Rumour: Next phase of VA "meals for all" to start tomorrow [14-Apr-2015]

[Standby]

Interesting ,in the SMH announcement a VA spin Dr said ""The extra cost of providing the complimentary food would not be passed onto passengers in the form of higher fares. "It has been designed to absorb costs," she said.""
Low and behold overnight I can see fare increases on a number of eastcoast routes I frequent, especially flex, on SYDMEL&BNE appear to have gone up $15-20!! . I also note entry Saver fares on SYD&MEL to BNE are up as well.Obviously the right hand doesnt know what the left is doing. Dont get me wrong, only a fool expects something for nothing,but a bigger fool lies about it not thinking they will be found out.

 

[dajop]

Interesting ,in the SMH announcement a VA spin Dr said ""The extra cost of providing the complimentary food would not be passed onto passengers in the form of higher fares. "It has been designed to absorb costs," she said.""
Low and behold overnight I can see fare increases on a number of eastcoast routes I frequent, especially flex, on SYDMEL&BNE appear to have gone up $15-20!! . I also note entry Saver fares on SYD&MEL to BNE are up as well.Obviously the right hand doesnt know what the left is doing. Dont get me wrong, only a fool expects something for nothing,but a bigger fool lies about it not thinking they will be found out.

In the semi-competitive domestic market, fare increases are not made on the basis of the increase in cost of providing a service, they are made based on supply and demand considerations. To attribute a $15-20 fare rise to the increase in cost of providing the food is getting it all wrong (the food would cost what, $1 or so?). If there is any linkage at all between the fare rise and food provision, it could be that this has stimulated demand, and that the increase has meant a fare increase.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Huge meal today. MEL-LST at 1325, so this is VA's idea of lunch:

20 grams of cookies makes me want to fly VA!!

 

[Justinf]

I never imagined myself saying this, but I miss the flexi wraps.

 

[Standby]

In the semi-competitive domestic market, fare increases are not made on the basis of the increase in cost of providing a service, they are made based on supply and demand considerations. To attribute a $15-20 fare rise to the increase in cost of providing the food is getting it all wrong (the food would cost what, $1 or so?). If there is any linkage at all between the fare rise and food provision, it could be that this has stimulated demand, and that the increase has meant a fare increase.

I get it that fare increases are done for many and varied reasons,not simply aligned to a 1 to 1 ratio.It's a timing thing. However, internally in a business co-ordinating messaging and implementation are important.The co-ordination of the Food announcement would have been well known within the key areas of the business,not least the area ( pricing),that would be hoping to charge or capture a premium from the new product. To have not read or been across the marketing /PR collatoral and timing so it clashed with a fare increase is inept & takes the shine off a major initiative.That was the thrust of my comment

 

[kevrosmith]

I get it that fare increases are done for many and varied reasons,not simply aligned to a 1 to 1 ratio.It's a timing thing. However, internally in a business co-ordinating messaging and implementation are important.The co-ordination of the Food announcement would have been well known within the key areas of the business,not least the area ( pricing),that would be hoping to charge or capture a premium from the new product. To have not read or been across the marketing /PR collatoral and timing so it clashed with a fare increase is inept & takes the shine off a major initiative.That was the thrust of my comment

I did a search today on some of my usual routes after reading your first and the prices are unchanged this week. However, when did you last do a search? We did note a small fare increase on Flexis (maybe Savers too, I can't remember) a couple weeks ago when Saver Lite fares were dropped.

 

[toowongman]

I never imagined myself saying this, but I miss the flexi wraps.

I was thinking that last week after looking at my flexi half-a-sandwich and paying for a soda water. The whole situation is quite underwhelming, we set our expectations back to zero and self-cater in Y by making sandwiches in the lounge.

 

[blackcat20]

Had a VA survey today and made a point that a teeny bag of dried fruit is not a meal (7pm flight) versus QF hot dinner. Also mentioned the lack of proper meal in the lounge versus QF QP on the same evening.

 

[Standby]

I did some planning last week for a work meeting , bringing folks from multi ports to MEL, went to book today and can confirm leadin saver and flex have moved BNE MEL,ADLMEL, and flex changed on MEL SYD. Also BNESYD entry saver and flex have changed (planning boss's trip in 2 weeks)I didn't say there was a network change but deff on these markets.I imagine The triangle and ADL make up a fair volume by number of the network. I'll leave it to others to confirm if other classes in the tariff have also moved.

