Article: Virgin Business Class Better Value than Qantas in 2022?

[Mattg]

Not an April Fool's Day joke:

Virgin Australia has cut the price of one-way Business Class fares, seats from $299 on selected routes*

newsroom.virginaustralia.com

Has anything actually changed as of Friday, or is VA just referring to the fact its fares are lower now than they were in 2019? I don't think this is new and in fact, I already wrote about this last July:

Virgin Australia Slashes Business Class Fares

Virgin Australia has significantly reduced its Business Class fares on many domestic routes, with seats now regularly available from as little as $199

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

VA J has already been $299 on quite a few routes for many months already. I've also seen (and booked) fares for $199 or $249 over the past year - has VA now increased these fares to $299?

I certainly don't begrudge VA though for promoting the fact that it now offers a very good business class product and reasonable prices. This part is true!

 

[ferntree]

Has anything actually changed as of Friday, or is VA just referring to the fact its fares are lower now than they were in 2019? I don't think this is new and in fact, I already wrote about this last July:

Virgin Australia Slashes Business Class Fares

Virgin Australia has significantly reduced its Business Class fares on many domestic routes, with seats now regularly available from as little as $199

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

VA J has already been $299 on quite a few routes for many months already. I've also seen (and booked) fares for $199 or $249 over the past year - has VA now increased these fares to $299?

I certainly don't begrudge VA though for promoting the fact that it now offers a very good business class product and reasonable prices. This part is true!I

I fly regularly HBA to BNE. Until this announcement best one way J ever available was $499: you can now book for $439.

 

[Saab34]

And if Rex Jet calls it a day, watch prices go up up up, especially MEL-SYD

 

[jakeseven7]

And if Rex Jet calls it a day, watch prices go up up up, especially MEL-SYD

I’m not so sure the price slash is to fight Rex stealing their customers… although perhaps that is the cause.

It’s probably more to try and win some premium / business / corporate customers back as travel for work normalises rapidly. A lot of these customers have moved to QF.

You don’t discount like that if your cabins are full, especially in a premium cabin…. So clearly there is an issue with the current product / targeting that isn’t cutting through.

It’s a little confusing to work out what’s driving it.

But at least the average AFFer who pays retail rates for business for the fun of it will benefit! It’s even within striking range for me for my personal travel now

 

[Harrison_133]

I’m not so sure the price slash is to fight Rex stealing their customers… although perhaps that is the cause.

Agreed. If they were doing this solely to spite Rex, they wouldn’t be discounting routes Rex have no presence in, like HBA-BNE referenced above. Even in Y, they’ve had some pretty good discounts lately which are competitive with and sometimes cheaper than JQ prices so I don’t think this is purely a response to Rex.

If Rex jets were to disappear, I’d find it odd if they suddenly hiked the prices up. That would go against the mid-market ‘value’ carrier concept Jayne has been preaching about.

You don’t discount like that if your cabins are full, especially in a premium cabin…. So clearly there is an issue with the current product / targeting that isn’t cutting through.

Maybe they’re trying to get more people to pay the full retail price rather than bidding for an upgrade or using points? Filling up the J cabin certainly isn’t the problem.

 

[jakeseven7]

Maybe they’re trying to get more people to pay the full retail price rather than bidding for an upgrade or using points? Filling up the J cabin certainly isn’t the problem.

Yes, filling up the cabins profitably clearly is a problem though. Bit of a predicament. I still think they should focus on lounges more to drive business/corporate penetration but we can only hope that is part of the plan.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Well, the upgrades from Choice fares has been a very good way of allowing Platinums to use up upgrades and also get them to experience the on board J service.

Prices remain the most important factor, however. Looking at a weekend in Brisbane next month, MEL-BNE is $289 one way. I think it has been 10 years since I purchased a revenue J fare to anywhere, but just paid up as a birthday surprise for my Mum. With family pooling that's 460 SC return if I stump up for J on the return as well - over halfway to renewing Platinum when I previously had no expectation of doing so. Long live the truly enhanced SC tables! (though, I expect these will revert and no extension passed June 30 )

 

[aaronm]

Wife and I are treating her mother to a Coffs Harbour holiday later in the year, $239 J seats each way seems a steal.

