare arrangement on flights to and from the US via Brisbane since June 2002.
The expansion will allow passengers from Adelaide, Cairns, the Gold Coast and Perth travelling on Virgin Blue and connecting to a United Airlines flight to enjoy the convenience of a single United Airlines flight number for the entire trip.
Passengers will also be able to earn frequent flyer points throughout their journey.
"This means more passengers can travel seamlessly with United Airline's international flights out of these cities. And it allows our frequent flyers and members of Star Alliance frequent flyer programs to earn Mileage Plus points on both the domestic and international legs to the US," Stephen Pearse, United Airlines Country Manager - Australia, said.
Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey said the extended agreement was part of Virgin Blue's ongoing expansion plans.
"While Virgin Blue doesn't fly to international destinations such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, our United Airlines partner does and we see this as a win-win deal to offer our guests a smooth and convenient connecting option for their overseas travel," he said. - Travelpress travel news.
Now... would it be great if the entire Virgin Group could join *A... my wishful thinking..
Virgin expands United relationship.
23 April 2004
Travelpress
English
(c) Copyright Travelpress 2004. All rights reserved.
United Airlines and Virgin Blue have expanded their codeshare arrangement to include flights to and from more Australian cities.
The two airlines have had a codeshare arrangement on flights to and from the US via Brisbane since June 2002.
The expansion will allow passengers from Adelaide, Cairns, the Gold Coast and Perth travelling on Virgin Blue and connecting to a United Airlines flight to enjoy the convenience of a single United Airlines flight number for the entire trip.
Passengers will also be able to earn frequent flyer points throughout their journey.
"This means more passengers can travel seamlessly with United Airline's international flights out of these cities. And it allows our frequent flyers and members of Star Alliance frequent flyer programs to earn Mileage Plus points on both the domestic and international legs to the US," Stephen Pearse, United Airlines Country Manager - Australia, said.
Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey said the extended agreement was part of Virgin Blue's ongoing expansion plans.
"While Virgin Blue doesn't fly to international destinations such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, our United Airlines partner does and we see this as a win-win deal to offer our guests a smooth and convenient connecting option for their overseas travel," he said. - Travelpress travel news.
Apr 23, 2004, 10:33 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SNA
Programs: Sixt Platinum, Avis Preferred Plus, Hertz President's Circle, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,559
Virgin Blue and Virgin Atlantic try hard to be separate entities.
I, for one, would love to be able to burn miles on Virgin Atlantic to London!
I, for one, would love to be able to burn miles on Virgin Atlantic to London!
Apr 23, 2004, 10:34 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: BKK, formerly Irvine, CA, UA 1-k-MM, Hilton-gold, Gold Starwood
Posts: 3,004
I few a couple of Virgin Blue flights in Australia, Brisbane to Sydney return but only got points on one flight. It seems that at the time only 2 flights a day qualified for miles. That's 2 out of 30 or more.
Would be nice if they had it on all flights.
Would be nice if they had it on all flights.
Apr 23, 2004, 10:38 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Programs: Bar Alliance Gold
Posts: 16,271
So much for UA restoring service to Oceania destinations that were cut post-9/11. Looks like LAX/SFO-SYD will be UA's only flights to and from "Down Under" and Virgin Blue (VB) and Air New Zealand (ANZ) will handle your local connections.
Last edited by SEA_Tigger; Apr 23, 2004 at 12:16 pm Reason: Thanks to Professor Oz for clarification. ;)
Apr 23, 2004, 11:14 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,333
SEA-Tigger .. you have "VB" on the brain. 
Again, repeat after me .... VB is our best selling BEER
DJ (Virgin Blue) is our favourite ozzie AIRLINE!
And ANZ is our leading BANK!
UA_Flyer - Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Blue are 2 totally different animals to be honest. (And Pacific Blue is different again - just started OZ-NZ services and more planned to Pacific)
The only thing in common is Sir Richard Branson makes a buck from all of them. Your heading had me assuming you were talking Virgin Atlantic.
I'll be curious as to WHEN the services commence. Here are the UA numbers and current DJ numbers and times. I'll be curious if UA can sell these stand alone to Australians. UA CANNOT sell their own metal SYD-MEL-SYD service standalone so it will be interesting. 3am here so too late to phone them and ask.
