Dear John

[extracta]

International Lounges - with V Australia and Pacific Blue now operating extensive international services from BNE, SYD, MEL an international lounge in each port would be a nice touch. Surely now that Delta, V Australia, and Virgin Atlantic customers are eligible it would defray the cost a little? Hard to compete seriously for international business traffic with such an inconsistent approach.


What do others think?

777.

V Australia being on time!!

 

[SeaWolf]

Star Alliance membership.

I know everyone keeps saying it over and over, but that's because it's something we all really want. It'd be great for Virgin Blue, bringing in a heap of interline/codeshare traffic on regional routes connecting to other *A carriers and it'd be great for the *A airlines that fly into our capitals, giving them access to a regional network they lost with the collapse of Ansett.

It would also be a huge boost for Velocity, giving it a major edge over QFF (More airlines, More routes, More options!) and giving people a real incentive to switch over.

Of course, there are two obvious obstacles, being the current IT system and Air NZ. :mrgreen:

 

[dajop]

Of course, there are two obvious obstacles, being the current IT system and Air NZ. :mrgreen:

Was thinking, if it came down to it the problem is more likely to be the ACCC and NZ equivalent, not so much Air NZ itself.

I am sure Air NZ would love to have DJ/VA to work with/coordinate with, rather than battle with over TT/dom NZ and SW pacific routes. Judging by the NZ short haul business model it has moved on from competing with QF and is squarely in the DJ "new world carrier" space.

 

[SeaWolf]

Was thinking, if it came down to it the problem is more likely to be the ACCC and NZ equivalent, not so much Air NZ itself.

Well, they were fine with Ansett being a member (and being owned by Air NZ) and if anything there's even more competition in the market since those days.

 

[markis10]

- More comfortable widebodies on the business routes (e.g. the golden triangle). Loath the 737 (all airlines not just DJ)

Considering they just cancelled the last two firm 777 orders and moved them back to options, you are not going to see that for a long time, nobody wants to see another compass with widebodies running on routes where frequency beats capacity, but there must be some room to move such aircraft on certain legs. I wonder how JQ went with the A330 on the CNS-MEL-PER route last month??????

 

[dk4]

Dear JB re: Alliances

I’m prepared to make a prediction, and it is that Australia’s Number Two Airline will become a member of a major global travel alliance in the short-medium term.

The question is who wants to be Australia’s Number Two Airline?

 

[SeaWolf]

i'd be willing to give DJ alot of my domestic travel if the offered priority check in as part of their lounge membership...

I'd had this idea in my mind that it already was part of the lounge membership, but you're right, it's not. Although if you're going carry-on only you can check in at The Lounge reception.

 

[dajop]

Also from a purely selfish perspective is to reroute MEL- HKT service via SIN and operate them on Fri and Mon as per follows :- MEL-SIN-HKT (dep 0700/1230 1330/1410) & HKT-SIN-MEL (1600/1840, 1940/0440) !

 

[notzac]

Dear John,

My wishlist is fairly long, but here's a few of the things that are important to me...:

• Lounge access (for all brands) at International terminals. I'm able to use QF lounges when flying QF/JQ, so it makes it harder for me to want to fly DJ internationally. Either build your own, or expand your relationships with other carriers to allow for more comprehensive access. Is it at all possible that we might see something along the lines of the VS Club Houses at MEL and SYD international at some point?
• Domestically, "The Lounge" is a great product, but the food offering could be improved - and the wine list is pretty ordinary. Last time I was at The Lounge, the best that was available was a NZ wine! Where are all the great boutique Aussie wines?
• I love the positive attitude of the cabin crew, but the bad jokes are a little much. Plenty of people have already said their piece on this topic, so I've got nothing new to add.
• The short haul premium product is not one I'm prepared to pay for, mostly on account of the v ordinary hard product. As haydensydney mentioned in another thread, VX got this very very right - perhaps consider taking a page from their playbook? Also, for premium economy on the embraer fleet - how about 1 x 2 seating to allow for larger seats?
• I'm looking forward to more VA long haul destinations - specifically I'd love to see MEL-HKG and MEL-SFO on the list! Actually there are a few others I'd love to see, but they're probably completely unrealistic (if not technically impossible).
• Airline partnerships. There has been some wonderful progress already on this, and it's probably the main driver for me to start diverting my flying away from QF and co. -- but one of the things I love about being a oneworld elite is that I know I can fly with any of the partner carriers and get premium check-in and lounge access. I can't do this with Velocity partner carriers for the most part.
• Branding. I've heard plenty of rumours suggesting a change is imminent here, but 4 different brands? Why? Just call the whole lot V Australia, paint the fleet in that awesome VA livery (personally not a fan of the red jet thing) and be done with it.

