Flying to Europe this year and have Velocity Gold Status. When flying with Etihad do you have to have a VA Ticketed flight to access the lounges? Eg. If I book on the Etihad Airways site and the flight is an EY, can I still use my Velocity Gold at the Etihad Lounge in Melbourne and Abu Dhabi?
Note that as Gold you will only have access to the Al-Reem lounge. I've popped in a couple of times and it's always seemed busy and certainly not as relaxing as the full-fat Etihad lounges.
Correct indeed that you can only access the Al-Reem lounge in Terminal 3. Most flights (or all?) to Australia depart from Terminal 1, though, so make sure you account for the 10-15 minute walk towards the gate.
Also, the way the Velocity FF partner system works they cannot give you access to the lounge when you are in your last month of Gold status (like it happened to me), when you have passed the 'review date' but not the 'expiry date' and have not re-qualified. Even in Perth I was denied access to the Etihad-contracted Qantas lounge because in that last one month before expiry (and after the review date) the partner system shows you as Silver. Showing your actual card with the actual expiry date did not matter "because the computer said NO".. Same happened to me in AUH, until I showed them my Virgin Australia app on the iPhone with a valid Gold status.
I've let the Velocity team know about this descrepancy when passing the review date with their partner systems, so hopefully it will get resolved.
Velocity Platinum members have access to the Etihad First Class lounge (which can be a bit hard to find - it's before you get to the shopping arcade when you come out of security). I was offered a complimentary neck and shoulder massage, and the full dining room experience.
Regarding post above about lack of access to lounge in last month. My review date is 10 April (card valid till 10 May). I had no problem accessing EH first class lounge on 9 April last year. Maybe they differentiate between Platinum and Gold??
I travelled with Etihad on the way back to Aus from UK over Christmas. Travelling with 2 kids, I upgraded my Fiancee's Velocity Membership upgraded to Gold using my excess Status Credits, so that we could access VA Partner Airline Lounges.
This worked well with Singapore on the way to the UK, but on the return flight via Abu Dhabi I nearly came undone.
I went into the Etihad Premium Lounge (in T1) and was told that all 4 of us could not come in because I could only have 1 guest and Gold aren't allowed in the lounge. No problem there, I'll go down to the Al-Reem lounge - or so I thought.
My fiancee was allowed in with 1 guest because she's Gold, but I was told that I was not allowed in because I am Platinum... so I would have to take a child with me up to the Etihad Premium Lounge. I couldn't believe my ears, but the (very polite) lady advised that it was an agreement the lounges had with VA - nothing she could do. Fair enough.
Our flight was leaving from Terminal 3 so we headed on down to Duty Free, me still scratching my head and a little miffed.
I then went to the Etihad Lounge in T3, explained the situation to the gentleman on the desk and he confirmed what the lady in Al-Reem had said. But he agreed that it was kind of crazy that I was "over-qualified" and so very kindly let all 4 of us through.
It may sound silly and narrow-minded, but when you travel each week, the lounge is (usually) a great place to unwind. And with a 13.5hr flight to Brisbane ahead of us, all I wanted to do was unwind for a couple of hours!
That's weird. I was told at the Al-Rheem lounge I could go in there, but it was suggested I might prefer the Premium Lounge. Because I didn't have a very long wait, I decided to stay put (but did go to the Premium lounge on the way home). Maybe they've changed their policy since last March. At least common sense prevailed in the end.
Velocity Gold - We also got knocked back for Virgin Altantic in Hong Kong and London - albeit being Econ and could not be bothered taking it up with Virgin. However, Delta lounge at JFK and whoever Virgin use at LAX - (usual moving feast) - always works.
I had an issue as Velocity Gold member flying LAX to SYD on a flight booked through Virgin Australia but operated by Delta. Went to the Delta lounge and they wouldn't let me in because the flight was ticketed by Virgin, told me to use the Virgin lounge, which was Etihad. Went to Etihad and they said no because I wasn't flying Virgin, I was flying Delta.
