Virgin Food [Flexi Fare]

[Jousams]

Mate, was in 3C! (Why you take my fav. seat in 3F )

Annoyed also with the lady that barged passed me once we were deplaining..... DYKWIA moment for her?

I prefer 3A but I was told in the lounge I would have a shadow in 3F.... Idk what happened to that.

And yes I noticed her, i don't ever understand the rush to get off the plane...

 

[bullerdude]

Flexi fares only include the soft drinks in that 5-7pm windows now. Outside of this windows it is just the regular tea, coffee, water, juice offering.

Flexi guests receive a complimentary snack and beverages – including complimentary beer, cider, wine and soft drinks on flights with a schedule departure time between 5pm and 7pm, Monday to Friday.

 

[Intra]

I prefer 3A but I was told in the lounge I would have a shadow in 3F.... Idk what happened to that.

And yes I noticed her, i don't ever understand the rush to get off the plane...

And I thought I'd be the one with a shadow in 4F.... Neither 3/4E had shadows, yet 3/4B are the ones usually W/O shadows. Kinda glad I moved from 4F into 3C...

I'll have you know I outpaced her on her way to baggage claim, not that I had any Straight onto the free/dumb rail-buses for me....

 

[Jousams]

And I tho ught I'd be the one with a shadow in 4F.... Neither 3/4E had shadows, yet 3/4B are the ones usually W/O shadows. Kinda glad I moved from 4F into 3C...

I'll have you know I outpaced her on her way to baggage claim, not that I had any Straight onto the free/dumb rail-buses for me....

I thought you had a part-shadow. 3B seamed to disappear for half the flight.

 

[Jurahn]

Flexi fares only include the soft drinks in that 5-7pm windows now. Outside of this windows it is just the regular tea, coffee, water, juice offering.

No free soft drinks for us on our MEL-OOL flight in early March, (both of us on flexi fares) - it was a 5.30pm departure, but we were only offered tea/coffee/water/juice.

 

[Intra]

I thought you had a part-shadow. 3B seamed to disappear for half the flight.

Someone was sitting in 3C when I boarded, kicked her back to her assigned seat..... Then someone (Same person?) sat in 3B just as the seatbelt sign was turned on for landing....

Must of had a word with the crew, he showing her the seat. She didn't have a tight connection that's for sure.

 

[Cessna 180]

Was on Cooly to Mel 1150 dep flexi, (as that was all that was available when I booked last night).

Was offered a 'flexi meal' which consisted of two small dry biscuits and a peice of cheese along with a cup of T.

Why do they even bother with this? Barley even one mouthfull, if I had people over and offered them this I would be embarresed.

The other day my mate was on a flight between 5 and 7 and asked for a soft drink and they told him that he would have to pay as only beer and wine were included!:?:

So it sounds like the included beer/wine on the Perth flights is only between 5 and 7 now too?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The other day my mate was on a flight between 5 and 7 and asked for a soft drink and they told him that he would have to pay as only beer and wine were included!:?:

I think this has always been the (ridiculous) case. I do recall many posts here on AFF complaining of this ludicrous anomaly.

So it sounds like the included beer/wine on the Perth flights is only between 5 and 7 now too?

Not really. The T&Cs are still fairly clear and if you read candyflips post, that flight departed at 5pm. Admittedly, candyflip has not yet confirmed if the alcohol was beer/wine or spirits.

 

[esquire]

Was on Cooly to Mel 1150 dep flexi, (as that was all that was available when I booked last night).

Was offered a 'flexi meal' which consisted of two small dry biscuits and a peice of cheese along with a cup of T.

Why do they even bother with this? Barley even one mouthfull, if I had people over and offered them this I would be embarresed.

The other day my mate was on a flight between 5 and 7 and asked for a soft drink and they told him that he would have to pay as only beer and wine were included!:?:

So it sounds like the included beer/wine on the Perth flights is only between 5 and 7 now too?

The same thing happened to a colleague who flew SYD-PER - was told soft drinks are never complimentary and have to be paid for. So he asked for a wine and then passed it back later. Since he doesn't drink I asked why? -'that'll cost them more than me having nothing'.

Last week I did a BNE-SYD flexi - the "Snack" offerings (or now non-offerings) are pathetic. After spending $307 for the flight the offering was a 25g "muesli and honey finger slice" and a cup of water. (Sorry tea and coffee was cancelled due to potential turbulence - except the the passengers in J it seams).

I asked for the dietary or ingredient information on the slice (as the packaging only states that it may contain gluten, diary and nuts) and got a blank look back. I was then later told to check the website.... (which, once on land, I did land guess what... no info available)...

Oh and the VA wi-fi entertainment system was "Broken" on the flight as well.

Thanks VA

 

[N860CR]

It's funny isn't it... Qantas is in a bit of a mess at the moment and virgin are in the perfect position to step in and clean up - but they play stupid games like this!

 

[Cessna 180]

Yes, and everybody seems to be saying that Qantas is is a mess or whatever, but from an on bored service point of view they seem to be streets ahead of late in my opinion anyway.
Since I started flying regularly on V a couple years ago they seem to be getting worse, and are often more expensive than Q now.

The only advatage I see is that velocity points seem to be easier to redeem for domestic flights and better value.

 

[under the radar]

It's funny isn't it... Qantas is in a bit of a mess at the moment and virgin are in the perfect position to step in and clean up - but they play stupid games like this!