I'll get off my soapbox for now, but if you could fix even some of the above I will definitely be spending more of my hard-earned with VA.

 

[munitalP]

Dear John,

.... but if you could fix even some of the above I will definitely be spending more of my hard-earned with VA.

Seriously Notzac - would you? Would you put all that effort to become a top tier flyer again or would you keep status quo?

Mr!

 

[notzac]

Seriously Notzac - would you? Would you put all that effort to become a top tier flyer again or would you keep status quo?

Mr!

Yes, and I am already putting my money where my mouth is. Maintaining DJ Gold is actually relatively easy, and I'm sick to death of rubbish service on QF. Why do you think I've been so active on DJ threads recently?

 

[munitalP]

..... Why do you think I've been so active on DJ threads recently?

well to be honest, I thought someone had hacked your apple and stole your username and password, and was doing un-notzac things on DJ threads!




Mr!


LOL

 

[Bundy Bear]

1. Lounge access coming with Priority check in access; I am surprised it doesn't already.
2. Why is DJ flying Embraers on BNE-SYD runs, rare but it does happen, they need a consistent fleet for a certain market.
3. If V Australia is flying international; why doesn't Virgin have a cobranded lounge in BNE-SYD-MEL at the international airport, one lounge to serve Fly Pacific Blue; Virgin Atlantic; V Australia, Delta; and possibly Korean Airlines as they are part of Skyteam.
4. Use of points to get upgrades which then gives PE the look that its being used.
5. Better food selection in the Velocity lounges, the 2 times I have been to the lounge they really need to try and push this more; the single use for a lounge is a good idea.
6. I am going to be fussy and I would like an online boarding pass that looks like a boarding pass.
7. A more upmarket Voyeur Inflight Magazine; to me it has the cheap feel to it, with a better map, the domestic map should be separate to the international map.
8. Virgin Blue should introduce a Delta "Fast Break" type service on domestic flights "Fast Break" includes a choice of 3 types of drinks, no food; you purchase that.
9. Didn't realise the Lounge was so expensive; $369 + $199; makes my Qantas Life Membership a bargain.
10. Get rid of that FlyPacificBlue name; I hate that.

 

[JohnK]

Yes, and I am already putting my money where my mouth is. Maintaining DJ Gold is actually relatively easy, and I'm sick to death of rubbish service on QF. Why do you think I've been so active on DJ threads recently?

By easy do you mean maintaining DJ Gold does not require a lot of flights or a lot of money?

In my opinion spending $9,000 to get DJ Gold is way over the top and does not provide the relevant benefits associated with that type of spend. YMMV....

 

[notzac]

In my opinion spending $9,000 to get DJ Gold is way over the top and does not provide the relevant benefits associated with that type of spend. YMMV....

If I had to spend that sort of cash out of my own pocket, I wouldn't be bothering either. Just as with QF, you can qualify the easy way or the hard way. MEL-SYD and back a zillion times on cheapie Y tix is the hard way. Flying discounted long haul J on VA is the easy way

 

[Dave R32]

My wishlist for DJ after a year of flying with them and 28 flights including VA PE to the USA.

1. The ability to purchase ugrades with points on DJ and VA.

2. Domestic: If a flight is full in Y and the PE seats are empty, re-seat your high status pax. Just the room and 2 x 2 seating is enough I dont mind paying for a drink and IFE. As an example, my recent BNE/PER flight I was aisle seated in a row with a couple who were somewhat (actually very) obese. I spent 5 hours looking longingly at the empty PE seats hoping that one of your cabin crew would take pity on me, check the manifest and see I hold gold status and move me forward (no freebies, just the comfort). I am not one just to jump seats, especially up a class and I am reluctant to ask as its puts both the cabib crew in a difficult situation if the answer is no. A re-seat coming from the cabin crew would really cemented me as a DJ customer.

3. Your own lounges in your major International ports (especially in Aust airports) is a must have if you want the VA brand to compete with QF.

4. A lifetime status scheme. One of the reasons I wont go back to QF domestic is due to the fact I have to start at the bottom and I know what I am missing in terms of check in priority, lounge access etc.

Cheers
Dave.

