Just back from the USA and I love Virgin (and Australia)

[Rdarby]

I know that we all fly a lot so tend to have a lot to say when things aren't exactly as we want them, but I have just had a reality check. I have spent the last week flying in the USA on Virgin America and Delta, and I have to say that Virgin Australia beats them hands down. Now this may be based on a very small sample and I may have just missed the good stuff, but this is what I found so much better with Virgin Australia:

• Proper priority boarding, not just a mad scrum, with being ordered around by TSA!
• Lounges are more comfortable, larger, with better food
• The staff are so much more professional and friendly. Much more. I have never had aggressive behaviour like I got from those in FLL before!
• The aircraft are cleaner and more comfortable, but the IFE which seems almost identical doesn't have all the same content

Overall I was in heaven when I got back into the Melbourne lounge on the way home!

Virgin Australia stands way above what seems available overseas and I think we need to do what we can to keep Australia great.

 

[JohnK]

We dont realise what we have in Australia until you go overseas.

The USA does not have a good reputation for domestic carriers.

In my experience with domestic carriers in Thailand and Greece they are as good as our domestic carriers if not better and they are much better value for money.

 

[lovestotravel]

Both Qantas and Virgin Australia do things pretty damn well by comparison of other domestic airlines around the world.

That being said I would much rather Virgin America over both QF and VA mainly for the aircraft, IFE and WiFI on EVERY aircraft!

However having flown Virgin America many times, I have yet to have a really good crew member, they are all "too cool for school"

Actually wait, one CSM was quite good on an LAX-JFK flight but she used to work for Virgin Blue......

 

[Sprucegoose]

Yep it's a command and control culture .....

 

[dk4]

Yep it's a command and control culture .....

Significantly so. I have had the unfortunate experience of travelling Delta "domestic first class" recently, and it was obvious I triggered some sort of "security comment" on the manifest, because the service was extremely unpleasant. Right down to the end of the flight, when the FA went down the aisle and warmly thanked every passenger "for their business", when she got to me, she barely got out a "thank...", with no eye contact, before turning away and warmly thanking the passenger across the aisle. This compares to the intense eye contact and stare downs while boarding...and the miriade of unpleasant interactions and hawk eyes during the flight.

One would think that, a high level partner airline frequent flyer, who purchases first class tickets, would be the sort after result of marketing partnerships...but apparently not at Delta!

For me it is becoming increasingly an unpleasant and insular (hermit like) country to travel within.

 

[lukenet]

Your post begs me to ask, did you forget to wear your deodorant that day of something?

That is very strange behaviour for a crew to exhibit. I wonder if there is not more to this story you are not telling?

 

[notzac]

I'm also perplexed - I've only ever had reasonable to excellent service from DL crews, so to hear something else is a little unusual. Not suggesting that you're lying, just that it's odd.

 

[froggerADL]

Are you supposed to tip them . I hope not.

 

[dk4]

Are you supposed to tip them . I hope not.

I saw someone do that once on AA many years ago, LOL

There is no more to the story, I don't know what has triggered the security situation (perhaps a variation of the old SSSS, has been implemented covertly along side and in balance to the new "3 beep TSA precheck for non members")?

But I travel rather frequently, and I can tell when things aren't right. And on my recent Delta trip is was horrid.