Senior Virgin execs bail out after more Bain restructuring

[jb747]

Do you have any actual EVIDENCE yo/u can share of Virgin 'crewing' issues that are causing these mad and constant sked changes as at 25/3/22?

Cost cutting more like.

And do you have any evidence that it's not? All you're doing here is throwing a bit of mud, and of course some will stick.

 

[Saab34]

You only need to go onto the website to see they are hiring ground crew, baggage crew and cabin crew.

They even paid for a spot on A Current Affair the other week trying to push it it all.

Just remember unlike the others, Virgin ground and cabin crews are largely all direct employed via Virgin, no contract agency etc. Takes a bit longer to get the house in order.

They are not the only one suffering. I know a few Jetstar staff on the payroll who took government jobs in the last few years. As they earn 20-30% and Monday to Friday, no surprise that none of them have gone back to Aviation.

 

[RooFlyer]

Things are a disaster in the past month or so from where I sit. My inbox is filled with a stream of Virgin notifications of cancelled flights, flights moved hours or even a day apart, planes ever-changing, seats ever-changing, and costing me endless hours of time on phones to unravel the mess, and raised blood pressure, and have lost $2000 in forfeited hotel bookings in the past month.

It is getting so that I am loath to book anything more than a week out unless the Golden Triangle routes.

Sounds just like the other mob, from my experience.

 

[HS-TQE]

YMMV indeed.

Try booking Sydney-Townsville, Sydney-Broome, and even a once simple SYD-ADL and tell me there are no changes. They have been endless.

I waste time re-jigging it all and they then change it all AGAIN.

They are a MESS right now.

Ma and Pa Kettle booking their twice a year SYD-MEL will see no changes most likely, (and will book Jetstar anyway due to lower cost) but that is not the entire Virgin network.

Had no problems with MEL-SYD and MEL-BNE on both VA Y and QF Y despite booking only weeks out on both. Although, yes YMMV.

They are not the only one suffering. I know a few Jetstar staff on the payroll who took government jobs in the last few years. As they earn 20-30% and Monday to Friday, no surprise that none of them have gone back to Aviation.

I do know some of the displaced QF handlers in SYD (replaced by third party contractors) has also gone into public service (state or local council) and had since chose not to return to aviation in any capacity.

 

[ozstamps]

It is getting so that I am loath to book anything more than a week out unless the Golden Triangle routes. Key staff in all areas are leaving the sinking ship in droves, as we have seen here, which tells us the internal demoralised story - an unfolding mess.

Cost cutting Jayney seems to be the main reason, and that is not a good look if they hope to flick pass the airline, as a juicy, well run, with loyal and long established executive ranks, and a stable and coherent, fully focused entity.

MEL-SYD MEL-BNE sound exactly like Golden Triangle routes to me. Which exactly is what I stated above. If they cannot get those right, they need to go back to their knitting.

Book a SYDNEY-BROOME and come back and tell me how delighted you are after 4 total sked changes, that waste a ton of time and loses the CLIENT money each time they occur.

 

[twinaisle]

There are crewing issues. There's multiple roles going for cabin crew, pit crew and ground crew. If you know anyone then ask them to apply.

Crew have moved onto other jobs/companies or resigned due to new EA and pay structure.

Most will not work or extend on or into their days off or outside of duties as we're pretty exhausted.

 

[justinbrett]

Virgin Australia surpasses Qantas in January domestic market share

Virgin Australia has pipped rival Qantas to claim the highest share in the Australian domestic travel market in January, as interstate border restrictions ease and airlines ramp up flying.

www.flightglobal.com

A misleading headline - VA only leading market share vs Qantas the airline, not the group. Which has always been the way (in recent years, pre covid), because QF uses JQ whilst VA try to compete with both. By this report QF group has 2/3 of the market share.

Using this covid-era stats like this is pretty pointless.

 

[HS-TQE]

The article did specifically state Qantas as the airline rather than the group. Although the article does note the combined total of the Qantas Group (with Jetstar) with a combined 62% of the market in January.

