More Virgin suckage

[klavdy]

Recently the company went from Qantas/Air Niugini for flights from Aus to P.N.G to Virgin/Airlines P.N.G as Air Niugini would not/could not service the domestic leg from POM (Port Moresby) to the site.
It's a remote site but has a registered airstrip, one that can handle Citations, Dash-8's, Twin Otters etc.
Any way, the deal is we have to fly Virgin from BNE to POM, then APNG to site on one of their Dash 8's.
Now Virgin will not award Velocity points or status credits as all our tickets are "P" class.
This means you can't really gain status tiers so line up with every one else in the scrum at the check in counters and can't use the lounges.

Last trip to POM from BNE saw us arrive at BNE at 08:00 for a 10:00 flight.
Hour and 15 minutes later we're finally booked in.Hmmm.
Got handed our meal at the boarding gate, a salad roll and a bottle of water.
Even worse on the way back, computers down in POM, hopelessness on behalf of the staff at the gates, two and a half hours to check in and another meal consisting of a stale beetroot,processed cheese and luncheon meat sandwich with a bottle of water handed to you at the air-bridge.
The bloke next to me was starving, starving enough to spend $16.00 on this inflight treat,

Yep, that there is a genuine Virgin "Italian Lamb Shank" ($9.00) a coffee($3.00) and a small can of Pringles($4.00)

It is also the first Airline I've ever been on where the cabin crew called me Darling.
The really coughpy thing about it all is that Qantas tickets to POM are pretty much the same price as Virgins.
I flew Virgin earlier in the year from LAX to BNE Business class, that was great, as good as any(apart from the enforced jollity) and I'd fly Virgin Business again to LAX but why oh why must their other fights/classes suck so much?
I've flown once from Perth to SYD on Virgin, never again I said.

You want inflight entertainment on a tiny screen?
That will be $9.90, swipe your card please.
Thirsty?
Buy some water.

 

[MrGreg]

Well virgin is usually far cheaper than Qantas for paying customers, and therefore, there are less things to go with your service.

With Qantas, you will get everything included regardless of if you want it. With virgin, you get a seat on a plane and if you want additional food/drinks/legroom/entertainment, you can pay for it.

Without comparing QF and DJ, i would prefer to fly on a service where i can choose what I want providing its cheaper.

 

[serfty]

... Without comparing QF and DJ, i would prefer to fly on a service where i can choose what I want providing its cheaper.

It is not always the case that DJ is cheaper for the same route, same day and similar time.

 

[klavdy]

That's the whole point!
Often times it can cost more with really coughpy connection times.

 

[anat0l]

That's the whole point!
Often times it can cost more with really coughpy connection times.

Not sure about often, but I know that I rarely am able to find DJ flights that suit my schedule that are also markedly cheaper than that I could get on QF.

I keep in mind that whilst QF charges $7.70 for credit card payment, DJ charges $3.50 for the same service (per flight segment even, and you can't do a "multi-city" booking on DJ unless your routing is specifically marketed) plus add $8.00 for a piece of checked baggage.

I guess I'm also biased since I have QF status, which gets me extra bag allowance, lounge access as well as the ability to select front row seats. With DJ status I'd have the same privileges plus I'd save the $8.00 for checked bag as well.

But back to the point, there are often cheap DJ fares but they either go quickly or are not released on some flights (inventory management). QF inventory levels tend to be more stable IME in that they could release a sale and still have some sale seats left after a couple of days (again - very much YMMV).

I guess it just means that if I ever wanted to switch to flying with DJ, I'd have to change my habits in how I search and book flights.


I think the real conclusion of this thread is not to expect much when flying to PNG - irrespective of whether it is operated by DJ or QF! The service, it seems, isn't anything at all to write home about.

 

[N860CR]

It is also the first Airline I've ever been on where the cabin crew called me Darling

Guess you don't fly QantasLink in Queensland very often then.

 

[anat0l]

Guess you don't fly QantasLink in Queensland very often then.

QantasLink have lovely crew most of the time but I've never been called 'Darling' at any time whilst flying them.

 

[N860CR]

Really? I get love and darl and other such terms on a weekly basis. Guess I just attract it

 

[markis10]

The really coughpy thing about it all is that Qantas tickets to POM are pretty much the same price as Virgins.

Not sure what the complaint is really about here, from what I can read your company has negotiated fares with Virign that include a "meal" and no FF benefits, so comparing public airfares is not really appropriate, the content of your post does not mention anything that would be out of the ordinary for an airline to do under such a contract (after all things do break down at times ) other than calling you darling!