 

[Milefest]

Just did BNE-SYD, still cheese and crackers, what a feast

 

[Grimace1]

Just did BNE-SYD, still cheese and crackers, what a feast

<sarcasm>Mmm, those cheese and crackers are to die for </sarcasm>

 

[kevrosmith]

SYD-CNS last night was apparently a savoury muffin, small bag of dried fruit/nuts and a mint. I didn't get to take a photo as they ran out before I asked if I could have a look at what was offered. The crew indicated that hot meals were being provided on flights to ASP and DRW. SYD-CNS had a flight time of 2:51 last night so I really hope they offer something more substantial over time (as the crew pointed out, it is only day 3).

The he crew also said that the breakfast has been popular. Bircher muesli or something similar. Guess I'll get to try this Monday morning. Hopefully it will be an improvement on the Chocoloate chip muffin they usually try to hand out for breakfast.

 

[Virgin Bart]

...as the crew pointed out, it is only day 3...

I don't give a stuff that it was only day three! VA were under no requirement to start the service om that day. If it was lacklustre, it's not worth doing. /endrant

 

[kevrosmith]

I don't give a stuff that it was only day three! VA were under no requirement to start the service om that day. If it was lacklustre, it's not worth doing. /endrant

Yeah, I don't disagree with that sentiment at all. I'm just hoping that they will keep reviewing and revising their options to better fit their customers' expectations.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I don't give a stuff that it was only day three! VA were under no requirement to start the service om that day. If it was lacklustre, it's not worth doing. /endrant

As I was reading Kevrosmiths post, I was thinking the exact same thing. VA has adopted the Microsoft policy of letting the customer pay them to do the R&D for them. Imagine a brand new bridge being built and bits start falling off it and getting a reply from the civil engineer "what do you expect....it's just day three.....we haven't yet begun the rectification works"! A kind of bizarre reverse, reverse-engineering concept!

If any company designs something (project, concept, service etc) it should be designed to work as planned right from day 1! Poor show VA. Either admit you onl intend to provide a cheap, very ordinary snack, or fully implement your idea. Don't hide behind the "it's only day 3" drivel. It just makes people annoyed at you!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

All my BNE-CNS-BNE flights this year have been in J so I've not really noticed the flexi meal, but I do have the first of a string of BNE-CNS (or VV) flexi sectors coming up (starting on Saturday) so I wonder if (like other "meal" routes) the flexi "meal" will now be exactly the same as the new saver snack?

Well, my Friday night flexi changed to a Saturday afternoon flexi, which changed to a Sunday night flexi, which changed to a Sunday afternoon business (currently in the lounge so hopefully no more changes) ! So after all that, I still won't be able to comment on the new food offering. Perhaps it's better that way.

 

[kevrosmith]

CNS-SYD 6am flight. Similar to the previous Flexi meal, though the muffin is much smaller (at least it wasn't Chocolate chip!)

As a Saver meal, it's a step up for everyone, but I'll just have to forget I got something bigger previously for the Flexi meal as it's a little bit lacking for a three hour flight.

 

[MH_fan]

Since the implementation of this "meals for all flights" policy, I have flown ROK-BNE, BNE-SYD, SYD-ABX, ABX-SYD, SYD-BNE and BNE-ROK. All I can say is that the "meals" are just snacks and those snacks are nothing to rave home about! I pretty much turned them all down. It still feels pretty LCC to me. Really...either do it properly or don't do it at all.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Since the implementation of this "meals for all flights" policy, I have flown ROK-BNE, BNE-SYD, SYD-ABX, ABX-SYD, SYD-BNE and BNE-ROK. All I can say is that the "meals" are just snacks and those snacks are nothing to rave home about! I pretty much turned them all down. It still feels pretty LCC to me. Really...either do it properly or don't do it at all.

I hear you. I've made the comment a few times over the years, that the VA "game change" has actually been to the detriment of cheap end flyers (which is probably what they want). The buy on board used to have a much larger selection with things like soup and hot chocolate. I had no problems paying for a decent snack....especially as the fares were considerably less! I'm just wondering when "buy on board" will disappear completely and we're left with a muesli bar as the only option to going without.

 

[MH_fan]

I hear you. I've made the comment a few times over the years, that the VA "game change" has actually been to the detriment of cheap end flyers (which is probably what they want). The buy on board used to have a much larger selection with things like soup and hot chocolate. I had no problems paying for a decent snack....especially as the fares were considerably less! I'm just wondering when "buy on board" will disappear completely and we're left with a muesli bar as the only option to going without.

Even the quality of the snacks have deteriorated on the regional flights, as I've just experienced on the flights to/from Albury.
I suppose, in the end, they'll make more money carrying a standard snack that they can give to everyone (whether you want it or not is another matter) that they can buy in bulk rather than continue stocking menu items that most people don't buy. Their fares have increased and, really, there's not much to show for it.