Virgin business class Bali flights rip-off

[Flyfrequently]

Asking for a meal outside of the prescribed meal time is effectively asking to "dine on demand" though, is it not?

@Mattg I once travelled with a friend on JQ DPS- MEL redeye in J and she "demanded" to have her meal an hour prior to landing as she was due to have afternoon surgery......wrong on so many levels.
Staff kept their cool and tossed a bread roll in her direction @ 5am!
Side note - we have never travelled together since

 

[harryhv]

OOL DPS today wasn't a rip-off at all, well worth it.

• Checkin agent Michi worked hard to reconcile Virgin's clunky IT which kept trying to replace my new passport number with the old one, this took some 20 minutes
• The OOL Virgin lounge is thankfully back in action, with a new carpet
• No queues for customs and immigration as VA83 is the only intl departure from OOL at this time
• This must be the only Virgin flight which gets a jetbridge at OOL
• Priority boarding working perfectly with the entire priority line processed first
• Flawless service from Jeff in the front cabin starting with prompt PDBs, water or sparkling wine
• Palatable food, dolmades starter, choice of chicken schnitzel or tortellini, and passionfruit mousse
• Palatable/plentiful wine, Brooklands Verse 1 Chardy
• Internet equipped plane (sending this)

And forewarned is forearmed..

• we brought Covid vax certificates they ask for, normal Aussie ones are OK
• brought our one-bottle-each-allowance of alcohol and skipped the underwhelming duty-free shop at OOL
• brought blankets and cushioning - and the temperature on board is brisk!
• brought computers etc fully charged as no power on board
• we're expecting to land anything up to an hour late as the schedule underestimates the headwinds outbound (and the time taken for the novice international-gate-agents checking passport photos and vax certs)

 

[PERLHR]

OOL DPS today wasn't a rip-off at all, well worth it.

• Checkin agent Michi worked hard to reconcile Virgin's clunky IT which kept trying to replace my new passport number with the old one, this took some 20 minutes
• The OOL Virgin lounge is thankfully back in action, with a new carpet
• No queues for customs and immigration as VA83 is the only intl departure from OOL at this time
• This must be the only Virgin flight which gets a jetbridge at OOL
• Priority boarding working perfectly with the entire priority line processed first
• Flawless service from Jeff in the front cabin starting with prompt PDBs, water or sparkling wine
• Palatable food, dolmades starter, choice of chicken schnitzel or tortellini, and passionfruit mousse
• Palatable/plentiful wine, Brooklands Verse 1 Chardy
• Internet equipped plane (sending this)

And forewarned is forearmed..

• we brought Covid vax certificates they ask for, normal Aussie ones are OK
• brought our one-bottle-each-allowance of alcohol and skipped the underwhelming duty-free shop at OOL
• brought blankets and cushioning - and the temperature on board is brisk!
• brought computers etc fully charged as no power on board
• we're expecting to land anything up to an hour late as the schedule underestimates the headwinds outbound (and the time taken for the novice international-gate-agents checking passport photos and vax certs)

To be honest I think this is the first ever post I have seen talking about a business class airline ticket currently that states as a pax brought my own blanket and pillow and fully charged own IFE. Not really Business is it though the prices certainly can be. Might as well be down the back.

 

[Saab34]

If they re name it Y+ they will probably lose a whole heap of corporate contracts. Which is why Virgin didn’t go down the low cost carrier path, biz traffic is margin rich. You could call it, J Lite.

Worse in the USA they call it ‘First’ class.

 

[PERLHR]

If they re name it Y+ they will probably lose a whole heap of corporate contracts. Which is why Virgin didn’t go down the low cost carrier path, biz traffic is margin rich. You could call it, J Lite.

Worse in the USA they call it ‘First’ class.

You do tend to get all the required services and amenities on board a business lite fare though (blanket, pillow, IFE and even done on demand)....just don't get lounge access which to be honest is the same as Virgin on international flights! Yes USA "First" is a laugh however to counter they in the USA just can't get their heads around the European Biz model.

