Has anyone had any experience or knows if the following would work:
Booking a business class trip BNE to Athens via Abu Dhabi with Aegean Airlines however the flight is operated by Etihad. Then when I check in at the airport at the Etihad check in using my velocity card and getting that number added so I can get the status points and hopefully even velocity points. I started making a booking on Aegean's website and the list of reward/FF partenrs are those of star alliance and don't list Etihad or Virgin Aus (does list Singapore)
The reason i'm keen is this trip would give me enough status to get Gold and I would be willing to book to receive that accordingly. Also booking with Aegean costs $3100 however booking with Etihad costs $6800 despite the fact its the exact same flights/times and operated by Etihad.
My thoughts were adding at the Etihad checkin my Velocity number they wouldn't twig on unless the system didn't allow them
Can you join SQ's KF and put in that number, then transfer the points to VA FF#? Think KF is free to join, their KF points don't last more than 3 years, but if you transfer the points to VA FF, you would still have a use of those points.
Then after the flight, transfer the SQ's KF points to your VA FF#?
The equation is not 1:1 but at the least it would work out better.
Depending on your class of travel, if its J, it will earn quite a lot of SQ KF miles and SC anyway.
I did write to suggest to JB (head of VA) that why not VA join *A, he wrote back that it wasn't in their plans, that their tie in with SQ was enough.
To clarify a couple of points: you won't earn any Virgin Australia Velocity points or status credits when travelling on an Aegean flight number (even if the flight is operated by Etihad). You also won't earn any Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles in this circumstance – even though Aegean is a Star Alliance member, Etihad is not.
(Which is different to how the Qantas/Emirates tie-up works, for example.)
Also, Virgin Australia is not a Star Alliance member and so Star Alliance status will not get you into the Virgin Australia lounges, unless that status is with one of VA's own Star Alliance partners such as Singapore Airlines, Air NZ or South African Airways. VA has no partnership with Aegean, thus, no lounge access as an Aegean frequent flyer.
Also thank you Andrew for your ideas. I had forgotten all about the Sing VA points swap arrangement they have operating. That will come in hnady for me in the future.
There are so many ways to do things and so many flight 'hacks' I apprecaite everyones time and ideas!
gravity
gravity
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Jul 2014
Total posts 10
Hi ABT Team!
Has anyone had any experience or knows if the following would work:
Booking a business class trip BNE to Athens via Abu Dhabi with Aegean Airlines however the flight is operated by Etihad. Then when I check in at the airport at the Etihad check in using my velocity card and getting that number added so I can get the status points and hopefully even velocity points. I started making a booking on Aegean's website and the list of reward/FF partenrs are those of star alliance and don't list Etihad or Virgin Aus (does list Singapore)
The reason i'm keen is this trip would give me enough status to get Gold and I would be willing to book to receive that accordingly. Also booking with Aegean costs $3100 however booking with Etihad costs $6800 despite the fact its the exact same flights/times and operated by Etihad.
My thoughts were adding at the Etihad checkin my Velocity number they wouldn't twig on unless the system didn't allow them
Thank you
gravity
gravity
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Jul 2014
Total posts 10
MORE INFO:
The flight is marketered by Aegean and operated by Etihad
Im assuming its a NO but wanted to check
cheers
Andrew Barkery
Andrew Barkery
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Mar 2011
Total posts 433
Can you join SQ's KF and put in that number, then transfer the points to VA FF#? Think KF is free to join, their KF points don't last more than 3 years, but if you transfer the points to VA FF, you would still have a use of those points.
Then after the flight, transfer the SQ's KF points to your VA FF#?
The equation is not 1:1 but at the least it would work out better.
Depending on your class of travel, if its J, it will earn quite a lot of SQ KF miles and SC anyway.
I did write to suggest to JB (head of VA) that why not VA join *A, he wrote back that it wasn't in their plans, that their tie in with SQ was enough.
Andrew Barkery
Andrew Barkery
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Mar 2011
Total posts 433
OR join A3 (Aegean's code) Miles & Bonus plan.
On an article here on AusBT, in Dec 2013, it mentioned that A3's SG is equal to *A SG, which will give access to VA lounges in Australia.
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
To clarify a couple of points: you won't earn any Virgin Australia Velocity points or status credits when travelling on an Aegean flight number (even if the flight is operated by Etihad). You also won't earn any Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles in this circumstance – even though Aegean is a Star Alliance member, Etihad is not.
(Which is different to how the Qantas/Emirates tie-up works, for example.)
Also, Virgin Australia is not a Star Alliance member and so Star Alliance status will not get you into the Virgin Australia lounges, unless that status is with one of VA's own Star Alliance partners such as Singapore Airlines, Air NZ or South African Airways. VA has no partnership with Aegean, thus, no lounge access as an Aegean frequent flyer.
gravity
gravity
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Jul 2014
Total posts 10
Thanks Chris for your advice and explanation
Also thank you Andrew for your ideas. I had forgotten all about the Sing VA points swap arrangement they have operating. That will come in hnady for me in the future.
There are so many ways to do things and so many flight 'hacks' I apprecaite everyones time and ideas!
Cheers