Virgin's cheap business class fares are no longer that cheap

[jase05]

Well, they gave them another hike a few days back. All the $350 'cheapies' have now been removed from Fri-Sun, and now only apply Mon-Thu.

Fri-Sun prices are bumped up to $559.

These changes were also applied to business class points rewards on those days - all savers removed Fri-Sun. Now all fares are minimum 80,500 points, so 5x the cost of Qantas. Even Mon-Thu were bumped up to 48,600 points, so still 3x Qantas price now. No idea what they're thinking. Is this "wonderful?"

Those points prices you are seeing aren’t reward flights though.
In those instances you are using your points as a form of currency (similar to QF’s Points plus pay) and it’s always a ridiculous amount of points. I would bet that the route you are looking at the QF points plus play would be a similar figure if not more.
To satisfy my curiosity I checked out MEL-SYD in J and VA want 76,700 points, QF want 202,000 points

 

[odysseus]

Those points prices you are seeing aren’t reward flights though.
In those instances you are using your points as a form of currency (similar to QF’s Points plus pay) and it’s always a ridiculous amount of points. I would bet that the route you are looking at the QF points plus play would be a similar figure if not more.
To satisfy my curiosity I checked out MEL-SYD in J and VA want 76,700 points, QF want 202,000 points

I'm familiar with that option. As I said, VA made a change a few days back to what I wrote - yes, technically, it's due to the removal off all Business rewards rather than a change in cost, but the result is effectively the same. I noticed as had been looking and suddenly every flight on every day - including ones which had been lower earlier when I checked were at the new figures. I then checked all other times and days in the same week, then in subsequent weeks. And have checked out dates all the way to October. The same flights on the same days have the new prices. There is nothing I could find at the old prices on the key triangle routes. There are no Business Rewards offered, only Business FF redemptions, resulting in these prices on every single flight.

Feel free to check for yourself.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

And have checked out dates all the way to October. The same flights on the same days have the new prices. There is nothing I could find at the old prices on the key triangle routes. There are no Business Rewards offered, only Business FF redemptions, resulting in these prices on every single flight.

Feel free to check for yourself.

I just chose a random date and flight SYD-MEL...



At a brief skim through the results, there are plenty of flights with a business reward seat available.

However, I haven't seen more than one business reward seat available per SYD-MEL flight for the few days I looked at.

 

[stm1sydney]

No it's not just you. They have increased quite substantially, and as a result I will not be doing anything to retain my Plat membership.

In fact I won't be buying any VA tickets at all, just letting my Velocity membership fall to Gold.

I guess that won't worry them, as their business seats are still cheaper than ripoff Qantas.

I'm confused. Why drop VA if they are still better than the competition?

 

[simmomelb]

I'm confused. Why drop VA if they are still better than the competition?

I was thinking the same.
The discounted bus class wasn't going to last forever, they are still cheaper than what they were pre covid for the destinations I fly to.

 

[Happy Dude]

Looking at CBR-ADL return (with stopovers, ofcourse) in VA ... nothing less than $1000 return. Used to be $700-ish return. Can confirm that some of the fares are still in the $700 return mark with promo codes (which, the latest one, is valid until 31/03 only)

In October 2022, I flew CBR-MEL-ADL on a choice fare and ADL-MEL-CBR in J for $504.90. Booked a bit less than two months in advance.

In 2022, booked the same routes for Nov 23 all in J for $769.99 and also CBR-OOL-CBR in J in Sep 2023 for $713.31 (using the VA Amex offer).

So, IMO fair to say that the prices have increased, and by a decent margin.

 

[Ade]

In October 2022, I flew CBR-MEL-ADL on a choice fare and ADL-MEL-CBR in J for $504.90. Booked a bit less than two months in advance.

In 2022, booked the same routes for Nov 23 all in J for $769.99 and also CBR-OOL-CBR in J in Sep 2023 for $713.31 (using the VA Amex offer).

So, IMO fair to say that the prices have increased, and by a decent margin.

Last night I booked CBR-MEL-ADL return for $1050. Used to be $900ish.

 

[twinaisle]

Because inflation, fuels costs and most things are rising but unrealistic expectations from most of you expect things to remain cheap for your convenience.

