J Class Prices now almost matching Qantas

[UA_SYD]

I took a couple J/PE flights in Dec; SYD-MEL and SYD-BNE/OOL...

At the time the MEL flight cost me approx $850. Just looking now to buy SYD-MEL in late Jan and the prices are $1,058... that’s a 25% increase!! :shock: as a comparison, same times etc on QF J are $1,198... so pretty similar fare pricing.

We were all expecting a raise in fares as J class refit is rolled out across the fleet but are these fares really reflective of the offering and relative to QF J?? Personally I don’t think so... and really makes me question the value proposition and what I’m getting.
I know it’s a very subjective question, but surely everyone agrees J cabin on DJ is inferior to QF in terms of comfort/seat etc. Food just doesn't compare, QF are clearly better… personally I don’t enjoy the food at ‘the lounge’ either.. but again… personal pref.
Love the new priority boarding and associated status benefits… but assume equal/better on QF.

What is the consensus here? Is this level of pricing acceptable to you guys for what you get and comparable to the competition??

 

[Noob]

I took a couple J/PE flights in Dec; SYD-MEL and SYD-BNE/OOL...

At the time the MEL flight cost me approx $850. Just looking now to buy SYD-MEL in late Jan and the prices are $1,058... that’s a 25% increase!! :shock: as a comparison, same times etc on QF J are $1,198... so pretty similar fare pricing.

We were all expecting a raise in fares as J class refit is rolled out across the fleet but are these fares really reflective of the offering and relative to QF J?? Personally I don’t think so... and really makes me question the value proposition and what I’m getting.
I know it’s a very subjective question, but surely everyone agrees J cabin on DJ is inferior to QF in terms of comfort/seat etc. Food just doesn't compare, QF are clearly better… personally I don’t enjoy the food at ‘the lounge’ either.. but again… personal pref.
Love the new priority boarding and associated status benefits… but assume equal/better on QF.

What is the consensus here? Is this level of pricing acceptable to you guys for what you get and comparable to the competition??

Sorry, but what evidence or experience do you have in saying the Qantas domestic J product is better than Virgin's?


Let's do a compare the pair (for sake of pointing out how similar the products are not saying one is better than the other! ):

Virgin 737 J / Qantas 737 J

 

[UA_SYD]

7 sectors this year (Jan-Jul) all SYD-ADL/vv
approx 9-10 last year, mix SYD-ADL/MEL/BNE

I dont think they are 'miles appart'...

 

[markis10]

. Just looking now to buy SYD-MEL in late Jan and the prices are $1,058... that’s a 25% increase!! :shock: as a comparison, same times etc on QF J are $1,198... so pretty similar fare pricing.

What your seeing is a reflection in the difference in product and price, PE versus J, yes 25% increases are large, but by the same token I would not say a 12% difference between DJ and QF at $529 versus $599 is similar either!

 

[Noob]

7 sectors this year (Jan-Jul) all SYD-ADL/vv
approx 9-10 last year, mix SYD-ADL/MEL/BNE

I dont think they are 'miles appart'...

Well then you are comparing the old Virgin Premium economy with Qantas Business - Business Class doesn't begin on Virgin until the 18th of this month - the only routes which have Virgin Business Class domestically are PER too MEL/BNE/SYD flights.

As per the media release here:
Virgin Australia Business Class on Sale across Domestic Network | Virgin Australia

 

[777]

7 sectors this year (Jan-Jul) all SYD-ADL/vv
approx 9-10 last year, mix SYD-ADL/MEL/BNE

I dont think they are 'miles appart'...

Then you haven't tried the J product yet. It hasn't been launched yet on any of those routes.

 

[notzac]

Having not flown J up and down the east coast on DJ (and to be fair: it's not something you can actually do just yet), it's kinda hard to make an actual comparison with the same sectors in J on QF. The domestic J that I have flown with DJ (SYD-PER-SYD) was excellent, so I'm looking forward to trying out MEL-BNE in J as well.

 

[UA_SYD]

Well then you are comparing the old Virgin Premium economy with Qantas Business - Business Class doesn't begin on Virgin until the 18th of this month - the only routes which have Virgin Business Class domestically are PER too MEL/BNE/SYD flights.

The sectors I mentioned were QF flown...

The flights I mentioned (4 sectors) in Dec were all on newly refitted DJ planes with J seats/service.

Almost all my flights are DJ/VA... I'm about 120 status credits short of Plat.

 

[markis10]

The sectors I mentioned were QF flown...

The flights I mentioned (4 sectors) in Dec were all on newly refitted DJ planes with J seats/service.

Almost all my flights are DJ/VA... I'm about 120 status credits short of Plat.

DJ has not started the J service yet! At least not on the golden triangle with 73's!

 

[notzac]

The flights I mentioned (4 sectors) in Dec were all on newly refitted DJ planes with J seats/service.

..then you got PE with J seating. Not quite the same as what J is going to be, so it's still not a comparison that can be properly made yet.

 

[UA_SYD]

..then you got PE with J seating. Not quite the same as what J is going to be, so it's still not a comparison that can be properly made yet.

