Introducing Virgin Blue's new A330 Service

[777]

I didn't give a time-frame and of course it is possible to launch everything at once.

How?

Exactly how do you announce a new brand/ livery, repaint 60 odd aircraft, refit them all with new IFE and business class seats, redo all the menus, redo the lounges, new uniforms, cosmetic improvement to terminals, kerbside dropoff in SYD, new FF program, new international partners and introduce a new type of plane into the fleet at once?

I think your problem may have something to do with an inability to grasp the scale of the task.

 

[samh004]

I hope when they finally do announce everything they have a roll-out plan that doesn't take years to implement.... It all still seems disjointed to me

Unlike every other airline in the world?

You seem to be trying to hold Virgin Blue up to a very high standard, higher than anyone else, when they’re been marketed for years to a market that hasn’t really appealed to most on here. Where they’ve had fun and done exactly what they’re doing now, and it’s worked!

But I applaud your honesty, I hope they announce everything tomorrow too, and implement it before May. I think that’s achievable. :-|

 

[Misha]

Happy Hour 2.0?.. hmmmm whilst I am over the whole tongue in cheek thing, I guess for the demographic that they are working with on facebook (not being a snob - I am on there too and saw the same post) maybe it works.

How different can it be (unless it covers all Virgin Blue Group airlines)? I must admit I have never jumped online during the happy hour to check out differences (maybe I have - but not intentionally anyway!) - but it's another tease - and I can't wait to see the banter between members of this forum as a result

 

[lovestotravel]

How?

Exactly how do you announce a new brand/ livery, repaint 60 odd aircraft, refit them all with new IFE and business class seats, redo all the menus, redo the lounges, new uniforms, cosmetic improvement to terminals, kerbside dropoff in SYD, new FF program, new international partners and introduce a new type of plane into the fleet at once?

I think your problem may have something to do with an inability to grasp the scale of the task.

They WILL announce new livery and have it on 1 plane before the rest
They WILL announce new IFE and have it on 1 plane before the rest
They WILL announce new seating and have it on 1 plane before the rest

My point being announce the whole LOT of improvements in one go, not in small annoucements.

Do you think they are going to wait until
every single plane is painted
every single plane has the Sky Interior
every single plane has the new seating
every single plane has the new IFE

Before announcing anything?????

 

[lovestotravel]

Unlike every other airline in the world?

You seem to be trying to hold Virgin Blue up to a very high standard, higher than anyone else, when they’re been marketed for years to a market that hasn’t really appealed to most on here. Where they’ve had fun and done exactly what they’re doing now, and it’s worked!

But I applaud your honesty, I hope they announce everything tomorrow too, and implement it before May. I think that’s achievable. :-|

No Qantas is poor, Emirates is poor, Singapore is poor with all their "premium products" and their constant equipment swaps and the like!

I fully understand that the new paint/ife/seating etc will take up to 12 months to complete, but I think many people just want the whole new product announced and then sit back and watch it fall into place. As per my above post, they are not going to wait until every plane is painted with new seats and IFE before announcing anything else.

I wouldn't say anything has worked yet, the share price is still falling and they are not making any money

 

[lovestotravel]

Happy Hour 2.0?.. hmmmm whilst I am over the whole tongue in cheek thing, I guess for the demographic that they are working with on facebook (not being a snob - I am on there too and saw the same post) maybe it works.

My thought exactly....

The Facebook market was the market I understood DJ wanted to get away from, they are only interested in the cheapest fares.

Just look at the posts.

 

[LiamR]

My thought exactly....

The Facebook market was the market I understood DJ wanted to get away from, they are only interested in the cheapest fares.

Just look at the posts.

I think they are trying to be less dependant on the leisure market, and focus more on Business Travel, but they are definatley not going to leave them all behind.

But yes, most people on their Facebook are looking for cheap flights for a holiday.

 

[Misha]

I think we should all just take a minute and have a group hug...




