No more free items from retail menu when flying business

[jonboixxx]

VA are so good at keeping the wine glass topped up. I'll be happy so long as they're able to keep doing that. Lucky to get one top-up on the Roo.

 

[clipped_wings]

I will rue the day when $780,000 isn't worth saving.

 

[daft009]

Never knew this . Only had a couple of flights on virgin J. Next one not till after the 9th. The Blue gin looked appealing

 

[oz_mark]

This is now the second cost cutting activity (that we know about) slipped through the and both cuts are targeting J pax interestingly.... weird strategy....?

There's about 750 staff that may disagree with you....

 

[Cryptarcadian]

Damn it! My next VA J flight isn't until after Oct 9 and I've never tried the Ink Gin!

It'd be good to actually have a J menu that makes it clear what drinks are included in J in this case. Same for the pantry. I've asked for drinks ("hey what's 2C having? that look interesting... would you mind bringing me one too?") and not realised until afterwards that it was something from the Y menu.

This whole exercise does seem petty, and will undoubtedly lead to some awkward conversations with VA's highest yield passengers. But I suppose VA needs to save every penny right now.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

As the Salmon meal choice was gone - 3 of row #1 pax ordered it, and row #2 did not get that offered. Why they only load 3 meals of that choice for 8 pax only Virgin would know.

This is Virgin Australia, ... expect the unexpected.
Yes, I know, you paid a good high sum to sit in J, via points or $, but as it Virgin Australia, when they are good, they can be very good, but when they are bad, they fall in a heap!
Take the WLG VA the Lounge for eg.
Granted its lack of space, but they could have made do without that "upstairs" lounge, and save us a lot of $, instead of putting in a substandard lounge, ...
Sorry for the threadjack, being O/T.

 

[Must...Fly!]

$780,000 in lost revenue. More likely half that or less in actual cost. Will it deter people from flying VA J? Who knows.

But even at a generous $500,000 "loss"...it's not a good news story.

Meanwhile Tiger costs the group millions and millions in losses and inefficiencies every month....

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Interesting comment about the cost of virgin business. I regularly buy it for 60% or less of the cost of qantas business.

NZD$10xx QF AKL - BNE.
AUD$5xx VA BNE - AKL.
Both booked in the past few days, QF anyway, VA was a about a month and a half to 2 months ago.
Both in subclass of J for travel before Christmas this year.
We know how bad the AKL QF J lounge is, and how new the BNE VA J lounge is.
I know its like comparing apples and pears, but still, VA is much cheaper overall in fares, TT than QF.
The prices above are pre my Points + Pay.

 

[Vic]

We made 2 biz flights last week in full Biz cabins and were in row #1 THANKFULLY.

As the Salmon meal choice was gone - 3 of row #1 pax ordered it, and row #2 did not get that offered. Why they only load 3 meals of that choice for 8 pax only Virgin would know.

Just saw this. I've experience some weird random meal order processes with virgin, mostly when travelling with the whole family. have been bypassed in row 1 twice. Especially annoying when on a paid, not award or upgrade, ticket. But in all cases the meal of preference was available so wasn't an issue.

Doesn't exactly sound like "There is ZERO in this about trying to sell things to business". It sounds like at least something greater than zero.

They have never asked me if I want to buy something from economy and I do not see that changing now. Flying business this weekend, will let you know if I'm asked, unprompted, to buy food.

NZD$10xx QF AKL - BNE.
AUD$5xx VA BNE - AKL.
Both booked in the past few days, QF anyway, VA was a about a month and a half to 2 months ago.
Both in subclass of J for travel before Christmas this year.
We know how bad the AKL QF J lounge is, and how new the BNE VA J lounge is.
I know its like comparing apples and pears, but still, VA is much cheaper overall in fares, TT than QF.
The prices above are pre my Points + Pay.

I hope you use the discount codes. my last example searching and checking the same day, for golden triangle was $999 on Qantas, $524 on Virigin Accelerate, and $495 with a discount code.

