(TAN): Virgin Australia Group has announced a new partnership with United Airlines. Starting April 2022, the partnership will establish codeshare co-operation, as well as reciprocal loyalty benefits for Velocity Frequent Flyer members to earn, redeem and receive tier benefits when travelling on United’s domestic and international network, connecting from Virgin Australia’s multiple Australian gateways, a statement said.
Virgin Australia Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the partnership was an exciting opportunity for Virgin Australia customers while tripling the airline’s reach into the United States.
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“The United States is a key market for Virgin Australia, and we know Australians are excited to be able to travel overseas again, so we’ve created hundreds of new ways they can do that through United’s extensive services to and from Australia. Virgin Australia customers will have significantly more options for travel from Australia to the States, with more than three-times as many services available to them, which is great news for Australian travellers.” Hrdlicka said.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said: “The United States and Australia share a special bond and I’m especially proud that United was the only airline to maintain a vital link between these two countries throughout the pandemic. Looking ahead, Virgin Australia is the perfect partner for United. Our partnership provides considerable commercial value for both airlines and a shared commitment to offer the best travel experience for our customers.”
The new partnership will also see Virgin Australia and United work together to improve customer experience and share best practices in areas such as innovation and sustainability, the Australian airline said in the statement. United Airlines have been a long-term leader in sustainable aviation, and just last week operated the world’s first commercial passenger flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) which was a turning point in the industry’s effort to combat climate change.
