Virgin Australia to Reconfigure 737 Fleet - Spend $110M

[jakeseven7]

Virgin should have just become the Southwest of Australia. Economy, No lounges, Free checked bags, No change fees, passenger growth would be off the charts.

Interesting… If you read all the billions of stories about the VA1 collapse, Bain acquisition and resurrection of VA2, this type positioning was considered - closer to JQ I guess but unless Bain reconfigured the entire fleet and gutted the company even more than they already did, they couldn’t get to the right cost base to back up the positioning and the price you’d need to hit to make it work. And they want to sell down/out, - want the easiest road possible to that.

Do you like flying SW?

 

[Saab34]

Do you like flying SW?

I like the simple experience. 2 Free checked bags. They don’t charge change fees. Huge Network and a half decent website.

I understand that corporate expenditure with Airlines here is considerable, and if Virgin gave the lounges, and corp contracts away, then they don’t have the buffer in any leisure downturn.

I just find the whole VA experience very confusing and complex.

 

[Must...Fly!]

The reality is they really need Velocity to make the airline as valuable as possible, so if you strip the elite status away, you also risk stripping away a fair chunk of revenue.

 

[HS-TQE]

Southwest Airlines doesn't have 'airline partners' either, as they're basically operating on their own. Southwest's own FF program (Rapid Rewards) is basically just their own flights with alternate rewards on outside partners such as booking with Hotel Brands, Rent a Car dealers and shopping with online brands.

When VB started they were initially on their own, but post Ansett collapse they've signed an interline with UA, EK, SQ and NZ coming onboard later.
VB later parted ways with UA and EK, EK later joining up with QF and VB signing a partnership with DL (which carried from VB to VA 1.0). UA later returned with VA 2.0 after the VA 1.0 collapse.

 

[AFF Editor]

The first refurbished Boeing 737-800, VH-VUP, re-entered service today. It now has 31 rows of seats instead of 29 rows.

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/virgin-refurbished-737-seats/

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The first refurbished Boeing 737-800, VH-VUP, re-entered service today. It now has 31 rows of seats instead of 29 rows.

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/virgin-refurbished-737-seats/

Ha!

wifi.

Lol

If…IF…it works.

One of the most annoying parts of flying VA is the lack of entertainment or wifi if it is supposed to be available, on many of the flights.

Not only is it frequently inoperable, they don’t tell you until doors closed or after takeoff. So no opportunity to download content.

 

[Human]

Not only is it frequently inoperable, they don’t tell you until doors closed or after takeoff. So no opportunity to download content.

Just check to see if the card with instructions about how to connect to the internet is in the seat pocket. If it's not there, there's no wifi.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just check to see if the card with instructions about how to connect to the internet is in the seat pocket. If it's not there, there's no wifi.

Yes, but i was referring to both… half the time the regular entertainment doesn’t work. And if there’s wifi, that only works about 2/3rds the time.

 

[MooTime]

2/3rds the time.

Cos 2 outta 3 ain't bad.

 

[Human]

Cos 2 outta 3 ain't bad.

So don't be sad.

 

[bladeau1981]

Just check to see if the card with instructions about how to connect to the internet is in the seat pocket. If it's not there, there's no wifi.

That is barely a good indication, a quarter of the time you connect, and then when you try to sign in it says not available. Currently I just assume every virgin flight has no internet because 90% of the time it doesn't.

 

[Guvner]

Worked fine on both my last flights MEL>OOL return. I used it, and also entered my Plat login on my partner's and son's devices. So all three of us got free wifi.

 

[MooTime]

no internet because 90% of the time it doesn't.

Lucky me being on just the 10% then.
Yet to have an issue.

 

[ThatMrBlake]

The first refurbished Boeing 737-800, VH-VUP, re-entered service today. It now has 31 rows of seats instead of 29 rows.

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/virgin-refurbished-737-seats/

I am on VUP tonight on a very delayed VA474 and day one back into service wi-fi and entertainment already inop.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

Wifi / entertainment still broken as of this morning (just boarded PER-MEL) - an announcement was made to download things before cabin door has closed. Also heard the cabin crew mentioning there is less room to stand in row 1 now apparently!

 

[Harrison_133]

I am on VUP tonight on a very delayed VA474 and day one back into service wi-fi and entertainment already inop.

I flew VUP back in February or March and it was inoperable then too…

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I flew VUP back in February or March and it was inoperable then too…

Seems zero intention to repair, and the problem then compounds as entertainment and wifi drops of planes one by one.

Still don’t understand why, on door opening, the CM doesn’t inform the gate staff that entertainment is inop so an announcement can be made in the gate lounge to download content. The signal on board is often not strong enough.

 

[dk4]

...Also heard the cabin crew mentioning there is less room to stand in row 1 now apparently!

Oh noooooo! I hope they are not moving to the USA style bulkhead seat pitch - where row 1 in domestic first class is generally to be avoided, on most narrow body US airlines' recliners, as there is not enough space for average or longer length legs to stretch out, making the experience feel quite cramped.

 

[ThatMrBlake]

The lack of the economy and business divider was also really noticeable and annoying. Frequent guests using the business class lavatory but worse, row 3 putting their feet up into the arm rest area of row 2 which is now wider and feels less private. Not sure I’m a fan.

 

[A321]

The lack of the economy and business divider was also really noticeable and annoying. Frequent guests using the business class lavatory but worse, row 3 putting their feet up into the arm rest area of row 2 which is now wider and feels less private. Not sure I’m a fan.

You're telling me firstly the unwashed got access to row 3, and secondly they thought they had a right to a handy disgusting foot rest?

*Assumption that said unwashed was not a WP.