VA to HKG from Jul 5 2017, ex MEL

[Genji88]

re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

Gotta say, as a MEL based VA FFP Pax (as well as Very Anti CX) another option into SEA apart from DPS excites me

 

[Moopere]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

It seems like HX will become a proper part of the VA partnership program, ala EY and SQ. Has someone already mentioned that and I missed it? That would potentially be interesting for me.

All depends on ports and timings really. Need a lot more detail.

 

[Dannyism]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

Interesting times ahead. Looking forward to seeing VA fly to more destinations intl.

 

[andyhui01]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

looking at the routes available it looks like only transit on HX is possible via HKG? I can't seem to see any HU flights ex HKG

 

[PlutekPlutek]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

I travel PER-HKG 3-4 times a year and have to say, I'm pretty much over the SIN stopover. Also I seem to struggle to get decent flights in/out of SIN, and usually end up on the 1am out and 5am in flights ... its fine for a few trips, but I'm getting close to my limit I think. All this not helped I guess by the pretty old interiors on SQ ex PER either.

So, initial excitement at the prospect of burning bazillions of points on J upgrades via VA ... but I'm not going to travel to SYD or BNE first ... and if there is much prospect of losing the transcon 330's ... well ... its going to end up pretty much being all bad for me.

So people are saying it seems unlikely VA would fly a 330 out of PER to go direct to HKG ... I reckon they'd do ok, even if only a few times a week rather than a flight a day. Its been ages since I've taken SQ out of PER without the flight being chockers ... now, of course, stopping in SIN I don't know where those passengers end points are, but there is no doubt about the numbers going to asia from PER in general.

Oh, by the by, had the opportunity to remind myself of how unimpressive SQ 380's are in Y as I did this SIN-HKG last week. 10 across down the back ... yuck.

i flew SQ two weeks ago MEL-SIN-ICN-SIN-MEL in Y and J. Y in 777-300ERs, and J in A330 regional, and 777-300ER. It was pretty underwhelming. I visited the Silver Kris lounge in SIN that everyone raves about (having previously only visited the Gold Lounge as I had only flown Y before), and I swear every man and their dog were in that lounge. It was like the Qantas Club in Brisbane on a Friday afternoon - found it very difficult to find a seat. If VA start flying the A330 to HKG, I will make sure to fly with them to Asia on any future work trips, if its from SYD/MEL or BNE, rather than transit in SIN.

 

[PlutekPlutek]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

Two things can happen now (or very soon from now).

Firstly, the [?] can be removed from the thread title. Secondly, those how posted in this thread that 'VA will never fly to HKG' can now admit how 'uninformed' they were/still are.

As I posted previously, this will be one less A330 in the domestic system for transcons which will be a negative for me unfortunately.

I've always been a fan of the A330 from the east coast to PER, but unless you're flying in Businses, is it really that much of a difference? I have always avoided the 737 to PER, but two weeks ago had no choice on the BNE-PER sector. As a plat, I had 3A, middle seat was blocked out, I couldn't really complain. But if more flights are 737, then the platinum upgrades aren't really worth as much as they are now, as the difference in flying J on 737 compared to A330 is day and night. If they are only available on the 737s, then they the platinum status is devalued in my view.

 

[yohy?!]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

looking at the routes available it looks like only transit on HX is possible via HKG? I can't seem to see any HU flights ex HKG

Should be flights to haikou at the very least

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

....Mid 2017 is just 4 months away ... I don't see that occurring unless they are willing to have low load factors for a little while as international trips do get purchased further out than domestically.

Yes, lead time is required, but a travel agent I know claims that in the past couple of years for leisure trips to southeast Asia (and presumably HKG) the number of travellers booking within two months or six weeks of departure has increased as a percentage of all bookings, a trend the airlines do not like as it results in less certainty for them. He made the point to me that the one exception was sale fares. Among the more informed travellers he said there appeared to be an expectation that sales in Y class were a frequent occurrence because of the huge amount of competition in the sky. I forgot to say to him this varies by route and is not true (for nonstop flights) in every case.

VA must be wary of announcing the 'flights subject to government approval' clause with a claimed commencement date given its recent disastrous experience with TT between Oz and DPS. That situation must have cost (and be costing) millions of dollars.

Nonetheless, great to see VAi expanding as this can only be good for travellers, including those who collect Velocity points.