 

[justinbrett]

They have never asked me if I want to buy something from economy and I do not see that changing now. Flying business this weekend, will let you know if I'm asked, unprompted, to buy food.

Oh I see what's going on here - you didn't bother to read the article.

That all comes to an end on October 9, when the ‘buy on board’ menu will be rolled out in business class, and those passengers – along with members of The Club – will be asked to pull out their credit card for extras that were formerly free.

According to an instruction circulated to Virgin Australia cabin crew on September 26, and sighted by Executive Traveller, “effective 9 October, complimentary offering of retail items to Business and VIP guests will not be permitted.”

“Retail items will be available for purchase, should the guest prefer additional options. Retail menus will be loaded in business class seat pockets and crew should introduce the retail menu when taking meal orders after take-off.”

It doesn't start until next week, so both your previous experience and this weekend's experience won't prove that this story, confirmed by Virgin, is false.

 

[Stealthflyer]

From the 9th of October you say? Damn. I’m flying the 10th. I’ve been wanting to try this ink gin I’ve read about so much in these forums.

I might try my luck anyway. I’ve got a long transit at Melbourne airport afterwards with the banal Gordon’s in the SilverKris lounge, so the ink gin would spruce things up a bit.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Didn't use discount code.
Points plus pay only.
Amount I mentioned was before P+P.
Will try discount code thing next time.

 

[Vic]

Oh I see what's going on here - you didn't bother to read the article.



It doesn't start until next week, so both your previous experience and this weekend's experience won't prove that this story, confirmed by Virgin, is false.

Well i read it. I also was able to see than word "EXTRA". Business will be asked to pay for extras that were formerly free. There is nothing in there that says business catering has changed. There is nothing that says they're now going to ask if I want to buy something from economy. What has changed is that if I opt to not take the business catering and ask for something from down the back I'll have to pay for it. No, it is not about pushing BoB at business pax, unless they make a choice to reject the catering included in their fare.

I just think that as someone who has "never ever" flown virgin business you don't really understand what this change means in practice. Certainly conclusions being made are not sound.

 

[Vic]

Didn't use discount code.
Points plus pay only.
Amount I mentioned was before P+P.
Will try discount code thing next time.

I haven't really done points plus pay with virgin. Might be worth trying to code.

 

[justinbrett]

Well i read it. I also was able to see than word "EXTRA". Business will be asked to pay for extras that were formerly free. There is nothing in there that says business catering has changed. There is nothing that says they're now going to ask if I want to buy something from economy. What has changed is that if I opt to not take the business catering and ask for something from down the back I'll have to pay for it. No, it is not about pushing BoB at business pax, unless they make a choice to reject the catering included in their fare.

I just think that as someone who has "never ever" flown virgin business you don't really understand what this change means in practice. Certainly conclusions being made are not sound.

Read it again.

Retail menus will be loaded in business class seat pockets and crew should introduce the retail menu when taking meal orders after take-off.

.

Don't tell me what I do and do not understand. I do understand how to read English, where this clearly says they will promote the retail menu to J PAX. I never said the existing complimentary service was changing.

 

[stm1sydney]

Don't feed the troll.

 

[clipped_wings]

I’ve been wanting to try this ink gin I’ve read about so much in these forums.

I found it at Dan Murphys the other day. I'm thinking of buying a bottle and putting the kitchen chairs together in 4 sets of two. I'll pretend I'm in 2A and swizzle the lot.

 

[justinbrett]

I found it at Dan Murphys the other day. I'm thinking of buying a bottle and putting the kitchen chairs together in 4 sets of two. I'll pretend I'm in 2A and swizzle the lot.

if you’re in to gin, you should try The Farmers Wife gin. It’s also a local gin that’s produced in the Hunter. It’s a little difficult to buy (you can buy direct on their we website) but they also serve it at the bar in Newcastle airport. One of the best gins I’ve ever had.

Home – The Farmer's Wife Distillery

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Shhh, some on here do not fly or agree with P+P with any airline FF program.

 

[ozstamps]

Still think it is a very and nasty idea.