A Qantas WP1's observations on the Virgin Platinum experience

[MichaelD]

I was status matched to Velocity Platinum (current Qantas WP1) a few months ago and decided that I would at least send some of my flying Virgin's way to "try the waters". I have had both positive experiences and less positive ones, including a few unexpected gotchas with Virgin as compared to Qantas. Conversely, there were also some unexpected and very nice Virgin benefits. Make of these observations what you will.

1. BAD. Virgin's description of "refundable" does not match my description of refundable. $160 to "refund" a discount fare or $80 to "refund" a flexi fare is not to my taste at all, especially given point 2 below.

2. BAD. Virgin's fares are NOT REROUTABLE. If you book MEL-BNE you're going to fly MEL-BNE or lose significant $. This is quite a down side for me, as I often need to reroute at short notice. This is never an issue with Qantas where I just pay the fare difference (if any).

Virgin, I want the ability to park the full value of my booking in a voucher for later use wherever I want to use it.

3. GREAT. I seem to be automatically seated in seat 3A quite a lot with Virgin, which is an extra legroom seat. Very spacious and an EXCELLENT hidden perk, better than the Qantas equivalent 4A/23A seat.

4. FANTASTIC (BUT HAS A HIDDEN CATCH) - the 4 complimentary upgrades from Flexi to Business - I can accept having to buy a flexi fare to get an upgrade to a business seat...but each sector will cost you $30 to upgrade which puts a sour taste in my mouth. It's still a fabulous perk, but at least make it clear that you'll cop a $30 fee to use it. QANTAS YOU SHOULD MATCH THIS PERK (but not the fee).

5. GOOD. The enthusiasm of all the Virgin staff can't be beaten. There seems to be a genuine air of excitement and a desire to go the extra mile to make my flying experience a good one. They don't have the refined polish of Qantas yet, but the enthusiasm is definitely there.

6. MIXED. Flexi catering. I'm sick of the wrap. At least rotate the selection, please.


Virgin have done enough for me to at least maintain the Platinum they gifted me with, but I will still be doing the majority of my flying with Qantas. Qantas meet my needs as a frequent traveller better and more often than Virgin at this stage.

 

[MarkD]

Thanks for a well balanced unbiased comparison / summary

 

[munitalP]

Thanks for a well balanced unbiased comparison / summary

You beat me to that statement MarkD

Now we just need an IT expert to build a firewall to keep 2 or 3 fanbois out and leave this a balanced discussion...

Thanks for the report. FWIW, this morning on VA Y+ fare, I wasn't greeted by the premium check in lady "at all", the FA who's hubby was onboard filled his coffee without asking me if I wanted a refill, the FA's allowed Y PAX to use the Y+ overheads meaning my bag was 3 rows back - no biggy but all the same...

Your statement "There seems to be a genuine air of excitement and a desire to go the extra mile to make my flying experience a good one. They don't have the refined polish of Qantas yet, but the enthusiasm is definitely there." couldn't be more true.

I still enjoyed my flight, but the Y+ product is IMHO no different than my normal row 4 on QF. Im looking forward to hopefully a J flight to PER later this week.

 

[greenfish]

6. MIXED. Flexi catering. I'm sick of the wrap. At least rotate the selection, please

I so agree with that. Every Friday night, another bl..dy wrap. While some may call the QF dinners slop, at least it is different slop each week.

 

[straitman]

I so agree with that. Every Friday night, another bl..dy wrap. While some may call the QF dinners slop, at least it is different slop each week.

Yep. Chicken can be cooked at least 327 different ways.

You beat me to that statement MarkD

Now we just need an IT expert to build a firewall to keep 2 or 3 fanbois out and leave this a balanced discussion...

QF or DJ fanbois :?:

 

[DGW]

I had a "Luke Mangan" ham and cheese sandwich coming back from SYD last Thursday. It was a nice change from the wrap as I'm bloody sick of that too. Soy & linseed bread, some seeded mustard too (from memory).

Sent from my GT-I9100

 

[medhead]

I so agree with that. Every Friday night, another bl..dy wrap. While some may call the QF dinners slop, at least it is different slop each week.

I've called it slop, only one to do so IIRC, and you know it isn't different slop every week, IME. But, you know, the point of calling it slop was to say QF meals are not better than DJ. Do you disagree?

 

[MichaelD]

Thought of a few more...

7. BAD. The DigiPlayer XT. My suggestion to Virgin: don't bother with it. There's just not enough selections on it - it's just a let-down.

