Two reasons I can't take Virgin & Velocity seriously

[Saab34]

There would be significant revenue out of But

 

[serfty]

Domestically I find more available to me when I fly Qantas.

However given VA have been generally 15%-25% cheaper for me than Qantas I can live with byo soda water and food. I eat in lounge when I can.

 

[Lemon_Party]

The food on VA is a total joke in Y. The amount of times I've written to Richard after a coast to coast flight complaining about the meagre portion of tasteless slop I've had to suffer through on a 5 hour flight... Never changes and never get a decent response...

But - and I presume I'm similar to many - I don't do enough flying to reach gold with QF most years, and VA WP is quite attainable with a mix of work (economy) travel and personal travel plus family pooling. The 4 upgrades are great on coast to coast, and things like priority boarding & baggage normally work very well. I would much prefer a oneworld style international network with lounge access, but based on the amount of flying I do its VA or nothing...

One of the downsides of this forum and becoming more points wise (read cc churning) is that vacation flights and long weekends are now often J awards which while fantastic for flying, has had a decent impact on SC earn and future status for work travel! A Euro trip for me and +1 a few years back netted us over 400 SCs flying return on SQ in Y...

 

[TonyHancock]

This year, barring an urgent need to fly J with EY to Europe on a last minute expedition, I will let my WP status lapse.

Domestically I'm not bothered about the food I typically book Y and upgrade, even the shortest of flights. I can't remember the last time I flew in Y on VA domestically.

The international network is a shambles though. The two trips, Y or Y+ to PVG I would have already taken with SQ to lock in my VA WP status went to CX this year. The difficulty in ensuring the defined benefits are met, particularly priority boarding in PVG just make it all too hard. (There is also no lounge access in PVG unless flying J.....or one is in posession of a Priority Pass membership.)

I will miss priority boarding domestically and alas will no longer be able to select a front row seat in Y with either QF or VA in the future. (Unless I mess about T- something or other)

 

[Lemon_Party]

The international network is a shambles though. The two trips, Y or Y+ to PVG I would have already taken with SQ to lock in my VA WP status went to CX this year. The difficulty in ensuring the defined benefits are met, particularly priority boarding in PVG just make it all too hard. (There is also no lounge access in PVG unless flying J.....or one is in posession of a Priority Pass membership.)

PVG is a real disappointment - my go to is SQ for some easy SC's, but the lack of lounge there and the poor terminal facilities is a double whammy.

I tried CX earlier this year for a change as I had a status matched air berlin gold card so could use the CX lounges - was great (the difference between HKG wing/pier and krisflyer gold in SIN is striking) - but until I fly enough to sustain gold on QF, VA have me hook line and sinker...

 

[Jack_OC]

If you asked me what two changes I would make

• The snack - do it properly
• Stop charging for soft drinks.

More broadly, I wish they would stop treating customers with contempt by advertising "complementary food and drinks" - complete with photos that depict food and drink that is completely unlike anything they ever offer on board. Sadly,this is not the only example of VA trying to mislead customers about what they are getting.

My view is - make whatever decisions they see fit about what they will or will/not offer, but just be honest and transparent about it. I really can't imagine that their current approach does them any good in the long run.

As for my suggestions about food and drink on short domestic flights - I suggest they get rid of the "snack" and either make food available for purchase only, or replace it with something decent. IME, most people do one of the following three things with the "snack": (i) say they don’t want it; (ii) accept it but then decide against eating it, once they realise what it actually is; or (iii) eat it but then complain about how pathetic an offering it was.

And for booze – fair enough to impose a “start time” say around mid-afternoon, but then they should offer a free drink for all pax for the rest of the day. Shutting off the free booze at 7pm is just bizarre, and of course the current free booze window only applies on a limited number of routes in the first place. Again, if they feel this would cost too much, I think they should just abolish free booze completely and stop creating the highly misleading impression that it’s a standard part of their service.

BTW, I too choose VA when they are significantly cheaper than QF, but since about a year ago, I have often found nothing more than a marginal difference between them and QF – with VA actually being more expensive sometimes. I’m currently on only 6 eligible VA sectors since last August, compared to 30+ the year before. I would also argue that paying an extra $10-20 for QF is worth it, if you’re going to get a meal plus a couple of glasses of wine for free (more than a couple of glasses if you really want). That said, I fully understand the logic of sticking with VA if you are not likely to be able to get status with QF.

 

[serfty]

Even better to be WP in both QFF and Velocity.

 

[andyhui01]

You are correct, and I did notice this when I purchased the ticket so I knew what to expect.

My point is that this is the kind of thing a LCC would do. I find it hard to believe VA when they say they're a full service airline, when I have to pay an extra $50 to get a meal.

This statement isn't really valid today. Maybe 10 Years ago. Look at EU/US Legacy carriers. I would expect QF to inch closer to what VA is doing over time.

As for not having lounge access when flying SQ. That is unacceptable. But WLG is a new port for SQ so maybe they haven't had their agreement done yet. You do get lounge access in Perth and Adelaide in SQ (I would be pretty shocked if the attendant didn't know what Velocity is in an Australia City).

 

[fewings85]

I would love for them to join *A or at the very least find a partner within the south American continent. That's one that hurts me. My partner is is Colombian and her mother still lives there. Along with her father living in London we travel a lot to see them. I tend to connect via LAX and there is no option, a viable one to get there. The only thing I can get out of it is flying on my krisflyer number (no status, had hit silver a few times but not much with that) on the likes of Avianca or copa and then I convert the points back to Velocity that way to use on upgrades etc.