Ok, so a couple people mentioning PE with J seating...
Whats actually chaning in Jan (per the press release)....??? maybe thats a missunderstand on my part.

I understood serivces/food etc. was staying the same

thanks

 

[Noob]

The sectors I mentioned were QF flown...

The flights I mentioned (4 sectors) in Dec were all on newly refitted DJ planes with J seats/service.

Almost all my flights are DJ/VA... I'm about 120 status credits short of Plat.

As per the media release in my above post, Business class does not begin on those routes until the 18th of this month. Obviously it takes time to refit planes, hence you were flying premium economy in a business class seat which was installed in preparation for the commencement of Business Class on the 18th.

When Business Class commences it is assumed we will see food and service similar to the coast-coast offering, as seen here:
http://www.ausbt.com.au/perth-to-sy...n-australia-s-new-top-coast-to-coast-offering


It is all a little confusing!

Media release: Virgin Australia Business Class on Sale across Domestic Network | Virgin Australia

 

[notzac]

I understood serivces/food etc. was staying the same

Off the top of my head - F&B is changing fairly dramatically, some of the service aspects would change as well. Dunno about the rest.

 

[Mal]

I've seen many people recently claiming they've flown DJ j on certain sectors excl. Ex-per . No they haven't.

They have experienced a seat. That is all.

I am withholding all judgement until the soft product is launched.

Then comparisons can be made. Until then it's pure speculation unless comparing the seats, the j price or flights that have moved over to full j service.

 

[lovestotravel]

I head that the 737's will have far better food and service in J class after the middle of this month, they are/have been currently hiring for an additional flight attendant on the 737's to service the J cabin....

At the same time free water/coffee/tea for economy as well from memory!

 

[UA_SYD]

As per the media release in my above post, Business class does not begin on those routes until the 18th of this month. Obviously it takes time to refit planes, hence you were flying premium economy in a business class seat which was installed in preparation for the commencement of Business Class on the 18th.

When Business Class commences it is assumed we will see food and service similar to the coast-coast offering, as seen here

Right... thanks...... When reading the media release (which I’ve seen before) there is no express mention of "same as coast to coast" meal or drinks service, or even stating that it will be a 'plated meal concept' and I hadn't read on AFF or other sources any comments that it would be, so thanks so much for the insight..

This obviously allays my "fears"... so something to look forward to later in the month...

 

[Fruitcake]

As far as I know, the only people who've had domestic short haul J service on DJ would be those who've managed to get on one of these flights:

Aussie Flyer: EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW - Virgin Australia Short Haul Business, Sydney to Melbourne on the A330-200


On the pricing, yes, it's a jump, but just as I'd expect to pay more for a plated 3-course meal at a restaurant than for a two-day-old vege wrap that's been sitting on a shelf at a servo, I expect to have to pay more for a similar product upgrade on an aircraft.

 

[serfty]

... Obviously it takes time to refit planes, hence you were flying premium economy in a business class seat which was installed in preparation for the commencement of Business Class on the 18th.

...

Sorry, but what evidence or experience do you have in saying the Qantas domestic J product is better than Virgin's? ...

...
They have experienced a seat. That is all.

I am withholding all judgement until the soft product is launched.

Then comparisons can be made. Until then it's pure speculation unless comparing the seats, the j price or flights that have moved over to full j service.

I have had the best domestic expeince I have had in the last 10 years travelling DJ's 330's - even with the old EK seats.

I have flown both DJ PE/Business several times in the last four months.

IMHO, the old Qantas Millennium seats are far more comfortable than the new DJ seats. They also have IFE and many have in seat power supply.

For me DJ's tablet with a two audio sockets and pretty white ear buds (so only get left or right, no stereo) doesn't cut it.

Then you haven't tried the J product yet. It hasn't been launched yet on any of those routes.

As I have posted, the seat does not compare.Nor does the convertible PE seats when compared with those on the QF 734's (although these are a dying breed in both cases.).

So, lets wait and see, but there would have to be a dramatic improvements on catering/soft product to make DJ business in the golden triangle representative of the costs being charged in comparison to Qantas.

 

[777]

For me DJ's tablet with a two audio sockets and pretty white ear buds (so only get left or right, no stereo) doesn't cut it.As I have posted, the seat does not compare.Nor does the convertible PE seats when compared with those on the QF 734's (although these are a dying breed in both cases.).

I have no idea why you're even bringing up the PE seats in this context. The point is that you are making a whole bunch of assumptions about a product that you've never tried because it hasn't been launched yet. Will it be worth 70-90% of an equivalent QF fare? Who the hell knows but both the pricing and the product will surely be refined over time.

 

[Moopere]

Tsk tsk. I see a lot of people jumping on the OP's comment but have those people tried the transcon 737 based J experience? Its not the full J experience that one would expect if you have ever travelled a decent J service in my opinion (and no, QF's dom 767's are no longer a competitive J experience and haven't been for many years).

I've done the DJ 737 J and its pretty nice, I've posted good things about it elsewhere, but its PE+, not really J. I won't ever pay DJ's full asking price for this experience. I missed out on the transcon A330 service though and Serfty's report in another thread is glowing ... can't wait for an opportunity to try that.