I mean seriously... this is about an airline...let's put things into perspective... unless we own the company or work for them - it ain't really that big a deal... Libya, Afghanistan, there are some more important things in the world dear friends :-|

 

[Globetrotter]

I think we should all just take a minute and have a group hug...

Agreed hug... and then fly Qantas

 

[koonyaflyer]

I really don't mind how long they take to announce all of the offering! I am rather enjoying each piece as they roll it out! A little like a never ending Christmas. To be honest I don't mind if people don't want to try DJ until all is revealed ... Less to share my Gold benefits with! I knew that there was a reason I travel with carry on only .... Kerbside lounge access here I come!

 

[jsd]

Sorry to tell the Facebook followers that fares are much cheaper on Jetstar and Tiger.

OT But I'd be even more sorry to tell them that the service you sometimes get on JQ and TT is absolutely pathetic, the only thing that makes them slightly bearable is the fact that sometimes they have cheap fares.

I don't know of any other airline (talking about DJ now) that would waive the change fee AND the fare difference on the cheapest sale fare that they have just so the passenger can try out their new product (The A330).

This re-launch can take 6 months or 6 years, I'll still fly with DJ regardless....



More OT: But QF announced their new corp. identity in 2007 and half of the fleet is still flying around in the old colours :-|

 

[777]

They WILL announce new livery and have it on 1 plane before the rest
They WILL announce new IFE and have it on 1 plane before the rest
They WILL announce new seating and have it on 1 plane before the rest

Yes, and then they will announce it. But not before. Why is there a problem with that?

Do you think they are going to wait until
every single plane is painted
every single plane has the Sky Interior
every single plane has the new seating
every single plane has the new IFE

Before announcing anything?????

No, but i don't expect them to announce it before it exists. Nor do i expect all of the above to happen at the same time. There are quite sensible reasons why these things happen consecutively and quite sensible reasons they are announced when they are available.

I'm not try trying to have a go at you but i genuinely don't get how they could do it any other way.

I take you are proposing that DJ take the whole new product, create one single new plane that has it (including it's own menus, IFE, uniforms, and - to be ridiculous about it - lounges and pricing structure) and announce it at one time. Then, i presume they gradually roll that out over the rest of the fleet over months/ years while dealing with a hail of complaints that most planes dont have any/ all of it yet.

It just strike me as stupidly impractical.

As an aside, i could be wrong here, but i don't think DJ have come even close to the big marketing push. All this teaser stuff is simply because those of us on aviation forums are paying far more attention to incremental changes that 99% of Jo public are.

WHEN the full product is finalised i would assume we are going to be marketed up the jaxy with DJ ads, promos, offers, etc but what we're witnessing right now is the gradual implementation of a series of things that are necessary to get to that point.

 

[straitman]

I didn't give a time-frame and of course it is possible to launch everything at once.

This on-going release of bits and pieces of the puzzle is going to take up to 6 months in total, excluding the A330 announcement. So they could have waited til June and announced business class, new seating, IFE, food, drinks, etc etc then

It could have been very easy to wait til May/June and announce everything in one go.

As I said they are rolling out A330's with a different IFE system to what they will put on all other planes. I hope when they finally do announce everything they have a roll-out plan that doesn't take years to implement.... It all still seems disjointed to me

Also, curious as to what exactly are they tweaking as they go along to ensure a smooth rollout??? What was planned and what have they changed ?

In the meantime the DJ share price continues to drop... 0.300 :shock:

Oh and HappyHour 2.0... All the comments on Facebook just asking for cheaper fares on various routes..... I guess that's the market DJ still want to capture since their marketing of their relaunch is constantly on Facebook. :shock:

Sorry to tell the Facebook followers that fares are much cheaper on Jetstar and Tiger.

I am not going to answer every one of your points as I don't feel the need. Suffice to say that I believe a lot of people have a different opinion than the one you have expressed.