 

[Moopere]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

Yes, lead time is required, but a travel agent I know claims that in the past couple of years for leisure trips to southeast Asia (and presumably HKG) the number of travellers booking within two months or six weeks of departure has increased as a percentage of all bookings, a trend the airlines do not like as it results in less certainty for them

I reckon at least part of this might be cultural. My Mrs is Asian and a good percentage of our circle at home are from SE Asia or China ... they just tend to book about 4-6 weeks out, or even less ... it drives me bonkers hehehe as I'm a planning guy and like to book well in advance. I'd take this upsurge in short bookings to be an indicator of _who_ is flying more than anything else and probably gives some insight into the routes and services that should be looked at.

If there was a direct PER-SZX flight by pretty much anyone I'd be on that bus every single time

 

[pauly7]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

VA must be wary of announcing the 'flights subject to government approval' clause with a claimed commencement date given its recent disastrous experience with TT between Oz and DPS. That situation must have cost (and be costing) millions of dollars.

Nonetheless, great to see VAi expanding as this can only be good for travellers, including those who collect Velocity points.

I agree great to see them expanding in a more thought out manner. They butchered their launch into the US market and ended up having to rebook pax onto QF flights (that hurt) when they missed their launch dates so I agree, on the heels of another disaster in Indo, they will be more careful with communications one hopes.

Lounges will certainly be inferior in HKG v CX/QF offering but probably only really affects us lounge snobs on AFF Having worked out of HKG a lot, my view is that the Virgin brand isn't particularly strong there and will be interesting to see how they work to establish themselves in Asia, getting the feed from their owners is clearly a life blood but comes at a margin cut so I'm sure VA will be hoping they can shift some seats on their own as well...

 

[yohy?!]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

HX will be opening a new lounge in the midfield terminal to better compete with CX, most of their flights now depart there so would be good if VA can operate from there also.

 

[soorox]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

Its looking like a July launch, subject to change of course. MEL-HKG definitely being talked about, however possibly SYD too as HNA wants both cities connected to HKG.

 

[Isochronous]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

MEL-HKG service cannot come soon enough!

 

[Awesom Andy]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

Its looking like a July launch, subject to change of course. MEL-HKG definitely being talked about, however possibly SYD too as HNA wants both cities connected to HKG.

Does VA have the capacity to operate both? Not sure how many slots are left for a HKG-based airline to fly to AU major cities, but I guess the two airlines could take one route each and codeshare with each other.

 

[andyhui01]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

I know a few guys here are not very happy about losing an A330 on the transcon routes. Just curious, how important is it for VA to compete against QF on the transcon service with the A330? Are these flights generally full (especially in J)? How important are these routes in terms of revenue and profit?

 

[kamchatsky]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

Its looking like a July launch, subject to change of course. MEL-HKG definitely being talked about, however possibly SYD too as HNA wants both cities connected to HKG.

Given HX and HU cannot fly from HKG to major Australian cities due to 70 flight cap being exhausted by CX, the only option is for VA to fly to HKG from major cities (SYD/MEL/BNE/PER).

HX was interesting, flew HKG-OKA return last year. Fare was much cheaper than KA but all I got for food was a pork bun and small bottle of water.

 

[docjames]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

I know a few guys here are not very happy about losing an A330 on the transcon routes. Just curious, how important is it for VA to compete against QF on the transcon service with the A330? Are these flights generally full (especially in J)? How important are these routes in terms of revenue and profit?

Well they bought them to compete as the 737 wasnt competitive against QF's wide bodies (767 and 330). So unless they refit the 737 to the same standard......

 

[JohnK]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

The best way to be impressed by the A380 in economy is step straight off an EK 77W with it's 3-4-3 configuration onto the A380 with same configuration. Much more comfortable! One day they will no doubt ruin it with a 3-5-3 configuration.

The 744 and the A380 are both quite good economy products even with 10 across. Much better than the economy products on the 777, 787, A330, A340 and A350.

Tired old 747's? I'd rather economy on the tired old QF 747's than most other economy products in the market. Wish QF had them to SIN/BKK not just HKG.

 

[dajop]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

The 744 and the A380 are both quite good economy products even with 10 across. Much better than the economy products on the 777, 787, A330, A340 and A350.

777 is a bit noisier, but 9 across with 32" seat pitch is quite comfortable. Way better than A330. I commonly do (short intra-Asia) trips where I might be on a 777 one day and A330 the next (SQ) and the 777 is better, IMHO. The 10 across version (EK) is worse though.

 

[CPMaverick]

Re: VA to HKG from mid 2017 [From Where?]

Perhaps VA could deploy the 330s on a MEL-HKG-SYD-PER-MEL route and serve both cities and some transcon timings. Fill in the remaining PER routes with 737. I haven't done the math but it seems possible on first glance.