 

[jase05]

Maybe they’re trying to get more people to pay the full retail price rather than bidding for an upgrade or using points? Filling up the J cabin certainly isn’t the problem.

As a note, these fares by VA in J are here to stay. They are not simply discounting them temporarily, these will be the fare prices going forward

 

[Dee#]

Regarding business toilet use and the divider. In these days of covid the less people using the same toilet I'm using the better. Only max 8 pax plus crew, not half economy as well. We don't know anymore who is infectious. You can bet not everyone is quarantining if they feel ok have a non refundable fare and a plane to catch.

 

[Bell21]

Loving these J fares if you book 2 weeks+ in advance, as fares are same as Flexi fares.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

Loving these J fares if you book 2 weeks+ in advance, as fares are same as Flexi fares.

Unfortunately not on the transcon, more like 2.5x the price of Flex.

 

[leon_rex]

Imo in short, VA has lifted their J game by price & food while QF have dropped their J game with no spirits & continual no J/Y divider.

Price difference is massive, ppl shop at Aldi to save $10 per shop so to save hundreds, well goes without saying where people will walk to.

I chased WP with Qantas for ten years and ended up LTG. Business sucks at the moment. My favourite drink is a gin and tonic - say no more.

Love the little magnetised rope, love the steward standing in the aisle after landing, in the galley doorway with legs akimbo when one of the flight crew comes out. The friendly service can be a little lacking in well minded Ps and Qs, but how often have you been a high status flyer treated with total contempt on a QF bird? Had a VA red eye out of Darwin the other week and the cabin crew were visible and busy all night and the G&T flowed freely.

Aiming for WP by the end of the year and I reckon it's achievable for well under 10k.

 

[MooTime]

WP for 10k ??

Virgin?

 

[jase05]

Aiming for WP by the end of the year and I reckon it's achievable for well under 10k.

It’s achievable for about $3k if you choose wisely

 

[leon_rex]

It’s achievable for about $3k if you choose wisely

Sadly I'm hamstrung by a number of interstate family commitments so in order to stay flexible I'm budgeting on about 8k J travel. Quite a few last minute bookings anticipated. So good though - shame a company had to go teats up to bring reasonable pricing back to the market eh.

 

[Digicola]

Sadly I'm hamstrung by a number of interstate family commitments so in order to stay flexible I'm budgeting on about 8k J travel. Quite a few last minute bookings anticipated. So good though - shame a company had to go teats up to bring reasonable pricing back to the market eh.

If you have status with QF you should call velocity up and ask if they’d do a status challenge. A friend of mine was offered the whole Discover gold thing a few months back.

It will give you status a bit earlier and you’ll earn more miles for your dollar. Plus you’ll get to gift gold to someone for your efforts.

 

[knagelli]

$299 BNE-MEL is great value, and the SC earn is very helpful in retaining status

Only problem with Virgin's sale is that most of the flights now a days are being cancelled or rescheduled. If you are time bound for a work trip , that might not work in your favor but if you are just after some additional SCs/sectors then it might be a bonus.

 

[MooTime]

Only problem with Virgin's sale is that most of the flights now a days are being cancelled or rescheduled. If you are time bound for a work trip , that might not work in your favor but if you are just after some additional SCs/sectors then it might be a bonus.

"most" flights cancelled??? as in more than half?? high proportion??

I hardly think so. Cancellations everywhere, but mostly in single digit percentages.

Saw recent article say for June QF has ~7% while VA was ~12%, don't quote me thou.

 

[knagelli]

"most" flights cancelled??? as in more than half??

Sorry for the confusion , I was referring to the flights that I booked with Virgin and not all the flights operated VA.