Re

1. Tweaking the product that is something we will never know by the pure nature of what it is. But it is an option that they have available with a gradual rollout.
2. From where I sit the Facebook discussion is irrelevent but for some others it is probably quite valuable.

 

[DJ332]

Oh and HappyHour 2.0... All the comments on Facebook just asking for cheaper fares on various routes..... I guess that's the market DJ still want to capture since their marketing of their relaunch is constantly on Facebook. :shock:

Sorry to tell the Facebook followers that fares are much cheaper on Jetstar and Tiger.

All along DJ have said that they simply want to lessen their dependence on the leisure market, not completely separate themselves from it. As evidenced by the new BOB food offering and attractive lead in economy fares for A330 SYD-PER services, DJ have decided not to alienate themselves from their current customer base, but instead position themselves as the 'airline of choice', improving their products and services to appeal to business and leisure travellers alike.

I think it's sensible that they've chosen not to go right upmarket - that way, they can pick up disenchanted corporates from QF and continue to cater to the leisure market with a low cost base. It just makes sense. And, I know plenty of people who'd happily pay a premium to fly DJ over JQ or TT, just quietly......

 

[Virgin Australia]

My thought exactly....
The Facebook market was the market I understood DJ wanted to get away from, they are only interested in the cheapest fares.
Just look at the posts.

Sorry but you are way off track.
While we are after a portion of the corporate market, leisure travellers are still extremely important!
11 million people in Australia are on Facebook, and its fair to say that at least some of them work in the corporate sector.... possibly like yourself?

From where I sit the Facebook discussion is irrelevent but for some others it is probably quite valuable.

And this would be exactly why companies like us utilise multiple touch points so that we reach as many people as possible.
We know someone as knowledgeable as Bill isn't going to take any notice of a mid afternoon Facebook status update, so we'll have to be alot cleverer.... private message maybe Bill?

I think we should all just take a minute and have a group hug...

How bout a group hug at 30-odd thousand feet, within the confines of our business class?
Who's coming with us?

WHEN the full product is finalised i would assume we are going to be marketed up the jaxy with DJ ads, promos, offers, etc

Love how you framed that 777, mind if i steal it for internal discussions?

 

[777]

Love how you framed that 777, mind if i steal it for internal discussions?

Not at all but do keep it internal - the DJ "Up the Jaxy" ad campaign may not help with the perception of going up market.

 

[Misha]

How bout a group hug at 30-odd thousand feet, within the confines of our business class?
Who's coming with us?

Perhaps when we are offered a special AFF only leisure flight? Like a mystery flight to anywhere (or nowhere - I'd rather circle the skies for a couple of hours than land in say, Canberra), for a nominal fee (donation to a charity?) and we get the plane to ourselves

Can't wait to see the haggling about which members get priority check in .... Gold Status versus 5,000+ posts?

 

[LiamR]

How bout a group hug at 30-odd thousand feet, within the confines of our business class?
Who's coming with us?

At the risk of sounding like some of your Facebook fans... I tried getting Business Class tickets for your first flight with no luck!!

Perhaps when we are offered a special AFF only leisure flight? Like a mystery flight to anywhere (or nowhere - I'd rather circle the skies for a couple of hours than land in say, Canberra), for a nominal fee (donation to a charity?) and we get the plane to ourselves

Now that sounds fun!! Clearley, DJ Gold members go first, followed by AFF gold members, followed by plebs.

 

[markis10]

Now that sounds fun!! Clearley, DJ Gold members go first, followed by AFF gold members, followed by plebs.

Nope, Mods who are DJ Gold go first

 

[LiamR]

Nope, Mods who are DJ Gold go first

I sense a scene similar to 'Up in the Air' on its way... where we stand at the boarding gate empying our wallets of plastic cards to see who has the most, and can go first....

"Maplewood , how dare you bring that card into this Palace"

"I wasen't even sure if that existed, thats the AA Concierge Key, right?"