Capital Connect.

[MarkD]

Capital connect services Ex CBR

Virgin are Upping the Ante. Just wondering if this will be rolled out Network wide. I am assuming Yes, because Polli's etc are not going to fly to SYD with all the trimmings, then get on a connecting service and pay for a coffee. A nail in the pay for stuff coffin I think. All round free catering coming soon. Any takers on a wager?Virgin Australia launches 'Capital Connect' service to Canberra - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

 

[Jack Melon]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

Great news! I think it will be rolled out on routes like qantas's cityflier routes, if better, all domestic routes!

 

[nlagalle]

Virgin are Upping the Ante. Just wondering if this will be rolled out Network wide. I am assuming Yes, because Polli's etc are not going to fly to SYD with all the trimmings, then get on a connecting service and pay for a coffee. A nail in the pay for stuff coffin I think. All round free catering coming soon. Any takers on a wager?Virgin Australia launches 'Capital Connect' service to Canberra - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

You'd hope Virgin hurry up and have a consistent product on board across all routes.

At the moment it looks like a mish mash, a route with free food and drink, some tickets with free food some you have to pay. Not exactly easy when you add in other 'extras' you need to buy..

 

[MarkD]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

Was thinking the same thing myself. Thats what makes me think this may be the new standard. I hope it is "standardised" soon.

 

[Noob]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

You'd hope Virgin hurry up and have a consistent product on board across all routes.

At the moment it looks like a mish mash, a route with free food and drink, some tickets with free food some you have to pay. Not exactly easy when you add in other 'extras' you need to buy..

So true, it is pretty messy at the moment. Consitency is key!

It's a big shift to make, however, It isn't just as easy as 'tomorrow we will offer free food' - and really they only announced the relaunch into the full service market a few months ago which is like hours ago in the business world.

 

[markis10]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

You'd hope Virgin hurry up and have a consistent product on board across all routes.

At the moment it looks like a mish mash, a route with free food and drink, some tickets with free food some you have to pay. Not exactly easy when you add in other 'extras' you need to buy..

Virgin now only have one fare type that does not include food, hardly some, as for consistency, it would be nice to see some from QF as well, after all some routes dont have hot drinks, some have free wine and beer after 4 on regional routes, then you have Citiflyer on some city pairs and not others (such as PER-DRW but not DRW-SYD).

 

[nlagalle]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

Virgin now only have one fare type that does not include food, hardly some, as for consistency, it would be nice to see some from QF as well, after all some routes dont have hot drinks, some have free wine and beer after 4 on regional routes, then you have Citiflyer on some city pairs and not others (such as PER-DRW but not DRW-SYD).

Not counting baggage is extra too on that fare.. at least you can get a drink on any Qantas flight (may not be alcoholic).. not having to work out if you need to pay for it or not..

 

[Noob]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

I really want to see the interior cabin of the new ATRs....

 

[markis10]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

DJ have now issued a formal piece on the subject:

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES ITS CAPITAL CONNECT
SERVICES BETWEEN CANBERRA AND SYDNEY
Date: 15th August 2011
Virgin Australia Group of Airlines today launches its Capital Connect daily shuttle services
between Canberra and Sydney.

Virgin Australia’s new Capital Connect services offer up to 10 return services each day
between the cities with Guests receiving complimentary inflight snacks and drinks.
From today, Capital Connect Guests will have the choice from a three category menu, with
high quality gourmet snacks that has been introduced as part of the airline’s enhanced
inflight product offering.

This complimentary inflight service is unique to this route and is part of our overall brand
repositioning which includes; introduction of the new Virgin Australia Business Class; newly
renovated lounges; and range of flexible fares.

The menu concepts are divided into three stages of the day, namely Start my Day (0600-
0900); Keep Me Going (0930-4.00pm) and Winding Down (4.00pm until last flight).
On flights after 4.00pm; complimentary beer and wine will be available and complimentary
newspapers on flights before 12 noon each day.

Virgin Australia is progressively rolling out the Business Class product across the fleet of
Boeing 737 aircraft. Complete with luxury leather seating, contemporary interior design,
high quality in-flight products and a gourmet menu designed by Luke Mangan, the aircraft
demonstrate a new in-flight experience aboard Virgin Australia.

The new Boeing 737-800 Business and Economy Class interiors will be rolled out across the
majority of Virgin Australia’s current domestic fleet by the end of the year. Business Class is
already available for sale on the Airbus A330-200 and will be available for sale on the Boeing
737-800 in the last quarter of 2011.
Virgin Australia Group of Airlines operates up to eight return services each day between
Canberra and Sydney, growing to 10 by October with the introduction of the ATR aircraft

 

[Noob]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

Logo featured in ad:

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

That new logo ties in almost exactly with the Velocity rewards logo. They could still change the Velocity name, but would they now?

I think this is good news. For the streamlining of the onboard service (especially SYD-CBR), surely the fares without included snack has to go. It was hard enough to get everyone served on short sectors before flexi meals came in and this is showing through now. Only question I have, is how far will they take it? Included snacks......included checked luggage too? A lot of business travellers are either carry-ons only (I am most times) or status pax with included luggage anyway.

