Virgin to remove bagfree fares from Domestic Routes

[Standby]

just spotted this industry release..I wonder if their T class fare will go down to the old S level or is this an effective $10-15 fare increase at the bottom end of their tariff.Time will tell
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Effective 17 March 2015, Virgin Australia will commence a Fare Class re-alignment across our Domestic and Trans-Tasman markets, removing the Saver Lite brand from all markets except Trans-Tasman. All fares will now include complimentary luggage across the network. This change has been made as a result of strong customer feedback and streamlines the airline's product offering.
We are retaining a single booking class on Trans-Tasman sectors as bagless to maintain parity with our Trans-Tasman partner Air New Zealand. All ticketed Saver Lite fares remain valid.
As part of this re-alignment, please see below a summary of these changes.
Domestic Fare Class Changes
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[TD]'S' class Saver Lite fare brand is being removed from the Domestic fare structure
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[blackcat20]

Can't remember the last time I checked a bag domestically, but got to be a good thing for overhead overcrowding.

 

[Virgin Bart]

I haven't travelled domestically with baggage for years. No idea why the change, it's just restricting choice. As long as we don't see an across the board rise I'm happy.

 

[opusman]

Can't remember the last time I checked a bag domestically, but got to be a good thing for overhead overcrowding.

QF has free baggage on all fares and the overheads are always stuffed.

 

[TomVexille]

Interesting. So VA are removing a LCC feature.

 

[andye]

Interesting. So VA are removing a LCC feature.

BA have Hand Baggage Only fares (with no baggage even with status) on shorthaul. I'm not sure if this refutes or confirms your point

 

[JohnK]

Sounds like an excuse for a fare increase to me.

 

[TomVexille]

BA have Hand Baggage Only fares (with no baggage even with status) on shorthaul. I'm not sure if this refutes or confirms your point

Oh I'm well aware So do other carriers like NZ.

It's just that there's plenty of anti-VA sentiment around that like throwing around the LCC line

It will be interesting to see if fares go up $10 across the board or not.

 

[Mattg]

I cannot see them reducing the price of Saver fares by $10-$15. Case in point, when they removed Saver Lite fares on flights to/from CBR the Saver fares stayed at existing levels, meaning the cheapest fares suddenly became more expensive...

 

[a330j]

Sounds like an excuse for a fare increase to me.

Not much doubt about that

 

[dk4]

Not much doubt about that

Yep, price increase pure and simple, with the added effect of diluting high status benefits.

Virgin following suit with the Qantas enhancement playbook!

 

[Wezza]

Can't say I'm too happy about this development.

 

[stux]

Yep, price increase pure and simple, with the added effect of diluting high status benefits.

Virgin following suit with the Qantas enhancement playbook!

Yep,

Quite enjoyed travelling on 3x Saver Lite + infant, in row 3, *AND* having two bags checked in as a plat, and a stroller, and a booster seat and a car seat. and 4 or items of carry on. Most amount of luggage without actually paying for it!

 

[moa999]

Pity. Was great fare for elites, even if you had baggage (you got it anyway) albeit much less availability recently

 

[ShortsnThongs]

Would be very interested to see the "strong customer feedback" that led to this. I can't remember the last time I flew with just carry-on, and remarked to the stewards that I wished I had paid more.

 

[basso]

Would be very interested to see the "strong customer feedback" that led to this. I can't remember the last time I flew with just carry-on, and remarked to the stewards that I wished I had paid more.

It was probably strong words that were said by Saver Lite people turning up with luggage being asked to cough up ($80?). That and the fact that some people pointed to that as an indication it was still an LCC. (TV)

 

[Milefest]

They're removing the only fare that is consistently sold out months in advance due to customer feedback? I'd like to know which customers they're talking to.

 

[TomVexille]

They're removing the only fare that is consistently sold out months in advance due to customer feedback? I'd like to know which customers they're talking to.

The ones that book two days out and never have access to these fares

 

[jackthomas]

Because everyone absolutely HATES those pesky Saver Lites... ( These are flights Mid April Btw)

 

[Milefest]

Because everyone absolutely HATES those pesky Saver Lites... ( These are flights Mid April Btw)

View attachment 42807

Looks like I'm bulk buying saver lites next happy hour, heh