Virgin Business class

[sambo517]

I researched some VA direct flights for March 2024 from PER-ADL VA712 or VA 716 & return leg VA717 or VA721, but to my amazement no business class available.
They are operating A320's not B737's. Even their flex ticket you still pay for food according to VA's web site.
Looks like the usual QF flights in J no problem.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I researched some VA direct flights for March 2024 from PER-ADL VA712 or VA 716 & return leg VA717 or VA721, but to my amazement no business class available.
They are operating A320's not B737's. Even their flex ticket you still pay for food according to VA's web site.
Looks like the usual QF flights in J no problem.

Yeah, know frustration for ADL-PER flyers! The a320 has no premium cabin.

The alternative would have been a Eurobusiness… blocked middle seat and full business service. Seems like a lost opportunity. Could have charged a premium economy surcharge.

 

[antycbr]

Yeah, know frustration for ADL-PER flyers! The a320 has no premium cabin.

The alternative would have been a Eurobusiness… blocked middle seat and full business service. Seems like a lost opportunity. Could have charged a premium economy surcharge.

Doing that adds operational complexity and ticketing complexity. Easier to not sell something that will add only a small additional amount of revenue.

 

[sambo517]

Yeah, know frustration for ADL-PER flyers! The a320 has no premium cabin.

The alternative would have been a Eurobusiness… blocked middle seat and full business service. Seems like a lost opportunity. Could have charged a premium economy surcharge.

I fly JQ from PER to DPS & return in A320's all economy cabins at least the last 16 trips there & and back. I've always get myself seated in 1A or 1C, but never 1B.
QF stop flying B737's on Oct 25th 2008 to DPs from PER and JQ took on the route.
My last trip from Bali in QF J was Oct 18th 2008, DPS to PER

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Pain in bum but if you want VA J from PER to ADL on points, you have to go via MEL or SYD on points and pay Y from MEL/SYD to ADL.
I live in ADL.
OR buy a comfort seat booking and VA lounge access in PER or ADL at $65 each.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Doing that adds operational complexity and ticketing complexity. Easier to not sell something that will add only a small additional amount of revenue.

Maybe. If flights are going out full not much point. But could realise extra revenue if they aren’t.

 

[simmomelb]

I researched some VA direct flights for March 2024 from PER-ADL VA712 or VA 716 & return leg VA717 or VA721, but to my amazement no business class available.
They are operating A320's not B737's. Even their flex ticket you still pay for food according to VA's web site.
Looks like the usual QF flights in J no problem.

This is temporary, the 7 X A320's belong to VARA (for FIFO), so not part of their mainline fleet, they've been doing the PER - ADL route for some months now on and off.
VA need them until more aircraft arrive, so they can either reduce flights on routes or use the spare A320's as an interim measure.
They will be back in VARA territory in a few months (hopefully).

 

[jase05]

Yeah, it’s a pain flying ADL-PER and has forced us to fly QF on that route. Would prefer to fly VA but not sitting in Y for that length of time

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I have tried the comfort seat booking with VARA when they did the F100 plane run.
I think 1 call to the VA outsourced booking team in MNL was all that was required.
$9xx for VA comfort seat, one way booking vs QF J $17xx obe way booking ADL - PER or vv.

 

[juliusg]

We've done Adel - Per twice. F100 front row was OK, that was 2019 and we could buy Chardonnay and feel kind of happy. Last october our flight was cancelled and rebooked, in both cases A320 but our seating was up back and cough warm Sav Blanc. Hellship. Never again.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I have done the F100 too, and the 320.
As the F100 is very noisy down the back, not a lot of people like it.
For both of them planes, the seats will give you bum burn if your flight is 3.5 hours, as there is little padding.
Living in ADL, if I wanted to go to PER again with VA, I would buy a comfort seat booking, at the least, for the 320.
Seeing VARA does not have any F100s anymore on RPT to and from ADL.
Havent done the 737-700 yet.
===
Tho, if they are going to keep flying their 320s, they should at the least take out the first 2 rows of the 320, put in 2x2 per row, and sell them as premY as distinct from econX.

 

[PERLHR]

I have done the F100 too, and the 320.
As the F100 is very noisy down the back, not a lot of people like it.
For both of them planes, the seats will give you bum burn if your flight is 3.5 hours, as there is little padding.
Living in ADL, if I wanted to go to PER again with VA, I would buy a comfort seat booking, at the least, for the 320.
Seeing VARA does not have any F100s anymore on RPT to and from ADL.
Havent done the 737-700 yet.
===
Tho, if they are going to keep flying their 320s, they should at the least take out the first 2 rows of the 320, put in 2x2 per row, and sell them as premY as distinct from econX.o

I thought the 320s were mainly used for FIFO? Doubt they will ever provide better seats on the 320.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

VA have now started to use the 320 on RPT from ADL to PER and back.
No J.
Very occasionally, they had/have the 737, but its the 7.30pm dep from ADL, and that one tends to get cancelled quite regularly, as its the last tag on flight into ADL from where ever it came from.
Few years ago, indeed, none of their VARA 320s were used as RPT from ADL - PER.
Have flown on VA737s from ADL - PER, several times before someone had the good idea to go el cheapo.