Qantas vs Virgin

[2infinity]

I try and fly Qantas in Australia where ever possible because I find I get a better experience and I'm collecting QF points more than VA. But sometimes due to ridiculous prices or better timings I will fly the other carriers, with a preference for Virgin over Jetstar. I haven't yet flown Tiger. I really detest Jetstar and it irks me to use them. I'm assuming Tiger will be similar. One day I might find out.

At any rate, I headed from my home port in Cairns to Brisbane on the 23rd December to meet up with family coming from Sydney. To get the best connection, I flew Virgin (no cheap prices on any carrier at this time of year, but VA had a better timing for my purposes). I hadn't flown on VA since they became a full service carrier. I suppose I am comparing them to QF, justifiably so, as QF is the only other full service carrier. I got to choose my seat at booking (window) same as QF (unfortunately, when I checked in, VA had changed my seat to the middle seat. NOT HAPPY JAN. I had a conversation with the check-in lady, who I had no issues with, and the best she could do for me was an aisle seat emergency exit row. Not a window but won't complain. I have to say that I wasn't really expecting much by way of in-flight refreshments but what I got was a huge disappointment. Drink options are water, juice, tea/coffee. Qantas in addition also offers soft-drink at no charge. For my snack, Virgin offered a bite-size xmas cake (literally it was one bite, size of a 20c coin). Qantas offered 2 options, vegetable crudities with dip and cheese and biscuits and we were given both options without asking. In-flight entertainment. Qantas offers extensive free in-seat entertainment. Virgin offers, BYO device for free wifi entertainment. WHICH DIDN'T WORK. The system just refused to show any movies or other visual entertainment. It would only allow me to listen to radio. Super frustrating.

Qantas was also the cheaper flight coming home.

A huge Thankyou to Captain Halliday for guesting me into the QF lounge.

 

[samh004]

In-flight entertainment. Qantas offers extensive free in-seat entertainment. Virgin offers, BYO device for free wifi entertainment. WHICH DIDN'T WORK. The system just refused to show any movies or other visual entertainment. It would only allow me to listen to radio. Super frustrating.

To be fair, Qantas also has some older aircraft that don't have IFE. Perhaps most on this route do, and they are upgrading the fleet anyway, but not all have good IFE!

Should this be a TR?

 

[under the radar]

To be fair, Qantas also has some older aircraft that don't have IFE. Perhaps most on this route do, and they are upgrading the fleet anyway, but not all have good IFE!

Should this be a TR?

to be fair, QFs older 737s DO have IFE (via communal screens and Qradio), and these 'older' 737s are currently on a refurb program to include Qstreaming for BYOD, BUT will still provide various programming via the communal screens and seat audio channels and that is on top of the other 'newer' a/c that already have in seat AVOD screens. So by June 2016 EVERY QF 737 will provide an option/choice for those that BYOD and those that don't. But VA provide 1 option.... its BYOD or its NOTHING!!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

1 single arnotts mint slice on a lunchtime flight Melbourne - Adelaide last week on VA. Why even bother!

 

[Plutonus]

A boxed QF economy snack served with a cupcake to make it a business meal. Although, to be fair, VA keep serving me the dreaded cheese plate in J.

 

[medhead]

to be fair, QFs older 737s DO have IFE (via communal screens and Qradio), and these 'older' 737s are currently on a refurb program to include Qstreaming for BYOD, BUT will still provide various programming via the communal screens and seat audio channels and that is on top of the other 'newer' a/c that already have in seat AVOD screens. So by June 2016 EVERY QF 737 will provide an option/choice for those that BYOD and those that don't. But VA provide 1 option.... its BYOD or its NOTHING!!

to be simpler and fairer. The OP said:

Qantas offers extensive free in-seat entertainment.

Communal screen are not in-seat; I would not describe news and some random sitcoms as extensive.
The refit to add Q streaming does not include the option of extensive free in-seat screens.

