VH-EBV layout?

[oz_mark]

Depends on how many people think its "new" like the press article infers!

An awful lot of people seem to think it is something new. If people haven't seen the layout before, then they are flying on routes where it hasn't appeared in the past, and is not likely to in the future.

 

[markis10]

An awful lot of people seem to think it is something new. If people haven't seen the layout before, then they are flying on routes where it hasn't appeared in the past, and is not likely to in the future.

Given its only on two other aircraft, I would not say is exactly been prevalent, you could quite easily miss them even as a regular PER traveller.

 

[samh004]

"Passengers use the space between seats in the business class cabin to effectively ‘spread out', using it as somewhere to put documents while they work with their laptop directly in front of them," a Qantas spokesman said.

That's how I would use it, sure, wider seats would be great but I figure they want the ability to ramp to demand if need be. It's not elegant, but it's not the end of the world. To me that is. I'm in 1A anyway

 

[Must...Fly!]

Except DJ have never refused me an upgrade. I think most if not all J seats are upgradable - not just 2 or 3/36...42...

That is great for us but then you have to wonder, what is going on financially.

What sense does it make to give someone a seat for $329+4,950pts when you can sell it for $1499?

The answer, for Virgin, is rather simple. As much as it wants to fill it with people paying $1499, they aren't and probably never will.

It is rather clear just looking at pricing (excusing matched sales) that QF still maintains a price premium and still enjoys relatively healthy J loads. It is fair to say a higher proportion of those on QF will be fare paying passengers. However those that redeem with QFF do so at a relatively poor rate for them, allowing profit to be made for the group.

It is a great product (and without doubt a bargain on flexi points upgrade until 31 Dec) but I fear it is not a viable product and one day these planes will be announced for an international route and less fancy DJ birds will return to the PER routes.
Even though I am not a fan of the A332s J seats it sounds like QF are being more realistic and they can fill them.

More importantly - for those of use who fly Y more often than not to/from Perth - the QF A332s are my bird of choice.

I agree on your first point. I can't imagine that the numbers were done and this was a way to make a profit domestically. Virgin are a hotch-potch combination of (for the layman) confusing alliances. A foray in to Asia will assist them. I'm sure anyone that heads to coughet with them from Perth on the 737 would like that A330 on the route!

Second - Definitely agree. With Virgin you risk getting the loop EK IFE - I'd much rather old A333 IFE than that. At least it is AVOD. New A332 IFE blows the loop IFE out of the water.

 

[cmon0005]

Yes I love skybeds, but for a 4 hour domestic flight (to me) they're not necessary, so this config to me is still quite good.

As others have mentioned on here and I agree, VA's reclining seat service to PER probably won't be sustainable into the future, low(er) prices will effect yields and considering VA have said they'd rather focus on yields than filling seats, my guess is that we will see a price rise sooner rather than later or the A330's put into use on regional long haul.

 

[atreides]

The straw that broke the camels back, all ex PER J will now be DJ.

I guess this rules me out getting P1

 

[Noob]

Why would they need to ? Qantas J is usually very full

The answer, for Virgin, is rather simple. As much as it wants to fill it with people paying $1499, they aren't and probably never will.

It is rather clear just looking at pricing (excusing matched sales) that QF still maintains a price premium and still enjoys relatively healthy J loads. It is fair to say a higher proportion of those on QF will be fare paying passengers. However those that redeem with QFF do so at a relatively poor rate for them, allowing profit to be made for the group.

Commenting about load factors & profitability in a cabin across any airline comes off a bit rash, unless you so happen to have details on the pax for every flight operated e.g. number of pax? number of crew paxing? Points upgrade? Operational upgrade? fully paid?

I assume neither of you have this data?

 

[serfty]

...

I assume neither of you have this data?

What is available are 'anecdotes'.

It's a rare report that indicates the J cabin is full or nearly full on a DJ Coast to Coast 332 flight. There's a lot more indicating light cabin loads.