I agree..VAs main focus was blowing QF out of the water (so to speak)..at the same time trying to 'be all, for all'.. and they have discovered their spending budget on certain aspects of their product doesn't stretch as far as they wanted it to

QF will always get more 'press' than VA..and VA are well aware of this..so 'tweaking'('enhancing') certain aspects of their product goes largely 'unnoticed' by the 'general public'....as an example..QFs recent change of its beer offerings inflight got quite a bit of 'media' coverage...why??? because it's QF!! :shock:

 

[N860CR]

I almost feel privileged that my 8 or so per week domestic sector days are behind me. Virgin were great when they started the "game changing" program and I really enjoyed flying with them, but it started to go down hill just as I swapped to international travel. Now it seems the game is over, and it's been lost.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I almost feel privileged that my 8 or so per week domestic sector days are behind me. Virgin were great when they started the "game changing" program and I really enjoyed flying with them, but it started to go down hill just as I swapped to international travel. Now it seems the game is over, and it's been lost.

I relate to you there. My big dom sector flying seems to be past and a lot of my flying is now int. What VA taught me is that there is no such thing as loyalty and as such, my flying reflects this. A year ago, I don't think I'd flown even one reward flight.....everything was pay-in-full. Over the past year and the next year or so is almost entirely reward bookings with VA. Any pay-in-full flights are going to a combination of QF, PX and EK. Sorry VA.........you taught me well, there IS no such thing as loyalty.

 

[OzEire]

I am on the record (in another similar thread) as saying that I rarely feel like eating on my many short domestic flights. I didn't often take advantage of the buttery/cheesy wrap in the old "flex" fare days... but the offering now is a bit of a joke... I mean a 25g muesli bar or the like. I still rarely eat these offerings but I find it amusing that somewhere in the VA machine they think this is competing with the QF meal service ? Give me a break. Like N860CR said, QF are penny pinching toward the same style of snack (eroding one of their only points of differentiation) - which means VA don't really need to compete - but the single cookie option makes a mockery of calling it a meal !

Looking at the VA in-flight menu (where offered) just shows how farcical their "Flexi meal" is... in the snack section you get things around the 25-50g mark, cookies, etc. and in the meal section the weights are more like 150-200g and consist of sandwiches and the like... so VA know the difference between a snack and a meal. It would just be a shame if anyone actually booked a Flex Fare for the included meal and ended up with one of these items.

Its not all complaining ... I have a solution: keep up with what is already happening and make it easier to take food from the lounge to the plane, little take away snack packs or individual portion items... better than some of the attempts I have seen of wrapping a toasted sandwich in a napkin! Of course, I expect that VA will take the other path, stick rather than carrot, and just more closely police the removal of food from the lounge.

OzE

 

[Jousams]

I don't know about everyone else, but ultimately, I can deal with the tiny 'snack' as the reason I use flexi flights is because I'm constantly changing my schedule. However, what I cannot handle is the no soft drink included?

Is the Velocity rep able to clear this up.
What are the beverage entitlements for flexi fares, and have they recently changed?

 

[OzEire]

I don't know about everyone else, but ultimately, I can deal with the tiny 'snack' as the reason I use flexi flights is because I'm constantly changing my schedule.

Except that the VA Flexi is not very good for that either... [OT] I am in the same situation: I buy them because my schedule is rarely fixed, it changes frequently, often at short notice (<24 hrs) but within the T-48 window it is not possible to makes changes online (often outside T-48 online doesn;t work either), once checked-in there is no possibility of making changes which means that you have to be proactive and ask the VA staff not to activate a return leg if it is same-day... and if you have started a return journey the flexibility of many options drop to almost zero. Hardly flexible or suitable for a dynamic schedule... I need to be focused on my work not constantly thinking about what I can and cannot do with my darned VA ticket !

As others have suggested it might be easier to just book the cheapest fare upon arrival at the airport (or in the taxi enroute to the airport). [/OT]

 

[Jousams]

Except that the VA Flexi is not very good for that either... [OT] I am in the same situation: I buy them because my schedule is rarely fixed, it changes frequently, often at short notice (<24 hrs) but within the T-48 window it is not possible to makes changes online (often outside T-48 online doesn;t work either), once checked-in there is no possibility of making changes which means that you have to be proactive and ask the VA staff not to activate a return leg if it is same-day... and if you have started a return journey the flexibility of many options drop to almost zero. Hardly flexible or suitable for a dynamic schedule... I need to be focused on my work not constantly thinking about what I can and cannot do with my darned VA ticket !

As others have suggested it might be easier to just book the cheapest fare upon arrival at the airport (or in the taxi enroute to the airport). [/OT]

I find that contacting the GCC during my commute or even while I'm working is convenient and the most efficient way for me. Most of my bookings are multi city, so I don't get charged. For the price being paid, I'm am sufficiently satisfied with the flexibility I am provided with (I.e I cannot see the cost-benefit reasoning behind a QFF fully flexible fare)

But seriously. "You must pay $4 for a can of coke even though you are on a fully inclusive fare and are a WP member",
This is not okay

 

[desiredusername]

I fly international up the 'other pointy end'. the chips and cans are handy, the 'toasted' thing is nice (but tiny) and I enjoy the dinner (beef). Even the sausage and egg is nice for breakfast.

 

[JohnK]

Why do they even bother with this? Barley even one mouthfull, if I had people over and offered them this I would be embarresed.

So they can compete with Qantas' snack offering?