I'll add my complaint about Q-streaming as well. The range of content is not the same as the in seat IFE system. The content is also much older, without the full set of new releases. That inconsistency is a killer for the Qantas domestic IFE offerings. I currently have 3 movies queued to watch the end from the QF in seat IFE. Had a Q-streaming aircraft this week and not a single one of those movies was in the system. There were mostly older movies, with the only newer one being People, Places, Things - Argh!

Certainly the range on the VA system is limited, but at least I don't have to play russian roulette over which content will be available on a flight.

 

[mannej]

to be simpler and fairer. The OP said:

To be fair, Sam did say that not all QF flights have IFE which is the post that UTR is responding to.

Whilst you are correct you are taking the post out of context as he isn't correcting the OP.

 

[medhead]

To be fair, Sam did say that not all QF flights have IFE which is the post that UTR is responding to.

Whilst you are correct you are taking the post out of context as he isn't correcting the OP.

Sam did quote the same bit of the OP as me. I suggest I'm bringing context back, as Sam's comment was made in the context of extensive in seat IFE as mentioned by the OP.

 

[mannej]

Sam did quote the same bit of the OP as me. I suggest I'm bringing context back, as Sam's comment was made in the context of extensive in seat IFE as mentioned by the OP.

Sam only mentioned IFE, hence the fact he was corrected by UTR. The 737 fleet of QF has IFE provided in one form (main screen) or another (Personal IFE). The statement Sam made is not true when talking about QF mainland.

 

[medhead]

Sam only mentioned IFE, hence the fact he was corrected by UTR. The 737 fleet of QF has IFE provided in one form (main screen) or another (Personal IFE). The statement Sam made is not true when talking about QF mainland.

And you lecture me about context?

Samh004's comment was clearly made in the context of the OP's invocation of "extensive free in-seat entertainment".

UTR has ignored that context in his reply, and I'm simply bringing that context back.

What did you say again? That's right: "While you are correct you are taking the post out of context".

It's getting a bit MPD around here when I'm accused of ignoring context, but then told, pedantically, to look at one word only and ignore the context. Please make up your mind, context or no context.
then we can get on with the actual issues raised in this thread.

In-flight entertainment. Qantas offers extensive free in-seat entertainment. Virgin offers, BYO device for free wifi entertainment. WHICH DIDN'T WORK. The system just refused to show any movies or other visual entertainment. It would only allow me to listen to radio. Super frustrating.

To be fair, Qantas also has some older aircraft that don't have IFE. Perhaps most on this route do, and they are upgrading the fleet anyway, but not all have good IFE!

Should this be a TR?

 

[mannej]

And you lecture me about context?

Samh004's comment was clearly made in the context of the OP's invocation of "extensive free in-seat entertainment".

UTR has ignored that context in his reply, and I'm simply bringing that context back.

What did you say again? That's right: "While you are correct you are taking the post out of context".

It's getting a bit MPD around here when I'm accused of ignoring context, but then told, pedantically, to look at one word only and ignore the context. Please make up your mind, context or no context.
then we can get on with the actual issues raised in this thread.

Both the OP and Sam are incorrect so cut the attitude.

 

[anat0l]

1 single arnotts mint slice on a lunchtime flight Melbourne - Adelaide last week on VA. Why even bother!

You know how in some fancier cafes when you order a coffee, sometimes they give you a small biscuit (usually sweet) to accompany your cuppa, free of charge? (More a European thing, but anyway).

Yeah, that. Same goes with the two finger sandwiches of tomato and plastic cheese.

A boxed QF economy snack served with a cupcake to make it a business meal. Although, to be fair, VA keep serving me the dreaded cheese plate in J.

Don't you have alternative options on both of them? I mean, for QF the alternative is usually the cheese box. VA normally keep one warm snack and one cold snack. And doesn't VA have a thing where you could get something off the buy on board in Y free of charge?


I'm not sure where this thread is going to go, though it probably shadows plenty of threads before it, albeit the predecessors usually focussing on a particular aspect of the operation, e.g. lounges, food and drink, seating, IFE, short vs medium vs long services, etc. etc.

