are long haul flights depart empty from UK? Apparently not. So there are enough people don’t mind paying APD.  I will keep adding side trip/ stopover with my UK trip. Return from Spain Italy and Switzerland is much better value.   

Is there any plan VA wet lease QR aircrafts for AU-NZ, AU-LAX routes? It would be more interesting. 

QR988/989 will be rerouted as DOH-MEL-CBR with 8am-ish departure from DOH, arriving in MEL 6am-ish early morning. QR989 will depart at 1610 from MEL (one hour before VA8). 

Seems QR988/989 will be suspended or rerouted. As for aircraft operating VA7/8, there is more than enough time to fly between MEL-NZ/FJ if VA/QR are interested in making their deal more complicated. 

Most pax travel beyond Doha. Would love to know who velocity redemption works for multi-legs journey combines with VA and QR flight number.