 

[harryhv]

For this particular route, OOL-DPS outbound, the biz fare is a value proposition for AFFers if you come prepared because - in order of importance - the fare includes:

• A very good chance you will actually get to your destination. Around the scheduled time. And your baggage.
• Someone to answer the phone if something does go wrong. Customers not treated like dirt
• A recliner seat with legroom, adequate for a daytime flight
• Smooth passage through the airport with priority lines
• Lounge
• Free internet onboard
• PDBs, food & wine onboard
• Reserved biz class toilet onboard between 8 people

And the bits it doesn't include, those you can bring yourself

• Blanket, pillow, whatever - better than what the airline would have supplied anyway
• Your own devices with better entertainment etc than what the airline would have supplied anyway
• By the way, today's aircraft does have power points oops the crew pointed them out

Also this fare is a reasonable outlay to get out of Australia to somewhere where you can start an overseas trip. Tickets and awards to Europe being much more favourable ex Indonesia or from anywhere in Asia.

But coming back DPS-OOL, BNE, SYD etc? That's a different story, no joy in sitting up all night on the VA biz fare.

To be honest I think this is the first ever post I have seen talking about a business class airline ticket currently that states as a pax brought my own blanket and pillow and fully charged own IFE. Not really Business is it though the prices certainly can be. Might as well be down the back.

 

[UP4014]

As some have said, it is a different airline. One that went broke when they gave you a hot meal and the other things you liked about them.

So it might be time to consider your options.

 

[Saab34]

Can I ask do they serve hot meals in VA J on SH International? Or has anything hot not been apart of 2.0.

 

[harryhv]

Yes, today's choices on VA83, Chicken Schnitzel or Tortellini:

 

[PERLHR]

For this particular route, OOL-DPS outbound, the biz fare is a value proposition for AFFers if you come prepared because - in order of importance - the fare includes:

• A very good chance you will actually get to your destination. Around the scheduled time. And your baggage.

You will get to destination around the scheduled time and with your bags hopefully even if down the back. Most airlines also try to make sure you reach your destination.

• Someone to answer the phone if something does go wrong. Customers not treated like dirt

Again same if down the back and a frequent flyer with status. Sometimes I don't understand the Virgin call centre accents....

• A recliner seat with legroom, adequate for a daytime flight

Yes

• Smooth passage through the airport with priority lines

Maybe if it's open? Again though all biz tickets with any carrier will have FT.

• Lounge

For the topic destinations yes. But as we know many Australian lounges closed or not in existence for.VA

• Free internet onboard

Wish it would work better though.....

• PDBs, food & wine onboard
• Reserved biz class toilet onboard between 8 people

I think the latter is well policed mostly by VA and that is a positive.

And the bits it doesn't include, those you can bring yourself

• Blanket, pillow, whatever - better than what the airline would have supplied anyway

Depends on the airline. Qatar blankets are brilliant. again however, never really heard of biz travellers on a biz ticket having to bring own blankets and pillows ...might as well bring own food as well.

• Your own devices with better entertainment etc than what the airline would have supplied anyway

Maybe

• By the way, today's aircraft does have power points oops the crew pointed them out

Also this fare is a reasonable outlay to get out of Australia to somewhere where you can start an overseas trip. Tickets and awards to Europe being much more favourable ex Indonesia or from anywhere in Asia.

But coming back DPS-OOL, BNE, SYD etc? That's a different story, no joy in sitting up all night on the VA biz fare.

I like your enthusiasm..

 

[MooTime]

Can I ask do they serve hot meals in VA J on SH International? Or has anything hot not been apart of 2.0.

would be pretty stiff to get a snitzel or tortellini not hot!!!!

 

[PERLHR]

would be pretty stiff to get a snitzel or tortellini not hot!!!!

