V AUSTRALIA AND DELTA AIR LINES LINK FREQUENT-FLYER, LOUNGE AND CODESHARE AGREEMENTS

Virgin Blue Airlines Group’s new boutique international long-haul airline, V Australia, and the world’s largest airline, US-based, Delta Air Lines, are pleased to announce that from today members of each carrier’s frequent flyer programmes will enjoy reciprocal points accrual for travel with both airlines and reciprocal lounge access within Australia and the US

Australia  – Virgin Blue Airlines Group’s Velocity Members can now begin earning points to even more global destinations with the addition today of the Delta Air Lines route network. Having the ability to earn points for travel across the US with the addition of Delta, means Velocity Members can now enjoy the benefits of a truly global loyalty programme with airline partners covering the world. 

Delta Air Lines is the only U.S. global airline that flies to six continents and offers customers the world’s largest network of destinations and the world’s largest frequent flier program with more than 70 million members.  

Velocity Rewards is the award-winning loyalty program of the Virgin Blue Airlines Group. In 2009, at the annual Freddie Awards in Florida, Velocity was named Program of The Year among all airlines in the Asia/Pacific Airline category. The program also won five of the other eight awards this year including Best Award, Best Award Redemption, Best Web Site, Best Member Communications and Best Affinity Credit Card. 

Complementing the reciprocal points accrual agreement for Velocity and SkyMiles Members, the two carriers have also implemented a reciprocal airport lounge sharing agreement, allowing Velocity Gold Members and VA Business Class Guests access to more than 50 Delta Air Lines Sky Club locations. Delta’s BusinessELite travelers as well as Delta Sky Club members also will benefit from access to Virgin Blue’s domestic lounge network within Australia. 

As part of the ongoing strengthening of the co-operation agreement between Virgin Blue Airlines Group and Delta Air Lines, the carriers have also announced the first phase of their expanded code-share agreement, signalingV Australia’s commitment to expanding its reach beyond Los Angeles and confirming Delta Air Lines as V Australia’s latest code-share partner. 

Virgin Blue Airlines Group, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, Brett Godfrey, said these new agreements are a huge step forward in the airline group’s commitment to making travel between Australia and the United States easier. 
 

“Our aim is to make trans-Pacific travel as affordable and hassle free as possible; delivering seamless domestic and international connections between V Australia and Delta Air Lines. Our Guests can now seamlessly book their V Australia and Delta Air Lines flights at the same time through their travel agent, or via one of our Guest Contact Centres, from their origin port in either the USA or Australia all on one ticket. 

“These agreements are also incredibly significant for our Velocity Members, because until now the USA has been the glaring missing piece to our global frequent flyer programme. Our Guests can now earn and redeem their Velocity Points when flying with us and our partner airlines right around the globe,” Mr Godfrey said. 

 V Australia will code on Delta-operated flights between Los Angeles and New York (JFK); Salt Lake City (SLC); Orlando (MCO) and Cincinnati (CVG), placing a VA flight number on Delta Air Lines operated domestic flights, to connect with V Australia flights to/from Los Angeles and to/from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. These flights are available for sale now, for travel effective from 18 January 2010. Examples of days of travel are provided in the charts below. 

Picture: Carstino Delmonte/ Touristikpresse.net

FROM LOS ANGELES (LAX): EFFECTIVE 18 JAN 2010 (subject to change) 

TO LOS ANGELES (LAX): EFFECTIVE 18 JAN 2010 (subject to change) 

“Delta and Virgin Blue make exciting partners for travel between the United States and Australia and we look forward to welcoming Virgin Blue customers onboard our flights to and from L.A.,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s executive vice president – Network and Revenue Management. “The launch of codesharing between our two airlines is the first step in our collective efforts to make it easier for Delta customers to travel throughout Australia and the South Pacific.”
 

Delta, in this first phase of the joint code-share agreement, will code on Virgin Blue operated flights between Sydney and Melbourne (MEL) and Brisbane (BNE) placing a DL* flight number on Virgin Blue (DJ) operated domestic flights to connect with Delta flights to/from Sydney. These flights are available for sale now, for travel effective from 15 February 2010. 

FROM SYDNEY (SYD): EFFECTIVE 15 FEB 2010 (subject to change) 

TO SYDNEY (SYD): EFFECTIVE 15 FEB 2010 (subject to change) 

Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, operates more than 60 flights a day into Los Angeles International Airport connecting this West Coast gateway to 25 destinations across the America, Australia and Asia.  Delta is the biggest US airline and the largest trans-Atlantic carrier, serving 368 destinations in 66 countries. Delta continues to expand its presence in Los Angeles and will provide a good interline feed for V Australia flights in Los Angeles. 

Virgin Blue Airlines Group, headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, includes the nation’s second largest carrier, multi-award winning Virgin Blue; international subsidiary airline Pacific Blue; Polynesian Blue, a joint venture airline with the Government of Samoa; V Australia, Australia’s newest international airline; plus its holiday operation, Blue Holidays, and loyalty programme, Velocity. 

Together, Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue provide Australian domestic and international services to 45 destinations across New Zealand, the Pacific and also to and from North America, South East Asia and South Africa. 

Further information on the new airport lounge sharing agreement: 

Effective immediately, eligible Guests travelling with Virgin Blue, V Australia and Delta Air Lines respectively can benefit with access to Virgin Blue Lounges domestically within Australia and Delta Air Lines Lounges within the United States. 

This means that more than 50 Delta Air Lines Lounges in the United States (lounge locations can be found at www.delta.com/clublocations) can now be accessed by the following Virgin Blue/VAustralia Guests:

• Gold Velocity Members* with boarding pass for same day V Australia, Delta Air Lines operated flight as part of an international itinerary
• Gold Velocity Members* with boarding pass for same day V Australia, Delta Air Lines operated flight as part of a domestic itinerary
• Guests holding confirmed Business Class boarding pass for same day V Australia, Delta Air Lines operated flight as part of an international itinerary.

*Gold Velocity Card holders must present their membership card in addition to boarding pass to be given access. Upon presentation of Gold Velocity Membership card and boarding pass, Gold Velocity Members can be accompanied by a Guest free of charge when travelling on a DJ/VA/DL flight. 

Virgin Blue Lounges throughout Australia can now be accessed by the following Guests

• SkyMiles Platinum Medallion Members, SkyMiles Asia Gold Medallion Members and Delta Sky Club Members* with boarding pass for same day V Australia, Delta Air Lines operated flight as part of an international itinerary
• SkyMiles Platinum Medallion Members, SkyMiles Asia Gold Medallion Members & Delta Sky Club Members* with boarding pass for same day Virgin Blue operated flight as part of a domestic itinerary
• Guests holding confirmed Business Class boarding pass for same day V Australia or Delta Air Lines operated flight as part of an international itinerary.