Two reasons I can't take Virgin & Velocity seriously

[Major]

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Virgin for the 5 status credits they awarded me each way after my BNE-CBR-BNE flights the other day. I felt this was extremely generous after spending almost $300 for the 10 SC's.

I receive about the same from our monthly Coles spend.

Oh well...only 166 SC's to go to retain Gold by the end of Nov. I am not going to chase it but it's unlikely I will retain status for next year.

I didn't bother with the Bite for the 1.30 hr flight. Those things look like chook food which has been glued together, but I did enjoy the cup of water.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Last week I went for my first VA flight of 2017, primarily to check out the VA lounge in CBR now that I have very temporary Explorer Gold status.

The lounge visit was nice enough and I was just rethinking my aversion to VA, until I actually climbed aboard my beloved ATR 72 and realised that yes, it's still just as bad as I remembered it last time.

The CBR lounge is probably my favourite in VA's domestic network - the staff always seem more friendly, always offer to bring your coffee to your seat, and if you swipe your Velocity card at the self-entry thing rather than going up to the desk, they'll notice your name come up on their screen and say "Good morning/afternoon, Mr x" as you walk past. Small touches but they give the lounge a much more 'premium service' feel than some of the other lounges which can be more like holding pens...

 

[ajd]

The CBR lounge is probably my favourite in VA's domestic network - the staff always seem more friendly, always offer to bring your coffee to your seat, and if you swipe your Velocity card at the self-entry thing rather than going up to the desk, they'll notice your name come up on their screen and say "Good morning/afternoon, Mr x" as you walk past. Small touches but they give the lounge a much more 'premium service' feel than some of the other lounges which can be more like holding pens...

It is a pretty decent lounge, I'll give it that!

 

[redwoodw]

This times a thousand. QF somtimes have the points and SCs appearing an hour after a flight.
VA takes days and days.

I've been waiting 2 months for my Wilson One bonus and counting

 

[Daver6]

I've been waiting 2 months for my Wilson One bonus and counting

Over 3 months for me. I've contacted Wilson on numerous occasions. Latest was:

We do apologise, it is taking a little longer than anticipated, I can confirm your account is still ongoing processing with Velocity and we are working to speed up the process.
Given the fact it is due to the back end process it is a little difficult to gauge a specific time frame of when the points will be applied, but this is something we are working on with Velocity.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Have done BNE-PER vv monthly for 1 year, same breakfast - some variety would be good.

Can confirm that there were 2 hot food options in Y, BNE-PER yesterday.

• Scrambled eggs with sausage
• Vegetarian frittata with beans, spinach and mushrooms

The vegetarian option looked great too

Well done VA. Great improvement.

 

[pauly7]

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Virgin for the 5 status credits they awarded me each way after my BNE-CBR-BNE flights the other day. I felt this was extremely generous after spending almost $300 for the 10 SC's.

I receive about the same from our monthly Coles spend.

Oh well...only 166 SC's to go to retain Gold by the end of Nov. I am not going to chase it but it's unlikely I will retain status for next year.

I didn't bother with the Bite for the 1.30 hr flight. Those things look like chook food which has been glued together, but I did enjoy the cup of water.

Wait what... you got a full cup of water? Please confirm

 

[redwoodw]

Over 3 months for me. I've contacted Wilson on numerous occasions. Latest was:

Oh boy. I can confirm your back end process is slow.

 

[jetset]

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Virgin for the 5 status credits they awarded me each way after my BNE-CBR-BNE flights the other day. I felt this was extremely generous after spending almost $300 for the 10 SC's.

I receive about the same from our monthly Coles spend.

Oh well...only 166 SC's to go to retain Gold by the end of Nov. I am not going to chase it but it's unlikely I will retain status for next year.

I didn't bother with the Bite for the 1.30 hr flight. Those things look like chook food which has been glued together, but I did enjoy the cup of water.

I do agree. For such an expensive route, awarding a measly 5 SC is quite spiteful. Even Qantas gives you 10!

I can confirm. Full cup of water.

Virgin seem hell-bent on becoming Virgin Blue again...

 

[JohnK]

Apologies as this is probably not the right thread but don't want to start yet another thread.

I know Virgin have airfares available for BNE-SYD-MEL as I can see them on Webjet and other websites. How do I get the VA website to show them? I don't want to pay for 2 one-ways as the VA multi-city option suggests.