 

[DJGuy]

Dear John,

• A complete refresh to the look and feel of the airline will go a long way. Ditch the cheap and tacky red that is eveywhere. Launch a new uniform that is smart and professional - it may just help the crew to have a somewhat more professional approach?
• Refresh the cabins, the seats are old and tired, some of them have no padding in the base whatsoever. Align the domestic cabins with the V Australia cabins, bring in the same cloth seats.
• Live2Air must go - everyone agrees with that.
• Some form of inflight food/drink offering a must - be it soft drink and a small snack at the least, and perhaps some type of afternoon/evening bar service to compete well with the cityflyer product on the triangle.
• A huge focus on the flight attendants and their approach. Majority, not all, but alot, act immature and lack any idea as to how to take a professional approach, especially to business pax. The slang that VB flight attendants use when addressing pax is terrible. The jokes and unprofessional PA announcements need to be strictly forbidden...when will those flight attendants realise the airline has already tried to move on from that?
• And the planes are generally filthy - obviously due to the flight attendants attempting to clean them on 30 min turns. Pringles and litter all over the floor, rubbish in seat pockets, seats covered in crumbs, seatbelts tangled and twisted or even still clipped together when arriving at the seat, and disorganised seatpocket material, just doesn't make for a good image for the airline and doesn't compare to the Qantas presentation of their aircraft even on tight turns. Bring in cleaners for mainline ports atleast.

Is there some way we can fwd this link or have all of our ideas sent onto John Borghetti?

Cheers,

 

[777]

Dear John,

• A complete refresh to the look and feel of the airline will go a long way. Ditch the cheap and tacky red that is eveywhere. Launch a new uniform that is smart and professional - it may just help the crew to have a somewhat more professional approach?
• Refresh the cabins, the seats are old and tired, some of them have no padding in the base whatsoever. Align the domestic cabins with the V Australia cabins, bring in the same cloth seats.
• Live2Air must go - everyone agrees with that.
• Some form of inflight food/drink offering a must - be it soft drink and a small snack at the least, and perhaps some type of afternoon/evening bar service to compete well with the cityflyer product on the triangle.
• A huge focus on the flight attendants and their approach. Majority, not all, but alot, act immature and lack any idea as to how to take a professional approach, especially to business pax. The slang that VB flight attendants use when addressing pax is terrible. The jokes and unprofessional PA announcements need to be strictly forbidden...when will those flight attendants realise the airline has already tried to move on from that?
• And the planes are generally filthy - obviously due to the flight attendants attempting to clean them on 30 min turns. Pringles and litter all over the floor, rubbish in seat pockets, seats covered in crumbs, seatbelts tangled and twisted or even still clipped together when arriving at the seat, and disorganised seatpocket material, just doesn't make for a good image for the airline and doesn't compare to the Qantas presentation of their aircraft even on tight turns. Bring in cleaners for mainline ports atleast.

Is there some way we can fwd this link or have all of our ideas sent onto John Borghetti?

Cheers,

Don't agree with you on a lot of those.

I think live to air is a great innovation - would hate to see it go and would love to see it paired with in flight internet. I actually schedule my flights around live sports where possible - great way to while away the time.

I flew QF for the first time in ages last week and i'd forgotten how archaic and clapped out their IFE is by comparison - CRT TV's, old projectors, and headphones out of the 80s. Please, let live to air stay!

I also don't agree that the planes are flithy. I am very, very, very regular DJ flyer and i genuinely can't remember the last time i came across a messy plane. I have flown Jetstar a bit and they can be bad, but genuinely can't remember last time it was messy on DJ.

p.

 

[straitman]

DJGuy and 777,

Interesting extremes of views :!:

 

[crazydave98]

Is there some way we can fwd this link or have all of our ideas sent onto John Borghetti?

This is being done by yours truly. Please keep the "Dear John's" coming.

One question in particular I would like to put out there to members: what's the minimum in flight product (particularly food, beverage, IFE) that you think needs to be included in the base ticket price?

A few things to bear in mind: any inclusions would not be "free" in the existing ticket price but would be priced into the ticket (both cost and lost revenue). Any phone email/txt would be at roaming rates and any wifi would likely be a subscription model in the order of a few bucks a short haul flight.

I could see a situation where at the time of puchase a guest selects either a "just the seat" option (and then pay as you go on board) or a more expensive "all inclusive" option with food, beverages and IFE included - sort of like what AirNZ announced for their new trans-Tasman and Pacific Island product. How do members feel about that option as an alternative to adding extras into the basic fare?

cheers

CrazyDave98