Having said so previously lets at least wait until the end of the financial year before numbers can start actually being compared.

 

[justinbrett]

The article did specifically state Qantas as the airline rather than the group. Although the article does note the combined total of the Qantas Group (with Jetstar) with a combined 62% of the market in January.

Having said so previously lets at least wait until the end of the financial year before numbers can start actually being compared.

No issue with the article, just the headline - as most people don't read the articles...

Although again the article is pointless as it's comparing market share between now and 2021, which is not helpful due covid.

 

[pauly7]

No issue with the article, just the headline - as most people don't read the articles...

Although again the article is pointless as it's comparing market share between now and 2021, which is not helpful due covid.

Although I’m not sure this has much to do with the latest rounds of senior Virgin execs being pushed out the door….

…I do agree with your sentiment - as it is public knowledge that Bains plan for Virgin is to be an ‘all in one’ carrier and not have a dual brand strategy anymore like QF (hence Tiger was cremated during administration).

So agreed, it’s valid that both companies are compared on a group basis not brand because that’s how QF sorts, markets and segments their customers in this way.

 

[odysseus]

Although I’m not sure this has much to do with the latest rounds of senior Virgin execs being pushed out the door….

…I do agree with your sentiment - as it is public knowledge that Bains plan for Virgin is to be an ‘all in one’ carrier and not have a dual brand strategy anymore like QF (hence Tiger was cremated during administration).

So agreed, it’s valid that both companies are compared on a group basis not brand because that’s how QF sorts, markets and segments their customers in this way.

Actually, it goes both ways.

If you're comparing companies e.g. for financials, or as an investment, then company level including subsidiaries is right.

However, if you're comparing airlines, then airline by airline is valid.

Funnily enough, I'm yet to hear anyone complaining why doesn't an ontime or reliability comparison between Virgin and Qantas have Jetstar roped in, because again QF and JQ are part of the same group.

 

[pauly7]

Actually, it goes both ways.

Like anything. But on the original reference in this conversation thread material - group v group is the most appropriate data reference point for comparison. I was commenting on that, as that is what was being discussed.

 

[Bagpuss]

The class action specifically targets the 2019 capital raising prospectus, which correct me if I’m wrong, but this prospectus has no links to VA 2.0

These types of class actions are also rarely successful, they would need to successfully argue fraud has occurred

The other interesting note from the article mentions VA purchasing Velocity - so the benefits of having the FF program as a seperate entity are no more?

This is pretty standard for companies which goes into administration and is covered essentially via the company insurer.

However, the twist is likely which company did the raising prospectus. If it was Virgin Australia (the airline) it is 100% covered by insurance and is ring-fended separate to the current company.
However, if it was Velocity (the frequent company) this could have an effect as it did not go into administration.

They go for class action against the company and the directors etc as it's covered by insurance. The issue is how much the company was insured for. They would try to get the insider figure and go for exactly that amount.
However, if they go for Velocity and go for more than the insured amount and win, then Velocity have to cough up any amount over the insured amount.

 

[Bagpuss]

MEL-SYD MEL-BNE sound exactly like Golden Triangle routes to me. Which exactly is what I stated above. If they cannot get those right, they need to go back to their knitting.

Book a SYDNEY-BROOME and come back and tell me how delighted you are after 4 total sked changes, that waste a ton of time and loses the CLIENT money each time they occur.

Virgin were using domestic crew for the Perth - Broome service using a B737-800. They are switching back mainly to the old model with this being operated by VARA and A320's. They do have a random B737-800 here and there.

Same is happening with Perth <> Darwin, Perth <> Adelaide where they are using VARA and A320's.

(Essentially they are go back to pre- covid and administration)

I've been burnt a few times being in business class, accepting a change to economy when it's changed to an A320 only for them to change it back to a B737.

When there's a schedule change they are pretty flexible when you call. Though it can result in extra hotel nights etc.