Virgin Australia to lease more 737s

[simmomelb]

So 3 of us are all travelling in business class tomorrow from MEL to SYD, we just all checked in and suddenly we are in row 14.
A further look into this and there has been a change of aircraft, we are now on a 737-700 without J.
This is the first time I've seen them use this aircraft on the golden triangle, anyone else?
What a total disappointment and no notification this had even happened until we all started checking in on the app.
These are all fully paid for J class seats x 3.
Take a look at the 20:00 flight from MEL to SYD tomorrow (5th Jan) and you'll see what aircraft they are using.
What the heck is VA doing? Very disappointed with them and the total uncertainty for J class now.

 

[Quickstatus]

These are all fully paid for J class seats x 3.

Very dodgy practice. The airlines know you have to fly and they know that by cancelling you will have to buy Y seats at the last minute full rate.

Something like this should not end up with the airline's getting a benefit.

Can you change to one with J availability.

 

[simmomelb]

Very dodgy practice. The airlines know you have to fly and they know that by cancelling you will have to buy Y seats at the last minute full rate.

Something like this should not end up with the airline's getting a benefit.

Can you change to one with J availability.

They didn't cancel our seats, they moved us from row 1 to row 14.
On phone to them now to see what can be done... update coming...

 

[Quickstatus]

They didn't cancel our seats,

No but they know that if no J seats found, then you either will have to suck it up - in which case they have converted empty Y seats to full with full fare passengers (basically the refund is the difference between the fare you paid and the Y fare on the day of departure which is always going to be full fare)

Or cancel the tickets in which case you get the refund but have to pay last minute full fare to get to where you want to go.

Either way the airline wins.

For you to come out marginally even is to change to another flight with J seats.

 

[simmomelb]

No but they know that if no J seats found, then you either will have to suck it up - in which case they have converted empty Y seats to full with full fare passengers (basically the refund is the difference between the fare you paid and the Y fare on the day of departure which is always going to be full fare)

Or cancel the tickets in which case you get the refund but have to pay last minute full fare to get to where you want to go.

Either way the airline wins.

For you to come out marginally even is to change to another flight with J seats.

They've shifted us to an earlier flight in J (1 hr earlier).
The issue was solved but still annoying as we wouldn't have known if we didn't check in so early and would have then discovered it at the airport (a little late by then).
They really need to get this sorted as it's unacceptable IMO ("mid-market" or not).

 

[Quickstatus]

They've shifted us to an earlier flight in J

Imagine if you didn't check and just turned up at the airport
I wonder if they bumped someone to accomodate your party - Squeaky wheel gets the most grease in other words

It's unacceptable whatever the market. If the airlines want maximum flexibility such as overbooking, aircraft changes, cancellations etc, it should be at their cost and not to the passenger.

 

[MH_fan]

Glad that got sorted. I would've been mighty peeved.

 

[PERLHR]

So 3 of us are all travelling in business class tomorrow from MEL to SYD, we just all checked in and suddenly we are in row 14.
A further look into this and there has been a change of aircraft, we are now on a 737-700 without J.
This is the first time I've seen them use this aircraft on the golden triangle, anyone else?
What a total disappointment and no notification this had even happened until we all started checking in on the app.
These are all fully paid for J class seats x 3.
Take a look at the 20:00 flight from MEL to SYD tomorrow (5th Jan) and you'll see what aircraft they are using.
What the heck is VA doing? Very disappointed with them and the total uncertainty for J class now.

As reported earlier in this thread this is I am afraid an issue and you need to monitor very carefully your flights. It is really bad however that VA don't notify pax (although I was lucky and they did notify me on one sector that had changed and I watched carefully for other changes). I'm afraid they are to busy doing nonsense like middle seat lottery and not bothering about business class pax. Not very clever in my mind.

 

[MooTime]

They've shifted us to an earlier flight in J (1 hr earlier).
The issue was solved but still annoying as we wouldn't have known if we didn't check in so early and would have then discovered it at the airport (a little late by then).
They really need to get this sorted as it's unacceptable IMO ("mid-market" or not).

