VA Max config in Business?

[PERLHR]

Only if you are flying on ANA, not on VA itself (referring to the return leg lounge access).

Although this could change in the near future

One thing I'm sure: I bet you when ANA start flying from Perth they will make sure their own FF and Business class users have lounge access at Perth T1!! Hopefully IF it's decided that VA codeshare with them such access will be granted when on a VA flight number (if that happens to be part of the set up). But with VA and how they "partner" for international, who knows!! Or will it be the rather nice VA lounge at PER T1 that they may also utilise?

 

[Digicola]

Only if you are flying on ANA, not on VA itself (referring to the return leg lounge access).

Although this could change in the near future

That hasn’t been confirmed nor denied yet. It’s the first time VA2 will be flying straight to a partner hub and I sure hope we will have lounge access in HND at the very least.

On a side note I was reading around Japanese press and the wording kind of seemed to indicate reciprocal benefits would only kick in when VA’s flight takes off so we’ll probably have to wait a bit before getting the proper details.

 

[simmomelb]

That hasn’t been confirmed nor denied yet. It’s the first time VA2 will be flying straight to a partner hub and I sure hope we will have lounge access in HND at the very least.

On a side note I was reading around Japanese press and the wording kind of seemed to indicate reciprocal benefits would only kick in when VA’s flight takes off so we’ll probably have to wait a bit before getting the proper details.

Yep, I'm purely basing this on the existing publicly known business model.
There is a chance this could change later this year.
But if you are booking today, it's best to assume you won't have lounge access, if that's a must have for you.
I've seen something to suggest lounge access may be on the cards for international flights in general (decision yet to be made).
Unfortunately I cannot elaborate further, but it is a reliable source that it's under consideration for this year.

 

[Digicola]

Yep, I'm purely basing this on the existing publicly known business model.
There is a chance this could change later this year.
But if you are booking today, it's best to assume you won't have lounge access, if that's a must have for you.
I've seen something to suggest lounge access may be on the cards for international flights in general (decision yet to be made).
Unfortunately I cannot elaborate further, but it is a reliable source that it's under consideration for this year.

That would be ideal, The House in SYD/MEL, My Lounge in BNE. Reef Lounge in CNS if that ever reopens. Having lounge access on the AU side would already be a step in the right direction. Fingers crossed!

Back to the topic of seating, seat maps indicate the class 2-2 seating VA already has, with what I assume will be a slightly more fleshed out version of the seat currently being trialed on 2 ex-Silkair birds. More padding, recline, and a leg rest and I’ll be a happy camper. Oh and a plexiglass divider please.

 

[PERLHR]

Back to the topic of seating, seat maps indicate the class 2-2 seating VA already has, with what I assume will be a slightly more fleshed out version of the seat currently being trialed on 2 ex-Silkair birds. More padding, recline, and a leg rest and I’ll be a happy camper. Oh and a plexiglass divider please.

I think that is a major consideration for many: the config. 2-2 single aisle remains not ideal. Especially on an overnighter. The flight is I think long enough to warrant a flat bed without climbing over someone (even in recline mode). It might seem short enough if origin is Cairns but connecting to that flight from elsewhere both in terms of cost and comfort is probably a no no. I know they need to use the aircraft for many routes but I still recall well the old British Midland Airbus 321s with "throne seats" for some. Pure class and comfort on a single aisle...but then they were really quite a quality carrier until things went wrong ..lol.

 

[Digicola]

I think that is a major consideration for many: the config. 2-2 single aisle remains not ideal. Especially on an overnighter. The flight is I think long enough to warrant a flat bed without climbing over someone (even in recline mode). It might seem short enough if origin is Cairns but connecting to that flight from elsewhere both in terms of cost and comfort is probably a no no. I know they need to use the aircraft for many routes but I still recall well the old British Midland Airbus 321s with "throne seats" for some. Pure class and comfort on a single aisle...but then they were really quite a quality carrier until things went wrong ..lol.

It depends on how you see the route, if you see it as « pretty cool route for VA » or « this is simply a low risk slot sitting exercise » then 2-2 is as good as it gets and probably better than most PE products since its a more intimate experience (I compare to PE since price reflects it).

If you see it as « VA is flying longhaul again, the product has to match these ambitions » then I completely side with you. Considering the flight timings it wouldn’t be crazy to have 1 or 2 birds equipped with lie flats circulating to BNE/SYD/MEL for utilisation. But imagine the costs of those seats, extra parts etc. Plus it would lead to a further seatcount reduction, IASC probably wasn’t a fan of the A332 to 737 capacity downsize in the first place.

Had there been frames with a lie-flat perth product so as to minimize the cost of adding special seats to a very small amount fo frames, I’m willing to bed VA would have installed lie flats. The fact is thats not what happened. I’m honestly just happy VA is flying abroad with their own metal and this slot sitting bodes well for the potential return of widebody ops in the mid to long term (2-5 years) hopefully.

 

[elanshin]

As much as we can hope, given the direction of VA2, I'm not sure if they will go for lieflat single aisle in this market segment. If they were going to do so, i would expect they would've been charging more for the J. Right now its smack in line with what other premium econ costs.

 

[Bagpuss]

I think that is a major consideration for many: the config. 2-2 single aisle remains not ideal. Especially on an overnighter. The flight is I think long enough to warrant a flat bed without climbing over someone (even in recline mode).

Though the MAX aircraft wont be dedicated to short haul international.