"Bonus Confirmed Complimentary Upgrade"?

[lovestotravel]

I do wonder about the J product though, seems VA are really trying hard to give it away (so to speak!) at the moment...

Because it's not selling, they are VERY slow learners.

I don't want to eat the same damn food week after week after week after week...

 

[drewbles]

Because it's not selling, they are VERY slow learners.

I don't want to eat the same damn food week after week after week after week...

Like you do on QF? I did the back-of-the-bus 3-4 times in a few weeks on MEL-PER returns, and got to know the menu so well that I told them what the options were.

As much as it would be great to have a different meal every flight, there's just no way they can gear catering to that. J does have more options than Y though, and they're all usually quite acceptable. I think once every 3 months for a rotation (which is what QF do) is fine. I believe VA is similar (and once you've had the A330 J service, you'll not want to go back to the QF J meals!).

 

[lovestotravel]

Like you do on QF? I did the back-of-the-bus 3-4 times in a few weeks on MEL-PER returns, and got to know the menu so well that I told them what the options were.

Talking about in J

 

[drewbles]

Talking about in J

It's the same in J. 3 month rotation (with more options during each rotation than in whY )

 

[lovestotravel]

with more options during each rotation than in whY

There we go

But I am going more OT and markis10 will get angry... Sooo anyways

Why a bonus upgrade with NO communication from Virgin ? Oh wait they'll tell us eventually.. Just like telling us about no more ATA the day after it finished..

 

[jsd]

May not have noticed this if I hadn't seen it on AFF. Got bonus upgrade also. Have the question also, will it upgrade you to business from cheap fares, or only from Flexi fare?

Called up before to check... It's for Flexi fares only, looks like I'm staying in row 3 on my next flight

 

[wallacej]

Check pricing carefully. Was booking MEL to CBR today and flexi was priced cheaper than saver fare....short trip but easy use of upgrade credit if they are going to go unused.


....sent from the place closest to the airport I just arrived at.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

$200 happy hour, half price point upgrades all year, another free upgrade credit to WP and a free one to SG...I just can't help but wonder why.

Because they aren't matching the product. I doubt many argue with the price......but the price for those who pay for J isn't the primary factor. They're still struggling with the product. I haven't seen a full J cabin yet.

FTR, I'm BIS gold and received the complementary upgrade so minor miracles do finally happen it seems. I'm not impressed though. Had I received any one of the incentive promos of a month or so back, I just might have gone for plat.......and four upgrades! Instead I get one. I know that sounds self centred and ignorant, but I'm still angry about the rolling snubs handed to me over the past year and some bread crumbs thrown on the floor in front of me does nothing to reverse previous decisions I've made. Try harder VA.....perhaps like you actually mean it (interesting that SMed non-converts are also offered it........the grovelling seems to have arrived at the embarrassingly pitiful stage right now.....will they show no dignity and face realities)!

 

[loobloke]

I almost miss the virgin fanbois after constantly reading moaning and complaining. The point of competition/loyalty is that there is always another product to go to if you are dissatisfied!

 

[Boris spatsky]

This is just a way to fill those unused J seats on most flights, and look like they are doing something. At least the op up will be known before you fly!

 

[mella2007]

Thanks for this thread! I've got one too

 

[leemin]

I really don't see the 'discounting' as a huge problem. Most of us all seem to want to sit in the J cabin when we can. If it takes the carrot of a reduction in the price of points upgrades or some complimentary upgrades - is that really a big problem?
For me, it means I almost always buy Flexi's now when I'd otherwise just go with Saver. (I've also paid full fare J on occasion.) At the end of the day Virgin have extracted more money out of me and aren't flying with as many empty seats (it also provides extra room down the back to sell to people that just buy on price)

 

[Mal]

Received a small envelope containing a series of postcard type pieces of cardboard reminding me of the benefits of flying virgin.

On the covering note it thanks me for flying virgin Australia and tellsme about the complementary upgrade.

A nice touch. usual virgin flair.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I almost miss the virgin fanbois after constantly reading moaning and complaining. The point of competition/loyalty is that there is always another product to go to if you are dissatisfied!

This doesn't ring any bells? I was close to being the proverbial DJ fanbois 18 months ago......I was very happy and loved the improvements (despite the fare increases). I now wonder why you are seeing complaints rather than overwhelming complements. For my part, people occasionally give me the sh#ts and I usually grumble for a day or so, get over it and move on. What is worrying me this time, is that I've been slowly getting more and more angry with VA to the point where I now see myself as becoming bitter. I don't like that outcome (hence my move away from VA) but how can a company with full time maketing gurus, have taken a customer who was so enthusiastic about their product and turned them so bitter in such a short space of time, whilst supposedly delivering such a better offering? More to the point, why have the old DJ fanbois pretty much shut up? Could it be I'm not the only one absolutely pi#*ed off with their rude indifference to their formally valued frequent flyers. Take note VA.......I hope your newly won over clients deliver for you, because it would appear you are losing existing customers because of your arrogance!

Sorry loobloke for more moaning and complaining.....I am going to try to shut up about it now

 

[Ewing]

I got it. Probably won't use it just like the other 4 upgrades in my account that expire soon.

I book the cheapest fare in the cabin I want to fly in, which means that unless I'm already in Business then I'm most likely on a Saver.

I'd probably book flexis if Virgin dropped the BS where they're no longer changeable if you've already checked in - 99% of my flight changes occur in the hour or two before a flight.

 

[TonyHancock]

I'm still very much enjoying my VA/DJ experience. Just booked a flexi return MEL-PER and used points (half price) to upgrade to J on a new 332. I think VA/DJ has done OK out of me, I book flexis and not savers and I use points to upgrade. I'll be looking at keeping platinum for another year.

The complimentary upgrade is received with gratitude!

 

[DSFlyer]

I also have been enjoying the VA experience and was loyal prior to all the enhancements. Sure some of the thing are taking some time to perfect/complete but overall I have nothing but good things to say about VA. I fly consistently between Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne and book similar flights to TonyHancock and upgrade to J.

 

[TonyHancock]

As an aside, other than a PER-PHE return I am yet to fly in Y with VA/DJ. (I'm also yet to book a J fare.) No doubt this will all come to an end eventually but it certainly works for me at the moment.

 

[kamchatsky]

Just checked my account. Got one as well!!! I assume the free upgrade is per sector only?

I am half BIS Gold with parental pause ...... likewise my better half as well.

I wonder whether I can use this for Amex CC free flights?!

 

[QF WP]

Saw IainF this morning and he asked me about my comp upgrade...I thought he was having me on .

So we logged into my account on his iPad, lo and behold I have one...as a SM Gold but re-qualed Gold last month.

Hell, that's a real teaser, given I have MEL, PER and ADL trips coming up. Right, choices..choices.