 

[medhead]

You know how in some fancier cafes when you order a coffee, sometimes they give you a small biscuit (usually sweet) to accompany your cuppa, free of charge? (More a European thing, but anyway).

Yeah, that. Same goes with the two finger sandwiches of tomato and plastic cheese.



Don't you have alternative options on both of them? I mean, for QF the alternative is usually the cheese box. VA normally keep one warm snack and one cold snack. And doesn't VA have a thing where you could get something off the buy on board in Y free of charge?


I'm not sure where this thread is going to go, though it probably shadows plenty of threads before it, albeit the predecessors usually focussing on a particular aspect of the operation, e.g. lounges, food and drink, seating, IFE, short vs medium vs long services, etc. etc.

The snack on both Qantas and Virgin is dismal.
I'm not sure if we're talking J or Y. But my last 4 VA flights have all been in J and the meals have been pretty darn good. Nary a cheese plate in sight.
SWMBO thought her Qantas hot breakfast was exceptional 2 weeks ago. On reflection, I have to agree that the Y hot breakfast option has been of superior quality for at least a few months on QF. Even the wraps.

The drink situation is confusing and inconsistent. Paying for a beer on weekends? but free on weekdays?? Something that has been provided under the table in the past, I assume because of platinum status. But now, if asking for a beer from the FA who doesn't have you name on a bit of paper there is no special deal.
Otherwise, I make a point of only drinking water on flights.

Both the OP and Sam are incorrect so cut the attitude.

Oh that's right - remember context, ignore context, attitude - I'm always wrong.

 

[samh004]

Sam only mentioned IFE, hence the fact he was corrected by UTR. The 737 fleet of QF has IFE provided in one form (main screen) or another (Personal IFE). The statement Sam made is not true when talking about QF mainland.

Samh004's comment was clearly made in the context of the OP's invocation of "extensive free in-seat entertainment".

Both the OP and Sam are incorrect so cut the attitude.

As medhead says, I simply erred in the wording of my reply.

Thank you for the defence, but there's no need to take this thread further offtopic

 

[Aussie_flyer]

The snack on both Qantas and Virgin is dismal.

I flew a lunchtime service on VA, and got a mint slice. On qantas there is something MUCH more substantial. When compring snack for snack Qantas still wins every time.

 

[medhead]

I flew a lunchtime service on VA, and got a mint slice. On qantas there is something MUCH more substantial. When compring snack for snack Qantas still wins every time.

Oh yeah, Qantas definitely wins when they serve a meal. I hate the snack that Qantas dish up on the 8:30pm QF785 flight. HATE IT! the couple of slices of coon cheese with water crackers is the least dismal option, but I despair at being offered the snack, always.

 

[JohnK]

Interesting observations.

Looking at SYD-BNE airfares on a Sunday and returning on a Friday and one can see that QF is $89 and Virgin is $85. Only $4 difference?

- Swap SYD T3 for the mess that is T2? Don't think so
- Swap Qantas lounges for those boring Virgin lounges? Hmmm. No. And the vodka and orange is really nice
- Swap the snack/dinner on Sunday night and snack/dinner/drinks(s) on Friday night for the Virgin snack at all times of the day? Hmmm. No
- At $85 I'd be accumulating ~744 Velocity points or 800 QFF points. Everyone keeps telling me Velocity points are more valuable. So I now have ~140,000 Velocity points and can't use them to go anywhere I want to go and if I do want to use them transfer them to KriFlyer with huge devaluation. Hmmm.

So when do I fly Virgin? The OOL trick is gone as the VA airfare is now $85-$89 even during sales. I will only fly Virgin when they are considerably less than Qantas and that is not that often. Last minute airfares which I don't need that often and sometimes during school holidays as neither airline are discounting. Just gets a little harder to maintain Velocity Gold but still achievable.

 

[medhead]

Mouldy [piece of bread that you put in soup][SUP]*[/SUP] Not going to mention the airline, but a hint is that they are happy to give out more than one beer on tonights flight.


* Spelling naz_s ain't going to catch me, again.