V-Flyer

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/tr ... rship.html

News splash on the VS site and Facebook, partnership will come into effect on 3 July 2013.

This looks to be an initial code share before the fully intimate JV with associated schedule changes is completed.

Thanks for posting, here's the most useful bit:

Gold membership

For the first time with an airline partner, your Flying Club
Gold membership will earn you 100% extra base flown miles on all Delta flights! Not to mention access to all Delta Sky Priority(R) benefits, which includes Priority Check In, Priority Baggage, Extra Baggage, Priority Boarding and Priority Security. Plus you'll receive access to Preferred Seating, and access to Delta's Sky Clubs(R) when you are connecting onto a transatlantic flight.

Nice to see that it is implemented so quickly too.

Here's the link to the Delta side

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/ ... rship.html

so that is a goodbye to booking easy rewards flights with Virgin , as Delta Customers can now book rewards with them as well.
I just spoke with Flying club and they will be keeping Flying Club, but sadly Singapore Airlines will no longer be a partner airline in any form.

MattG wrote:so that is a goodbye to booking easy rewards flights with Virgin , as Delta Customers can now book rewards with them as well.
I just spoke with Flying club and they will be keeping Flying Club, but sadly Singapore Airlines will no longer be a partner airline in any form.

Are you sure about that? Seeing as VS hasn't been code-sharing with SQ all that long, I'd say it's unlikely that relationship is completely over.

Another thing, when has booking rewards with VS been easy?

MattG wrote:I just spoke with Flying club and they will be keeping Flying Club,

Why would they get rid of it?

VS is still a separate company. DL will only own 49% so this not a merger or take over like UA-CO or BA-IB.

Other airlines have Joint Ventures (BA-AA for example or DL and AK/KL) and they haven't got rid of their separate FF programmes.


One thing I did notice is that FC members will earn miles but not TPs when flying on DL

If you’re a Flying Club member, you’ll now earn miles on every Delta flight you take, anywhere in the world.

You do earn tier points with Delta, from this page:

DELTA AIR LINES

Cabin Under 3,000 miles flown Over 3,000 miles flown
Economy Class 1 2
Business Class/First Class 3 5

Will those PAX who have bought Delta Sky Club membership have access to VS clubhouses , if so will need a few more seats !

MattG wrote:so that is a goodbye to booking easy rewards flights with Virgin , as Delta Customers can now book rewards with them as well.

Surely offset by increased availability with the extra flights/routes.

This is great news, I've got some trips planned with Delta.

What is in our favour is that Americans are not used to paying very high fees / surcharges for reward bookings - I suspect that when DL fliers realize that it could be up to $1,000 for a UC reward on VS they'll be backing off pretty quickly. But there is a danger - there are many, many millions more DL fliers than VS fliers and if you're used to VS then why on a good day would anyone actually prefer to fly on DL?

On the other hand, if you were DL you'd want to gain some benefit for your preferred customers ... when handing over $400m and helping to save VS.

On clubhouses I think it's going to be easy to keep a separation - perhaps DL Medallion Platinums will get access if not flying in UC, with lower tiers not, as a way of minimizing impact where DL FFs fly on VS in Y or PE (it already infers that on DL site)? As I have said before, it's really only JFK where there's really a chance of a problem.

It's a real shame losing SQ. VS's network to the Far East is very limited with almost no options to get miles when flying to many destinations. That's a real blow - so it'll be back to EK for me then to Manila say.

Overall this should be viewed as a good thing, a lot more access to miles and TP earning networks, more redemption opportunities (although I'll be keen to track peoples' success there), and a lot more security for VS long term.

MattG wrote:so that is a goodbye to booking easy rewards flights with Virgin , as Delta Customers can now book rewards with them as well.
I just spoke with Flying club and they will be keeping Flying Club, but sadly Singapore Airlines will no longer be a partner airline in any form.

Was it ever really easy to book reward flights? Have never found it so!

I did have to giggle to myself over on a.net (and post) in response to the pro DL posts over there. Lots of people indicating that DL has the better J product and that the Skyteam lounge at LHR is only marginily behind the Clubhouse. If that is the view of many I dont think anyone should be worried about DL passengers taking up reward availability!!! ):

slinky09 wrote:What is in our favour is that Americans are not used to paying very high fees / surcharges for reward bookings - I suspect that when DL fliers realize that it could be up to $1,000 for a UC reward on VS they'll be backing off pretty quickly. But there is a danger - there are many, many millions more DL fliers than VS fliers and if you're used to VS then why on a good day would anyone actually prefer to fly on DL?

Exactly my thoughts.

