First ever Virgin AFL Flight 17/3, SYD-MEL - Books into FLEX

[SydneySwan]

If anyone takes this flight, please report how it went.

 

[ozstamps]

FREE AFL tickets MCG Melbourne Thurs March 17


What an amazing flight - we all arrived OK after a media scrum at departure date in SYD, to all 4 commercial channel TV crews at gate in MEL, to greet the flight with a large red banner etc, (watch News tonight and see if you can spot us!) and the nice Virgin staff gave me 3 extra tickets as flight was not 100% full - all reserved seating adjoining tickets for tonight.

Short notice I know but contact me ASAP if you can definitely use these, I can email them. They cost about $40 apiece I understand.

 

[AIRwin]

Any photos with the Premiership Cup?

 

[ozstamps]

Any photos with the Premiership Cup?

You mean this kind of thing??

The 2022 Cup as can be seen, that no-one has won yet, and DARN heavy, trust me!

Booking Exit Row 13 certainly paid off. Being spacious in that area as few seats were booked, they staged most things from there.

Lots of photos at SYD gate and in-flight. The poor FA's had their normal routine totally disrupted with a film crew in the aisle most of the flight.

 

[ozstamps]

If anyone takes this flight, please report how it went.

A fun Debut Virgin Footy Flight. Much media and photos with AFL Cup at SYD departure lounge. Huge goodie bags for each pax - which were sponsored by Coles and Chemist Warehouse, so all kinds of food and cosmetics etc.

And sacks of official AFL merchandise to choose from - beanies and scarves and flags and other freebies etc.

In flight, they'd loaded unlimited Four and Twenty Meat pies, and Carlton Draught beer, and red and white wine. All kinds of speeches and joviality and anecdotes in flight from Kevin Sheedy, and 'Kaptain Koutafides' who donned the Virgin Captain's cap.

On arrival in MEL all TV networks had film crews there - watch your evening news tonight!

When was the last time a Virgin economy cart was loaded only with free meat pies, Carlton Draught and red and white wines?

 

[jase05]

I will definitely be giving Kev some grief over that god awful guernsey when I see him at next weeks function

 

[ozstamps]

Sheedy was a lovely guy .... he signed in great detail, an ancient First Day Envelope for a Footy tragic friend of mine, Brad.

Oddly they were seated in row 8 .. amazed they were not allocated Biz Class seats.

Had forgotten it was St. Patrick's Day until he wrote that so will grab a Guinness at Hotel Bar in the next 10 mins.

 

[SydneySwan]

When was the last time a Virgin economy cart was loaded only with free meat pies, Carlton Draught and red and white wines?

Probably never but let us hope it happens again! Perhaps next year they can run this flight to coincide with a Sydney team playing in Melbourne?

I wonder what those passengers who simply thought they had bought a plane ticket to Melbourne thought of it all. I am regretting not going but would have needed to fly back this evening without seeing the match.

 

[AIRwin]

How was the aircraft with the new seats?

 

[oldmatejeff]

Was lucky to have been on this flight today, I flew to Sydney from Melbourne this morning to catch the flight, and sure enough, Anthony and the VA marketing team were onboard from Melbourne carrying the cup. The flight was served by IWQ, looked like they wanted to showcase the new seats as our noon flight was the first of the day for IWQ. Received a wide variety of merchandise along with the 50 status credits, game tickets, and snacks. All business class seats were taken so the Cup had to be buckled into a normal economy seat.

 

[SydneySwan]

All business class seats were taken so the Cup had to be buckled into a normal economy seat.

I wonder how many status credits the cup earned and who collected them in their family pool.

 

[AIRwin]

I wonder how many status credits the cup earned and who collected them in their family pool.

With ORC for the downgrade from business class?

 

[ozstamps]

How was the aircraft with the new seats?

With zero barrier between row 2 and 3 I'd hate to be the pax in row 2 especially.

Not sure if they are retro fitting the perspex barriers but a VERY smart idea.

As this was a total chaos fight in many respects compared to normal - camera crews and staff and players free ranging up and down the aisle all flights, could not see if there was any barrier for pax to use Business Class loos, but it appeared not.

= = = ==

SEATING at the G were in a superb block --- a few rows from the grass and at side centre of ground so excellent visibility.

Nothing to do with Virgin but catering outlets were insanely slow. Mini riots going on. Apparently heaps of staff did not show etc. They knew that full well from the 57,000 Wednesday game, with masses of negative feedback, and it was even worse Thursday with 82,000 fans. My friend took a half hour to get 3 drinks and 3 pies. Missed all of Q2.