A330 Coast to Coast - some questions

[ap_spd]

hi Guys,
Just a few quick questions for you for an upcoming trip I have for Perth on J flying from Sydney on t June and back on 10 June


1. I read somewhere that on coast to coast service there is a complimentary limousine service, is this correct ? If yes, is this service available at both Perth and Sydney ?

2. Does VA still hand out the noise cancellation head sets for the pax to carry home ? More interested in this one if u ask me :mrgreen:


thanks for the help.

Cheers, Amit

 

[lovestotravel]

No and No....

 

[docjames]

1. Originally when coast to coast was first introduced. Been dropped for some time.

2. No. And the sets onboard don't seem particularly effective in terms of NC. Adequate but not spectacular.

 

[Fruitcake]

Does VA still hand out the noise cancellation head sets for the pax to carry home ? More interested in this one if u ask me :mrgreen:

Judging by the lack of Virgin Australia branded noise cancelling headphones on eBay, I'm going to back up lovestotravel and answer 'no'.

 

[ap_spd]

thanks docjames, cant say i like ur answer

 

[docjames]

Sorry. :-(

It's a great product though overall so I don't think you should be too disappointed!

 

[Major]

You will still enjoy the service and the food/wine. Compared to the 738 experience it is luxury

 

[docjames]

You will still enjoy the service and the food/wine. Compared to the 738 experience it is luxury

We did 738 outbound (a/c downgrade).

The 738 experience was ok but it's the seat itself and the IFE that's the main issue on the 738.

Very disappointing to book a 332 and end up unannounced on a 738. Although the fabulous crew and decent food and drink almost made up for it.

 

[lovestotravel]

For at least the next 18 months if you have the choice between a VA A330 and anything QF the VA option will win hands down!

Early 2015 is when we will see the refurbished QFA330's starting to fly, but that is so far away I am not holding my breath

Enjoy your flight

 

[serfty]

...

2. No. And the sets onboard don't seem particularly effective in terms of NC. Adequate but not spectacular.

The N/C function does not operate on the 332's - they operate simply as 'passive' headphones. The power LED does not illuminate.

They do work fine on the 77W (as they use the same style 'phones), but that does not help with PER flights.

 

[docjames]

The N/C function does not operate on the 332's - they operate simply as 'passive' headphones. The power LED does not illuminate.

They do work fine on the 77W (as they use the same style 'phones), but that does not help with PER flights.

That would explain it then. I noted the light but not functioning. Shame given it's a new build aircraft.....

 

[straitman]

The $99 NC headphones available through the AFF store are great value for money though. (Having just made the investment)

Having just been to PER and back on the VA 330s they work really well.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

And to add my novice input, I didn't find the A332 headphones particularly comfortable.

(300 000 x better than the hard black 738 Y version though :mrgreen

 

[kpc]

The $99 NC headphones available through the AFF store are great value for money though. (Having just made the investment)

Having just been to PER and back on the VA 330s they work really well.

The Bose QuietComfort15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones worked a treat on the VA 330 to Perth and back:mrgreen:....the headphones VA handed out in J were not very good at all!

PS had a most wonderful lamb shank for lunch on the way back this afternoon. A fellow AFFer seemed to enjoy the beverages that VA provided on this route!

 

[straitman]

The Bose QuietComfort15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones worked a treat on the VA 330 to Perth and back:mrgreen:....the headphones VA handed out in J were not very good at all!

PS had a most wonderful lamb shank for lunch on the way back this afternoon. A fellow AFFer seemed to enjoy the beverages that VA provided on this route!

My Lamb Shank was great also.

 

[tuapekastar]

For at least the next 18 months if you have the choice between a VA A330 and anything QF the VA option will win hands down!

Early 2015 is when we will see the refurbished QFA330's starting to fly, but that is so far away I am not holding my breath

Enjoy your flight

I dunno, I had an international config both ways MEL-PER-MEL on the weekend and it stacked up pretty well against either VA config. Main differences are pre takeoff fizz and amenity kit offered on VA. QF crew very good.

 

[serfty]

... QF crew very good.

That's the issue I find most different.

I know you had "bad" VA crew one flight, but that seems to be the exeption. All the coast to coast crews I've had with VA have been outstanding in comparison with what I have generally experienced with QF.

I have my doubts that QF crews can keep "very good" up in the long run, let alone "exceptional". (Mainly due to what I beeline are entrenched work habits.)

 

[ChrisCunard]

I agree. Have done 20 something cost to coast flights and all have had superb crew.

 

[tuapekastar]

That's the issue I find most different.

I know you had "bad" VA crew one flight, but that seems to be the exeption. All the coast to coast crews I've had with VA have been outstanding in comparison with what I have generally experienced with QF.

I have my doubts that QF crews can keep "very good" up in the long run, let alone "exceptional". (Mainly due to what I beeline are entrenched work habits.)

Not knocking VA at all, that one flight excepted their crews have ranged from very good to excellent (but it is noteworthy that that one less than stellar flight had ~16 pax in the J cabin, the others had ~6). But the QF crews last weekend (first QF transcon for a year or two, thanks to the VA comp upgrades ) were around that level too, as were the QF crews on all of my other flights this year. I hope you're wrong and that QF crews can keep up the good work!

 

[docjames]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

/tangential topic/

COuld someone please explain why XFA/B are so bad (vs a QF 330 with Y+ seats)?

Or do we mean "bad" (comapred to XFC onwards)?