New Code Share Flight Information
UA DJ DEST TIMES
9501 507 SYD00L 0905 1020
9502 504 / 506 OOLSYD 0855 / 0950 1020 / 1115
9503 423 SYDPER 1215 1525
9504 424 PERSYD 0640 / 0610 1255 / 1225
9510 222 BNESYD 1000 1130
9511 385 SYDCNS 1005 1310
9512 382 CNSSYD 0700 0950
9514 406 SYDADL 0945 1125
9515 403 ADLSYD 0910 1130
Again, repeat after me .... VB is our best selling BEER
DJ (Virgin Blue) is our favourite ozzie AIRLINE!
And ANZ is our leading BANK!
UA_Flyer - Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Blue are 2 totally different animals to be honest. (And Pacific Blue is different again - just started OZ-NZ services and more planned to Pacific)
The only thing in common is Sir Richard Branson makes a buck from all of them. Your heading had me assuming you were talking Virgin Atlantic.
I'll be curious as to WHEN the services commence. Here are the UA numbers and current DJ numbers and times. I'll be curious if UA can sell these stand alone to Australians. UA CANNOT sell their own metal SYD-MEL-SYD service standalone so it will be interesting. 3am here so too late to phone them and ask.
New Code Share Flight Information
UA DJ DEST TIMES
9501 507 SYD00L 0905 1020
9502 504 / 506 OOLSYD 0855 / 0950 1020 / 1115
9503 423 SYDPER 1215 1525
9504 424 PERSYD 0640 / 0610 1255 / 1225
9510 222 BNESYD 1000 1130
9511 385 SYDCNS 1005 1310
9512 382 CNSSYD 0700 0950
9514 406 SYDADL 0945 1125
9515 403 ADLSYD 0910 1130
Apr 23, 2004, 11:29 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BDL/JFK
Programs: UA 2P... just 2P.
Posts: 528
Why don't they codeshare on Syd-mel?
As I understand it - if I want to stop in sydney on the way to melbourne, I can't catch the next day's UA MEL flight. true?
P.S - I'd kill my own mother for a VB right now.
Well, not really kill - just mame a little. Sorry for OT.
As I understand it - if I want to stop in sydney on the way to melbourne, I can't catch the next day's UA MEL flight. true?
P.S - I'd kill my own mother for a VB right now.
Well, not really kill - just mame a little. Sorry for OT.
Apr 23, 2004, 11:33 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,333
As an aside - DJ is growing very fast here.
A minnow compared to UA of course, but given this country's population is about 7% of the USA, and Qantas is so massive, they are doing pretty well.
FAST ‘VIRGIN BLUE’ FACTS
................... April 2001 ...Today
Aircraft in fleet..... 6 - 44
Total Guests Carried since start up .... 641,113 - 20 million
Staff Numbers .... 609 - 3257
No. of flight routes ..... 5 - 41
I flew them last week and the amount of new destinations coming up soon is very impressive.
A minnow compared to UA of course, but given this country's population is about 7% of the USA, and Qantas is so massive, they are doing pretty well.
FAST ‘VIRGIN BLUE’ FACTS
................... April 2001 ...Today
Aircraft in fleet..... 6 - 44
Total Guests Carried since start up .... 641,113 - 20 million
Staff Numbers .... 609 - 3257
No. of flight routes ..... 5 - 41
I flew them last week and the amount of new destinations coming up soon is very impressive.
Apr 23, 2004, 11:46 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,404
When is this agreement effective?
Will I be able to earn MP miles on my SYD-CNS trip at the end of May? Better yet, will my baggage be interlined from UA to DJ (by the baggage handler drinking a VB)?
You think I could submit my boarding passes from last March for retro-credit on my MP account??
This is great news, indeed. I enjoyed flying DJ, even if it was in coach (blue zone). All of the staff members have a fun attitude.
Will I be able to earn MP miles on my SYD-CNS trip at the end of May? Better yet, will my baggage be interlined from UA to DJ (by the baggage handler drinking a VB)?
You think I could submit my boarding passes from last March for retro-credit on my MP account??
This is great news, indeed. I enjoyed flying DJ, even if it was in coach (blue zone). All of the staff members have a fun attitude.
