Should Virgin Australia bring back domestic premium economy?

[Deleted member 29185]

What can one say. They are so lost these days.

 

[nlagalle]

I think this really shows VA have no clue as to what they are doing...

 

[Ausbt]

You want ways for VA to make it worse? Try Delta's rediculous boarding process. "Calling all Pre-Boards, you are welcome to board now". (Surely a tautology). "Calling First Class". "Sky". "Zone1". "2". Finally "3". Oh, and on occasion "Military in uniform, we thank you for your service". What you have of course is still one big line with pax asking each other "are you Sky? Oh excuse me I'll just push past". So VA this PB + GB is not trying hard enough.

On the score of Delta, I once heard the captain come on and gushingly thank all those who have served "for fighting for freedom and our way of life". About half the plane broke into applause. I've got lots of army in my family - they expect no hoopla. Still waiting on that freedom BTW.

 

[Flyerqf]

I've found that you are less likely to get an empty middle seat next to you when in row 3 - so I go for 4 or 5 now.

 

[Kolo]

I've found that you are less likely to get an empty middle seat next to you when in row 3 - so I go for 4 or 5 now.

So true, sadly. I find this so annoying, especially when the middle seat pax has no status.

 

[Mr Pumblechook]

Yep I didn't like the person that row 3 made me - craning my neck to scan boarding passes, telling the poor bewildered status-less in contemptuous terms that they can't stow their bag on the floor and barely stifling the sighs when the tray table is too difficult to operate.

Now I just sit in row 4 and relax

 

[MarkD]

I have recently started selecting aisle or window in last two rows, depending on flight length. 10/10 strike rate of no middle seat mate in December. Usually off the plane before most, utilising rear stairs, get to have a good close up look at a 737 on the ground and still have to wait for bags if not HLO. Row 3 always has middle seat pax.

 

[DavidFlynn]

I have recently started selecting aisle or window in last two rows, depending on flight length. 10/10 strike rate of no middle seat mate in December. Usually off the plane before most, utilising rear stairs...

Yep! I know quite a few Virgin Australia flyers who are now choosing to be right down the back of the bus for all of those reasons! Plus there's a little 'retro' feel in descending on stairs rather than a sterile airbridge

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I have recently started selecting aisle or window in last two rows, depending on flight length. 10/10 strike rate of no middle seat mate in December.

I remember a couple of years back, when I first started transitioning away from VA, I posted here on AFF that I found JQ OOL-SYD to be an acceptable flight by doing exactly what you did. I can't recall if I was scoffed at, but generally the feeling from so-called FFers is largely "I must be at the front" ... there's more than one way to skin a cat!

What VA really have to come to grips with, is that their hard product is largely comparable with JQ yet they still seem so intent on whittling away their most loyal customers piddling benefits. Dom W has failed in the past and to be honest, any W product now will be laughable. They have no money to implement a decent product (perhaps they still have the old Recaro seats stashed away in storage somewhere) and let's face it, how the hang would they price them? Right now, they struggle to sell J without sales which tells me their J is either too dear or out of the range of most flyers and their Y is way too expensive. They have no midrange to sell W seating unless they transition Freedom fares to a PE class. Will they do that? It's possibly a good idea as Freedom as Y is overpriced and is already sitting at a W price point as far as I'm concerned, but I'm sure VA will be arrogant (foolish?) enough to count on a substantial price hike to justify it, which will most likely mean push J a bit further north ... when they struggle to sell J at today's rates. All the time, they're forgetting that they'll piss off a lot of their FFers who have become obsessed with row 3.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. VA's purse string controllers have only two choices IMHO.
1. Let JB finish what he started and do a complete, workable roll out of his "game change" (I still believe many people will pay their prices, but only if they see benefit), including a proper alliance; or
2. Merge TT and VA and roll back to a pretty bloody good LCC ... like we used to have with DJ (but please do not bring back the aisle sing-songs and giggling idiots masquerading as flight attendants).

 

[Ribbo83]

Yep I didn't like the person that row 3 made me - craning my neck to scan boarding passes, telling the poor bewildered status-less in contemptuous terms that they can't stow their bag on the floor and barely stifling the sighs when the tray table is too difficult to operate.

Now I just sit in row 4 and relax

Im interested to find out if the changes coming into effect this year meaning only WP and GS can select seating without a few will stop this from happening? Im GS (close to WP) and i recently took a flight last years with 3 other couples, both who have no status, 1 managed to get row 4 and the other in the last row. Best I could manage was row 7 and the both disembarked well before me.

Im sure im like most where its the little things like seamless boarding, a speedy exit and good service that I want from my exit but VA don't seem to be able to deliver.

 

[Milefest]

Im GS (close to WP) and i recently took a flight last years with 3 other couples, both who have no status, 1 managed to get row 4 and the other in the last row. Best I could manage was row 7 and the both disembarked well before me.

