VA cuts Brisbane Premium Entry opening hours

[Fiches Mouser]

Response to my email:

Dear mrsmart


Thank you for taking the time to provide us your feedback about reducing the operating hours of Brisbane Premium Entry.


I understand where you're coming from. I appreciate you taking the time to provide us with your feedback from your experience. As a customer oriented loyalty program it is never our intention to leave you unsatisfied with the services provided. Rest assured I have forwarded your feedback to my colleagues in our Guest Relations department. They will be in touch within 10 working days.


I hope that you will still continue to do business with us despite these changes. I appreciate your feedback and hope that we get the opportunity to show you the best that we have to offer.


If I can be of any further assistance to you please do not hesitate to get in touch via this email address or alternatively call our Membership Contact Centre on the numbers below.

Looking forward to hearing what the Guest Relations department have to say!

 

[medhead]

Key sentence:

it is never our intention to leave you unsatisfied with the services provided.

Technically they are not providing the service if it is closed. In which case, does satisfaction come into it?

 

[dec540]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

I haven't yet travelled to Brisbane since they launched premium entry but I also agree that getting through security at Brisbane is pretty efficient and 9 times out of 10 there is no line at security.

I think however, that is not the point. Breezing through security is a secondary benefit. Premium entry is for recognition of your status so you don't have to mingle with the plebs. Sure you might have to bag drop at the terminal and walk a fair distance to the entry but its a status walk that you've earned which all those other people can't do.

But all of this aside, the move to close the entry so early in the day is just ridiculous. I find it hard to believe its about cost cutting - surely there's better ways to cut costs?

If that's the case, the omission of a bag drop facility limits the benefit to a significantly smaller proportion of their client base.

If you have to drop bags off there is no less 'mingling with plebs' if you go through priority screening, up the escalator and through to the lounge. Although I haven't measured it, it's probably more efficient to get to the lounge that way, if you have to drop bags.

At least in Sydney the security lines are quite often out of control, in which case it's worth the walk.

Note, this post isn't trying to discredit yours. I actually agree with what you're saying. It just seems like a massive oversight in execution on Virgin's behalf.

 

[Edge]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

This is disappointing and bizarre. I've used it twice in the last two weeks, for flights departing BNE @ 4pm. As others have asked, why bother building it in the first place?

Keeping it open til 6 would cost $150/day

Maybe a lot of people aren't using it yet because it's difficult to find, tucked around the corner.

 

[Milefest]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

I suppose The Club was set up to match QF's Chairman's Lounge, whereas the premium check-in was something exclusive to VA. They're trying to match QF without doing anything more than they have to.

I agree with that, but I'd imagine they'd get significantly higher revenue from their status pax as opposed to their club pax. I understand the need for providing a VIP service for their most important customers, but providing unique services such as the premium entry (or the J lounge with QF) is a great way to capture new customers and retain current ones. It's obviously a cost cutting measure to get them out of making a loss, though premium entry would be a miniscule running cost in the grand scheme of things, I'd imagine we'll see a few more "enhancements" on the way.

Though bringing spirits to the lounge may help me drink away my sorrows

Keeping it open til 6 would cost $150/day

Probably quite a bit more than that as they have to pay the contracted security staff.

 

[Edge]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

Probably quite a bit more than that as they have to pay the contracted security staff.

Yes - good point - would be significantly more.

But still - They would've invested several hundred thousand setting it up, I would think they'd trial keeping it open longer before making a decision like this. When did it actually open? December/January are likely to be significantly quieter for business pax?

 

[BillytheFIsh]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

I've used this a few times when using the valet park and it's not a massive surprise to be honest.

Any time I've gone through, there have been 1-2 VA staff and 1-2 security staff sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for pax to come through (as well as the valet staff).

Having said that, surely a split 0500-0900 & 1600-1900 (or something) would be more palatable to customers than 430-1200 if they do have to cut it back?

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

I've used this a few times when using the valet park and it's not a massive surprise to be honest.

Any time I've gone through, there have been 1-2 VA staff and 1-2 security staff sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for pax to come through (as well as the valet staff).

Having said that, surely a split 0500-0900 & 1600-1900 (or something) would be more palatable to customers than 430-1200 if they do have to cut it back?

Yep. You'd think 17:00-19:00 (the only time I would ever use it on weekdays) would be busier than 10:00-12:00 (I would only use this on weekends while travelling for leisure).

 

[jackthomas]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

I've only used the Brisbane premium entry facility once and have to say I was impressed, but the area is HUGE, much larger and feels much more premium and luxurious than the Sydney entry (which also means much more expensive to maintain) Hopefully they turn this around because it's pretty disappointing..
VA Keep implementing these initiatives that blow Qantas out of the water, then winding them down just makes them look ridiculous plus shows they couldn't really give two coughs about their top customers...

 

[Milefest]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

I've only used the Brisbane premium entry facility once and have to say I was impressed, but the area is HUGE, much larger and feels much more premium and luxurious than the Sydney entry (which also means much more expensive to maintain) .

Thing is, now they're going to have to maintain it regardless of whether anyone uses it

 

[toowongman]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

Perhaps they could put a doorbell at the entrance, and a nice padded bench. Ring the bell, wait a few minutes, they let you in etc.

 

[Milefest]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

WE DID IT

Virgin Australia reinstates Brisbane Premium Entry opening hours - Australian Business Traveller

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

WE DID IT

Virgin Australia reinstates Brisbane Premium Entry opening hours - Australian Business Traveller

This is brilliant. Go us (presumably – let's take credit anyway )! Did anyone email/send feedback?

 

[anat0l]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

WE DID IT

This is brilliant. Go us (presumably – let's take credit anyway )! Did anyone email/send feedback?

Whilst it's good that the trial was quick to deliver what was already known, it is a bit of a leap to say that "we" did it...

Let's just say, sanity prevailed.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

Whilst it's good that the trial was quick to deliver what was already known, it is a bit of a leap to say that "we" did it...

Let's just say, sanity prevailed.

Call it what you want

Outcome = good.

 

[anat0l]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

Call it what you want

Outcome = good.

I suppose you are going to get a rather "positive" reply from the Guest Relations liaison then? That is, "we are happy to inform you that the standard hours of the Premium Entry have been reinstated"...

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

I suppose you are going to get a rather "positive" reply from the Guest Relations liaison then? That is, "we are happy to inform you that the standard hours of the Premium Entry have been reinstated"...

Haha yes! Looking forward to that in... T-9 days.

 

[DavidFlynn]

Weekdays good, weekends bad

Sorry to be the bearer of less-than-shiny news, but while the Brisbane terminal's Premium Entry will go back to normal weekday hours from next Wednesday, Virgin Australia has advised it'll remain closed during weekends.

 

[anat0l]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

Ah, nuts.

Not quite normal operating hours...

Virgin Australia reinstates Brisbane Premium Entry opening hours - Australian Business Traveller

Update | Virgin Australia’s ‘Premium Entry’ facility at Brisbane Airport will once again be open from early mornings until late evenings on weekdays, operating the same hours as the airline's Brisbane lounge.

However, a spokesperson for Virgin Australia has advised Australian Business Traveller that the fast-track 'kerb to lounge' lane will be closed on weekends.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Re: VA wishlist. Time for.....

Ah, nuts.

Not quite normal operating hours...

Virgin Australia reinstates Brisbane Premium Entry opening hours - Australian Business Traveller

What a rollercoaster today has been!