VA BFOD is false economising

[Anna]

Another disappointing experience flying VAd this week, on a flight booked for me on the BFOD basis. VA really has everyone totally fooled re BFOD. There's usually about $20 fare difference, but the service difference between VA and QF is light years apart.

On VA -

- could not insert my own FF number into the booking via the VA website - would have had to ring up to do it (but couldn't be bothered)
- could not select a seat - would have had to ring up to do it, but was allocated 7D and couldn't be bothered
- VA lounge in ADL is pathetic compared to the QF lounge in ADL - not that I had long in the lounge
- got a tiny piece of muffin for 'breakfast' onboard and no opportunity to request a refill of tea/coffee
- no screens on board VA so I planned to read - but guess what, the overhead light over my seat wasn't working, the main cabin lights were dimmed and the guy in the window seat shut the blind so there was not enough light to read by on this pre-dawn departure flight, and the FAs could not do anything about it except offer to move me to the back next to 2 UMs
- flight landed 30 mins late (ok, probably at least partly due to ATC)
- 'priority' luggage as a VA gold meant I only had to wait for about half the luggage before mine appeared (yes, QF don't excel at that either even for WP)
- the SCs for my VA flight on Monday still have not posted, while the SCs from last night's QF flight have already posted.

It all adds to a disappointing experience for the pax on VA, for the sake of saving $20 on the fare. I really wish I could have the option of paying the fare difference myself between VA's BFOD and the fare from a real airline sorry I mean QF. Alternatively I wish the bean counters would realise that BFOD is not comparing apples with apples when it comes to QFd / VAd.

 

[Cessna 180]

V are really getting worse on most of their flights as you stated.

The only reason I fly with them at all now is because their service (frequency and destinations) from Cooly is better and that is somewhere I have to go a bit.
Also as have been doing a bit over in New Zealand, have found that Air NZ treat me much better as a Virgin gold than V do themselves. And their lounges are pretty good so its worth aiming to keep gold just for this.

Aim to fly the bear minimum with this outfit to get 405 sc a year!

 

[Mattg]

I agree with most of your points, Anna. I don't fly VA much, but there's a reason for that. I honestly find the economy short-haul experience with them very underwhelming compared to QF.

They've made a big deal about the free food & beverages they're now serving, but it's really just finger food and tea/coffee/juice/water. Even soft drinks cost extra.

 

[Buzzard]

I'll be doing a VA shortly, ADL-SYD.
Reason - QF $189, VA $99

I'll still get lounge access, priority boarding, HLO so waiting for luggage not an issue.
I'm sure I'll find something in the lounge the short time I'm there so will have no interest with on board offerings.

 

[Milefest]

Probably sounds cheap, but I have a sandwich zip lock bag that's in my carry on. When in the lounge I prep and bag the sandwich and down the hot food offering before boarding.

 

[snabbu]

Probably sounds cheap, but I have a sandwich zip lock bag that's in my carry on. When in the lounge I prep and bag the sandwich and down the hot food offering before boarding.

Not that I personally would go to that extreme but I do like the idea.

 

[eastwest101]

- could not insert my own FF number into the booking via the VA website - would have had to ring up to do it (but couldn't be bothered)
- could not select a seat - would have had to ring up to do it, but was allocated 7D and couldn't be bothered

Sounds like a corporate travel agent booking experience to me, be thankful that the bean counters haven't found out about JQ or TT yet!

For what its worth the retro claim tool may have been fixed on the VA web site and I can now select seats with my PNR but understand that this issue may not have been fixed for everyone and would agree that the online experience on QF is often far better than the VA experience. I would value the better food and remote possibility of actually getting seat-back IFE on QFd at about $20-$30 for short haul in my opinion. Real airlines can also do priority boarding consistently as well, but understand that its not vital for everyones needs. All planes run late sometimes and as you pointed out - QF don't exactly do priority luggage that well either. If you took away the benefits of your shiny QF WP card I think you'd find that they are both pretty much of muchness in a sea of mediocrity.

There certainly isn't much glamour/excitement/novelty or fun flying short haul Y at the moment.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

- could not insert my own FF number into the booking via the VA website - would have had to ring up to do it (but couldn't be bothered)

- the SCs for my VA flight on Monday still have not posted, while the SCs from last night's QF flight have already posted.

Did you end up entering your FF number ?

 

[medhead]

Another disappointing experience flying VAd this week, on a flight booked for me on the BFOD basis. VA really has everyone totally fooled re BFOD. There's usually about $20 fare difference, but the service difference between VA and QF is light years apart.