Apr 23, 2004, 11:55 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: San Diego CA USA
Programs: UA-1MM, Marriott, IC Ambassador
Posts: 55
The first time I flew Virgin Blue a few years ago, I was quite impressed with the efficiency of the operation even though it was quite full. It was the first time I had been exposed to on-board buying of food or snacks. Pretty good range of choices and thought that this was a pretty clever way of adding greater selection for customers and enhancing revenue at the same time for DJ. I, too, wish I could get miles for my trips in country on Virgin Blue, it would help add up the miles on United. 
I noticed that United is playing with on board buy on selected flights, I thought I was back in Oz.
I noticed that United is playing with on board buy on selected flights, I thought I was back in Oz.
Apr 23, 2004, 12:01 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MileagePlus Premier Gold
Posts: 11,522
Looks like this codesharing agreement will start Friday, April 30. Looking at availability, while the flights have been loaded as codeshare, there is uniformly no availability on the UA codeshare DJ flight until April 30.
And to answer a question posted above, you are not required to fly SYD-MEL/MEL-SYD on the same day (without stopover) as the transpacific segment. The only thing United is not allowed to do is to sell SYD-MEL standalone as one ticket. As long as the SYD-MEL segment on UA metal is part of a transpacific itinerary, you are allowed to fly the segments separately. Therefore you can fly LAX-SYD on Day 1, and SYD-MEL on Day 10 if you wish.
If an agent tries to sell SYD-MEL (or SYD-CNS/PER/BNE as per the new DJ agreement), this will show:
VALID FOR INTL ONLINE STOP/CONNECTIONS ONLY - UA
In any case, UA does not have fares between SYD/MEL and interior Australian destinations.
And to answer a question posted above, you are not required to fly SYD-MEL/MEL-SYD on the same day (without stopover) as the transpacific segment. The only thing United is not allowed to do is to sell SYD-MEL standalone as one ticket. As long as the SYD-MEL segment on UA metal is part of a transpacific itinerary, you are allowed to fly the segments separately. Therefore you can fly LAX-SYD on Day 1, and SYD-MEL on Day 10 if you wish.
If an agent tries to sell SYD-MEL (or SYD-CNS/PER/BNE as per the new DJ agreement), this will show:
VALID FOR INTL ONLINE STOP/CONNECTIONS ONLY - UA
In any case, UA does not have fares between SYD/MEL and interior Australian destinations.
Apr 23, 2004, 12:10 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,404
Originally Posted by UnitedSkies
Looks like this codesharing agreement will start Friday, April 30.
Apr 23, 2004, 12:39 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The road less traveled
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA EXP, Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HHonors Diamond, Natl EE, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 5,119
U.S. Virgin Blue?
There have been rumours about Branson mulling the idea of buying US Airways' routes (assuming they go on sale) for his entry into the U.S. market.
If this did indeed happen, a pre-existing healthy relationship with UA (albeit halfway around the world) might bode well for us here stateside! I'm guessing from comments here that Virgin runs a better ship than US does -- particularly at this point.
If this did indeed happen, a pre-existing healthy relationship with UA (albeit halfway around the world) might bode well for us here stateside! I'm guessing from comments here that Virgin runs a better ship than US does -- particularly at this point.
Apr 23, 2004, 1:12 pm
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,225
Originally Posted by rufus102
Why don't they codeshare on Syd-mel?
As I understand it - if I want to stop in sydney on the way to melbourne, I can't catch the next day's UA MEL flight. true?
As I understand it - if I want to stop in sydney on the way to melbourne, I can't catch the next day's UA MEL flight. true?
Apr 23, 2004, 2:33 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MileagePlus Premier Gold
Posts: 11,522
Originally Posted by uastarflyer
Is this true? Same thing the other way, on the way back to the US, if i wanted to go MEL-SYD-SFO, can I stop in SYD for a day (or 3) on UA?
For example, the current SFO-MEL sale fare allows 1 stop in MEL/SYD/48 States for USD100 charge:
Sample itinerary:
1 UA 863W 15MAY SFOSYD SS1 1035P 610A2
2 UA 839W 17MAY SYDMEL SS1 805A 940A
3 UA 840W 31MAY MELSYD SS1 1125A 1245P
------- stop in SYD --------
4 UA 870W 03JUN SYDSFO SS1 145P 1005A
Apr 23, 2004, 2:50 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BDL/JFK
Programs: UA 2P... just 2P.
Posts: 528
Thanks for clearing that up for me UnitedSkies. ^
Take a bonus out of petty cash.
Take a bonus out of petty cash.