Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business Class

[maninblack]

Re: New J seating coming to VA 2015???

What new J seats for 738? It's only the wide bodies that are getting new ones.

A VA customer service person implied to me that the 738's are getting a new product but when pressed there was actually no factual basis to it, just conjecture even at that level within VA. The current seat certainly is a bargain basement J product.

 

[Justchecking]

Re: New J seating coming to VA 2015???

A VA customer service person implied to me that the 738's are getting a new product but when pressed there was actually no factual basis to it, just conjecture even at that level within VA. The current seat certainly is a bargain basement J product.

As always rumours abound in the frontline staff. I rather suspect it has to do with boredom on the job.

 

[Plutonus]

Re: New J seating coming to VA 2015???

There was also the incidence of people being invited to a 'group workshop' for them a fair while back that never eventuated.

Nevertheless, it was more of a hopeful rhetorical question.

 

[lastrow]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business Cla

I know that most contributers to these threads travel in J on every occasion. However as a retiree my days of flying on a company purchased J ticket are a now just a fond memory.
But I still want some comfort for my dollar and therefore I am personally interested to learn of the improvements to the poor man's J - premium economy. To get a seat pitch of 41 inches is certainly a huge improvement plus new food, makes a compelling case.
Of course PE is not exactly cheap and so a comfort section in Y will also attract attentional attention
Good on VA you are putting QF to shame.

 

[moa999]

Re: New J seating coming to VA 2015???

The current seat certainly is a bargain basement J product.

Apart from IFE, where else do you get much better for domestic short haul business.

Certainly not in most of Europe where you just get a spare middle seat, or the US (apart from the new AA transcon, but that is similar to EC-Perth). JAL First is awesome but J class about the same.

 

[maninblack]

Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Apart from IFE, where else do you get much better for domestic short haul business.

Just saying what it is, a standard old off the shelf product with no bells and whistles whatsoever. No effort, thought or innovation involved.

 

[frequentflyer91]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Upgraded to business for a flight from Perth to Melbourne on January 26th and they said the seats would be in the plane by then.

Looking forward to it.

 

[Moopere]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Upgraded to business for a flight from Perth to Melbourne on January 26th and they said the seats would be in the plane by then.

Looking forward to it.

Wow! really? Soon. I thought I remembered the write-up being end of 1st qtr for the existing fleet of 332's .. something like that. So I figured that would be one plane at a time + inevitable delays and whatnot, maybe mid year to 3rd qtr to actually expect to receive such a seat.

I'm inclined to book something earlier now. How did you get confirmation of this? On the booking site/seatmap?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Wow! really? I figured that would be one plane at a time + inevitable delays and whatnot,

I wouldn't change your expectation just yet. Of late, what has VA actually managed to implement according to a schedule? How is that lounge in Hobart going?

 

[frequentflyer91]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Wow! really? Soon. I thought I remembered the write-up being end of 1st qtr for the existing fleet of 332's .. something like that. So I figured that would be one plane at a time + inevitable delays and whatnot, maybe mid year to 3rd qtr to actually expect to receive such a seat.

I'm inclined to book something earlier now. How did you get confirmation of this? On the booking site/seatmap?

When I called up to make sure there were upgrades available the representative informed me that it would be the new seats when I was asking if I could sit next to a companion.

 

[moa999]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

When I called up to make sure there were upgrades available the representative informed me that it would be the new seats when I was asking if I could sit next to a companion.

Suspect a misinformed rep to be more likely

 

[maninblack]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Suspect a misinformed rep to be more likely

At Virgin Australia!

 

[lastrow]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

The Hobart lounge is not going, its on the back burner but I'm not sure if the stove is actually hooked up.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

The Hobart lounge is not going, its on the back burner but I'm not sure if the stove is actually hooked up.

Yes. It was rhetorical question!

I do like the stove quip though!

 

[williamsf1]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Upgraded to business for a flight from Perth to Melbourne on January 26th and they said the seats would be in the plane by then.

Looking forward to it.

You are going to be disappointed ...... Unless that Jan 26 2016 ?

"with the first aircraft expected to be in service by March, and complete refit of the fleet to be finalised by August"

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Ok Q for you Virgin experts - VA's 777s will be re-fitted with new J seats allegedly before Aug 2015 correct? But as of now all seat maps showing old configurations - suggestions please for seat selections for LAX-SYD flights Sep 2015 - should I bother selecting now as hopefully refit will indeed be concluded by then and seats needed to re-select anyway?

 

[williamsf1]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Ok Q for you Virgin experts - VA's 777s will be re-fitted with new J seats allegedly before Aug 2015 correct? But as of now all seat maps showing old configurations - suggestions please for seat selections for LAX-SYD flights Sep 2015 - should I bother selecting now as hopefully refit will indeed be concluded by then and seats needed to re-select anyway?

AUG15 is the completion date for A330

Virgin Australia’s new Business Class Suites will roll out on our Airbus A330 fleet in early 2015, with the first aircraft expected to be in service by March, and complete refit of the fleet to be finalised by August. The roll out of upgrades on our Boeing B777 fleet will commence from November 2015 and be complete by early 2016.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

The roll out of upgrades on our Boeing B777 fleet will commence from November 2015 and be complete by early 2016.

Oh cough really?

 

[TomVexille]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Oh cough really?

Yup. That's the timeframe given. Seeing that it's so far away I would hope that they are able to deliver.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Re: Virgin Australia raises the bar yet again revealing its new Domestic Business...

Goddam would never have booked these flts had I known that - was looking forward to an extended flt with the new seats - what to do? SQ Suites available same day - do I cancel? Then what do I do with these VA pts? What to do? Damn!