Virgin FF'ers experience on Qantas

[777]

Given that the Virgin forum often hosts posts by Qantas flyers posting about flying virgin for the first time in years and their reaction to it i thought it might be of some interest to post the reverse over here. I've been a Virgin Gold now Platinum for about 3 or 4 years. In that time i've only flown Qantas once or twice domestically and a few more times internationally. Due to not being in control of my arrangements (my hosts booked them) i ended up flying SYD-MEL 7pm last night and i thought some might be interested in my impressions - it was my first QF flight in 2 or so years.

THE GOOD:
* A widebody! - I've become very used to 737s over recent years i'd forgotten the general sense of spaciousness that you get in the old 767
* My seat - i ended up in 24D (or was it C?) in the second row of economy, aisle seat, in what is essentially a mini cabin between the back of business and the main economy section and with the spare middle seat next to me. This seemed like a particularly good seat for a bronze nobody with bugger all status credits for the year ( i selected it myself online a few days ago)
* The terminal - The QF terminal in Sydney is a clear improvement over the VA one (although i spend most of my time in the lounge in the VA one)
* Selection of beers on board - i went the Squire.
* On time: Flight departed more or less on time and got into melbourne only a few minutes late. By contrast my VA flight on the way up was an hour and a half late - although this was unusual and apparently due WX/ ATC in Sydney and not the airline.

THE DIFFERENT:
* The IFE - Virgin have really let themselves down in this department with the changeover. I was actually a big fan of Virgin's LTA but it is on so few flights these days it doesn't really count and most flights currently have none. By contrast it may seem like a small thing but the ABC radio option was great to listen to the cricket, catch up on the news of the day, etc but FFS surely they can get it to tune into the station better than it does? (particularly when on the ground or in the SYD, MEL area). I could take or leave The Big Bang Theory and the rest of it though.
* No lounge access (Not Qantas' fault but given the number of VA reviews that complain about the fact they don't have the Qantas club it is worth a mention)
* Cabin Crew - no sign of the "i hate my job" surliness that i've seen on occasions with Qantas staff in the past but they seemed less engaged and enthusiastic than the VA staff. Part of this may clearly be due to having no status so i won't score it down, i'll just observe it.

THE BAD:
* The meal - I really felt like i was in a time warp with the beef (or was it lamb?), beans, potato thing. It feels like no effort has been made to update it since the 80s and it tasted rubbery. By contrast VA flexi/ BOB (though not hot on short hops) tastes fresh - YMMV though.
* The plane felt old - there was some freying on the seats, the interior felt tired and a bit beaten up
* Announcements - this one was weird to notice but possibly indicative of how much VA have lifted their game on this front recently. Compared to the VA staff the QF announcements seemed a bit unprofessional - maybe a product of the Kath and Kim accent the woman doing the PA had more than anything but sounded quite patronising and annoying (Again, YMMV and i may not have noticed it if i wasn't really looking out for it given the number of times the Virgin PA announcements used to come up in the old days).

All in all it was a perfectly acceptable experience as i managed to snag the things that matter to me most: an aisle, a seat near the front, and a quick exit.

 

[munitalP]

Thanks for the level headed report 777

Too often these quick trip reports turn into a Ford vs Holden thread, I hope this does not. I couldn't agree with you more regarding the food - I seldom eat on a plane unless in J, but the times I have, the meals although more than edible have no flair.

Im off to compose a letter to QF insisting they head hunt Mr Mangan


munitalP

 

[nlagalle]

Great review 777

The 767 is really showing its age now, but the 787 delay slowed the retirement. In hindsight had they done up the cabins when the delays first hit, no one would know the plane is 20 years old! The mini cabin on some of the 767's is rather good though.

Having flown VA rrecently I'd disagree about the PA announcements. I still found them not so serious eespecially during the safety brief. I'll be interested to see how they are this week when I fly them again.

Food is very hit and miss, haven't flown a dinner service for a while though. Definately could do some work there though.

 

[oz_mark]

* The terminal - The QF terminal in Sydney is a clear improvement over the VA one (although i spend most of my time in the lounge in the VA one)

This is a problem in Melbourne as well. Quite something how tatty the common user terminals are compared to the Qantas owned terminals. Not sure what (if anything) DJ can do about it.

 

[Nigelinoz]

I recently had a chance to experience both Virgin and Qantas on the SYD-BNE route,I flew Sydney-Brisbane on Virgin and returned a week later on Qantas,
if my views are of interest to anyone here I am happy to do a post similar to the OP's.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[777]

=Having flown VA rrecently I'd disagree about the PA announcements. I still found them not so serious eespecially during the safety brief. I'll be interested to see how they are this week when I fly them again.

It's actually been a while since i've heard VA read out a safety demo. These days it's usually prerecorded audio.

