Virgin Australia just does not feel 'Special' anymore

[jsd]

Over the last few months I have noticed that Virgin Australia just doesn't feel the same as it used to... they have sort have lost their 'Virgin Flair'...

I mean I can appreciate that they are trying to capture a greater share of the business market and don't get me wrong I like all these new changes (BSI A/C, The new lounges, the 330 etc.) But I feel they have sort of turned their backs on their existing customers...

I just don't feel as loved as I once was. They used to make me feel like I was their one and only cuustomer.... but now that is all gone. Which makes me kind of sad

Thoughts?

--

Sent from my Garmin-Asus A50 using AustFreqFly App

 

[TonyHancock]

I just don't feel as loved as I once was. They used to make me feel like I was their one and only cuustomer.... but now that is all gone. Which makes me kind of sad

Thoughts?

Come and join QFF and then you can feel like one of several million customers, whilst looking forward to having your frequent flyer benefits reduced a couple of times a year.

It begs the question "Is DJ/VA's expansion plan sustainable?" I'm sure management has "done" the numbers, but if half of QF's WP's shunned QF and immediately started flying with DJ/VA could they cope.* (DJ/VA that is, I'm not sure I'd cope!!)

*With both the numbers and the egos!

 

[notzac]

I've generally been very pleased with the service I've received - though I certainly prefer the more professional approach that appears to be the norm now.

What are your expectations that aren't being met, exactly?

 

[munitalP]

So Josh
How many flights are you basing this on and how long?
From reading your upcoming flights and incomplete trip reports it wouldn't seem to be that many, so I guess a non status PAX wouldn't get to feel the Love.

 

[day-heg]

I just don't feel as loved as I once was. They used to make me feel like I was their one and only cuustomer.... but now that is all gone. Which makes me kind of sad

Thoughts?

I disagree.
SYD - MEL this morning, I was welcomed on board and welcomed back, but the CS mis-pronounced my name (often done). That's fairly standard these days.

On disembarking, without the benefit of my BP or a manifest to prompt him, he thanked my by name AND pronounced it correctly. That's stand out. That did make me feel like their only customer!

D-H

 

[Jack Melon]

It really comes down to the crew you have on your flight.

 

[jsd]

So Josh
How many flights are you basing this on and how long?
From reading your upcoming flights and incomplete trip reports it wouldn't seem to be that many, so I guess a non status PAX wouldn't get to feel the Love.

You know what Gordon. I'm getting really sick of you being condisending towards me...

You know nothing about me yet everything I post you just come back and have a go at me. And I have had enough. I don't really care if I get banned or warned for this post because it is long overdue...

FYI Myself and my family have been flying with Virgin since not long after they took to the skies. We also have regular dealings with quite a few other Virgin Group companies. I earn all my status' with all the companies listed in my profile (Except Flying Blue and Hilton) and I can prove it with documented records... but I don't have to as I don't need to prove anything to you!

I work very hard in both my job and my schoolwork so that I can fly the way/amount that I do and I'm not going to sit around and be told how to live my life by people like you who seem to care more about other peoples lives than their own!

...
Sent from my Garmin-Asus A50 using AustFreqFly App

 

[oz_mark]

Over the last few months I have noticed that Virgin Australia just doesn't feel the same as it used to... they have sort have lost their 'Virgin Flair'...

Perhaps it's just a different flair, and one that maybe doesn't do as much for you as their previous style.

For me, having flown them recently after a bit of a break from them, I find that I prefer their style now to that which they used to have.

Is there a something in particular that you feel you are missing now?

 

[notzac]

Ya know jdevereux3, I didn't see munitalP's post as being particularly condescending or aggressive. Why don't you qualify how many flights you feel you've received poorer service on? If it's only one or two flights, it could well be a that-crew-on-that-day thing (we're all human, so unfortunately we're all going to have off days every now and again). If it's more than that over a longer period of time, it could be something else again.

I'm also interested in what is qualifying for you as poorer service, as my experience has been the reverse (but it could be that I have different expectations to yourself).

 

[medhead]

I find them to be better now then last year. The virgin flair of old was cringe worthy Horse-Do. I never got offended by the lame jokes. It's all well and good to be fun, fun, fun. But there are just somethings that need to be taken seriously and professionally. I find now that the crew can pitch their approach to the individual and I've had some great chats recently.

