Discover Gold - Is it worth staying with Virgin now?

[bladeau1981]

So I did the discover gold status match coming from Qantas. I know things are a bit different now with how things are running with Covid but I just wanted to add my perspective and get feedback from others if I am just being biased or things are usually different.

Check-in - About the same but making me pay to sit near the front or exit row is a bit much unless virgin is going back to a budget jetstar / tiger type airline? Brisbane I saw big signs for premium entry and walked all the way to the end with 2 heavy bags (what the f? brisbane airport charging to use a trolley???) only to find it closed with no mention of where to actually go.

Lounge - access in Adelaide, friendly and simple, same in brisbane but signage could be better to find it. In Adelaide no need to wear a mask in the lounge, Brisbane had a few announcements. Adelaide order food from your table and have a menu and drinks list on your phone when you scan the QR code. Drink selection was extremely limited compared to Qantas, food was about what Qantas has been doing lately but without a decent hot food option for lunch or dinner.
Brisbane you had to sort of stand around behind some rope and hope someone would come and take an order but you could barely make out the menu that was 2.5m away. Toasted sandwiches were made in batches and hidden under a cloth so were soggy and luke warm at best. No idea what drinks were really available as I couldn't see a drink list anywhere. Beer and wine were kind of on display.

Priority boarding/luggage - Haha. About as good as qantas. Kind of works sometimes but inconsistent.

Status and points seem to be easier to earn on Virgin. I only need to earn 19 more status credits to become proper Gold so will do a quick ADL-MEL trip on Virgin but I am currently underwhelmed.

My take on comparison:
Check - in. Pretty much a tie.
Lounge - Qantas for service, drink selection and a tie on food. Cleanliness and layout/decor I would give to Qantas although the new Adelaide lounge is nice just a bit bland.
Plane - Qantas. I can get a drink and a snack at least without having to shell out cash, select a decent seat without having to shell out cash. Virgin seats seem a bit nicer though. I don't really care about IFE but at least Qantas has the option.

Anyway what are your thoughts? Anyone move from Qantas and staying with Virgin for any reason other than price?

 

[TMP]

Only you can answer that question for your own circumstances, but the list you've prepared is a good summary. Your final sentence probably nails the main difference (at least at present)... price.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Only Platinum get Economy X for free, but Gold get 6-12 for free.

Like SYD, you can't check bags in at Premium Entry, so even if it was open you would've had to go back to check in. And the website states that BNE and SYD isn't open yet.

I agree the food situation in the BNE lounge isn't ideal. Though with drinks I've not sure I've ever seen a drinks list. You can see what's in the fridge and the wine is on display...

I find Priority Boarding always works on VA when I fly, though the last couple of QF trips it was also enforced. With bags I've found VA priority works better than QF.

Being Gold with VA and having QR Gold plus the QF status match challenge to use, I'm more inclined to stick with VA and retain Gold than try to get QF Gold. I know QF Gold is much better for international travel, but that's all really (though they fly to the only regional airport I travel to, VA don't).

 

[Spacetravel]

I guess to answer your question I've gone the other way, I was previously 100% VA loyalist, to the point where VA and their partners were the only airline's I have ever flown. However now I've "left" and status matched to QF, however due to work's preferred carrier being Virgin i've still had some recently flights with VA. I've only known QF during covid so can't comment on before.

What I've found QF technology wise is miles ahead of VA. The app shows your bookings with flight notifications and updates in real time. I even booked with QF hotels the other day and was shocked to see the booking was listed as part of my "trip" in the QF app. Maybe I've just been lucky but everything "just works" with QF when it comes to the technology product.

The soft product, I've found QF very professional but "old", where VA is much more young and laid back. QF still don't scan the BP at the gate and I was surprised to see VA does again. I feel like QF are still "scared" of the passengers and treat everyone like a leper, not very interested to interact beyond the bare minimum. VA feels like everything is back to the same but while wearing a mask. I had a spare seat next to me in J with VA and the FA even sat down when taking my food order.

With masks though, QF hand them out willingly and they can't seem to give enough of them away. VA treat the mask packs like they are worth $10 each and make harder to get one.

I was shocked to see QF wheel out the trolley for food service in J. I remember the mentions to VA's trolley free J service when it came out but just took it for granted and just assumed it was the standard these days.

