Article: Has Virgin Australia Had Its Goldilocks Moment?

[ozstamps]

Back to the topic -

'Article: Has Virgin Australia Had Its Goldilocks Moment?'​

As a Platinum for 10 years or so, have found their focus and response to Plats has largely vanished off the charts, sadly. VERY much so in the past year IMHO

Bog simple tiny things that a Platinum line person once cheerfully resolved in minutes, now take an hour wrestling with Bangladesh, and having them cheerfully reading off a script, and doing nothing about it whatever, as they are empowered to do little.

With airfares seemingly doubling this year unless you book 6 months out, maybe they do not care about Plats these days as planes are full. Who knows?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Ah, didn't know that VA/VFF has gone so low read cheap now to have call centers *(pun)* in Bangladesh now.
Ta for that snippet.

 

[MooTime]

Ah, didn't know that VA/VFF has gone so low read cheap now to have call centers *(pun)* in Bangladesh now.
Ta for that snippet.

I thought VA had 1 call centre. I have no idea.
Someone here better versed should be all over it.
Sir ozstamps it's rather negative.

 

[jakeseven7]

Back to the topic -

'Article: Has Virgin Australia Had Its Goldilocks Moment?'​

As a Platinum for 10 years or so, have found their focus and response to Plats has largely vanished off the charts, sadly. VERY much so in the past year IMHO

Bog simple tiny things that a Platinum line person once cheerfully resolved in minutes, now take an hour wrestling with Bangladesh, and having them cheerfully reading off a script, and doing nothing about it whatever, as they are empowered to do little.

With airfares seemingly doubling this year unless you book 6 months out, maybe they do not care about Plats these days as planes are full. Who knows?

I thought they were in the Phillipines (who are prime HUACA material most of the time)? Now in Bangladesh too?

Do remember though 10 years ago it was a different company. It’s a new airline now, much smaller, hybrid LCC targeting a very different clientele - maybe that’s not you anymore?

 

[Pele]

I thought they were in the Phillipines (who are prime HUACA material most of the time)? Now in Bangladesh too?

Do remember though 10 years ago it was a different company. It’s a new airline now, much smaller, hybrid LCC targeting a very different clientele - maybe that’s not you anymore?

Last week I rang the VF call centre and it was in the Phillipines. And just to be clear- the service was excellent. They fixed my problem in less than 12 minutes on the phone. The same issue with Qantas would have resulted in Qantas cancelling my whole booking and not being able to reinstate it. I have no doubt about that.

Not all off shore call centres are created equally.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Philippines tend to use Americanized way of spelling, eh?
(Dr) Google says that, I know I should'nt but it does says the VA call cent(er)/centre was put out to the Philippines.
Maybe, just maybe, Rex might not follow the big 2, call centre wise, and who knows what Bonza will do, if it will ever fly.
Good to see Rex take the skies with the 737, they have several more steps to pull me along to their side, if they do in the end start their FF program, if they link up to (Air) NZ... all ifs at this point in time.

 

[jakeseven7]

Not all off shore call centres are created equally.

Agree, my experience though with the VA2 Phils that anything above slightly basic throws them into a computer says no, and I have to push to be escalated to Australia. I was not aware VA2 now had a call centre in Bangladesh though.

 

[HS-TQE]

Maybe, just maybe, Rex might not follow the big 2, call centre wise,

Who knows what REX'a and Bonza's Private Equity owners/investors will do with their respective carriers from a 'customer service' perspective.

Good to see Rex take the skies with the 737, they have several more steps to pull me along to their side, if they do in the end start their FF program, if they link up to (Air) NZ... all ifs at this point in time.

Air NZ getting involved with ZL would be close to zero unless ZL's stump up the money similar to their DL interline. But who knows in the future with EY potentially looking for a second Australian partner (to compliment their reduced/secondary VA partnership).

