A Qantas WP1's observations on the Virgin Platinum experience

[TonyHancock]

Hi Budley,
What didn't we comp you? Our status match period has finished (after being available for quite some time).

Priority Pass access has indeed ended as we need to ensure there is lounge space for those loyal Guests who are flying with us.

Also, our airline name is now Virgin Australia and we have an extensive international network through our alliance partners, Etihad, Air NZ, Delta and soon to be approved Singapore Airlines. Through these partners you have access to 500 destinations worldwide.

...and I for one am looking forward to my VA codeshare on Etihad (MEL-LHR-MEL) in March. I plan on retaining the Platinum status I received as a comp. A nice week of VA/DJ travel coming up with a J upgrade SYD-MEL on the new 330. Now if you could only get me to Sao Paulo easily in January and July...in J.

 

[notzac]

...and I for one am looking forward to my VA codeshare on Etihad (MEL-LHR-MEL) in March. I plan on retaining the Platinum status I received as a comp. A nice week of VA/DJ travel coming up with a J upgrade SYD-MEL on the new 330. Now if you could only get me to Sao Paulo easily in January and July...in J.

Well .. depending on your definition of easy, you could fly MEL-LAX-ATL-GRU, GRU-JFK-LAX-MEL on a combination of VA and DL. I don't know I'd actually want to do this myself, but the option exists..

 

[Simo]

very balanced report...

Some people are being bias towards one or the other.

i see positives and negative in each but i have not yet claimed any of the benefits of being VA WP member.

 

[Noob]

very balanced report...

Some people are being bias towards one or the other.

i see positives and negative in each but i have not yet claimed any of the benefits of being VA WP member.

^This is so true, and a very good summary of the thread.

 

[The Rok]

Hi Budley,
What didn't we comp you? Our status match period has finished (after being available for quite some time).

Priority Pass access has indeed ended as we need to ensure there is lounge space for those loyal Guests who are flying with us.

Also, our airline name is now Virgin Australia and we have an extensive international network through our alliance partners, Etihad, Air NZ, Delta and soon to be approved Singapore Airlines. Through these partners you have access to 500 destinations worldwide.

PMSL. Would love to meet this rep in person as I suspect he/she has a fantastic sarcastic sense of humour yet had no time for bull****ters, much like myself! Love it. Well done VA

 

[TonyHancock]

Well .. depending on your definition of easy, you could fly MEL-LAX-ATL-GRU, GRU-JFK-LAX-MEL on a combination of VA and DL. I don't know I'd actually want to do this myself, but the option exists..

LOL I knew I should have defined easily.




Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[maninblack]

Also, our airline name is now Virgin Australia and we have an extensive international network through our alliance partners, Etihad, Air NZ, Delta and soon to be approved Singapore Airlines.

Hi. Two questions in relation to this post.

To be approved by whom?

What is your definition of soon?

 

[777]

Hi. Two questions in relation to this post.

To be approved by whom?

What is your definition of soon?

I think the answers are...

1. The ACCC
2. When the ACCC have finished approving it. They have already indicated their intention to do so.

 

[lazybones1987]

Hi. Two questions in relation to this post.

To be approved by whom?

What is your definition of soon?

To be approved by the ACCC. They have given them the draft approval. So, hopefully it will be "anytime now" soon.

edit: 777 beat me to it

 

[drewbles]

QF lovers, DJ haters and DJ lovers, QF haters alike really should sample AA Y. Thankfully I've never done it, but know several who have. They'd never complain about the same wrap week after week

Golden rule of AA whY:

FEBO

Front Even, Back Odds.

Meal service is from the front of cabin on even numbered flights, and from the rear on odd numbered flights. Makes getting a selection a little easier.

I have 2 x trans Atlantic AA whY flights coming up which may well be interesting.

 

[maninblack]

I think the answers are...

1. The ACCC
2. When the ACCC have finished approving it. They have already indicated their intention to do so.

Thanks.

