Does anyone still think VA is superior?

[xtra]

For context: I'm Platinum with VA, QF and a couple of others. And I was a massive VA advocate - converting many mates and business spend.


I just had another pretty bus-like ride with VA that's again left me questioning why the hell I ever fly them.


The pros:
- row 3 (though that might disappear - exit rows are already an upsell)
- fly ahead (though that's not as easy as it used to be)
- they fly to OOL and HTI (destinations I frequent ... though QF is now back in a limited capacity)
- they keep QF honest


The cons:
- The check in queues - if you have luggage - are bad ... even if you are "premium"
- The lounges are ordinary vs QF (I genuinely want to eat the QF business lounge spread, I feel like VA is a cheap cafeteria)
- Their best lounges (*A F in LAX) are disappearing
- The inflight entertainment cycles rarely (I've seen everything) and is limited
- The inflight F&B is limited and pathetic (a bite-sized muesli bar for a 2.5-hour flight anyone?)
- As someone travelling with child car seats, they don't offer protective bags. That means they get damaged or wet (this changed in SYD for a short while, but doesn't seem to have stuck)
- Their staff are generally not particularly happy - despite apparently being named "best cabin crew in the world" - and disappear as quickly as possible
- There is no on board recognition. Not really important but I've never been greeted by name, been op-uped or ever felt mildly special (even though my wife is Plat and my 4yo would be had she flied another sector)




To me, VA feels like a LCC with marketing that dramatically overpromises. That was OK when pricing was competitive but now they're often more expensive than QF.


Am I missing something or should I give up on VA?

 

[serfty]

No don't give up on VA - you have the best of both with your travel pattern.

I too am WP in both and domestically they are a muchness.

VA PE/J service for LAX is much better than QF's.

QF fly to more destinations.

AA and DL's treatment of their partner airline elites is great.

I tend to travel VA a little more domestically due to price.

I am happy to have the option.

Don't check luggage so can't comment on that.

One disclaimer - I am QF LT SG.

 

[moa999]

I think VA lost it when the dumped the OK Flexi fare catering for the above mentioned snack catering in Y.

Agree their check-in systems are far from smooth despite being the second mover in this regard.

At least they do priority boarding well, although having dropped to Red it doesn't help me.

 

[cove]

I fly in business on both and the offering is similar. Now the check in going SYD-PER on VA was a bit scary as there were huge crowds but we figured out how to get priority so we didn't miss our flight.

 

[QF WP]

I still love VA over QF for the following reasons:

1. Family pooling - I am the only one that needs status, so we always go on family holidays with VA. That helps me maintain Gold and for some years in the past, achieve Plat (when my flying was greater)
2. Fly Ahead - after a trip away, I always want the flexibility of getting home early to be with my wife and kids. Had that on my last trip to SYD, I got home 4 hours early
3. Premium entry SYD - a godsend. I am normally HLO so getting through to the Lounge quickly is needed at the end of a trip there.
4. Staff - whilst I know staff on both sides in BNE, I have always found the VA staff friendlier. I used to get walked to my flights by the Lounge Manager as we continued our conversation. But not everyone gets to know staff as I have been able to do
5. Status level achievement - lower targets and a different way of calculating (rolling 12 months versus fixed period)
6. Points for upgrades - I buy Flexi economy where possible (with AFF sourced discounts codes) thus cost is less versus QF. Commensurately, getting upgrades to J cost less. I love Row 2 and am rarely not able to secure

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Nope.
I am going back to QF. 95% of my flight will be with the "opposition" to VA from now on.
I will only fly VA if the fare is in the $49/$59/$69 range ADL - MEL or vv/$79 ADL - SYD or vv, (noting that SC earn rates are now 5 on the Getaway fare-haven't seen a fare drop, and yet the SC earn drops by half).
Superior??? Haha. On several of my Au domestic flights, the QF plane has been quite seat filled, and I get an empty seat next to me in whY, not ever has me on VA.

 

[Dr Ralph]

I've never thought VA was superior.

 

[penegal]

I've never thought VA was superior.

Your best post of the year Dr....

 

[penegal]

I've found Virgin very much like catching a bus.

Qantas certainly can feel like that too, however recent efforts at QF to train cabin crew to recognise status are starting to pay dividends IMHO.

As such most of my domestic spend is with QF as a result.

The main benefit of higher VA status is better seating in Y, but as always a pleb can parachute into a row 3 middle seat.

Lounge access is guaranteed via a small credit card company with a roman logo.

