Compensation from A330 to B737 downgauge in J

[shuuy]

in J. West Coast to East Coast from A330 to B737.

Offered (A) $250 travel bank + 30,000 velocity or (B) 60,000 velocity.

Chose option B. What would you have taken?

 

[incumbent]

in J. West Coast to East Coast from A330 to B737.

Offered (A) $250 travel bank + 30,000 velocity or (B) 60,000 velocity.

Chose option B. What would you have taken?

I would have taken B too. Also impressed, as their refusal to grant me any compensation in the past saw me descend from Platinum to Red in the minimum time.

 

[juliusg]

Interestingly the cost difference is $50. Yep, fifty bucks. $1999 for 'The Biz' one way, or $1949 in the 737. One is awesome, the other is truly sub-par.

I reckon this is where things get very messy for VA. Granted not too many people actually pay folding money for these seats but some would. I know I, for one, was bitterly disappointed a while back when the upgrade with points I obtained for my daughter on a red-eye was on a 737. She had to go to work direct from the flight and silly dad didn't check the aircraft type.

'Did you sleep OK sweetie?'

'I tried dad, but the seat was hard and it didn't really recline.....'

That 737 seat is as described. When it arrived I figured it was the bargain basement domestic J seat, bottom of the catalogue. Since then, some of them have gained power but not comfort. Virgin America on the other hand has the gold standard. Mmm, come to think of it, United PS springs to mind....

 

[Mattg]

I value 30,000 Velocity points at more than $250 so would have chosen option B too.

Honestly, I'm pleasantly surprised by that amount of compensation for an aircraft "downgrade".

 

[mmikeemike]

Was it a revenue ticket or award? What status are you?

*edit* just saw VA Plat

 

[smit0847]

I assume a revenue ticket given the compensation is much higher than the cost of an award ticket

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Interestingly the cost difference is $50. Yep, fifty bucks. $1999 for 'The Biz' one way, or $1949 in the 737. One is awesome, the other is truly sub-par.

I reckon this is where things get very messy for VA. Granted not too many people actually pay folding money for these seats but some would. I know I, for one, was bitterly disappointed a while back when the upgrade with points I obtained for my daughter on a red-eye was on a 737. She had to go to work direct from the flight and silly dad didn't check the aircraft type.

'Did you sleep OK sweetie?'

'I tried dad, but the seat was hard and it didn't really recline.....'

That 737 seat is as described. When it arrived I figured it was the bargain basement domestic J seat, bottom of the catalogue. Since then, some of them have gained power but not comfort. Virgin America on the other hand has the gold standard. Mmm, come to think of it, United PS springs to mind....

Business seats are rubbish on the QF B737s as well.

 

[under the radar]

Business seats are rubbish on the QF B737s as well.

another one dragging QF into a VA topic about VA product

 

[esseeeayeenn]

another one dragging QF into a VA topic about VA product

I think it's great that VA offered compensation in this case.
I think it's a real problem that VA sell two very different products at roughly the same price.
The hard product is now so different but the soft product is different too (due to galley restrictions etc).
However, I didn't think it was straying too far off topic to point out that this problem is not unique to VA.
Basically I try to avoid B737s and stick to wide bodied aircraft whenever I am flying in business class, regardless of the airline.

 

[shuuy]

Well, if QF went from nice A330 seats to cough A330 seats they would offer me nothing.

I also get 3x the # of points on my VA tickets as I do for QF, so a bit of a no brainer once qualified for Platinum One.

 

[kalboy]

in J. West Coast to East Coast from A330 to B737.

Offered (A) $250 travel bank + 30,000 velocity or (B) 60,000 velocity.

Chose option B. What would you have taken?

I too would take option B, wondering if you had to request compensation or was it offered ?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Option B would be my take on this too.
Have had it done to me (equiptment swap) by both QF and NZ in whY in the past.
Not a happy pooch in those cases.

 

[dcauson]

How did you approach VA to get the compensation? I couldn't get $40 out of them I paid QF for an extra bag when they kindly re-booked me on a QF flight after a cancellation.

I have had aircraft swaps from 330 to 737 for my last 2 flights from MEL-PER and have yet to try out the new 330 seats as a result.

I make sure I never book flights on the 737s on the transcontinental as even Y on the 330 outdoes the 737 any day. Yet seem to find myself on the 737s all too often. Quite irritating.

 

[theoracle30]

I am on flight VA 696 PER-MEL departing tonight, which was downgraded to a 737 yesterday. Last night VA called me to inform me of the change in product, and offered me $250 in travel bank + 30,000 points (didn't get the 2nd option). The thing is, I'm on an award ticket which cost 33,800 points in the first place... I'll see if the offer actually comes through, although I'm not particularly fussed if it doesn't I have no status with them.

 

[homemade]

I am on flight VA 696 PER-MEL departing tonight, which was downgraded to a 737 yesterday. Last night VA called me to inform me of the change in product, and offered me $250 in travel bank + 30,000 points (didn't get the 2nd option). The thing is, I'm on an award ticket which cost 33,800 points in the first place... I'll see if the offer actually comes through, although I'm not particularly fussed if it doesn't I have no status with them.

wahoo free flight?

 

[tyler21]

Was booked on the 8:30pm Bris-Per flight Thursday, was downgraded 4 hours prior and decided to call VA. Mentioned was flexible in travel arrangements and they offered flight next day via Sydney so all up happy with re-arranged booking. The new J product is fabulous, I would recommend more entertainment content with more up to date music although a minor issue overall.

 

[a330j]

I was reading another thread on AFF about VA subbing in 738s for its 332s on the coast to coast route so I thought I would check my flight in Feb from PER to BNE. I have a J redemption for myself and Mrs a330j and Master a330j on a paid Y saver. Sure enough a 738 has been subbed in. Very disappointed. VA has not notified me.

Rang the VFF Gold line and eventually was offered spots in J for myself and Mrs a330j on the same time flight the following day (which at this stage is a 332) subject to no further changed in the event of a plane change. This doesn't really help because of extra accommodation costs in Perth and Master a330j's separate ticket. VFF wasn't going to change Master a330j without an $80 change fee. Booking that separate ticket has now thrown a spanner in the works.

Am flying BNE-PER on QF J in their A330 as an AAdvantage award. I only booked the return flight on VA because it was J on their 332 otherwise I would have booked the return with QF as well.

I don't really know what to do now. The thought of 4 1/2 hours on a 738 even in J does not inspire me. I have to say the VFF Gold line was not forthcoming with ideas or cost free alternatives, let alone any compensation that others here have received.

Compensation may tip the balance although I have no way of knowing what, when or if it will be offered. I would prefer a cost free cancellation, at least then I could book QF.

Would this be reasonable to ask or will I just have to suck it up?

 

[Duffa]

Business seats are rubbish on the QF B737s as well.

Nice one!!
QF 737 seats are cough but top-notch service

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

You can always put in a claim, a330j, but I don't hold much hope.
Think that at this point in time, VA does not have a lot of 330s flying around, think QF at the moment have more of them.
Maybe given time, VA might get more 330s/787s (dream on I know, but still we can all dream), and then there would be less chances of a swap.
And yes, I do realise that QF also do do equipment swaps.
In my point of view, VA is trying too hard too fast in trying to become what was once the greatness of AN.

 

[theoracle30]

UPDATE: Due to issues with my Velocity account, I was given $500 in travel bank instead