A QF regular's DJ experience.

[Justchecking]

Well I have to agree that the Y seats on the 330s aren't wonderful. The 'lumbar support' of those seats is anything but. As a short person I end up with a horrible lump right in the middle of my spine. The trick there is that the seat automatically has the lumbar lump engaged and extended, if you are strong enough you can push the lump back into the seat and be more comfortable. I don't think there is anything wrong with the J seats on the 330s, they are great for the 4hr+ flights they do.

I think people need to remember that a lot of the oohhh-ing and ahhh-ing is made against the backdrop of the old 737 DJ product which is indeed a long way behind the new DJ 737 product and even the A330 product.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Having a Flexi Fare allowed us a 'meal' which..............

Think the OP is Silver, do they have access to Priority Boarding????

The OP is silver status but a flexi flyer.......which I think gives priority boarding (please correct if I'm wrong).

 

[ChrisCunard]

I was Silver Velocity but a Flexi Fare holder.

I didn't realize Flexi Fares gave priority boarding!

I must say, I wouldn't choose Flexi Fare for priority boarding + the meal - I'd have been happier with a discount Y fare and the meat pie

However, given that QF were grounded we were just happy to get on DJ Flexi Fare cheaper than what JQ were offering at the same time!!

 

[maggies1]

Access to the QP when flying DJ?, Just flash the Qantas Club card and walk in. easy

 

[tuapekastar]

The Lounge Melbourne:

This was great, access was easy and the area looks very very modern and pleasant. Missing were the rows of iMac computers but no one seemed to care. The real highlights here were Beez Neez and Corona available to drink, and barista coffee at 3pm. The food selection seemed limited compared to QP but it was all tasty and looked appetizing. The bathrooms were not clean which was a shame. The TV's were all on with audio on loud - Sky News coverage of the Qantas crisis, so a bit of PR work there - all in all a peasant lounge.

Freudian slip?

In all seriousness, thanks for the report. I'm (and I'm sure I'm not alone) trying out DJ soon, so good to have some idea what to expect. And good feedback for DJ/VA reps who might monitor AFF.

 

[Ansettaddict123]

The OP is silver status but a flexi flyer.......which I think gives priority boarding (please correct if I'm wrong).

Flexis don't receive priority boarding, only business guests and gold and above status fliers [/end correction]

 

[doctork]

Virgin Australia lounge in ADL on Mon 31/10 was not over-full. Able to get table service barista coffee (for me), hot choc (Mrs 'tork), and a babycino (little Miss 'tork). The status match helped ease the pain of the $319.50 per person Flexi ADL-SYD. Having row 3 on a 737-700 (Y+ pitch but 3-abreast) was nice. Food for flexis was better than QF, but would have preferred to choose the pie on the menu, like some other posters. What was really good was the DJ ADL ground staff at check in. Service, smile, efficiency. Kudos to them and I am now leaning towards SG in both airlines rather than going for WP in QF, just in case...

 

[ChrisCunard]

Freudian slip?

Yes!! Thanks for picking it up - all fixed

 

[medhead]

Virgin Australia lounge in ADL on Mon 31/10 was not over-full. Able to get table service barista coffee (for me), hot choc (Mrs 'tork), and a babycino (little Miss 'tork). The status match helped ease the pain of the $319.50 per person Flexi ADL-SYD. Having row 3 on a 737-700 (Y+ pitch but 3-abreast) was nice. Food for flexis was better than QF, but would have preferred to choose the pie on the menu, like some other posters. What was really good was the DJ ADL ground staff at check in. Service, smile, efficiency. Kudos to them and I am now leaning towards SG in both airlines rather than going for WP in QF, just in case...

Which flight? DJ417?


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

 

[doctork]

Why, yes, it was DJ417.
If you were on it, sorry if little Miss kept you from having a nap. The baby in row 5 slept the whole way. Lucky parents...

 

[medhead]

Why, yes, it was DJ417.
If you were on it, sorry if little Miss kept you from having a nap. The baby in row 5 slept the whole way. Lucky parents...

I was in 3A and did see your bag tag but the flight was too full. I didn't notice little miss crying, besides I didn't need to sleep, so no hassles at all.


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

 

[Reggie]

I thought I would hijack ChrisCunard’s thread (sorry Chris) rather than start another.

I am flying (have flown) PER-MEL on DJ today.
Booking was performed online, no blue zone available, so booked economy and then rang for an upgrade to J using one of my 4 upgrades. All very easy. I don’t find the website as easy to use as the QF website. I tried to log into my Velocity account before booking, but when I chose make a booking it was for award bookings only. So back to the DJ page go through the process of booking then logged in at the end.

Choose my seat(s) about 5 days out, again not a big problem, but with QF you can choose and forget.

Checked in online the day before, again no problems at this stage. One thing I wish DJ would look at is their carryon allowance, I have only just started the carryon only experience, but I thoroughly enjoy not standing around waiting for luggage. However the 1 piece of 7kg's with a separate small laptop bag included in the 7Kgs’ make this very hard. My baggage is 9kgs, and the second bag is a small backpack.

Dropped off at the airport, sort out a ticketing issue with sales at QF, then straight through security, no waiting, except for the bl@@dy shaving cream in my bag, note to self buy cream.

Lounge was good, quiet, but certainly not to QP or QPJ standards. No spirits, no hot food, other than the soup. Didn’t use wifi, but know it is faster here. No glasses or plates cleared in the nearly 2 hours I was there. Soup has been spilt at the service area and was not cleaned when I left the lounge, 20 minutes after I had noticed it. As Simongr has pointed out in another thread , the chips, nuts biscuits are kept behind the bar and you have to ask for them, which is difficult when there is no one there……… I did notice only one service person for the first hour, then a second person started.

 

[Reggie]

I left lounge for the gate early to observe boarding and thenew terminal area. On my to the boarding gate I paid particular attention tothe carryon of the pax, and many had more than the allowance in terms of numberand size, (I can’t visually judge weight). I thought it will be interesting tosee if anything is said to me.

Boarding was to be through the new aerobridges. I sat downwhilst the gate staff were busily moving the gate bollards to form two boardinglanes PLUS a priority boarding lane. When the call was made, priority boardingwas called first, and emphasised it was for priority guests, business, WP,etc….. Then after about thirty seconds the main boarding call of row 13 andback was made and the scrum started. I left it a couple of minutes, and untilseveral others used the priority lane. Got up, walked down the lane, and the GAstopped serving the pax from the general lane, and served me. Wow, DJ havedefinitely got this part right. Priority boarding, offered, set up, announced,organised and enforced.

Got on board, found overhead luggage to not be a problem.Seating looked fine, wide, good leg room, nice touch with the divider but notIFE built in.

Virgin Australia, you really need to look into the carryonlimits, and formalise something for your J, PE and premium FFer’s regardingcarryon if you want to take business from QF. You have the boarding down pat,but QF allow us 2 bags a 7kg each. It is something that obviously wasn’tenforced today, but if it is enforced by an overzealous GA, you could findyourself losing some of the goodwill you have and are continuing to build.

 

[ChrisCunard]

Interesting to read others perspectives.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Had an absolutely superb CSM "Will" on NTL-MEL yesterday
Will be emailing VA. Very polished service and the best flight I've had.

 

[Noob]

Had an absolutely superb CSM "Will" on NTL-MEL yesterday
Will be emailing VA. Very polished service and the best flight I've had.

I'm sure I've heard his name before, sounds like he's consistently superb!