This is terrible, obviously only affects few pax, but I travel in J mainly and would not be happy Jan by this change.

1st world probs of course.

VA, beware this move, not good. Not good at all. And that's being nice.

 

[AIRwin]

Another albino jet to float around the network…NBP scheduled to enter service on Monday still painted all white.

Spotted an all white aircraft when my flight was taxiing into BNE on 2 January and it turned out to be VH-NHW which has already entered into service...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Them putting the all Y 737 really is a very sneaky way for them to make money from people who are unaware, either they have paid rev J/upgrade J, and then discover they have been short changed, ie, aircraft change.
OffT, maybe when Rex starts its FF program, it will be better to fly them, at the least we get to know with them that they do have a J cabin, for which we can buy seats, and not have to contend being put down the back to Y, not even having econX.OnT.

 

[simmomelb]

Them putting the all Y 737 really is a very sneaky way for them to make money from people who are unaware, either they have paid rev J/upgrade J, and then discover they have been short changed, ie, aircraft change.
OffT, maybe when Rex starts its FF program, it will be better to fly them, at the least we get to know with them that they do have a J cabin, for which we can buy seats, and not have to contend being put down the back to Y, not even having econX.OnT.

Very true. As a Business Flyer member and I booked all 3 of us in J, I expect that if J is no longer available a courtesy call, email or text is the least they should offer as soon as the seats had been reallocated to Y.
Particularly as there was a solution by placing us on a flight 1 hr earlier.
However this solution was only available after I called to question why we are suddenly appearing in row 14 and bumped to a 737-700.
Makes me think that VA is no longer a reliable option for J given the number of times this is happening, including on the golden triangle now.
If we are being bumped to a 700 all Y no Econ X we may as well fly with Rex now. If Rex had more 737-800's (more flights) this would be the best solution. Will definitely start booking some flights on Rex now either way.

 

[Quickstatus]

Makes me think that VA is no longer a reliable option for J

Other airlines are not necessarily better

 

[simmomelb]

Other airlines are not necessarily better

Yes and no, I mean on the golden triangle you will always have J available with Rex and Qantas - 100%, as they don't fly all Y aircraft on these major routes.

 

[randompunter]

Spotted an all white aircraft when my flight was taxiing into BNE on 2 January and it turned out to be VH-NHW which has already entered into service...

Spotted the white NHW in TSV earlier this week too, actually think it was the 2nd. Hopefully these all Y birds disappear soon - I have a couple of VA J flights booked for March and don't like this game. Still going to gamble with it though while VA are charging half the price of QF .

 

[simmomelb]

Spotted the white NHW in TSV earlier this week too, actually think it was the 2nd. Hopefully these all Y birds disappear soon - I have a couple of VA J flights booked for March and don't like this game. Still going to gamble with it though while VA are charging half the price of QF .

VH NHW currently flying a lot between SYD - MEL https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHNHW

 

[Bagpuss]

Them putting the all Y 737 really is a very sneaky way for them to make money from people who are unaware, either they have paid rev J/upgrade J, and then discover they have been short changed, ie, aircraft change.
OffT, maybe when Rex starts its FF program, it will be better to fly them, at the least we get to know with them that they do have a J cabin, for which we can buy seats, and not have to contend being put down the back to Y, not even having econX.OnT.

I spoke to a flight attendant about this recently.
The FA stated they had given their feedback and said it was embarrassing, more so flying them PER <> BNE, PER <> MEL, PER <> SYD.
Nor do they have entertainment.

 

[Quickstatus]

you will always have J available with Rex and Qantas

One of those airlines have been known to downgrade passengers from J to Y even with aircraft with a J cabin.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Indeed.

 

[simmomelb]

Indeed.

One of those airlines have been known to downgrade passengers from J to Y even with aircraft with a J cabin.

Under what circumstances?