 

[JohnK]

I love VA as wife and daughter travel on a BFOD policy and if booked >20 days out they are much cheaper than Qantas. I don't really care for extra QFF points and their travel is family pooled and should assist me maintain VA Gold for another year.

Check in staff are usually friendly.

Other than that not much to say.

 

[Jet L]

I only fly VA for everything because they are easier to earn and retain status also family pooling, I don't fly enough to get gold with QF when I found it quite easy with VA because of family pooling

 

[Jack_OC]

I agree with everything the OP said. I too was a huge VA advocate, but not any more. They're not even generally cheaper than QF anymore, based on my recent experience. In fact, for the last 4 domestic trips I have booked, VA would have been substantially more expensive than QF - in one case by $270 for the rtn trip.

I decided to shift most of my travel to QF in September where possible, but to be honest at the time I suspected that I'd still have to fly VA and partners a fair bit, as I don't have freedom to just pick my preferred airline with work. Surprisingly though, I have been able to book almost all my travel with QF/OW since, even for international trips in J, as QF has become a lot more competitive across the board, as far as I can see.

I'm now Gold with QF but will soon be Platinum. Last week travelling domestically with QF (booked on Red E-Deals), I was able to select seats in Row 4 (front row of Y) after T-80, I got an op-up to J on the outward leg, a warm greeting by name in both directions, and then wine from Business on the way back, even though I was seated in Y. I also got an extra top up of wine without asking (in addition to the standard 2 drinks normally offered for free by QF in Y) after we commenced our descent. I'm not naive enough to think that this was a standard experience with QF, but I've literally never experienced any kind of recognition or special service from VA as a Platinum (and just to reiterate, I'm still only Gold with QF).

 

[TonyHancock]

Domestically my preference is VA for the following reasons:

Priority Boarding
Row 3
Fly Ahead
Premium Lounge Entry
4 Complimentary Upgrades

The A330 east coast to Perth experience is marginally better than QF.

 

[Pleb Status]

Am I missing something or should I give up on VA?

Give up if you are unhappy with the service provided.

 

[frequentflyer]

I'm curious - for those who are platinum for both QF and VA, how many times have you been op-up on each provider?

I am VA platinum and have never been upgraded despite there being an abundance of available seats. I understand there may be issues around catering (just to be clear, I am happy to receive economy class "food") but surely one way to recognise your "loyal" customers is to give them a tangible benefit with no marginal cost?

 

[Jack_OC]

I'm curious - for those who are platinum for both QF and VA, how many times have you been op-up on each provider?

I am VA platinum and have never been upgraded despite there being an abundance of available seats. I understand there may be issues around catering (just to be clear, I am happy to receive economy class "food") but surely one way to recognise your "loyal" customers is to given them a tangible benefit with no marginal cost?

I suspect neither of them give op-ups unless they have to - i.e. if they need to free up seats in Y. Under normal circumstances, I think they are both happy to fly with empty seats in J unless someone is willing to pay for the seats, or upgrade using points/cash/upgrade certificates etc. That is certainly true of VA, as I have sat in Row 3 on countless occasions, in a full or virtually full Y cabin, looking at a half empty J cabin. I have also once flown in J with VA when I was the only person in the J cabin, and on another occasion my family of 4 were the only people in the J cabin (having upgraded with points).

FWIW, after 3.5 years as Platinum with VA (and lots of flying with them in that time), I've never had an op-up, but I have used a few "free upgrades". I've never been above Gold with QF and I've flown with them a lot less, but as I said I got an op-up from them last week. That was more than likely just luck though - probably due to the time of year they didn't have any higher ranking solo travellers to op-up instead.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

I've never thought VA was superior.

I'm with you on that one.

 

[grubbidok]

I'm curious - for those who are platinum for both QF and VA, how many times have you been op-up on each provider?

Only once, on a late night MEL-SYD. Flight was packed and I think it had more to do with load issues rather than recognition. When QF Silver I had a few op-ups to PE on international flights, then nothing when I was Gold

 

[cove]

For us VA is easier to get two business class seats on points. It isn't Mrscove's favourite because she wears Qantas undies and is a foundation QF shareholder from when they went public.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

I took my First VA flight I took last year since the company evolved from becoming a LCC.
Quite honestly, the VA domestic economy product was a really disappointing experience and no where near QF's standard.

As a shareholder I'm hoping someone like SQ comes along and buys them from out, and really makes them a full service airline.