 

[Happy Dude]

Because inflation, fuels costs and most things are rising but unrealistic expectations from most of you expect things to remain cheap for your convenience.

Those things were an issue when I booked in August and probably haven't changed much since then, but VA's prices have.

No-one is expecting to pay last years price forever, but the timing of the increases suggest VA was just late to the party and is catching up.

 

[odysseus]

I just chose a random date and flight SYD-MEL...

View attachment 314616

At a brief skim through the results, there are plenty of flights with a business reward seat available.

However, I haven't seen more than one business reward seat available per SYD-MEL flight for the few days I looked at.

Sorry, all my searches had been for 2 pax. So they've changed it to only 1 business seat available as a reward now.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've been booking SYD-MEL weekly commutes since November last year. The $298 fares have increased to $349. The fares even at $298 were only available Mon - Thu. So that hasn't changed since November.

Rex led the price increase, followed a week or so later by VA. But Rex offers the $349 daily, without restriction

 

[simmomelb]

I've been booking SYD-MEL weekly commutes since November last year. The $298 fares have increased to $349. The fares even at $298 were only available Mon - Thu. So that hasn't changed since November.

Rex led the price increase, followed a week or so later by VA. But Rex offers the $349 daily, without restriction

I've noticed Rex J pricing has increased significantly also. They had all (most?) J at $299 from Melb
to Syd, Bris and GC, it's nothing like that now.
Rex pricing is now between $349 and $697.99.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've noticed Rex J pricing has increased significantly also. They had all (most?) J at $299 from Melb
to Syd, Bris and GC, it's nothing like that now.
Rex pricing is now between $349 and $697.99.

Yeah, REX upped from $299 to $349 in December some time. VA followed.

Sometimes rex fares are higher, but it’s unusual.

 

[simmomelb]

Yeah, REX upped from $299 to $349 in December some time. VA followed.

Sometimes rex fares are higher, but it’s unusual.

I find VA cheaper with a discount code for 21 day advance bookings.
Also prefer VA for the status points/lounges.
I don't blame either for upping the price given the current situation.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I do Murray's if no QF/VA reward seats on Fri-Sun

Ha ha, and probably just as quick in the end, Murrays run a slick operation.

While I'm generally philosophically aligned with free supply and demand, I don't pay over the odds unless I absolutely have to. Yes, I have noticed VA J fares on the rise - but they are readying for an IPO; what would you do?

You're a WP now anyway; the world is your oyster.

 

[Ade]

I don't pay over the odds unless I absolutely have to.

Me too. OR if work is paying for the flights, then I choose to top up and pay the difference between Y and J ... Also living in CBR, most of the capital cities are less than 2 hours by flight, which reduces the need for a J seat ... In an upcoming work trip I paid the difference between Y and J and my dad was like, "why? CBR to ADL is only a hour or so" ... but I was like "yeaaaa, but I'll get 220 SC with a connection in MEL and the top up was like $200 in total" ...

Murrays run a slick operation.

Oh yes, sire, they do! Living in the city, it's sometimes easier to just walk up to Murrays and ask for a seat (or purchase a Flex seat and request to be put on an earlier service) ...

but they are readying for an IPO; what would you do?

That's true ... Hopefully they open at an economical rate and I could invest in ...

 

[RooFlyer]

That's true ... Hopefully they open at an economical rate and I could invest in ...

A float out of a private equity firm. You will not get a bargain. You’ll be lucky to break even after five years.

Used to work for one.

 

[simmomelb]

So I've just been kicked out of J for my flight in 48 hours from Brisbane to Cairns due to a change of aircraft (737-700).
The odd thing is that my flight back to Brisbane VA770 (6 am 30th Jan) is also on a 737-700 but showing J as available.
Has anyone seen a VA 737-700 with J? (I didn't think this was a thing).

 

[AIRwin]

Has anyone seen a VA 737-700 with J? (I didn't think this was a thing).

There are 2 from Virgin Blue (VB) days - VBY and VBZ

 

[simmomelb]

There are 2 from Virgin Blue (VB) days - VBY and VBZ

Ahhh, interesting, that's great news then, thank you
So those 2 x 737-700's aren't part of the "to be" FIFO fleet, but part of the main fleet?