Having said that it may have been outlier but given the comments regularly made (mostly in the past) about VA on this front i was suprised at how grating the QF PA's were.

This is a problem in Melbourne as well. Quite something how tatty the common user terminals are compared to the Qantas owned terminals. Not sure what (if anything) DJ can do about it.

That is true although the VA terminal in MEL is getting a major overhaul in the not too distant future and the kerbside direct entry to the lounge in SYD has meant i only step foot in the terminal there when i'm heading to the gate. But comparing apples to apples the QF terminals are better.

 

[mosanator]

and the kerbside direct entry to the lounge in SYD has meant i only step foot in the terminal there when i'm heading to the gate. But comparing apples to apples the QF terminals are better.

Kerbside access for QF would be great. I had the opportunity to use kerbside access with my matched status the other day, on the way to a REX flight, to avoid a horrendous security line at T2, and it was fantastic.

It will never happen for QF with the structure at T3, but no harm in dreaming.

 

[nlagalle]

It's actually been a while since i've heard VA read out a safety demo. These days it's usually prerecorded audio.

Having said that it may have been outlier but given the comments regularly made (mostly in the past) about VA on this front i was suprised at how grating the QF PA's were.



That is true although the VA terminal in MEL is getting a major overhaul in the not too distant future and the kerbside direct entry to the lounge in SYD has meant i only step foot in the terminal there when i'm heading to the gate. But comparing apples to apples the QF terminals are better.

Probably has to do with who is behind the mike. I've found the morning one quite chirpy and sometimes later in the day perhaps a tad worn out?

And I am looking forward to trying the Kerb entry in Syd on Friday.

 

[samh004]

Gotta love the mini-cabin

 

[serfty]

With the mini WHY cabin, you had one of the 7 old ex BA VH-ZX's.

As a group they are the the oldest in the fleet being 21-22 years old.

Qantas Fleet of B767 (Active) | Airfleets aviation

I personally detest them.:evil:

 

[pshepvic]

I reckon you might have been able to select that seat just inside 80 hours before the flight - at that point Qantas transfers control to the airport which opens up the seating to everyone to select. Those rows are normally reserved for CL and Platinum, so must not have been taken before T-80 and you've timed it very well!

You say that you are a Virgin FF on Qantas - what does that make me now? I took approx 60 flights with DJ last year, have requalified for Platinum until Sept 2013 (so 2 years at Plat) after 10 months as a status matched Gold (in the first round of matches in 2010). I only have taken 2 international and about 5 or 6 domestic flights with QF in the last 12 months - yet still WP until Sept 2013 as well through some YUPPs in the US. I'm now 3 years WP with QF after 4 as SG.

But based on volume it sure sounds like I am now a Virgin FF that flies QF occasionally!

(I've even talked my die-hard QP lifetime member parents into joining Velocity for their trip to Europe on SQ later in the year!)


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[flyer999]

Virgin might have outsmarted themselves.

As a Platinum FF who usually flies Flexi I often get row 3. Now I have to walk to the back to access the toilet.

I sometimes travel Business for longer flights. Now there is NO Foxtel - just a Digiplayer with outdated material.

I'm back with Qantas for now.

Given that the Virgin forum often hosts posts by Qantas flyers posting about flying virgin for the first time in years and their reaction to it i thought it might be of some interest to post the reverse over here. I've been a Virgin Gold now Platinum for about 3 or 4 years. In that time i've only flown Qantas once or twice domestically and a few more times internationally. Due to not being in control of my arrangements (my hosts booked them) i ended up flying SYD-MEL 7pm last night and i thought some might be interested in my impressions - it was my first QF flight in 2 or so years.

THE GOOD:
* A widebody! - I've become very used to 737s over recent years i'd forgotten the general sense of spaciousness that you get in the old 767
* My seat - i ended up in 24D (or was it C?) in the second row of economy, aisle seat, in what is essentially a mini cabin between the back of business and the main economy section and with the spare middle seat next to me. This seemed like a particularly good seat for a bronze nobody with bugger all status credits for the year ( i selected it myself online a few days ago)
* The terminal - The QF terminal in Sydney is a clear improvement over the VA one (although i spend most of my time in the lounge in the VA one)
* Selection of beers on board - i went the Squire.
* On time: Flight departed more or less on time and got into melbourne only a few minutes late. By contrast my VA flight on the way up was an hour and a half late - although this was unusual and apparently due WX/ ATC in Sydney and not the airline.