When an SQ alliance comes into reality and I assume it will involve a SC earn capability for Velocity members then you have a real potential 'game changer'. 3 flights a day MEL-SIN and a large network beyond. Bring it on

 

[tuapekastar]

Golden rule of AA whY:

FEBO

Front Even, Back Odds.

Meal service is from the front of cabin on even numbered flights, and from the rear on odd numbered flights. Makes getting a selection a little easier.

I have 2 x trans Atlantic AA whY flights coming up which may well be interesting.

I thought FEBO was F/J cabins only? Or is that just domestic flights?

 

[drewbles]

I thought FEBO was F/J cabins only? Or is that just domestic flights?

AFAIK it was for domestic in all cabins. Perhaps I'm mistaken...

Paging serfty, serfty to the white courtesy telephone.

 

[straitman]

AFAIK it was for domestic in all cabins. Perhaps I'm mistaken...

Paging serfty, serfty to the white courtesy telephone.

It probably doesn't matter much in coach as they don't give you anything useful anyway.

 

[pshepvic]

I thought FEBO was F/J cabins only? Or is that just domestic flights?

My understanding also is that FEBO was for F/J only. In Y domestic it is Food for Purchase anyway.

Long haul it might be different, but I don't think I could bring myself to fly AA long haul in Y to find out...


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[serfty]

AA FA's refer to it as 'preferences' (rather than FEBO) and most definitely in the book for F/J cabins only.

If you are in economy and are hoping to purchase something, the further forward you are, the better your chances.

When in the pointy end, unless on a 763, I don't worry about FEBO any more; simply grabbing a bulkhead as much as possible. If it's an even numbered flight, so much the better.

 

[medhead]

I want to add a lessor qf platinum's thoughts on velocity platinum. After 10 flights I'm still waiting for the unpublished onboard special treatment. It would have been great this morning with empty rows 1 and 2 and the guy in 3B snoring away puffing stale breathe all over me. I haven't had this as a platinum and have observed plenty of offers to people around me. If I hadn't seen onboard seat moves and bottles of water I would think it was a load of virgin fan BS.

Of course, qantas does nothing extra for me on board so it is really more of the same. Just disappointing that it doesn't live up to the hype.


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

 

[777]

I want to add a lessor qf platinum's thoughts on velocity platinum. After 10 flights I'm still waiting for the unpublished onboard special treatment. It would have been great this morning with empty rows 1 and 2 and the guy in 3B snoring away puffing stale breathe all over me. I haven't had this as a platinum and have observed plenty of offers to people around me. If I hadn't seen onboard seat moves and bottles of water I would think it was a load of virgin fan BS.

Of course, qantas does nothing extra for me on board so it is really more of the same. Just disappointing that it doesn't live up to the hype.

Never happened here either and I've flown a lot!

 

[BVT]

The VA FA's are far superior to most of the QF and JQ team. You know the ones I mean!

Twelve flights with VA this month with four to go. I am so sick of the wrap and the deli snadwich and the cookie and the pie- both real and vego .... I know no one is forcing me to eat, but there is nothing but beer and wine in my 'fridge at home (Not that there is anything wrong with that!)

 

[QF WP]

We are twins Warks, I totally agree.

I have to say it's a stroke of genius on DJ's part to offer this comp membership. I was QF SG a bit over a month ago and got comped DJ SG, a pity that I made WP a few weeks later though.

But what it's meant is that the barriers to me flying DJ (apart from a long memory of cancelled flights many years ago) are gone - not having to queue with the plebs, access to the lounge and preferred seating. Without all that it was hard to compete when the price on QF was not a great deal more.

I don't enjoy not being fed, stupid I know but it breaks up the journey and on principle I won't buy food on the plane as I don't really need it. Otherwise it's all pretty good provided they don't cancel flights on me too often. I'll be dividing my loyalties this year depending on pricing and timing of flights I think.