Virgin Australia adds Qatar Airways to global friendship group

The company has teamed up with a second gulf carrier, adding Qatar Airways to its global airline friendship group.

Virgin Australia has teamed up with a second gulf carrier, adding Qatar Airways to its global airline friendship group.

The move will allow Virgin’s Velocity members to redeem points on Qatar Airways’ flights and travel on one ticket from Australia to destinations like Mykonos, Prague and Oslo.

The Doha-based carrier operates to more than 140 cities worldwide, including 54 in Europe with over 600 flights a week.

In return, Qatar passengers will have access to Virgin’s domestic network and recently relaunched international markets including Fiji and Queenstown in New Zealand.

The partnership starting later this year, will include reciprocal loyalty benefits for Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Velocity members, such as lounge access and extra baggage depending on status tier.

Virgin already has a deal with Etihad Airways, which is expected to continue despite the new tie-up with Qatar.

An Etihad spokesman said the two had been partners for 12-years and Australia remained one of the airline’s top five markets.

“There will be no changes for Etihad Guest or Velocity members, who will continue to enjoy aligned reciprocal tier benefits and lounge access globally,” said the spokesman.

Qatar Airways group CEO Akbar Al Baker said the airline had a longstanding relationship with Australia and the agreement with Virgin came “at a time when it was needed most”.

“This partnership will give Australian passengers access to the world that they have so acutely missed these past two years to be able to reconnect with family and friends and keep the wheels of trade moving,” said Mr Al Baker.

“We hope many of them will stopover in Doha to enjoy the wonderful tourism industry that Qatar has to offer.”

Virgin chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka echoed his sentiments, saying the partnership would significantly expand the airline’s footprint in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

“Qatar Airways has been a very important partner to Australia during the pandemic, maintaining vital connectivity to the world in difficult circumstances,” said Ms Hrdlicka.

“We are proud to have Qatar Airways join the Virgin Australia family.”

Editor of Executivetraveller.com.au David Flynn said the partnership was highly unexpected given Virgin’s tie-up with Etihad, and Qatar’s “de facto relationship with Qantas” as members of the Oneworld alliance.

“But there are many instances of odd bedmates in aviation, and if nothing else this pact will unlock a raft of benefits for Virgin Australia passengers and especially their Velocity frequent flyers,” said Mr Flynn.

“Perhaps the biggest win will be using Velocity points to book Qatar Airways’ superb Qsuites business class all the way from Brisbane to Barcelona or Melbourne to Manchester.”

Qatar Airways is currently the subject of a class action in the New South Wales Supreme Court by seven Australian women who were hauled off flights at gunpoint and subjected to humiliating gynaecological examinations in Doha in October 2020.

The examinations were ordered by authorities after a newborn baby was found dumped in a bin at Hamad International Airport, which is part of the Qatar Airways Group.

Several women were forced to leave young children on board flights as they were accompanied to awaiting vehicles and physically examined for signs of a recent birth.

The lawyer representing the women, Damian Sturzaker, has also complained to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in an effort to bring Qatar Airways and Qatar’s government to the table to discuss compensation.

As well as Etihad and Qatar, Virgin has partnerships with Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Hawaiian Airlines, All Nippon Airlines and Air Canada.

A partnership with United is due to start later this month, after Virgin split from Delta which is now teaming up with Rex.

On Thursday, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission gave interim authorisation for the codeshare arrangement between Virgin and United.

The move meant United could set the fares at which Virgin was able to sell the services operated by the US carrier.

ACCC commissioner Stephen Ridgeway said they took the view the partnership was in the public benefit because it would likely help Virgin re-establish its international network.

“Currently, it appears that Virgin Australia is unlikely to be able to operate its own long-haul international services in the short term,” said Mr Ridgeway.