I do like the fact QF have their own entire terminal, that's cool. However at the same time a lot of QF hard product is old and dated. Sydney lounge feels extremely worn. Also a totally strange thing but I feel like the torso section of the seat in QF (Y) was slightly shorter than VA? However even during covid I found the QF lounge had better food options and spirits in the business lounge is certainly good. With that said though, I was in the temporary VA lounge yesterday in MEL, it was SO busy with virtually 0 food options and what I presume is the app that gives the order to staff makes an extremely irritating ringing that never stopped. The experience was so poor I left and went to the terminal (I never leave a lounge).

Priority baggage: my first flight with QF I was confused as to how the priority baggage would work as I had no orange "priority" tag that VA use and was also surprised to see its just printed onto the regular bag tag and so far its worked for me every flight.

For VA it NEVER works for me at SYD. Its about a coin toss elsewhere but its gotten to the point where I request to not have the priority tag for flight to SYD as that almost always ensures my bag comes out last if tagged.

Priority boarding with VA is very good and I think they have doubled down on it even more during covid. The preboarding announcements are very clear. "We are doing priority boarding from the right lane first, this is for business class, platinum and gold only, everyone else please stay seated." When they called everyone else, "we are now general boarding from left lane". While I was in the "somewhat long" priority queue I watched this person in front of me wait in line get to the front only to be told to sit back down and wait when they went to scan their BP. QF certainly was not this strict with priority boarding even if it is "better" than before.

Also I found it slightly amusing for the J toilets, VA did such a good job at making the front toilets "off limits" to Y passengers a J passenger even went to the back to use the toilets, where QF they don't even make an attempt to stop Y passengers using J toilets.

So my thoughts for now:
Technology product (app, website): QF by a long margin
Soft product: VA
Hard product: Somewhat a tie VA is colourful young but "cheap", QF is tired, old but "premium"
Price: VA by a country mile
Status earn ability: VA, both the quantity earned and the amount required is much easier than QF and when combined with flights that are also significantly cheaper

For me I'm going to stick it out with QF as I have a long queue of International flights waiting for when travel returns. I look forward to experiencing the "full" QF product but I certainly think I'll miss the VA flair.

 

[kyle]

VA is much more young and laid back

That's the thing I like about VA. It's the vibe.

 

[kyle]

For VA it NEVER works for me at SYD.

Unlucky? Worked for me early March.

 

[sudoer]

So I just received this:



I'm assuming the Hilton Diamond and IHG Platinum bit is incorrect? I understood those to be Platinum benefits.

 

[kookaburra75]

So I just received this:
I'm assuming the Hilton Diamond and IHG Platinum bit is incorrect? I understood those to be Platinum benefits.

Yes they are. A Velocity Gold like me, only gets Hertz Gold Plus Rewards membership, and Gold Elite tier of the IHG Rewards Club

 

[sudoer]

Well this is a tough decision, do I go for the extra 30 SC needed to hit VA Gold and then do battle with support for HHonors Diamond as advertised...

 

[kookaburra75]

Well - they have made you an offer, which you accept if you get the extra 30SC's, so no reason they shouldn't cough up with the deal

 

[sudoer]

I think I'm going to give it a crack.

 

[ferntree]

For mine ... definitely yes. Overall I prefer the product to Qantas ... Q lounges have better food selection, but Virgin J fares seriously less ... and they actually do close off the cabin, unlike Qantas where if you want to duck into the bathtroom you have to time your run between the constant stream of passengers coming in and out from the main cabin. Plus, new J menu is more than acceptable.

 

[hydrabyss]

For mine ... definitely yes. Overall I prefer the product to Qantas ... Q lounges have better food selection, but Virgin J fares seriously less ... and they actually do close off the cabin, unlike Qantas where if you want to duck into the bathtroom you have to time your run between the constant stream of passengers coming in and out from the main cabin. Plus, new J menu is more than acceptable.

I find the toilet issue drives me nuts. The last thing I want is to enjoy a meal while people are constantly going past me to the toilet. Then on the odd occasion the rope has not been used you would be sitting there with a line up of people next to you waiting to use the toilet. Wish I was slightly bigger as I would be a self appointed toilet monitor when I fly in J.

 

[auflier]

generally i find va domestic offer better service experience. and their hygiene practice is better than qantas. less routes and facilities though.