Which, while good for me who will use DJ for PER in the immediate future, may not bode well for the service in the long term. :-|

 

[Fruitcake]

What is available are 'anecdotes'.

It's a rare report that indicates the J cabin is full or nearly full on a DJ Coast to Coast 332 flight. There's a lot more indicating light cabin loads.

I've also seen it written here that staff travel - either personal or deadheading - is strictly verboten in premium cabins on VA. However, there's several complaints on here of QF cabin crew getting 'sidetracked' during the flight by all their friends padding out the J class load. So that's another variable to throw into the mix, but I wouldn't want to suggest it would be enough to make VA load factors look fantastic.

 

[markis10]

What is available are 'anecdotes'.

It's a rare report that indicates the J cabin is full or nearly full on a DJ Coast to Coast 332 flight. There's a lot more indicating light cabin loads.

Which, while good for me who will use DJ for PER in the immediate future, may not bode well for the service in the long term. :-|

Flightstats on any given day will give you a good indication obviously, but as you say it's anecdotal given yield mix is not public. The real publically available measure of success is the monthly stats, which indicate that the changes are doing their job, with RPKs and ASKs growing, and lets not forget its Y that is the reality when it comes to profits, J is just the carrot.

 

[ChrisCunard]

As I understand it - DJ can afford a lighter load as their costs are far far lower than QF.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I think that QF have gone bat crazy with 'enhance'.....it's enhance this or that, becoming a joke. Gone too far.

 

[docjames]

I think that QF have gone bat crazy with 'enhance'.....it's enhance this or that, becoming a joke. Gone too far.

Becoming? Enhance died as a positive term for QF years ago.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I mean, if you thought you were booking that, and got below... you'd be annoyed, right?

Qantas Y+ A380

 

[samh004]

Qantas Y+ A380

It's good news for Y+, not so much for J, if one moves up, the other needs to as well! But I'm not advocating Skybeds, just something better... a new design.

 

[Fruitcake]

One thing I can't figure out - why did QF hold a press event announcing the arrival of the aircraft?

The response to the business class cabin should have been predictable. If the primary intention was to announce "all A330 on weekdays" then there wasn't any need to make a song and dance about this innovative 'workspace' - the mainstream press wouldn't have been any the wiser about whether the business class cabin was new, old or not there at all if it wasn't pointed out.

 

[serfty]

They also were showing off a refurbed 763 with the streaming IFE and tablets ... saw shots of J on that one on the news, but not of the 332 business cabin.

 

[markis10]

One thing I can't figure out - why did QF hold a press event announcing the arrival of the aircraft?

I think any good news (and I use the term loosely) is going to be shouted as loud as possible given the present environment with the vultures circling looking at an undervalued carcass in their opinions.

 

[Fruitcake]

They also were showing off a refurbed 763 with the streaming IFE and tablets ... saw shots of J on that one on the news, but not of the 332 business cabin.

Makes sense - I rarely watch the TV news so this is the first I heard of that aspect. Most of the 'industry' and 'traveller' news sources tended to skip that. Thanks serfty.

I think any good news (and I use the term loosely) is going to be shouted as loud as possible...

Overall, sounds like it might have been a better idea to put a tarp over the new A330 and hide it around the back. No one has (yet) produced a negative news story involving an iPad, if they'd only talked about the 767s it might have been a better PR outcome.

 

[chrisb]

Makes sense - I rarely watch the TV news so this is the first I heard of that aspect. Most of the 'industry' and 'traveller' news sources tended to skip that. Thanks serfty.

Overall, sounds like it might have been a better idea to put a tarp over the new A330 and hide it around the back. No one has (yet) produced a negative news story involving an iPad, if they'd only talked about the 767s it might have been a better PR outcome.

I got confused by the TV news - They were talking about the A330, showing the A330 outside, but showing the inside of the B767 with iPads. I thought they'd put iPads in the new A330 as well.

In the mainstream media it was an overall positive news story.