On VA -

- could not insert my own FF number into the booking via the VA website - would have had to ring up to do it (but couldn't be bothered)
- could not select a seat - would have had to ring up to do it, but was allocated 7D and couldn't be bothered
- VA lounge in ADL is pathetic compared to the QF lounge in ADL - not that I had long in the lounge
- got a tiny piece of muffin for 'breakfast' onboard and no opportunity to request a refill of tea/coffee
- no screens on board VA so I planned to read - but guess what, the overhead light over my seat wasn't working, the main cabin lights were dimmed and the guy in the window seat shut the blind so there was not enough light to read by on this pre-dawn departure flight, and the FAs could not do anything about it except offer to move me to the back next to 2 UMs
- flight landed 30 mins late (ok, probably at least partly due to ATC)
- 'priority' luggage as a VA gold meant I only had to wait for about half the luggage before mine appeared (yes, QF don't excel at that either even for WP)
- the SCs for my VA flight on Monday still have not posted, while the SCs from last night's QF flight have already posted.

It all adds to a disappointing experience for the pax on VA, for the sake of saving $20 on the fare. I really wish I could have the option of paying the fare difference myself between VA's BFOD and the fare from a real airline sorry I mean QF. Alternatively I wish the bean counters would realise that BFOD is not comparing apples with apples when it comes to QFd / VAd.

Oh, I could've invited you to the QF lounge on Monday morning. Agreed that VA needs to be at least $40 cheaper. But VA does get PB right. My experience with luggage has been much better on VA as well.

 

[kpc]

I fly VA (in Y) domestically because of "Fly Ahead"...can book an cheapo ticket late in evening, and turn up at 5pm and get on a peak hour (expensive) flight seat pending....I eat in the lounge and fill my zip lock bag with nuts to nibble on board

 

[snabbu]

....I eat in the lounge and fill my zip lock bag with nuts to nibble on board

So that's 2 in the zip lock crew... I wonder how many more closet ziplockers there are?

 

[Anna]

Did you end up entering your FF number ?

Yes, at check in.

Well spotted

 

[Anna]

Another VA grumble is that if the route is ADL - CBR or reverse, I probably have to get on a Dash 8 and not a 737 like QF would have. Hate that too.

 

[yohy?!]

I'd have to agree with the OP - I've gone right off VA after they stalled with moving their product upmarket. The gap with QF is just too great to justify the minimal price difference.

I find across the board almost for the triangle flights I take that QF has the superior experience eg

-painless bag drop
-better lounge food
-better streaming ife
-better seat selection for SG
-better terminal experience

 

[medhead]

Of course, the other aspect of this is your employers concern for you. From their point of view it's not a false economy, they've saved $20. The hassle for you is not a cost for them, well not until you get the hump and leave taking all your corporate knowledge.

Considering which employer did this to you, they either don't care. Or you need to have a good word with them.

Another VA grumble is that if the route is ADL - CBR or reverse, I probably have to get on a Dash 8 and not a 737 like QF would have. Hate that too.

Probably an ATR with VA.

-better streaming ife

That's debatable. The range on both streaming services is rather limited. QF also fails because the content of their seat back IFE is almost entirely different to the streaming IFE = lack of consistency

Besides LACK of built in screen was one of the grumbles from the OP. QF streaming also lacks a screen.

 

[k_sheep]

So that's 2 in the zip lock crew... I wonder how many more closet ziplockers there are?

*hands up* Baggies of jaffas are just the best on late flights.

Even worse (better?) ... I take a couple of disposable plastic containers with me to buffet breakfasts when I'm somewhere expensive (ie not SE Asia) to make up some snack/lunch packs.

 

[kko]

So that's 2 in the zip lock crew... I wonder how many more closet ziplockers there are?

I have never done it (usually don't care enough for short domestic flights) but I'm warming up to the idea

 

[TSV]

I fly VA (in Y) domestically because of "Fly Ahead"...can book an cheapo ticket late in evening, and turn up at 5pm and get on a peak hour (expensive) flight seat pending....I eat in the lounge and fill my zip lock bag with nuts to nibble on board

Does this only work if you are being put on the exact same flight? For example, I was flying back to TSV from Sydney on Monday, and I was booked on a flight that stopped in Brisbane. If I had arrived before the DIRECT flight from Sydney to Townsville, can I request to fly ahead on that?

Thanks!!

 

[Blackswan]

I flew PER-MEL-PER over the long weekend, and realised how poor VA's Y offering has become. The food in the lounge is pretty sad, and the food served onboard was inedible (although, I know it's more than the snack that's offered on the shorter sectors).

On the return flight, the onboard credit card reader was inoperative (and I'd 'accidently' forgot I had cash), so I ordered as many GnT's and snacks from the menu as I could.

For me, $20 isn't enough to convince me to fly VA over QF in Y.

 

[penegal]

One thing which Qantas definitely do better is returning through the economy cabin regularly to offer water or refills of cups of tea/coffee (especially on longer segments).

Qantas also win on lounges. Virgin's ADL lounge is poor compared to the competition.

Virgin win with Priority Boarding and Fly Ahead. I think baggage is similar across carriers.

I've got no idea with domestic catering on any carrier. The day of the week, time of day, route and any other clairvoyant criteria seem to determine what (if anything) is offered on a complimentary basis in economy. The whole experience is rather confusing, even as a regular traveller.


A faulty light or wonky table can happen on any airline - it shouldn't be up to passengers, but I always try to make sure I alert the crew and they actually record it in their book / system so it gets fixed.