I guess the other thing that influences my experience is that I get on DJ aircraft before 7am mostly. I just what to get off with minimum disruption and most likely have a sleep on the way. There is no need or place for flair at that hour of the day. I'm even happy for the young people off on their once in a lifetime overseas trip to booze up on the 6am flight and have a joke with the crew. But not over the PA.

 

[medhead]

You'll see that Josh is DJ Gold and QF silver. I think that is a decent amount of flying that is bringing in at least half a rasher.

There is also plenty of childish moaning on here when people only get 3 blocks of ice in their G&T instead of 4.*



* Definitely include myself in that category, at times.

 

[markis10]

My last flight (6.30 this morning) I found them very professional and business like which I prefer over the previous posturing, same for the flight Saturday night, especially the way they handled the big dude who was pushing for a Row 1 seat !

 

[Lawlass]

I definitely prefer the new grown-up attitudes of the flight staff to the ridiculous 'fun' cough they used to come up with. I think I stopped flying with them immediately after the flight on which they pumped through loud music mid-flight and had dancing FAs trying to force everyone to do seat aerobics. Truly a cringeworthy moment.

I flew with them for the first time since then on Saturday and everything about the experience was good.

 

[TonyHancock]

I'd have to say one of the things that puts me off DJ/VA is the potential for it to come off the rails a bit if there is is a spurt in passenger numbers. I know it is a completely different situation, but I remember how bad QF was after the AN demise.

 

[serfty]

[MOD HAT]

Unfortunately I have needed to delete some posts the best that can be said of they did not add to the topic. Other posts have been edited.

Please keep it civil or other sanctions may be enacted.​

[/MOD HAT]

 

[markis10]

You'll see that Josh is DJ Gold and QF silver. I think that is a decent amount of flying that is bringing in at least half a rasher.

There is also plenty of childish moaning on here when people only get 3 blocks of ice in their G&T instead of 4.*



* Definitely include myself in that category, at times.

No G&T on DJ, they dont have Tonic water or Ginger Ale onboard for sale as a mixer!

 

[TonyHancock]

No G&T on DJ, they dont have Tonic water of Ginger Ale onboard for sale as a mixer!

Another reason why I would struggle over at DJ. I suppose I could just about manage with straight gin.

 

[777]

Well, there's a bunch of issues here and some that i'm sympathetic to from the OP.

1. Is the "style" of the new VA service. On the whole i think it's an improvement, although the OTT "Flair" that many seemed to remember from the circa 2002 face painting days largely disappeared a long time ago. Personally, i'm a pretty casual guy who doesn't want for much so i find some of the "professionalism" unnecessary but it doesn't bother me and i think things are improving - particularly the around the standards of practical things like lounges, how they handle delays and hassles, seating arrangements, on board menu and product, the hard product, and partnerships.

But there is a second point...

2. The reality is that VA Gold has been numerically devalued. There are many more golds so those of us who were gold before get relatively less share of the fixed benefits than before (although the non-fixed benefits are improving to compensate). VA now have golds who have never flown with them. They have golds from JB give aways at corporate luncheons, they have golds from status matches, they have golds from people that have flown to PErth and back twice in J on the a330 and they will have many more golds now they have made the qualification threshold lower than it used to be. Hell, this forum at times degenerates into QF flyers complaining that they havent been comped gold on VA yet! Given i have been a gold for more than 3 years, this does bite a bit. I'm finding it slightly harder to get the row 3 i took for granted for a while there and i do often wonder if the guy i'm sitting behind has ever actually flown VA before.

On the whole, i like the changes. I like the new product. I like all the benefits that these changes are bringing. I don't want to go back to the Virgin of before and i'm not going to get sucked back into Qanstar if i can avoid. it. I like the strategy and i get that the maths behind requires them to have a lot more corporate contracts and status pax BUT i do think the original poster has an objective point about the loss of being "their one and only customer". It's definitely happened.

777.

 

[notzac]

No G&T on DJ, they dont have Tonic water or Ginger Ale onboard for sale as a mixer!

:shock: :shock: This I was not aware of; clearly an unacceptable situation that should be rectified post haste (I do quite enjoy my gin ginger ales on VA long haul) :!:

Well, there's a bunch of issues here and some that i'm sympathetic too from the OP.
...
BUT i do think the original poster has an objective point about the loss of being "their one and only customer". It's definitely happened.

You make a fair point. Will be interesting to see how the playing field changes when Velocity Platinum is rolled out!

 

[markis10]

Everytime I ask they keep telling me I can have ginger beer for my Scotch.