Also is it possible to get the above routing as an award without it pricing as 2 one-ways?

 

[Bagpuss]

Also is it possible to get the above routing as an award without it pricing as 2 one-ways?

All domestic flights really are sold as "one-ways" domestically. Sometimes you can get a bit cheaper (or more expensive) doing multi-city.

However, call Virgin as they have a fare promise for being the cheapest domestically. https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/bookings/flights/fare-promise/

 

[JacknDude]

Could not agree more, the lounge arrangement with velocity 'partners???????' leaves a lot to be desired. We are fortunate that we have Priority Pass when we have been caught at the likes of Honolulu and Dubai (flying Singapore). Another anomaly is we flew from Rome on Alitalia and did not receive status credits but were permitted into the 1st Class lounge as velocity platinum members....go figure!

 

[earlyriser]

I can't seem to find anything but 300,000 plus redemptions to Asia in May/June next year? Am I missing something?

 

[Mattg]

I can't seem to find anything but 300,000 plus redemptions to Asia in May/June next year? Am I missing something?

Clearly, Reward Seats are not showing. What route/s & date/s are you looking for?

 

[Dannyism]

I really lol at people who complain about a LCC experience on Virgin...

Yes that's what you can get, they run a Hybrid business model, so the LCC experience is better than Tiger, you can't deny that, but the full cost experience is not quite as good Qantas.

You paid a lot for your fare? Well that sucks but paying more doesn't entitle you to a better experience.

 

[Mattg]

I really lol at people who complain about a LCC experience on Virgin...

Yes that's what you can get, they run a Hybrid business model, so the LCC experience is better than Tiger, you can't deny that, but the full cost experience is not quite as good Qantas.

You paid a lot for your fare? Well that sucks but paying more doesn't entitle you to a better experience.

The problem for me is that they don't market themselves as a LCC/hybrid carrier. They advertise themselves as a full service airline and price their fares similarly to Qantas, yet in my experience fail to deliver on the expectations that are set by their own marketing.

If VA marketed the airline as a hybrid carrier and priced their fares accordingly, I wouldn't mind.

 

[Wanderlust_tim]

The problem for me is that they don't market themselves as a LCC/hybrid carrier. They advertise themselves as a full service airline and price their fares similarly to Qantas, yet in my experience fail to deliver on the expectations that are set by their own marketing.

If VA marketed the airline as a hybrid carrier and priced their fares accordingly, I wouldn't mind.

Thank you Mattg, this is my exact problem with Virgin and i have not hesitated to tell them when asked for feedback. I know it's first year business strategy (Porter from memory), but their model seems to fit the 'stuck in the middle' characteristics. They're not cost leaders, they're not truly differentiated in service and I am still unsure what their Focus strategy is. Not a recipe for ongoing success and i think that Virgin are very lucky that they are operating in essentially a duopoly environment.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

No one with a straight face can honestly suggest VA is priced as a hybrid airline and I have given many examples here on AFF over the years of VA being considerable dearer than QF. If VA did price themselves correctly as a hybrid, then the LCC players would have to drop their fares and let's be real, as both the LCCs are owned by both full service duopoly airlines, that's not very likely, is it?

On a side note, I was a little bored last flight (not really, but I thought I'd have a look at the VA ife offering and found it to be as per my last look, boring) and decided to do the survey. I ended up having to close it without finishing, as it too was absolute rubbish. Not even a selection of "Not applicable" to questions regarding services not utilised. Talk about an absolute waste of time.

The J meal was nice though and I do really like the fact the J cabin is not filled with op-ups.

 

[Pleb Status]

To those who say VA is not price competitive, on every single occasion I have booked a domestic flight since January 2015, VA have been cheaper.

No caveats, asterisks, conditions etc. Every single occasion for almost three years now.

Taking partners into account as well, last month I saved just under $1000 booking with VA and SQ versus booking with QF.

 

[andyhui01]

It has been a very long time since I've been on a QF Dom flight but I can't see how QF is any more full service than VA. Like any competing businesses, there are small differences. On the Golden triangle, how is QF more full service than VA? Same plane, same seat pitch, checked baggage, food and drink* (yes, a couple more bites in QF), Entertainment, lounge for FF, PB)