Does anyone still think VA is superior?

[Deleted member 29185]

Words to live by! If someone nearby is wearing thongs and behaving well it impacts me in no way, but if they're a loud idiot in a suit it would be great to have them moved...

Yes and no. If someone is wearing thongs with filthy feet and copious foot odour it effects others, but a dress code is determined by the establishment for various reasons. VA have a dress code, but it's not enforced so the arguments about whether thongs are OK or not, is really a non-event. If VA are happy to allow them then so be it, it matches their other difficulties in transitioning from an LCC.

 

[rtyuiop]

Fair point, but for me, copious foot odour falls into the behaving badly category rather than dress code!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Fair point, but for me, copious foot odour falls into the behaving badly category rather than dress code!

How do the angels regulate it though? I've personally seen people in thongs doing the right thing (etiquette wise) and others in thongs with the filthy feet I mentioned with the thongs kicked off and feet up on the seat beside them. I think you'll find it's far easier for a mob like VA to either ban them all or allow them all. Not such a hassle for staff then to confront a pig about their behaviour. It doesn't solve all wrongs but I've been consciously counting the thong wears for a few months now (Yes I realise I lead a boring existence) and they are definitely in the minority (by a long way). I have the feeling QF have not even noticed any angst since their enforcement.

 

[Bagpuss]

I flew Air North recently, something which I do every so often.
Short flight, obviously and was served a massive scone with butter and strawberry jam. The person next to me declined theirs and I nearly asked if I could have theirs too. As I sat there loving it made me remember, the last time I flew with them I was impressed with the catering.

A scone so simple and so cheap ... With virgin serving it's weird snacks with pesto etc. I dont know why they don't give out simple items like this ... So for me I think economy catering on Air North is superior than Virgin.

 

[Bundy Bear]

I flew over the weekend from Brisbane to Perth and return.

Coast to Coast service was pretty good
Breakfast included a hot breakfast and a separate yoghurt with tea/coffee juice water and beer if you ask.

The flight home was 2 choices with a small dessert. and with the same drink choices.

Always good to have a spare seat

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I promised myself I would not fly VA a lot/too much, after they reduced their SC earn on cheaper fares, but I have to somehow use my points accrued via VGW, so will be flying VAd after quite a hiatus next weekend.
Wonder what I will get for a snack, pretzels?
Good to see the tie in with VA and FB, but the SC earning in my case, from FB to VFF is miniscule.
Only good thing is VGW's exp date on the card is quite long, meaning I don't have to keep changing biller details.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Always good to have a spare seat

This is possible the one thing I value most with VA. (you didn't mention if you flew Y or J).

 

[cove]

VA still has superior availability for points redemption Suite seats for PER-SYD-PER and PER-MEL-PER.

 

[Bundy Bear]

This is possible the one thing I value most with VA. (you didn't mention if you flew Y or J).

Y both ways.

Exit row to Perth regular Y coming back.

Redeeming flights on VA is easier on VA than Qantas, redeemed a bunch of flights with points so not many left.

 

[QF WP]

Well after the snafu that I experienced with the QF main and Business Rewards web pages yesterday, VA's issues look more pedestrian than they were. Now I just need some points to top up my account as I'm off to PER in a couple of weeks

 

[cove]

QF WP we head out of Perth on Sunday.
i have given up trying to book Virgin flight redemptions using an iPad as the flights drop out even when they have been selected.

 

[serfty]

... book Virgin flight redemptions using an iPad as the flights drop out even when they have been selected.

There's your first mistake. .. not using a real computer. ...

 

[dajop]

Interesting experience with Virgin the other day, first Virgin flight in two years (I don't fly domestically much), and I went to check in at the priority queue airport to ensure my SQ number and status were correctly reflected in booking - for lounge access and points accrual. Noting that when I did OLCI the number was there - but showing as South African with no status, Manila agents that I spoke to, to enter the number into he booking must have thought code for Singapore Airlines was SA .

Anyway they weighed my carryon and is was 10kg, so insisted I check it. I removed my laptop (prefer to have it with me in plane) but they still insisted I check it, even though bag was now 7kg, within limits (and laptop in a plastic bag allowed to carry on in addition to 7kg - as it is considered as extra personal item). This was priority checkin, my bad, I should have gone straight to lounge and wouldn't have been a problem ... there were heaps of people with much more carry on than that. cough way to treat priority customers IMHO. BTW, neither Jetstar or Scoot weighed the same carry on bag on flights to/from SIN around this flight. Who would have thought the a supposedly business oriented airline would have been the problem?

 

[bean]

Interesting experience with Virgin the other day, first Virgin flight in two years (I don't fly domestically much), and I went to check in at the priority queue airport to ensure my SQ number and status were correctly reflected in booking - for lounge access and points accrual. Noting that when I did OLCI the number was there - but showing as South African with no status, Manila agents that I spoke to, to enter the number into he booking must have thought code for Singapore Airlines was SA .

Anyway they weighed my carryon and is was 10kg, so insisted I check it. I removed my laptop (prefer to have it with me in plane) but they still insisted I check it, even though bag was now 7kg, within limits (and laptop in a plastic bag allowed to carry on in addition to 7kg - as it is considered as extra personal item). This was priority checkin, my bad, I should have gone straight to lounge and wouldn't have been a problem ... there were heaps of people with much more carry on than that. cough way to treat priority customers IMHO. BTW, neither Jetstar or Scoot weighed the same carry on bag on flights to/from SIN around this flight. Who would have thought the a supposedly business oriented airline would have been the problem?