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VA Ticketed Flights - Lounge Access
Tan21
Tan21
Member since 09 Jan 2018
Total posts 4
Hi Fellow Travellers,
Jorge_fly
Jorge_fly
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 08 Feb 2016
Total posts 83
You can access the lounge without a VA ticketed flight, flying Etihad. You can use the lounge in both Melbourne and AUH.
Fatherdamo
Fatherdamo
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 28 Feb 2017
Total posts 10
Yes you can access the lounges with a etihad ticketed Flight
Victor G
Victor G
Etihad - Etihad Guest
Member since 02 Jul 2015
Total posts 17
Note that as Gold you will only have access to the Al-Reem lounge. I've popped in a couple of times and it's always seemed busy and certainly not as relaxing as the full-fat Etihad lounges.
eight10man
eight10man
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 28 Apr 2014
Total posts 1
Correct indeed that you can only access the Al-Reem lounge in Terminal 3. Most flights (or all?) to Australia depart from Terminal 1, though, so make sure you account for the 10-15 minute walk towards the gate.
Also, the way the Velocity FF partner system works they cannot give you access to the lounge when you are in your last month of Gold status (like it happened to me), when you have passed the 'review date' but not the 'expiry date' and have not re-qualified.
Even in Perth I was denied access to the Etihad-contracted Qantas lounge because in that last one month before expiry (and after the review date) the partner system shows you as Silver. Showing your actual card with the actual expiry date did not matter "because the computer said NO".. Same happened to me in AUH, until I showed them my Virgin Australia app on the iPhone with a valid Gold status.
I've let the Velocity team know about this descrepancy when passing the review date with their partner systems, so hopefully it will get resolved.
Di
Di
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 16 Dec 2015
Total posts 6
Velocity Platinum members have access to the Etihad First Class lounge (which can be a bit hard to find - it's before you get to the shopping arcade when you come out of security). I was offered a complimentary neck and shoulder massage, and the full dining room experience.
Di
Di
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 16 Dec 2015
Total posts 6
Regarding post above about lack of access to lounge in last month. My review date is 10 April (card valid till 10 May). I had no problem accessing EH first class lounge on 9 April last year. Maybe they differentiate between Platinum and Gold??
jodi.cooper
jodi.cooper
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 15 Jan 2018
Total posts 1
I travelled with Etihad on the way back to Aus from UK over Christmas. Travelling with 2 kids, I upgraded my Fiancee's Velocity Membership upgraded to Gold using my excess Status Credits, so that we could access VA Partner Airline Lounges.
Di
Di
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 16 Dec 2015
Total posts 6
That's weird. I was told at the Al-Rheem lounge I could go in there, but it was suggested I might prefer the Premium Lounge. Because I didn't have a very long wait, I decided to stay put (but did go to the Premium lounge on the way home). Maybe they've changed their policy since last March.
At least common sense prevailed in the end.
mhunt
mhunt
Member since 13 Sep 2017
Total posts 1
Velocity Gold - We also got knocked back for Virgin Altantic in Hong Kong and London - albeit being Econ and could not be bothered taking it up with Virgin. However, Delta lounge at JFK and whoever Virgin use at LAX - (usual moving feast) - always works.
Tan21
Tan21
Member since 09 Jan 2018
Total posts 4
And does anyone have any preference over flying to Europe with Singapore Airlines or Etihad, taking into account the lounges etc.?
jamwin
jamwin
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 30 Jan 2018
Total posts 3
I had an issue as Velocity Gold member flying LAX to SYD on a flight booked through Virgin Australia but operated by Delta. Went to the Delta lounge and they wouldn't let me in because the flight was ticketed by Virgin, told me to use the Virgin lounge, which was Etihad. Went to Etihad and they said no because I wasn't flying Virgin, I was flying Delta.