VA and QF Plat. Now we choose one

[juliusg]

Having flown domestic and international J this past year with both QF and VA we now need to focus on which to support. Here's the scorecard:

• Check-in: The Q Tags are great if they all work and fail when you have a bag that needs a tag. So we used the premium service queue, where VA are always faster. Win to VA.

• Comfort: line-ball but better on QF 737 as the VA seats are hard and bargain basement. A330 -v- A330, same. VA 777 is better than anything QF has, and we flew 747, A380 and 787. Line ball.

• Crew: both great but VA have the edge.

• Lounges: QF win with domestic business lounges (where they exist), otherwise same. QF win.

• Premium boarding: QF allow both queues to board at once, VA start with premium and then do economy. An easy win for VA.

• Video streaming on 737: QF make you watch 2 minutes of adverts every time you pause or the system buffers. VA do not, so they win.

• Food. An easy win to VA as we are continually disappointed by the tiny plates of often dull food on QF. Seems like every starter is a soup (no choices) and the LAX to JFK had soup or a bland chicken salad. No bread choices. VA win every time, except domestic economy where the 'snack' is a joke.

• Service. A dismal fail as QF seem to have a 'go-slow' on first drinks (internationally) and it should not take 2 hours out of LA to get that meal. Plus we had the strange experience of eating at different times on the A380 as one aisle served much much faster than the other. Like, 2 different teams? Win to VA.

• Redemptions? Both pretty poor, non existent in J to LA. Tie.

• Status Credits: easier to get to Plat on VA despite the QF bonus instalments.

• Price? Depends on the day and the way. Line ball.

So we're off to VA for the next year.

 

[Hvr]

Having travelled both you're in a position to compare and make an informed choice.

Does lifetime status have any bearing on your choice? Same with family pooling?

 

[juliusg]

Having travelled both you're in a position to compare and make an informed choice.

Does lifetime status have any bearing on your choice? Same with family pooling?

No, because at the present moment we fly enough to maintain platinum on one airline. Last year we had double travel. So we flew both.

 

[ozjuice]

I just wish that VA Plat offered a little more than it does including with other airlines.

 

[sudoer]

Having flown domestic and international J this past year with both QF and VA

What kind of % for domestic and international?

If the majority was domestic then I agree with your move, but if it was international then I'm not so sure.

 

[Anna]

You don't have to watch the ads on QF if you use the fast forward button.

 

[Buzzard]

When we flew more than we do now, we were in both camps. +1 VA, me QF.
Worked well for us.
Domestically which was better? Depends on how you measure it but I'd do VA by a nose.

 

[calmelb]

Interesting under lounges you don't mention the issues with VA's lounge access and how QF have a proper first class lounge out of major ports (LAX, MEL, SYD, SIN soon) plus access to the OW F lounges as well. That alone keeps me with QF/OW

 

[Hux]

When I was 90% domestic flying I agree, VA had a better product. These days I am 90% international and as such prefer QF. Especially as VA run a domestic style service on some of the legs I frequent such as POM-BNE. QF at least offer meal/beverage service incl and IFE.

 

[serfty]

Interesting under lounges you don't mention the issues with VA's lounge access and how QF have a proper first class lounge out of major ports (LAX, MEL, SYD, SIN soon) plus access to the OW F lounges as well. That alone keeps me with QF/OW

FWIW, on the Labour Day weekend I had the opportunity to try both the WP offerings for QF and VA out of LAX. VA's use of the EK lounge provided better F&B options.

 

[pauly7]

You don't have to watch the ads on QF if you use the fast forward button.

And VA’s system has slim pickings these days anyway don’t even bother using. QF has much broader content and quality IMHO.

 

[Pleb Status]

Price is the biggest (and the most important by far) separator here.

Maybe it is because I am PER based but VA is always significantly cheaper. Since 2015, QF has never equalled or beaten VA in price in any flight I have booked.

 

[serfty]

And VA’s system has slim pickings these days anyway don’t even bother using. QF has much broader content and quality IMHO.

I flew VA24 last week and the content has improved significantly (it could not have gotten much worse).

 

[RichardMEL]

QF Platinum CAN request reward seats be opened up which can help for popular routes like LAX. Does VA offer anything similar?

 

[Pleb Status]

The VA platinum call centre is still based in Australia....

 

[calmelb]

The VA platinum call centre is still based in Australia....

Well the Qantas NZ one is usually decent as well

 

[Pleb Status]

Well the Qantas NZ one is usually decent as well

No, it is not (from very recent experience, see the appropriate thread).

The one positive of their incompetence is sometimes this can work in your favour (it looks like I will avoid the change fees).

 

[Pleb Status]

VA WP get free YX seating on domestic flights...

 

[Pleb Status]

VA WP can cancel J upgrades for free....

 

[Pleb Status]

VA WP (and SG) get legislated Fly Ahead benefits on all but the three lowest fare classes....