Hi All,
Just returned from a trip to Thailand with Mrs Zeit and in the spirit of giving back to the community (after my pre-flight quizzing of members) I thought I would write a trip report of my flight up with DJ and VA as a newly minted Velocity Gold member.
Outbound flight - SYD-BNE-HKT
DJ SYD-BNE
First flight on DJ for a long time (last was in 2009) and the experience could and should have been better. Checked in at the Priority Counter and was greeted by a member of staff who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but serving priority guests.
Initially our booking couldn't be found (had booked ticket SYD-HKT with VA and as she put it "the systems don't talk to each other"). Hmm!
Finally she found us but were then told the 08.00 SYD-BNE (our booked flight) had been cancelled and we would be on the 07.00. I enquired to whether DJ should have called me to tell me (I hadn't heard anything from them) especially given I was a Gold Velocity, to which she said yes they should have.
I thought it incredible that no one had contacted me to let me know, especially given our connecting flight from BNE at 10.00. It was lucky we had turned up so early.
Hurried through security and popped into the Lounge for 10 mins for a quick bite to eat. I hadn't been in the SYD Lounge before and was impressed with the space and how empty it was compared to the QP.
Actual DJ flight was fine, although we had to wait for 30 mins on the ground for other passengers who, we were told, were connecting with flights from BNE (no doubt other people booked on the 08.00 that hadn't been told and had turned up "on time"). So by the time we reached BNE it was only 15 mins earlier than if we had actually been on the 08.00.
At BNE, checked in at the VA transfer desk in the DOM airport and received an upgrade from Y to Y+. Very nice considering we were booked into a V Deal fare and Y+ was on sale at time of booking for twice the price. I assume my Gold status swung this for me.
On boarding (through the priority lane) the plane seemed very new, very clean and welcoming. Managed to have a quick nose around Business and the cabin seemed very spacious with lots of room between seats and a big stand-up bar in the middle of the cabin.
Similarly the Y+ cabin was welcoming and very clean, although it felt a bit small.
Overall I found the VA Y+ offer to be good, but not as good as Qantas Y+.
Aspects I liked:
1. The large TV and the IFE system in general
2. The recline of the seats was very generous
3. The "mood lighting" - although at times this did seem a bit random
4. The general attitude of the cabin crew - welcoming, attentive and helpful
Aspects I didn't like:
1. The music they play at take-off and landing - it's a bit full on, a bit loud and not what you need after a 8.5 hour flight.
2. The food. It wasn't bad just not as good as Qantas. It lacked imagination and felt like Y+ food rather than J- food as I think Qantas delivers.
3. The "snack bar" area was a narrow passage way at the head of the cabin that was cramped and claustrophobic, caused bottlenecks (as it was the only place in the cabin to stand and was next to toilets and used by cabin crew to prepare meals etc) and was generally badly designed. From talking to the cabin crew they find it equally annoying and cramped (there is no food prep area for them and have to use the Y prep area and transport the food up) and told me that VA were thinking of redesigning the interior because of the problems it causes.
4. Qantas adds little touches e.g. a table cloth, they unwrap the meals for you, metal rather than plastic utensils and crockery.
5. The noise cancelling headphones. Whilst they worked well, Mrs Zeit and I found them uncomfortable and made our ears sore after a while of wearing them.
5. Overall the product felt a little cheap and definitely like a Y+ service rather than the J- service that again I think Qantas delivers in Y+.
So overall, though I would choose Qantas Y+ over VA Y+ if I had the choice, I would certainly fly VA and Y+ again (I had a walk around Y as well and it seemed better than many other Y cabins). At the time of booking the VA Y+ was around $950 one way, which is good value, especially when you consider I payed $850 for the return leg on BA Y, which I found very poor and has put me off BA Y for life (but that is for another thread).
Let me know if you want more specific details about any aspect of the flight.
Cheers,
Zeit
Just returned from a trip to Thailand with Mrs Zeit and in the spirit of giving back to the community (after my pre-flight quizzing of members) I thought I would write a trip report of my flight up with DJ and VA as a newly minted Velocity Gold member.
Outbound flight - SYD-BNE-HKT
DJ SYD-BNE
First flight on DJ for a long time (last was in 2009) and the experience could and should have been better. Checked in at the Priority Counter and was greeted by a member of staff who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but serving priority guests.
Initially our booking couldn't be found (had booked ticket SYD-HKT with VA and as she put it "the systems don't talk to each other"). Hmm!
Finally she found us but were then told the 08.00 SYD-BNE (our booked flight) had been cancelled and we would be on the 07.00. I enquired to whether DJ should have called me to tell me (I hadn't heard anything from them) especially given I was a Gold Velocity, to which she said yes they should have.
I thought it incredible that no one had contacted me to let me know, especially given our connecting flight from BNE at 10.00. It was lucky we had turned up so early.
Hurried through security and popped into the Lounge for 10 mins for a quick bite to eat. I hadn't been in the SYD Lounge before and was impressed with the space and how empty it was compared to the QP.
Actual DJ flight was fine, although we had to wait for 30 mins on the ground for other passengers who, we were told, were connecting with flights from BNE (no doubt other people booked on the 08.00 that hadn't been told and had turned up "on time"). So by the time we reached BNE it was only 15 mins earlier than if we had actually been on the 08.00.
At BNE, checked in at the VA transfer desk in the DOM airport and received an upgrade from Y to Y+. Very nice considering we were booked into a V Deal fare and Y+ was on sale at time of booking for twice the price. I assume my Gold status swung this for me.
On boarding (through the priority lane) the plane seemed very new, very clean and welcoming. Managed to have a quick nose around Business and the cabin seemed very spacious with lots of room between seats and a big stand-up bar in the middle of the cabin.
Similarly the Y+ cabin was welcoming and very clean, although it felt a bit small.
Overall I found the VA Y+ offer to be good, but not as good as Qantas Y+.
Aspects I liked:
1. The large TV and the IFE system in general
2. The recline of the seats was very generous
3. The "mood lighting" - although at times this did seem a bit random
4. The general attitude of the cabin crew - welcoming, attentive and helpful
Aspects I didn't like:
1. The music they play at take-off and landing - it's a bit full on, a bit loud and not what you need after a 8.5 hour flight.
2. The food. It wasn't bad just not as good as Qantas. It lacked imagination and felt like Y+ food rather than J- food as I think Qantas delivers.
3. The "snack bar" area was a narrow passage way at the head of the cabin that was cramped and claustrophobic, caused bottlenecks (as it was the only place in the cabin to stand and was next to toilets and used by cabin crew to prepare meals etc) and was generally badly designed. From talking to the cabin crew they find it equally annoying and cramped (there is no food prep area for them and have to use the Y prep area and transport the food up) and told me that VA were thinking of redesigning the interior because of the problems it causes.
4. Qantas adds little touches e.g. a table cloth, they unwrap the meals for you, metal rather than plastic utensils and crockery.
5. The noise cancelling headphones. Whilst they worked well, Mrs Zeit and I found them uncomfortable and made our ears sore after a while of wearing them.
5. Overall the product felt a little cheap and definitely like a Y+ service rather than the J- service that again I think Qantas delivers in Y+.
So overall, though I would choose Qantas Y+ over VA Y+ if I had the choice, I would certainly fly VA and Y+ again (I had a walk around Y as well and it seemed better than many other Y cabins). At the time of booking the VA Y+ was around $950 one way, which is good value, especially when you consider I payed $850 for the return leg on BA Y, which I found very poor and has put me off BA Y for life (but that is for another thread).
Let me know if you want more specific details about any aspect of the flight.
Cheers,
Zeit