My understanding is that although pax without status can't select these seats, they can be automatically allocated them if they haven't already selected a seat.

 

[justinbrett]

You want ways for VA to make it worse? Try Delta's rediculous boarding process. "Calling all Pre-Boards, you are welcome to board now". (Surely a tautology). "Calling First Class". "Sky". "Zone1". "2". Finally "3". Oh, and on occasion "Military in uniform, we thank you for your service". What you have of course is still one big line with pax asking each other "are you Sky? Oh excuse me I'll just push past". So VA this PB + GB is not trying hard enough.

On the score of Delta, I once heard the captain come on and gushingly thank all those who have served "for fighting for freedom and our way of life". About half the plane broke into applause. I've got lots of army in my family - they expect no hoopla. Still waiting on that freedom BTW.

Re: military, this is completely normal in the US. With AA It is a published benifit that US military travelling on duty get priority boarding.

US military are highly regarded in the US, much more so than Australia. It's not that we don't value our troops, it's just that they are on a whole other level. It's also important to note that most US military get paid a lot less than ours, almost all companies give military discounts and/or other benifits.

When the Australian Department of Defence had its own contract with Qantas (it's now whole of government), Defence personnel were given a range of perks. However, this is probably more to do with Defence being Qantas' biggest customer.

 

[andyhui01]

Yep! I know quite a few Virgin Australia flyers who are now choosing to be right down the back of the bus for all of those reasons! Plus there's a little 'retro' feel in descending on stairs rather than a sterile airbridge

I did that for awhile until I realized that the seats down the back had less legroom.

 

[Ausbt]

It's also important to note that most US military get paid a lot less than ours, almost all companies give military discounts and/or other benifits.

Fair point and good to be reminded of this. Geeze, if they paid as we do the US would go broke. No issues or disrespect from me, that's for sure.

 

[clipped_wings]

Hmmm, I started liking certain comments until I realized that EVERYONE here with status has a valid point. And most of those points allude to a Big Fat Raspberry to yet another revenue generating stream from non-status PAX. Focus forums are essential to keep evolving, but cutting your nose off to spite your face is, IMHO - plain lunacy.

We don't do much domestic flying so I guess I am not qualified to weigh in for the local argument. But I know a 777 like that back of my hand and I gotta say, from the implementation of the latest Space+ seating - the poor Velocity Plats are getting slugged for their loyalty unless they fly J.

And FWIW, the Delta domestic boarding system is, indeed a joke. They'd be better off throwing a bucket of numbered balls in the air and letting people duke it out with each other. At least it would be fun to watch..............

 

[pauly7]

I have recently started selecting aisle or window in last two rows, depending on flight length. 10/10 strike rate of no middle seat mate in December. Usually off the plane before most, utilising rear stairs, get to have a good close up look at a 737 on the ground and still have to wait for bags if not HLO. Row 3 always has middle seat pax.

Annoying though when for whatever reason the announcement 'We will be disembarking through the front left hand door only today...' is made! I think they have limited amount of stairs - seems to happen a bit in Melbourne!

 

[grubbidok]

I have recently started selecting aisle or window in last two rows, depending on flight length. 10/10 strike rate of no middle seat mate in December. Usually off the plane before most, utilising rear stairs, get to have a good close up look at a 737 on the ground and still have to wait for bags if not HLO. Row 3 always has middle seat pax.

I used to do this, but ended up changing as I had a terrible strike rate of "we'll now be disembarking front door only today" and ended up being stuck on until the end too many times!

 

[grubbidok]

US military are highly regarded in the US, much more so than Australia. It's not that we don't value our troops, it's just that they are on a whole other level. It's also important to note that most US military get paid a lot less than ours, almost all companies give military discounts and/or other benefits.

One of my friends did a couple of tours with the multinational forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. He described the difference as the British and Australian army tradition being built around it being a "true" profession with high entry reqs, job descriptions, autonomy and pay cheques to match, whereas the US forces were generally "blue-collar" level employment that offered guaranteed employment to those that may not be qualified elsewhere, were paid less and had less autonomy, or chances for promotion.

So not only are the US armed forces paid less, they are generally disproportionately drawn from disadvantaged and poorer groups to begin with. They also generally tend to get ignored on their return by institutions in a country that has few safety nets, even for veterans. So a US military discount is probably more appreciated than elsewhere. In saying that, they'd probably prefer to have the veteran services available in Oz over the discount any day.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I used to do this, but ended up changing as I had a terrible strike rate of "we'll now be disembarking front door only today" and ended up being stuck on until the end too many times!

Look at the bright side ... your luggage was waiting on the carousel!

 

[pauly7]

I used to do this, but ended up changing as I had a terrible strike rate of "we'll now be disembarking front door only today" and ended up being stuck on until the end too many times!

Been there waited in row 400 for 30 mins