Hopeless Virgin Australia experience at LAX

[ng100]

What time did you check in at LAX? I believe they open check in 10 hours before departure which is extremely generous IMO. There wasn't anyone in the line when I checked in at about 4pm for an 11pm departure.

I was on a connecting flight. Virgin America won't issue onboards boarding passes for VA2. They arrive into the same terminal that VA leave from, so you have to queue up upon arrival at LAX (airside) for a boarding pass.

They had 2 service desks with no queue for any sort of priority.

I've also arrived for a flight to BNE at the same time as the SYD flight leaves. The staff at the service desk then go to handle boarding for the SYD flight leaving you waiting until they return. It's a pretty lousy system, and generally with pretty grumpy staff.

Your bar analogy is misplaced in any case. They are clearly offering the service they are claiming to offer from LA and despite one person (the OP who i note has a grand total of ONE posts on this forum) clearly having a long wait for a boarding pass and being subjected to the indignity of having to actually SHOW HIS CARD to enter the lounge I would suggest that these things are fairly minor in the grand scheme things. I'm sure even QF FF'ers have the occasional long wait for a boarding card or get a once over from a lounge dragon.

Not a card to enter the lounge, but a card to get VA staff at their service desk to provide the service they claim to offer (and were fairly rude/lecturing about it).

QF don't require you to queue up at LAX to get another boarding pass (flights into LAX on AA then onwards to Australia on QF, for example) so if VA want to offer a decent experience they need to get the connections right.

It's simply not a Platinum-style/premium service that's offered compared to QF if you're connecting in the US.

 

[MadFairlane]

On a side note, any definate time frame for VA shifting their departure to T5? Hopefully before the 5th of May hahaha

 

[ng100]

Alaska Airlines are moving out of T3 in March (not sure what this means for the lounge which VA use).

I haven't found any dates about VA moving - a flight I have in March still shows T3 for VA2.

 

[Shy180]

Yes agree they are terrible on the LAX check in - even at Business counters - staff are outsourced and have a 'I don't care at all' attitude and don't seem to have any ability to even offer the seats pre selected....Virgin Australia feedback form (complaining about these facts) reply was just automated and a waste of time....

 

[airtraveladdict]

Just "slightly" off topic regarding the lounge invites.

The policy is the same for Etihad Airways, if you check-in at Heathrow for example, you need to present your Gold or Plat velocity card to get a lounge invite to the Etihad Pearl lounge, no card = no entry. And I believe it is also the same policy for the Koru lounge with Air NZ.

Anyway, I've being through LAX twice and the last time I used that airport was almost two years ago, and I still have nightmares...like the scene from Apocalype Now "the horror... the horror..."

 

[dk4]

Just "slightly" off topic regarding the lounge invites.

Just to note that the procedure with their partner Delta, is different. All you need is the boarding pass and appropriate level VFF (Velocity Frequent Flyer) card to get into a Skyclub. An invitation is NOT issued at check-in.

 

[777]

Just to note that the procedure with their partner Delta, is different. All you need is the boarding pass and appropriate level VFF (Velocity Frequent Flyer) card to get into a Skyclub. An invitation is NOT issued at check-in.

I think this is the case with Air NZ too.

The issue AFAIK is mostly with "contract lounges" where the lounge itself is not operated by a VA partner. I'm actually surprised that EY at LHR don't let you rock up with your card - certainly EY in AUH do (or the bloody Al Reem lounge does these days). In most other ports EY is using someone else's lounge hence you need a pass.

 

[dk4]

I think this is the case with Air NZ too.

But at Australian Koru clubs, you do require a printed invitation, which is issued at check-in. (I think that someone somewhere posted this is going to change soon?)

I have witnessed "card only" holders being rejected in Australia, and referred back to VA for appropriate paperwork/invite.

(Although on long haul I REALLY LIKE the way this is done. The staff standing in the area before the check-in queues, have a print-out of names, are subtly eyeballing bags for VA bag tags. They will approach you before you get to the queue entry area, welcome you, hand over a pre-printed invite, express card and immigration form and then direct you into the correct queue. I do find it very welcoming to be "expected" in such a manner. Noting that while QF does something similar for First passengers curb-side at SYD&MEL, it doesn't do it for WP's curb-side.)

 

[777]

But at Australian Koru clubs, you do require a printed invitation, which is issued at check-in. (I think that someone somewhere posted this is going to change soon?)

I have witnessed "card only" holders being rejected in Australia, and referred back to VA for appropriate paperwork/invite.

(Although on long haul I REALLY LIKE the way this is done. The staff standing in the area before the check-in queues, have a print-out of names, are subtly eyeballing bags for VA bag tags. They will approach you before you get to the queue entry area, welcome you, hand over a pre-printed invite, express card and immigration form and then direct you into the correct queue. I do find it very welcoming to be "expected" in such a manner. Noting that while QF does something similar for First passengers curb-side at SYD&MEL, it doesn't do it for WP's.)

I've had no problem without an invite on a trans tasman service. I wonder the difference is those services where VA use ANZ as a "contract lounge?" (eg. VA LAX/AUH flights?) rather than as part of their JV?

 

[airtraveladdict]

I have witnessed "card only" holders being rejected in Australia, and referred back to VA for appropriate paperwork/invite.

(Although on long haul I REALLY LIKE the way this is done. The staff standing in the area before the check-in queues, with a print-out of names, are subtly eyeballing bags for VA bag tags. They will approach you before you get to the queue entry area, welcome you, hand over the invite, express card and immigration form and then direct you into the correct queue. I do find it very welcoming to be "expected" in such a manner. Noting that while QF does something similar for First passengers curb-side at SYD&MEL, it doesn't do it for WP's.)

You have a really good eye for detail. I don't notice these things at the airport but I agree that it is great idea for the staff to approach you.
Last month I helped my friend check-in for a J flight to Joburg and they forgot to give her express card, I had to ask for it and they said "Oh sorry I ran out early, just hold on a moment while I get some more"

 

[dk4]

I don't notice these things at the airport but I agree that it is great idea for the staff to approach you.

At LAX T3 land-side check-in, they will come out from behind their counter (presumably if possible), welcome you and invite you back to their desk. (Although, the obviously the OP didn't experience this.)