8. GOOD. *Much* easier to earn points on Virgin as compared with Qantas. Whether these points will be easier or harder to use than Qantas points down the track remains to be seen.

9. BAD. Much harder to earn status credits with Virgin than Qantas. I am never averse to flying ridiculous routings with Qantas for Status purposes, but there's no point with Virgin since indirect routings don't count properly for status unless you book them as two separate PNRs (and yes, I have done this specifically with Virgin to double my SC earn for a few extra $ but I'm a die-hard AFFer).

10. BAD. ASAs earn neither SCs nor points unlike the beloved Qantas JASAs and FASAs.

 

[medhead]

I had a "Luke Mangan" ham and cheese sandwich coming back from SYD last Thursday. It was a nice change from the wrap as I'm bloody sick of that too. Soy & linseed bread, some seeded mustard too (from memory).

Sent from my GT-I9100

Yep, I've had that sandwich, bloody nice

 

[greenfish]

I had a "Luke Mangan" ham and cheese sandwich coming back from SYD last Thursday. It was a nice change from the wrap as I'm bloody sick of that too. Soy & linseed bread, some seeded mustard too (from memory).

Sent from my GT-I9100

On flexis, I'm always given the wrap (4 in the last 2 weeks). Is there a choice? Flying DJ every week until Xmas, so am hoping for some variety..

 

[DC3]

... the 4 complimentary upgrades from Flexi to Business - I can accept having to buy a flexi fare to get an upgrade to a business seat...but each sector will cost you $30 to upgrade which puts a sour taste in my mouth. It's still a fabulous perk, but at least make it clear that you'll cop a $30 fee to use it. QANTAS YOU SHOULD MATCH THIS PERK (but not the fee) ...

I have just done this but was not aware of the $30 fee. The flight is more than two months away. Nothing was said about this during the upgrade request process. Would you know at what point I will be charged the fee?


Edit: Have just checked the updated itinerary and found the fee

 

[Paddy55]

Your statement "There seems to be a genuine air of excitement and a desire to go the extra mile to make my flying experience a good one. They don't have the refined polish of Qantas yet, but the enthusiasm is definitely there." couldn't be more true.

+1

Paddy

 

[notzac]

I've called it slop, only one to do so IIRC, and you know it isn't different slop every week, IME.

Yep, I seem to remember referring to it as "prison food" (for which I'm laying claim to poetic license, as I've never had the real thing to make a fair comparison.. :!

Either way, domestic food service isn't great - especially so for those with dietary requirements. I make a point of eating in the lounge before the flight and leaving it at that.

 

[MichaelD]

I have just done this but was not aware of the $30 fee. The flight is more than two months away. Nothing was said about this during the upgrade request process. Would you know at what point I will be charged the fee?

When you get your updated itinerary there will be a $30 charge on it which will have been charged to the credit card used to make the booking initially. No mention is made of any charge during the phone call, but careful perusal of the Virgin schedule of Fees and Charges shows that it costs $30 to redeem a reward via phone...and complimentary upgrades must be done via phone.

 

[munitalP]

When you get your updated itinerary there will be a $30 charge on it which will have been charged to the credit card used to make the booking initially. No mention is made of any charge during the phone call, but careful perusal of the Virgin schedule of Fees and Charges shows that it costs $30 to redeem a reward via phone...and complimentary upgrades must be done via phone.

Is that legal?

 

[DC3]

MichaelD,

Thanks. I was editing my post as you were replying. Found the fee

 

[BVT]

Quite agree with the OP, on all points.

The food selection is Y+ becomes very dull quite quickly. But, I do like the ham and cheese sanga. The breakfast options are woeful.

 

[Aus ATC]

$30.00 fee for a complimentary upgrade!!! Obviously Virgin have an interpretation of complimentary that still needs to incorporated into the Macquarie Dictionary....

Makes it a bit difficult to redeem these when work pays for my flexi fares, and I am sure they would be less than impressed if another charge was added to the account.

 

[Qld4101]

Can they actually get away with charging a fee when they don't have any other way to process the upgrade (aside from calling) and it is advertised as complimentary. While it is a good benefit it does leave a bad taste for what is a small issue - I thought they were trying to lift their game........

 

[BVT]

Can they actually get away with charging a fee when they don't have any other way to process the upgrade (aside from calling) and it is advertised as complimentary. While it is a good benefit it does leave a bad taste for what is a small issue - I thought they were trying to lift their game........

Having taken my upgraded flights, I might raise the issue with them.

Need to check my cc first.