Ha ha yes. Same choice though that was on last month from PER to MEL and MEL to CNS and back.

 

[straitman]

This week I had a cold chicken & rice salad (x 2) Same as I has last October but it was great.

 

[Stealthflyer]

For this particular route, OOL-DPS outbound, the biz fare is a value proposition for AFFers if you come prepared because - in order of importance - the fare includes:

• A very good chance you will actually get to your destination. Around the scheduled time. And your baggage.
• Someone to answer the phone if something does go wrong. Customers not treated like dirt
• A recliner seat with legroom, adequate for a daytime flight
• Smooth passage through the airport with priority lines
• Lounge
• Free internet onboard
• PDBs, food & wine onboard
• Reserved biz class toilet onboard between 8 people

And the bits it doesn't include, those you can bring yourself

• Blanket, pillow, whatever - better than what the airline would have supplied anyway
• Your own devices with better entertainment etc than what the airline would have supplied anyway
• By the way, today's aircraft does have power points oops the crew pointed them out

Also this fare is a reasonable outlay to get out of Australia to somewhere where you can start an overseas trip. Tickets and awards to Europe being much more favourable ex Indonesia or from anywhere in Asia.

But coming back DPS-OOL, BNE, SYD etc? That's a different story, no joy in sitting up all night on the VA biz fare.

yeah I think the return flight in J is largely a waste of money. The seats aren’t that great for sleeping and I rarely feel like eating at that time of the day so the food is wasted on me. The main benefit imho is having one toilet for just 8 people. Given the number of people who return with Bali Belly, sharing the toilet with a smaller pool of people is definitely a plus.

 

[stm1sydney]

The limitations of this J service are taken into account with the low price, just like the HND service. so it's hardly a rip off when you compare it to the QF product, say. Similar B737 hard product, looking at SYD-DPS one way, QF is $2800 vs VA $1400 on 7 Jun. So a $1400 saving, with which you can purchase lounge access in SYD and still end up way ahead, and you get valuable Velocity status credits.

But there is the inconvenience of bringing your own blanket or a jacket if you feel the cold. Gasp.

 

[TMP]

OOL DPS today wasn't a rip-off at all, well worth it.

I'm glad you had a good experience. Going across to DPS is usually always good. It's DPS as a departure port that sometimes gets talked about as less than ideal.

 

[Harrison_133]

I'm glad you had a good experience. Going across to DPS is usually always good. It's DPS as a departure port that sometimes gets talked about as less than ideal.

I might be an outlier here, but I had a relatively good experience on the DPS-MEL red eye a couple of months ago. The food was great, perhaps one of my favourite meals in VA J recently. Portion sizes were more generous too. Drinks were free flowing for those who weren’t asleep, rope was enforced, and service was as expected from VA.

I knew there wasn’t going to be lounge access, or pillows and blankets, and adjusted my expectations accordingly, especially considering I got the seat at a favourable price. The recliner on a red eye didn’t bother me either. Even if I’d chosen QF (737 to MEL) or JQ J instead, it still would have been a recliner.

Given the choice of red eye recliners on the three, Velocity points/status credits and additional baggage allowance gave extra sway, along with the favourable price. Also to note, Garuda was only operating once a week at the time of travel so their lie-flats weren’t an option this time around.

 

[CorporateFlyerMEL]

I think not having lounge access is a big fail - surely the $40 or $50 that VA would have to pay per pax to a partner lounge is not a show stopper and is really a standard offering for international business class...

 

[jase05]

I think not having lounge access is a big fail - surely the $40 or $50 that VA would have to pay per pax to a partner lounge is not a show stopper and is really a standard offering for international business class...

My understanding is that VA are in some negotiations for lounge access. No idea on how progressed those talks are but I think we will see some movement in that area

 

[simmomelb]

My understanding is that VA are in some negotiations for lounge access. No idea on how progressed those talks are but I think we will see some movement in that area

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