THE DIFFERENT:
* The IFE - Virgin have really let themselves down in this department with the changeover. I was actually a big fan of Virgin's LTA but it is on so few flights these days it doesn't really count and most flights currently have none. By contrast it may seem like a small thing but the ABC radio option was great to listen to the cricket, catch up on the news of the day, etc but FFS surely they can get it to tune into the station better than it does? (particularly when on the ground or in the SYD, MEL area). I could take or leave The Big Bang Theory and the rest of it though.
* No lounge access (Not Qantas' fault but given the number of VA reviews that complain about the fact they don't have the Qantas club it is worth a mention)
* Cabin Crew - no sign of the "i hate my job" surliness that i've seen on occasions with Qantas staff in the past but they seemed less engaged and enthusiastic than the VA staff. Part of this may clearly be due to having no status so i won't score it down, i'll just observe it.

THE BAD:
* The meal - I really felt like i was in a time warp with the beef (or was it lamb?), beans, potato thing. It feels like no effort has been made to update it since the 80s and it tasted rubbery. By contrast VA flexi/ BOB (though not hot on short hops) tastes fresh - YMMV though.
* The plane felt old - there was some freying on the seats, the interior felt tired and a bit beaten up
* Announcements - this one was weird to notice but possibly indicative of how much VA have lifted their game on this front recently. Compared to the VA staff the QF announcements seemed a bit unprofessional - maybe a product of the Kath and Kim accent the woman doing the PA had more than anything but sounded quite patronising and annoying (Again, YMMV and i may not have noticed it if i wasn't really looking out for it given the number of times the Virgin PA announcements used to come up in the old days).

All in all it was a perfectly acceptable experience as i managed to snag the things that matter to me most: an aisle, a seat near the front, and a quick exit.

 

[777]

I reckon you might have been able to select that seat just inside 80 hours before the flight - at that point Qantas transfers control to the airport which opens up the seating to everyone to select. Those rows are normally reserved for CL and Platinum, so must not have been taken before T-80 and you've timed it very well!

That timing sounds about right but it's a total accident. I logged into my QFF account to add my number to the booking and selected a seat at that time. Total fluke and i have to say it was a total surprise to realise how good a seat i'd snagged when i got on board.

 

[777]

Virgin might have outsmarted themselves.

As a Platinum FF who usually flies Flexi I often get row 3. Now I have to walk to the back to access the toilet.

I sometimes travel Business for longer flights. Now there is NO Foxtel - just a Digiplayer with outdated material.

I'm back with Qantas for now.

I'm with you on the IFE - not enough to think about switching (for now) but Virgin have screwed up with this one and i'm looking forward to the "Stage 2" announcement and the details of the "Stage 1" implementation. The toilet thing is inconvenient but i thought QF 737's were exactly the same?

 

[nlagalle]

I'm with you on the IFE - not enough to think about switching (for now) but Virgin have screwed up with this one and i'm looking forward to the "Stage 2" announcement and the details of the "Stage 1" implementation. The toilet thing is inconvenient but i thought QF 737's were exactly the same?

In theory yes, and depending on the sector it is sometimes enforced. Generally on the longer legs but the shorter ones sometimes not as the trolley often blocks the way

 

[Mal]

Virgin might have outsmarted themselves.

As a Platinum FF who usually flies Flexi I often get row 3. Now I have to walk to the back to access the toilet.

I sometimes travel Business for longer flights. Now there is NO Foxtel - just a Digiplayer with outdated material.

I'm back with Qantas for now.

Qantas enforces the no j toilet rule for y pax. Ive seen people shunted down the back.

On an older 737 or some 767s, ie most of the golden triangle fleet the best you will get with qantas is a small video screen shared amongst many pax... And showing horrid repeats of cheesy us sitcoms.

I can't work out what is different with the two examples youve given.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[thewinchester]

Im off to compose a letter to QF insisting they head hunt Mr Mangan

From experience, you'll have much better results getting a fair bit of red wine into you before making an in-joke about the NPPP in front of Neil himself (nods to awilcockson).

 

[flyer999]

Sorry, the difference is that Virgin gave up their great marketing edge (Premium and Foxtel) to become the same as Qantas.

Qantas enforces the no j toilet rule for y pax. Ive seen people shunted down the back.

On an older 737 or some 767s, ie most of the golden triangle fleet the best you will get with qantas is a small video screen shared amongst many pax... And showing horrid repeats of cheesy us sitcoms.

I can't work out what is different with the two examples youve given.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[QF WP]

I agree with munitalP that it was a very balanced view 777. As one of the ones who have gone the other way and posted in the "first time" thread, I continue to look forward to what I am now getting with VA.

Similarly, I am intrigued to see what you and other VA FF's think of the QF product.

 

[777]

THe one other thing i forgot to mention was that (from afar) Priority boarding looked like a bit of a debacle - two lines and two people processing them but it seemed to be ignored and/or chaotic. People physically couldn't get to the priority line easily because of the way the regular line had formed in front of it. Obviously i wasn't trying to use it but it seemed a lot less smooth than VA on front that.