ZL's jet operation is largely built on "Virgin's seconds" so potentially picking up to 2 other former/secondary VA partners wouldn't be a 'bad thing' for REX

 

[Bundy Bear]

AirNZ and VA need to kiss and make up.
Then for those international flights the Air NZ lounge could be used.

 

[jase05]

VA really needs to get its fleet sorted out.
The Fokkers are garbage and putting them on ADL-BNE just makes them unappealing for me especially when they are used at the time I want to travel.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

VA really needs to get its fleet sorted out.
The Fokkers are garbage and putting them on ADL-BNE just makes them unappealing for me especially when they are used at the time I want to travel.

I don't understand why you think they're garbage? They might be old, but seem well maintained. The seats on most/all these days are identical to the 737s. They have the same BYO IFE. The seats pitch is absolutely fantastic, and makes for the most comfortable economy (especially the side with no middle seat).

Main issue is no business seating, so very understandable to be disappointed there if you were booked on a 737 in business and it gets swapped. Although IMHO, the disappointment/difference between 737 business and Economy X (or just economy on the F100) is much less than it used to be when an A330 was downgraded to a 737 business.

Personally, if in economy, I'd much rather be on an F100 than a 737!

 

[jase05]

I don't understand why you think they're garbage? They might be old, but seem well maintained. The seats on most/all these days are identical to the 737s. They have the same BYO IFE. The seats pitch is absolutely fantastic, and makes for the most comfortable economy (especially the side with no middle seat).

Main issue is no business seating, so very understandable to be disappointed there if you were booked on a 737 in business and it gets swapped. Although IMHO, the disappointment/difference between 737 business and Economy X (or just economy on the F100) is much less than it used to be when an A330 was downgraded to a 737 business.

Personally, if in economy, I'd much rather be on an F100 than a 737!

Any aircraft with no J on capital city routes is garbage IMO.
Will have to fly with QF at those times by the looks as no way I’m sitting in Y

 

[Moopere]

Skimmed through the thread - seems like general happiness - I can only assume most are travelling short haul up and down the east coast?

Its the best part of 5hrs PER-BNE, about 4 PER-SYD and roughly 3.5 PER-MEL. VA2 must be joking if they think a fleet of worn out, noisy 737's with cough fitouts are going to win them any favour at all. I just can't see the point in them even flying these routes. If pax want cough -everything- then just fly JQ - whats the motivation to even try VA?

As I've posted elsewhere today, flew PER-MEL recently, Y over and J back. Laughably bad. Revenue tickets in both directions.

Previously a VA plat who remembers how J used to be, even on the horrible 737's - the current incarnation which is the same fitout as the old one just with worse everything ...

 

[HS-TQE]

Skimmed through the thread - seems like general happiness - I can only assume most are travelling short haul up and down the east coast?

Its the best part of 5hrs PER-BNE, about 4 PER-SYD and roughly 3.5 PER-MEL. VA2 must be joking if they think a fleet of worn out, noisy 737's with cough fitouts are going to win them any favour at all. I just can't see the point in them even flying these routes. If pax want cough -everything- then just fly JQ - whats the motivation to even try VA?

Well the appointed management of VA 2.0 did say they were 'not' competing with Qantas anymore and that they were a 'Value Orientated (TM)' carrier going forward, on the day they took control of the carrier.

VA 2.0's market going forward is 'Value' travellers and Small/Medium Biz travellers, as basically a hybrid LCC (with a J cabin) which in effect was the original VB's 'new world carrier' target market before the Borghetti/SQ/EY/NZ's VA 1.0 era.

In other words, there was a fair warning beforehand to 'lower your expectations'.

 

[Moopere]

Well the appointed management of VA 2.0 did say they were 'not' competing with Qantas anymore and that they were a 'Value Orientated (TM)' carrier going forward, on the day they took control of the carrier.

VA 2.0's market going forward is 'Value' travellers and Small/Medium Biz travellers, as basically a hybrid LCC (with a J cabin) which in effect was the original VB's 'new world carrier' target market before the Borghetti/SQ/EY/NZ's VA 1.0 era.