It's a real shame losing SQ. VS's network to the Far East is very limited with almost no options to get miles when flying to many destinations. That's a real blow - so it'll be back to EK for me then to Manila say.

Yes it is a shame. One has to wonder how long before VS will join Skyteam. It will certainly strengthen the VS offering out in the Far East and will plug the SQ gap quite nicely.

slinky09 wrote:On clubhouses I think it's going to be easy to keep a separation - perhaps DL Medallion Platinums will get access if not flying in UC, with lower tiers not, as a way of minimizing impact where DL FFs fly on VS in Y or PE (it already infers that on DL site)? As I have said before, it's really only JFK where there's really a chance of a problem.

Diamond and Platinum Medallion members will get access to clubhouses when flying VS or DL. (And a guest each)
Plus DL want to move to T3 at Heathrow (Link), so that could cause problems... One assumes this will be after other airlines have moved to T2.


Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members will get:

Priority Check-In
Priority Baggage Handling
Priority Security
Priority Boarding
Baggage fee waivers for one additional piece up to 23kg

When flying VS

Can't wait. Looks like may get to be Gold with VS this year then - lots of trips to Nashville, and should easily get the TP's for Gold now by renewal time. Glad I didn't book with Delta - hopefully will be able to use VS metal out and Delta internal flights from a connecting point..

As none need booking until July - looks like I may be a first guinea pig

Does anyone know when the SQ benefits will cease? I'm with Slinky, in that it was a nice little earner, especially for MNL, and I'll be very sorry to lose that one.

For that matter, are there any other decent options to SIN that will earn VS miles/TPs, or do I just say sod it and go BA in future?

Is it 29th yet? Is it? Is it?

On June 29, 2013 you will be able to book Virgin Atlantic flights at delta.com for travel on or after July 3, 2013. Just look for “Operated by: Virgin Atlantic” when searching for your flight.

To earn miles for a Virgin Atlantic flight, book at delta.com and add your SkyMiles number to your reservation.

To use your miles for Virgin Atlantic flights, book your Award Trip on delta.com after logging in.


I think this refers to using Delta Miles, but will be interesting to see the DL software in action on VS flights!

NB - the email I received about the partnership refers to my "Flying Club Silver" membership. Confused, much?

ALSO: Need to get to Atlanta, Detroit or Minneapolis? You can now buy direct Delta flights to these cities from London through our website, and you’ll earn Flying Club miles all the way. There’s a Delta flight direct from Manchester to Atlanta too.

No, you can't. Not yet at least.

Aw... nice pic.


http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/content/dam/VAA/Travelinformation/Deltapages/VADeltaCrew.jpg

ratechaser wrote:Does anyone know when the SQ benefits will cease? I'm with Slinky, in that it was a nice little earner, especially for MNL, and I'll be very sorry to lose that.

Just heard from someone who knows at Crawley Towers, the SQ benefits will not cease. V good news.

Personally quite pleased with this. Up until a few years ago I had been flying Delta out of Manchester to Atlanta and beyond, also at one time JFK.
Was a Medallion level and at the time upgrades were almost guaranteed and rewards easy (subject to us being a bit flexible).
Business Elite was ok, no real complaint , but not quite the same as UC. Cabin crew from Manchester were a bit hit and miss, think they would have preferred a layover in somewhere more exotic perhaps.
Wonder if anyone has any idea if it will be possible to merge ff accounts? Still have a residual balance in Skymiles. ?|

hazban wrote:Wonder if anyone has any idea if it will be possible to merge ff accounts? Still have a residual balance in Skymiles. ?|

I think the answer to that is a 'no'.

This is not a take over or merger like UA-CO where they did merge the FF schemes.

Now the tie-up is confirmed what might this mean for VS's A380 orders?

Thanks to those on here much better informed than me, it has been suggested the A380 orders may be turned into A350 orders instead.

I wonder if Delta's customers on the West Coast wanting to travel direct to London will increase the loads to/from SFO and LAX on VS, and possibly justify an A380 being deployed. With BA launching the A380 on their LHR-LAX route this year (as well to HKG) there'll be more seats available. But is an A380 the answer for VS/Delta?

Virgin's (current) plans at Heathrow (don't know about Gatwick) don't show any A380 use in the near future (~10 years).

Most airlines are looking at 2 engined planes now, even LH are going to retire their band new 747-8i's in the next 10 years.

MattG wrote:I just spoke with Flying club and they will be keeping Flying Club, but sadly Singapore Airlines will no longer be a partner airline in any form.

When was this announced?

VS and SQ made it clear the relationship WOULD continue with the new owners.