Business Saver - NEW and very attractive pricing

[notzac]

It could be coincidence but it seems to me like they are trying to get people tu burn points for some reason. The stopover flights are similarly priced for points redemption but massively overpriced for cash, for the next 6 months reward flights get SCs. Sounds to me like they are corralling status run folks into using up some of their points, which I assume appear as a liability on the books somewhere...?

I honestly think that's a little conspiracy theorist: a much, much more likely explanation is that fares allowing connections in the routing simply haven't been filed with the VA code yet. Random example ... ADL-KGI. If I go looking for filed fares available in the next few weeks, the only option I see is for QF (all of which show the expected permitted routing, ADL-PER-KGI).

So, when I go to request ADL-KGI on the VA website .. what's happening is that Sabre can't find a published fare ADL-KGI, so it looks for logical ways to get there and finds: ADL-PER on VA, followed by PER-KGI on VA*XR .. same routing as QF, but two separate fares (and thus ridiculously expensive).

Guessing this will be fixed soon - VA revenue management just need to file a whole stack of fares with connecting options to do so.

 

[Fruitcake]

Guessing this will be fixed soon - VA revenue management just need to file a whole stack of fares with connecting options to do so.

I'm not a yield management guru (although I'd be interested in being one), nor a GDS migration guru (not interested in that one - way to stressful!) but I would have thought having connecting fares ready to go at the time the new system goes operational would be a fairly basic part of the whole operation. Or perhaps it is an intentionally slow process, to avoid widespread 'mistake fares?'

Either way, current fare levels are clearly silly. What is promising though is the plethora of connecting flights now offered - assuming pricing on them becomes sane, flying VA outside of direct routes is likely to become a lot more pleasant.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Sabre can't find a published fare ADL-KGI, so it looks for logical ways to get there and finds: ADL-PER on VA, followed by PER-KGI on VA*XR .. same routing as QF, but two separate fares (and thus ridiculously expensive).

Guessing this will be fixed soon - VA revenue management just need to file a whole stack of fares with connecting options to do so.

I quite despise two things in my working life that I really need really often........Airlines and computers!

I wonder why?

 

[Dawn1004]

Can I ask, as I'm not sure at all.

If you buy Virgin Australia Business Class Saver - $1099 (Sydney to Perth) do you get the same seat and food and entertainment as you would if you purchase the Virgin Australia Business Class - $1445? - there's 3 of us so the additional 3 x $346 adds up ($1038 - that could be spend on our accommodation in Sydney)

I'm not worried about cancellations or changes etc, we just want the same leg room and perks (but cheaper if at all possible of course) - first time business class flight of any type (we did Air NZ Prem Ec from Auckland to LAX and we've been spoilt a bit now!) We thought finishing our Fremantle to NZ to Sydney cruise would be fantastic in a business class seat - makes up for the 12 hour drive from Perth to the Pilbara that we'll have once we land!

Thank you.

 

[bullerdude]

Can I ask, as I'm not sure at all.

If you buy Virgin Australia Business Class Saver - $1099 (Sydney to Perth) do you get the same seat and food and entertainment as you would if you purchase the Virgin Australia Business Class - $1445? - there's 3 of us so the additional 3 x $346 adds up ($1038 - that could be spend on our accommodation in Sydney)

I'm not worried about cancellations or changes etc, we just want the same leg room and perks (but cheaper if at all possible of course) - first time business class flight of any type (we did Air NZ Prem Ec from Auckland to LAX and we've been spoilt a bit now!) We thought finishing our Fremantle to NZ to Sydney cruise would be fantastic in a business class seat - makes up for the 12 hour drive from Perth to the Pilbara that we'll have once we land!

Thank you.

Yes it is the same - Both are business class tickets that get the full service.

The only real difference is the conditions for each ticket, and the fact that there would be a limited number of 'business saver' tickets on each flight.

 

[Dawn1004]

Thank you bullerdude, I'm booking the tickets then.

Happy flying!

 

[bismarck]

This seems to have ruined my whole approach to flying. I'd been happily crediting away on QFF as they've got the most flexibility for my corporate travel, but I've just recently noticed that the VA Jsaver fits within my company's travel rules (only ordinarily allowed to fly business >4 hours)

Now not sure whether to keep chasing status on QFF, or do so in more comfort on VA.

Was probably happier not knowing about this....

 

[jmphoto]

This seems to have ruined my whole approach to flying. I'd been happily crediting away on QFF as they've got the most flexibility for my corporate travel, but I've just recently noticed that the VA Jsaver fits within my company's travel rules (only ordinarily allowed to fly business >4 hours)

Now not sure whether to keep chasing status on QFF, or do so in more comfort on VA.

Was probably happier not knowing about this....

Now that's a first world problem. My work only allows Y+ and that's on plus 4 hours...

 

[hydrabyss]

This seems to have ruined my whole approach to flying. I'd been happily crediting away on QFF as they've got the most flexibility for my corporate travel, but I've just recently noticed that the VA Jsaver fits within my company's travel rules (only ordinarily allowed to fly business >4 hours)

Now not sure whether to keep chasing status on QFF, or do so in more comfort on VA.

Was probably happier not knowing about this....

One advantage with going with VA is the SC earn is good and being in business class you receive the same perks at the airport as if you had status.

 

[grubbidok]

Guessing this will be fixed soon - VA revenue management just need to file a whole stack of fares with connecting options to do so.

I seem to remember in the first week or two the same issue was occurring with points redemptions, where connecting flights were twice as expensive as direct (it was basically adding the points value of one on to the other rather than viewing in its entirety). That seems to have been largely fixed now, but the same doesn't seem to have happened with cash bookings yet, but like Fruitcake I believe it is clearly an anomaly and I assume they will be fixed.

The fact that this seems to have been fixed for points before cash would seem to show how much they want to get rid of their points liability though.

My personal (not too conspiratorial) theory is that they want to reduce their points liability to be able to take on a similar amount from the market to fund expansion/fixing cough-ups/continued battle with QF, whilst keeping the balance sheet looking the 'same' (disclaimer: clearly I work in a non-economics area).

I guess another note, liability reduction aside, is that VA have very cleverly forced everyone on to VA metal for their redemptions, which would be costing them a hell of a lot less than partner redemptions. Perhaps even close to revenue neutral given their load factors.