I can go with Delta via ATL to Bogota but it tends to cost a lot more $$$, the times don't match up and takes a lot longer usually than a LAX flight down.

I do get some people complaints with the food service as well sometimes. It can be hit or miss a lot of the time.

At least with Air NZ we will have lounge access out of perth soon when the lounge open. Its funny with SQ we don't have lounge access in LA, who is a *A member and we cannot access the *A lounge yet we can on NZ Metal. Another silly gap.

 

[Mattg]

This statement isn't really valid today. Maybe 10 Years ago. Look at EU/US Legacy carriers. I would expect QF to inch closer to what VA is doing over time.

I understand your point but disagree somewhat. Paying for food/drinks on full service airlines may be the norm in the US and (to a small extent) Europe. But this is comparing apples with oranges. In the Australian market, Virgin's main competitor provides very decent catering. Most/all full service airlines in other parts of the world still do as well (i.e. in Asia, South America & Africa).

Even so, I'm not aware of many other "full service" airlines that charge an extra $50 for a meal.

 

[Edge]

I understand your point but disagree somewhat. Paying for food/drinks on full service airlines may be the norm in the US and (to a small extent) Europe. But this is comparing apples with oranges. In the Australian market, Virgin's main competitor provides very decent catering. Most/all full service airlines in other parts of the world still do as well (i.e. in Asia, South America & Africa).

Even so, I'm not aware of many other "full service" airlines that charge an extra $50 for a meal.

Just buy a sandwich on VA? You'll still come out ahead overall on $ spend.

 

[Jack_OC]

Even so, I'm not aware of many other "full service" airlines that charge an extra $50 for a meal.

If it's any consolation, the last time I flew Trans Tasman with VA, the meal (breakfast) was inedible.

 

[Pleb Status]

Looking at a PER-SYD rtn flight next month -

QF - $710 versus VA - $484. The $226 difference can buy a very nice meal prior to departure if required or even taxi fares to and from the airport.....

The VA flights are slightly better with respect to schedule and SYD-PER is a 332 on VA versus a 73H on QF (both outbound are 73H).

Swapping days makes the price difference even wider.

 

[Jack_OC]

Looking at a PER-SYD rtn flight next month -

QF - $710 versus VA - $484. The $226 difference can buy a very nice meal prior to departure if required or even taxi fares to and from the airport.....

The VA flights are slightly better with respect to schedule and SYD-PER is a 332 on VA versus a 73H on QF (both outbound are 73H).

Swapping days makes the price difference even wider.

VA is certainly a no brainer in this example. However, as it happens I've just booked a MEL-PER rtn with QF for $558, while the VA option at similar times was $538 (and that was Getaway fares in both directions, i.e. reduced SC earn and no status bonus points).

That kind of differential is consistent with my general experience over the past 12 months or so, and if you pick an Elevate fare, VA is often more expensive. If VA was consistently and significantly cheaper, I would certainly fly with them most of the time, but I don't think that is the case anymore.

BTW - here's a laugh: next Tuesday morning, the cheapest VA economy fare from MEL-SYD prior to 10am is $740 one way! (yes, seven hundred and forty dollars one way, in economy). The most expensive QF fare in Y during that period is $495, while the cheapest is $371. This is kind of lunacy from VA is not particularly unusual these days. Honestly, who in their right mind would pick VA when faced with this choice?!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've found both VA and QF to be disappointing, possibly in almost equal amounts (although randomly different). I'm still amazed at VA thinking they can call themselves full service, charge as full service and then deliver LCC for at least some of the product. My modus operandi of late is just keep an eagle eye out for both of their J sales or DSC offers, which gives a decent $/SC rate and fly in comfort and have WP on both (still QF gold right now, but fast approaching WP in July). I just wish VA would have one of those $319 BNE-CNS J sales again!

Right now, I don't particularly care which carrier I use (in fact isn't that what JB wanted, create apathy), but using both will hopefully help keep both in the air as the one thing I do know, is that we really, really need the competition (for each) or we'll be considerably worse off.

 

[Ribbo83]

I'm locked into VA with work and reach WP easily so flying QF domestically is just not an option. I don't mind the snack options on VA as I try and eat in the lounge. what I would like to see VA reinstate is the meal on the "freedom" fare. I also fly a lot in and out of HBA on a 4.35 departure and it is often delayed and leaves after 5pm. In that situation it would be great for VA to offer the complimentary drink in that instance.

 

[snabbu]

Agree with you completely Mattg.

Virgin have tried and tried to elevate themselves to compete with QF and IMO they are still way behind in almost every aspect.

 

[Happy Dude]

Another who agrees here Mattg.

The only thing keeping me with VA is that it's fairly easy to get and keep gold. I'd have no hope with QF and as my work has BFOD I don't get anything above the cheapest bucket.

Velocity do have some interesting tie-ins and the ability to transfer to Krisflyer is worthwhile. I do often wonder if the QF grass could be greener though.

 

[cove]

Mrscove opened a Velocity account today as she had a 15% uplift offer for the points she had accumulated in two places.

 

[Saab34]

Excluding Perth runs does Virgin actually offer 'meals' to Y Pax at all? My last probably dozen domestics have been all a 'snack' so I assume there is no such thing as a 'meal'?

Usually blow $10-$20 on the inflight buy on board instead.