In other words, there was a fair warning beforehand to 'lower your expectations'.

Yeah I know. I just can't see what they think their niche is? JQ is already servicing the 'price is everything' market. I mean don't get me wrong, thank god VA are still with us - QF/JQ would immediately jack up their pricing if something happened to the competition.

But whats the point in being a slightly higher priced JQ? Bains noise at purchase was not to compete with QF on full service routes, but also to be 'more' than a LCC ... even at the time I puzzled over what that could possibly mean.

 

[travelislife]

Rex is streets better right now. Just missing frequency on the key routes.

 

[antycbr]

Yeah I know. I just can't see what they think their niche is? JQ is already servicing the 'price is everything' market. I mean don't get me wrong, thank god VA are still with us - QF/JQ would immediately jack up their pricing if something happened to the competition.

But whats the point in being a slightly higher priced JQ? Bains noise at purchase was not to compete with QF on full service routes, but also to be 'more' than a LCC ... even at the time I puzzled over what that could possibly mean.

VA won’t leave you stranded generally and they answer the phone. That’s a win.

Also if I want to fly SQ I know who I will fly in Australia.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Rex is streets better right now. Just missing frequency on the key routes.

And a FF program.
+++
The main points, about the all Y 737s is all about cost cutting.
All is plebian/egalitarian, ie, the same on the whole aircraft/plane.
Easy to plane and deplane, no need to worry about J string across the divider, no curtain time wasting, same same the whole plane/aircraft (through and through).
"Fast touch up clean between flights... etc".
On the whole plane, its all the same, same standards, same food for buying, no one gets any extra, except maybe a bit for status customers, but even that has been dumbed down upon, ...
If its true that part of their call centre has gone to Bangladesh, thats even cheaper than the Philippines.
But we can't win this game, for the time being anyway.
Once Rex brings up their FF program, and we know the details, that maybe they could be the new low cost "Ansett"... where they treat us with a bit more respect, ie, just maybe Aust based knowledgeable call centre staff.
And let VA be the upper class JQ!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

The main points, about the all Y 737s is all about cost cutting.
All is plebian/egalitarian, ie, the same on the whole aircraft/plane.
Easy to plane and deplane, no need to worry about J string across the divider, no curtain time wasting, same same the whole through and through.
On the whole plane, its all the same, same standards, same food for buying, no one gets any extra, except maybe a bit for status customers, but even that has been dumbed down upon, ...
If its true that part of their call centre has gone to Bangladesh, thats even cheaper than the Philippines.
But we can't win this game, for the time being anyway.
Once Rex brings up their FF program, and we know the details, that maybe the new low cost "Ansett"... where they treat us with a bit more respect, ie, just maybe Aust based knowledgeable call centre staff.

 

[HS-TQE]

The main points, about the all Y 737s is all about cost cutting.
All is plebian/egalitarian, ie, the same on the whole aircraft/plane.
Easy to plane and deplane, no need to worry about J string across the divider, no curtain time wasting, same same the whole through and through.

VA had all-Y aircraft back in 1.0 days. The Fokkers and the Airbus from VARA which operated primarily on FIFO with some revenue services in-between FIFO runs.
The all-Y 737s as stated will eventually replace the Fokker fleet at VARA, but registered under the mainline AOC.

And of course, there is also the Alliance Airlines wet-lease all-Y F100 services ex-Queensland (both intra-state and some interstate services), which has also been around since the VA 1.0 days.

Once Rex brings up their FF program, and we know the details, that maybe the new low cost "Ansett"... where they treat us with a bit more respect, ie, just maybe Aust based knowledgeable call centre staff.

If it does 'ever' materialise. REX are just 'as bad' as VA when it comes to timelines, e.g REX's 7th and 8th aircraft was meant to enter service in 2021 but never did with the 7th entering service in 2022.