What I would like Velocity to do in 2014.

[JohnK]

I'm not sure I comprehend the VA logic with this. On one hand, they don't want to keep giving away J seats but on the other they don't want to fly a plane with 1 x J pax either. At least I'm assuming that would be the case.

I am not in marketing but I would have thought a half full business cabin would be much better than an empty business cabin.

Qantas appears to fill their business cabins on the same routes with much higher airfares so I am guessing a lot are points upgrades and more than likely ODUs. Doesnt seem to have harmed the Qantas brand. Or has it?

 

[Kieran2274]

Other than that sole flight, besides an almost full E190 BNE-CNS J Cabin late last year, its been very nice to enjoy J cabin to myself

I find I get very well looked after in a full-ish J cabin on VA, so I feel incredibly spoilt when it's just me in J - the FAs often have a little chat with me when it's like that, and it can be quite informative.

 

[apacau]

I think you'll find a good number of the filled J seats on QF domestic are QF (and sometimes JQ) staff. Whereas VA staff don't have access to J class on either personal or duty domestic travel - makes a big difference in a small J cabin.

 

[Bofter]

Talking about upgrades, it seems that we are all too practical to suggest the approach of unlimited free upgrades as per some US schemes. Make the priority on a rolling 12 month status credit basis then you really would have motivation to keep flying after re-qualification. For the amount Virgin are now asking for some flexi fares, allowing this from flexi fares only might not be that crazy (effectively the four complementary plat flexi upgrades become unlimited domestically, or perhaps turn the four into confirmed and the others standby).

Allowing status passengers to do points upgrade from Saver fares would seem a reasonable approach, and actually simply match what Qantas permits domestically.

 

[Clivem]

Well I guess my 'wish' is really for Virgin as well as Velocity. (if there is a difference?) I would like to see a decent increase to the carry-on allowance for Business and WP passengers. 2 x 7kg seems reasonable.

That is a decent fairly simple value add that would be good and not break the bank one would think ........ Not that I have seen them get to dogmatic when it comes to J / WP carry on ......... It seems like a lot of casual Y punters are getting away with bring the kitchen sink on board anyway these days .....

 

[Clivem]

Oddly I've always found the leisure routes I've flown (SYD to OOL, MCY, MKY) have had full J while my SYD-BNE,MEL etc are always empty.

Possible simple reasons for that is ..... No J lounge offer from VA in BNE / SYD / MEL....

I'm fortunate to be able to pick and choose who I fly with and I am more 'pro' VA than QF - I like their VA7/8 BNE-LAX-BNE J service (except when they sacrifice the VA7 & 8's shc'd when things go pear shape to 'protect' the VA1 / 2 service - Grrrrrrr) - I really like the VA J trans-cont. J service - and just in general I find the VA staff all round, far more pleasant to deal with.

But when I'm on the golden triangle in J of late I have been choosing QF in no small part due to the J lounge offer in BNE / SYD / MEL ....... I think if VA want to see more J pax on the BNE/SYD/MEL triangle they are going to have to look at J / WP lounges

 

[maninblack]

The OP started this thread with the title "What I would like Velocity to do in 2014" which I take as referring to the actual Virgin Airlines Frequent Flyer Scheme and not the actual services and offerings of the airline itself.

If I'm correct then there's an opportunity for a new thread "What I would like Virgin Airlines to do in 2014".

I'm not so sure as extra luggage benefits on many airlines are related to both to class of travel as well as status which is part of or related to the FF scheme. I don't really care about who grants what to whom or how it all works internally, just know that VA has a lousy carry on allowance for elite's and J customers.

 

[777]

I think you'll find a good number of the filled J seats on QF domestic are QF (and sometimes JQ) staff. Whereas VA staff don't have access to J class on either personal or duty domestic travel - makes a big difference in a small J cabin.

I flew Qantas domestic J yesterday for the first time in ages and was amazed to see that literally half the passengers were (obviously) staff. Is this normal?

 

[maninblack]

I flew Qantas domestic J yesterday for the first time in ages and was amazed to see that literally half the passengers were (obviously) staff. Is this normal?

It certainly used to be but in recent years I have not seen it so much. It used to rather annoy me flying up to CNS in J and seeing half the cabin being not QF crew but Australian Airlines crew! This was a regular occurrence and the FA's would even serve them the meal service in the normal sequence with a hell of a lot of chit chat rather than serving paying passengers first.

PS. Yes I did lodge a letter of complaint and the meal practice did change.