I have NEVER had carry on weighed!! But every now and then you do get an absolute numpty - I still get upset thinking about the girl working priority in Cairns who argued with me that it was 'impossible' to have my bags continue on to Melbourne despite my ticket being via Brisbane. This is despite the lovely gem of a lady in Melb on the way up (also via Brisbane) asking us if we wanted our bags to go through to Cairns and then happily obliging.

So I had to collect my bag in Brisbane, then go and re check them in for the onward flight to Melb...

 

[Pleb Status]

Interesting experience with Virgin the other day, first Virgin flight in two years (I don't fly domestically much), and I went to check in at the priority queue airport to ensure my SQ number and status were correctly reflected in booking - for lounge access and points accrual. Noting that when I did OLCI the number was there - but showing as South African with no status, Manila agents that I spoke to, to enter the number into he booking must have thought code for Singapore Airlines was SA .

Anyway they weighed my carryon and is was 10kg, so insisted I check it. I removed my laptop (prefer to have it with me in plane) but they still insisted I check it, even though bag was now 7kg, within limits (and laptop in a plastic bag allowed to carry on in addition to 7kg - as it is considered as extra personal item). This was priority checkin, my bad, I should have gone straight to lounge and wouldn't have been a problem ... there were heaps of people with much more carry on than that. cough way to treat priority customers IMHO. BTW, neither Jetstar or Scoot weighed the same carry on bag on flights to/from SIN around this flight. Who would have thought the a supposedly business oriented airline would have been the problem?

Why do you believe you are exempt from the carry on rules that others must comply with?

I estimate that I have had my carry on weighed at least once by every airline I travel on frequently. 3K insist on weighing it every time I check in at PER International.

 

[dajop]

Why do you believe you are exempt from the carry on rules that others must comply with?

Did I say I was exempt? I was within rules once I removed the laptop.

Rules say 7kg as allowance and:

In addition to the carry-on baggage allowance, one of the following personal items may be carried in the cabin:

• A laptop computer*, handbag, pocketbook or purse (of reasonable size)
• A wrap, a blanket, or an overcoat
• An umbrella without metal points, or a walking stick
• A small camera or pair of binoculars
• A reasonable amount of reading matter
• A pair of crutches or prosthetic devices – for use, provided that the guest is dependent on them for mobility

*A laptop in thin satchel-style laptop bag is considered to be a personal item. A laptop in a larger laptop bag will be counted as part of a guest’s carry-on allowance.

I guess I was not compliant, my laptop was placed into a plastic bag not a thin satchel-style laptop bag . Nevertheless if I had fronted with the laptop in the plastic bag and they weighed my carry-on it would have not been a problem.

I estimate that I have had my carry on weighed at least once by every airline I travel on frequently. 3K insist on weighing it every time I check in at PER International.

The only airline I've had carry on weighed in recent history has been 3K at TPE who made me check one bag which was fine, as I'd paid for it anyway. Interestingly they don't seem to weight JQ/3K so much at SIN any more, and I was most disappointed that Scoot didn't weigh it, given the effort I made to ensure I did not exceed their allowance

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Why do you believe you are exempt from the carry on rules that others must comply with?

I estimate that I have had my carry on weighed at least once by every airline I travel on frequently. 3K insist on weighing it every time I check in at PER International.

I have never had my carry on baggage weighed except when flying on light aircraft in Vanuatu.
Of course 3K would weigh carry on as a revenue raising exercise.

 

[bean]

Why do you believe you are exempt from the carry on rules that others must comply with?

I estimate that I have had my carry on weighed at least once by every airline I travel on frequently. 3K insist on weighing it every time I check in at PER International.

From the looks of the carry on I see I reckon 80% of the passengers think they are exempt...wouldn't be many bags that would fit in that tiny metal measuring cage

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Was in 25A on 13 Mar, coming back from MEL - ADL, VA dom flight.
Plane was not exactly full, there were empty seats when the "last cabin is now closed" stage, but I had to put my backpack under the seat in front, as guess what, yep, all the overhead bins were full with other peoples stuff.
I think that VA's 737 are really too small, (overhead bin wise), esp when you see that a lot of people these days use the hard plastic pull alongs, even thought they fit into the overhead bin, but they will take up more space than a backpack.
Not a happy poochie (I never take along a hard suitcase, not in blue or pink (!) but it does irk me to see the things people bring onto a VA flight for overhead bin putting.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

From the looks of the carry on I see I reckon 80% of the passengers think they are exempt...wouldn't be many bags that would fit in that tiny metal measuring cage

I think a tightening up of HLO size/number is actually a great thing. Too many do it as they think they can get away with it, but I think the OP was more to do with the way the staff reacted when a perfectly legitimate solution was proposed by the OP, rather than the luggage weight. The OP didn't mention baggage size, so perhaps it was larger than the defined limits, but it does sound more like an obstinate check-in staffer (which occasionally happens).

I have had my HLO weighed. Certainly JQ has done it with even very small bags (backpack well within the limits) and I can recall check-in asking to weigh my cabin baggage, but I can't recall which airline. Customs in AKL also did it to me as well.