Virgin Australia set for closer ties with Virgin America.
Virgin America has announced a tightening of its relationship with Virgin Australia which will see its Australian-based sister-carrier codeshare to eight US hubs beyond Los Angeles.
Expanding on its already established interline agreement, VX is seeking authority from US regulators to place the VA code on flights from Los Angeles to Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle and Washington DC.
The new deal will provide a more seamless travel experience for guests travelling between Australia and the US, meaning when passengers check-in they will receive all their Virgin Australia/Virgin America boarding passes at the one time.
“We believe this partnership will be welcomed by travellers on both sides of the Pacific,” said VX VP of Planning & Sales, Diana Walke.
“With this partnership, US-Australia travellers will be assured best-in-class guest service in three well-aligned classes of service – throughout their journey,” she added.
Walke’s Virgin Australia counterpart, Merren McArthur, said the announcement means guests would be able to enjoy seamless connections to key leisure and business hubs, while also earning frequent flyer points and status credits.
“The United States is a very important market for Australia; it is the third most popular international destination for Australian visitors and our fourth biggest source for overseas visitors to Australia,” the VA Group Executive of Alliances, Network and Yield said.
The new agreement is in addition to Virgin Australia’s alliance with trans-Pacific partner Delta Air Lines, to 13 destinations across the US.
See today’s issue of Travel Daily for more information.