QF status pax gain access to VA domestic lounges when flying XY

[Daver6]

Just came across this article https://www.ausbt.com.au/virgin-australia-opens-lounges-to-qantas-frequent-flyers. More details here https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/tryeconomyx/

Sounds like a really great way for VA to show-off the advantage of these seats to QF loyalists.

• Purchase an Economy X seat on a domestic Virgin Australia flight^ for travel between 13 June 2017 and 31 August 2017
• Locate the Virgin Australia domestic Lounge in the following airports; Alice Springs, Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Mackay, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
• Present your Economy X boarding pass and Qantas Club membership card or Gold Frequent Flyer or higher membership card to our lounge staff
• Relax or catch up on work in the comfort of our lounge
• Arrive ready enjoying the convenience and comfort of Economy X

 

[ap_spd]

Qantas Club and Gold members may be enticed by the lounge but Platinum and Platinum 1 in my mind will firm up the decision of not crossing over.

 

[Daver6]

I'm guessing the thinking is less about convincing them that the VA lounge is better, but more so giving them a way to try the XY seating without the trade-off of being loungeless for the test run.

 

[Justchecking]

All well and good except lounge access isn't a part of the XY offering so you're not giving them a sample of XY but rather XY+benefits that they won't receive after August 2017. Yes, yes it's all in the fine print but how often does anyone care about that, all they look at is last time they flew XY they got lounge access so why not now.

 

[OzEire]

So after giving Explore Gold away like confetti, VA is adding QF elites to ensure that VA's own elites have no chance of getting any benefits of the program.

Standing room only will become an even more frequent occurrence and make the whole VA experience worse for everyone... including those QF elites who will rush back to the J lounge for a seat and quiet relax before their flight.

[/Cranky Rant]

 

[anat0l]

All well and good except lounge access isn't a part of the XY offering so you're not giving them a sample of XY but rather XY+benefits that they won't receive after August 2017. Yes, yes it's all in the fine print but how often does anyone care about that, all they look at is last time they flew XY they got lounge access so why not now.

I guess what they're trying at is that if they like the YX offering, then they could switch completely from QF to VA.

VA might offer them a status match to boot (or at the very least there is Pilot Gold), but then they could foresee lots of QF defectors buying up YX and filling their status boots on the VA side instead. There are ways to keep up the lounge offering without needing to start from scratch if a QF elite is willing to make the jump to VA.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

So after giving Explore Gold away like confetti, VA is adding QF elites to ensure that VA's own elites have no chance of getting any benefits of the program.

Standing room only will become an even more frequent occurrence and make the whole VA experience worse for everyone... including those QF elites who will rush back to the J lounge for a seat and quiet relax before their flight.

[/Cranky Rant]

Cranky Rant - I'll agree.

No defender of QF or VA - but there was that much room @ PER last night, you are talking s**t. <redacted>

 

[mannej]

Cranky Rant - I'll agree.

No defender of QF or VA - but there was that much room @ PER last night, you are talking s**t. ...

Just as cranky as the reply. <redacted>

 

[serfty]

[Moderator hat]

Please settle down !​

[/Moderator hat]

 

[Simo]

I see benefits in it if you are doing a trip on a leg that QF doesn't service but would be interesting to see if QF does the same for VA FF

 

[pauly7]

Qantas Club and Gold members may be enticed by the lounge but Platinum and Platinum 1 in my mind will firm up the decision of not crossing over.

Note to VA lounge dragons in charge of 'catering' orders : increase quantities of chips, stat!

 

[anat0l]

I see benefits in it if you are doing a trip on a leg that QF doesn't service but would be interesting to see if QF does the same for VA FF

QF do the same for VA FF? Ha! Sorry, but I can't see that happening.

That said, one thing I hadn't considered is how effective is this ploy by VA in light of those who cannot make the decision of who to fly due to corporate policy.

Note to VA lounge dragons in charge of 'catering' orders : increase quantities of chips, stat!

Chips? Aw, come on!

 

[basso]

So after giving Explore Gold away like confetti, VA is adding QF elites to ensure that VA's own elites have no chance of getting any benefits of the program.

QF Elites that purchase EconomyX. Can't see that being many people.

 

[Tallfont]

So after giving Explore Gold away like confetti, VA is adding QF elites to ensure that VA's own elites have no chance of getting any benefits of the program.

Standing room only will become an even more frequent occurrence and make the whole VA experience worse for everyone... including those QF elites who will rush back to the J lounge for a seat and quiet relax before their flight.

[/Cranky Rant]

Further dilution of the Virgin Australia product for those of us that have spent far to long travelling with them. Almost every time I pass through the BNE Domestic lounge in the evening it is standing room only.

 

[Bundy Bear]

QF Elites that purchase EconomyX. Can't see that being many people.

I will give it a try.

I am planning my next trip and had thought about trying the EconomyX product I need a few more SCs to keep silver on VA, already Gold on Qantas, so this offer just sweetens the deal.

 

[anat0l]

Further dilution of the Virgin Australia product for those of us that have spent far to long travelling with them. Almost every time I pass through the BNE Domestic lounge in the evening it is standing room only.

"far too long"? What's that supposed to mean; I mean, you are Platinum with them, so you must be content or at least more than flying the competition?

BNE Lounge has been mostly good to me, but I don't usually travel during the key peak periods like Friday afternoon etc. Even mornings have been alright, though you may need to content yourself with sitting at a bench, or sitting at a lounge chair which is at the same table as someone you don't know. The only main issue I have had is that when the VA Lounges are full, the buffet sometimes has not been replenished often enough.

 

[Tallfont]

"far too long"? What's that supposed to mean; I mean, you are Platinum with them, so you must be content or at least more than flying the competition?

Sorry, I should have been specific. Platinum since 2011 with around 110 sectors on VA. I have seen the downgrade of the VA product especially over the last 12 months. Whether this be the reduction (removal) of the A330 on most PER>BNE>PER flights, the inconsistent service in J, the packed full lounges at PER and BNE and a myriad of other smaller but not insignificant things.

To my mind it seems that when JB took the horrid Virgin Blue to a "full service" airline they were on the right track. A viable alternative to QF.
I have had many very enjoyable flights over the years but it is a different airline today than it was in, say, 2013-14.
I firmly believe that they are not sure where they sit in the market anymore especially with the "regular business traveler" market.

As to being content, I am not!
I recently decided to try QF for some of my longer haul flights and my next major booking is with them. I am fortunate in that I can book and charge back J class so starting from the lower tiers again is not much of an issue.

 

[ap_spd]

As to being content, I am not!
I recently decided to try QF for some of my longer haul flights and my next major booking is with them. I am fortunate in that I can book and charge back J class so starting from the lower tiers again is not much of an issue.

In that case I recommend taking up the status match challenge with Qantas.