I do hope wine/beer would be available before 4pm! If I'm up @ 3am to make a 6am flight, full day of work and a 3pm flight home, I'd expect to have a wine en-route home! 4pm sounds a bit draconian to me..........I'd suggest "Start My Day" 6am-10am, "Keep Me Going" 10am - 2pm and "Winding Down" 2pm to final flight or have beer/wine available on request for "Keep Me Going" flights. Water/soft drinks is also a must have option along with coffee/tea/chocolate for all times of day.

Ditching sales of snacks would free up cabin staff a lot (easier to hand out trays rather than ask for requests, serve items, take money/card, sort through change purse/process card and deliver change/receipt)........but I do wonder what it will do to fare prices.

 

[Simo]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

Interesting...

Looks like VA are using the Pollies as the guinea pigs and not us.

Hope they don't get Krudd on a flight and the snacks are not right????

Next will be flights over 2 hours will get comp snacks.

Lets see what happens in the future

 

[antycbr]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

Interesting...

Looks like VA are using the Pollies as the guinea pigs and not us.

Hope they don't get Krudd on a flight and the snacks are not right????

Next will be flights over 2 hours will get comp snacks.

Lets see what happens in the future

As a frequent-ish SYD-CBR flyer, I'm yet to see a politician on any DJ flight. That would be because they would have to forgo QF Chairmans Lounge, and full business class including points and status credits - unlike the rest of the public service they accrue points and SC for work travel - for the 26-30 minute flight to Canberra, which is the only sector in Australia where the taxiing to the end of the third runway can take longer than the sector itself!.

 

[Danger]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

As a frequent-ish SYD-CBR flyer, I'm yet to see a politician on any DJ flight. That would be because they would have to forgo QF Chairmans Lounge, and full business class including points and status credits - unlike the rest of the public service they accrue points and SC for work travel - for the 26-30 minute flight to Canberra, which is the only sector in Australia where the taxiing to the end of the third runway can take longer than the sector itself!.

Not entirely correct. For over 12 months now, politicians (and their staffers) have not accrued Qantas frequent flyer points. Additionally, Chairmans Lounge membership comes with 'anytime access', meaning the politicians could fly with DJ and still use the lounge.

 

[antycbr]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

Not entirely correct. For over 12 months now, politicians (and their staffers) have not accrued Qantas frequent flyer points. Additionally, Chairmans Lounge membership comes with 'anytime access', meaning the politicians could fly with DJ and still use the lounge.

Good to see that they dont accrue points - looks like they've fallen victim to the Whole of Government Travel Panel too! Thanks for the information.

I doubt that any politician would choose DJ though even with anytime Chairmans Lounge access, as they're in different terminals in most cities requiring 2x security clearances. which kind of echoes the argument about Anytime Access for Platinums that was raging on the QF side of this forum.

 

[serfty]

Maybe the DJ FF program will be renamed "Capital Rewards":shock:

 

[Simo]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

I'm yet to see a politician on any DJ flight.

I travel regularly to and from TSV and I have seen Bob Katter doing DJ as they have a direct flight from TSV to CBR.

A few weeks on QF metal flying between SYD and CBR I saw Penny Wong on the flight.

Might be no snacks on the flight if it a rough flight and the FA's can not get enough time to get it l out and cleaned up.

They last J class plat was taken away and the wheels where just about to come down.

 

[medhead]

I doubt that any politician would choose DJ though even with anytime Chairmans Lounge access, as they're in different terminals in most cities requiring 2x security clearances. which kind of echoes the argument about Anytime Access for Platinums that was raging on the QF side of this forum.

Of course this is only relevant to SYD and CBR my last DJ flight to CBR arrived in the same terminal as the QF lounges. Admittedly that is also my only DJ flight involving CBR this year. Does DJ currently use te same terminal? If so, lounge access works in CBR for CL. Is there a CL lounge in SYD T2?

I guess they could also use the DJ offer for QF platinum to access The Lounge.

 

[Noob]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

They are building the Virgin Australia side of the terminal now, new lounge I would assume - maybe VA will look into a executive/elite invitation only lounge for pollies/CEOs and maybe even select high earning Platinum members?

 

[antycbr]

Re: Capital connect services Ex CBR

I travel regularly to and from TSV and I have seen Bob Katter doing DJ as they have a direct flight from TSV to CBR.

That's a great thing that DJ have done - open up some new destiations from Canberra. TSV, OOL and HBA have all started and seem to have stuck around (with lots of scheduling changes). The TSV direct would be handy for far north Queensland politicians, as would HBA for Tasmanians.

The OOL flights were originally using the E170 after the last SYD-CBR sector of the day, but have been upgauged to E190s and even 737-700s recently.

Being based in Canberra it certainly makes life easier, particularly the Gold Coast where the QF option is QF CBR-SYD---Reclaim Bag---Walk to T2---Check in for JQ---Screening---JQ SYD-OOL.