If your unhappy with the arrangements then I would suggest providing feedback to the person who organised the new arrangements, I know in the past that I have been able to negotiate alternate arangements when I was travelling for the company on my time.

If its on their time then I doubt there is much you can do, as unlike the rest of the pax, you are being paid to be there!

 

[klavdy]

You're not being very helpful.

 

[Matthias Fuchs]

Having just completed 7 days straight flying on Virgin aircraft over 31 flights on a charity project, I may be a little conditioned but I can say that when viewed over a decent sample size of flights DJ will be considerably cheaper than QF. These savings will more than offset any food or drinks you wish to purchase.

I am not sure I would want to be called Darling either, but that does depend on who is saying it, but I would prefer the general enthusiasm and friendliness shown by Virgin cabin crew any day over having a high cholesterol breakfast thrown at me in economy in QF by some of the staff (naturally a generalisation because there are plenty of good ones).

As for the small screen, you have a wide selection of what to watch for $9.90 on a long flight. That beats being forced to watch something you don't want to watch for free on a large screen .Also with Virgin, the news will be live and won't be pre-recorded.

It also amazes me that some people praise QF for the newspaper service on Citiflyer and yet for $1.50 you can get your own paper and save on the airfare which will usually be a hell of a lot more than $1.50 extra.

Virgin Blue ontime performance has been superior to QF over the past 5 consecutive years and that is fact.

 

[crazydave98]

Recently the company went from Qantas/Air Niugini for flights from Aus to P.N.G to Virgin/Airlines P.N.G as Air Niugini would not/could not service the domestic leg from POM (Port Moresby) to the site.

Any way, the deal is we have to fly Virgin from BNE to POM, then APNG to site on one of their Dash 8's.

Now Virgin will not award Velocity points or status credits as all our tickets are "P" class. This means you can't really gain status tiers so line up with every one else in the scrum at the check in counters and can't use the lounges.

Got handed our meal at the boarding gate, a salad roll and a bottle of water.

What klavdy neglects to mention is that s/he is flying on a APNG code and it is they who determine the product inclusions. If klavdy wants their Velocity points they could fly on the DJ code. Or as suggested by markis10 have a word to their travel manager. I cannot tell you the detail of the terms of our codeshare deal with APNG, but let's say we're keen to sell Velocity points. I don't get the complaint about our prices for food and beverage on board when the member is getting free meal and water at the gate.

cheers

CrazyDave 98

 

[anat0l]

when viewed over a decent sample size of flights DJ will be considerably cheaper than QF. These savings will more than offset any food or drinks you wish to purchase.

That is to be expected. There would be something wrong if there wasn't a clear price differential between QF and DJ (without including extras etc.)

I suppose we often argue more on a flight-by-flight basis rather than say looking at a larger sample size. Moreover, there are only a handful of us here who have consistently flown both carriers.

It also amazes me that some people praise QF for the newspaper service on Citiflyer and yet for $1.50 you can get your own paper and save on the airfare which will usually be a hell of a lot more than $1.50 extra.

That also surprises me. Getting a free newspaper isn't something I'd write home about at all, whether I be a pax of status or not.

Certainly QF CityFlyer made an ad out of the said benefit some time ago, but again not a huge deal IMO.

Virgin Blue ontime performance has been superior to QF over the past 5 consecutive years and that is fact.

Yep, can't argue with that.

 

[klavdy]

General friendliness & enthusiasm,well, I for one was taken aback when the Business Class attendant on my flight from LAX to BNE literally was on bended knee imploring me to have a nice flight.
Amazed is not quite strong enough for my reaction, poor lass was cringing and beetroot red in shame faced embarrassment at having to do this, even asked her WTF are you doing?
She was on her knee, almost like a suitor proposing to their beloved.
Policy , she said, cabin crew are to make all efforts to welcome their premium passengers.

Nice big seats, 206 cm long lay flat bed,

The inflight bar is a good touch, mind you, I never drink on or before flights, but it's nice all the same.

The inflight entertainment system, well, I reckon it's better than the ones on Qantas 747-400's on the same route & class,
Meals were top notch as well, and the amenities packs were better than Q's business class, you even got a set of Opera House salt'n pepper shakers as a souvenir.

They can do a good job on these flights, no question , boarding at LAX was an absolute shemozzle, a rabble of pushing and urging with no staff really taking charge but that should be easy to sort out.

Virgin are good on the AUS -U.S routes no doubt about it, at a better price than Qantas but man o man, their other flights& classes pretty well suck.
I'll discount any replies made from employees of either Airline, subjective opinion and bias won't sway me.

 

[Matthias Fuchs]

Agree with all your positive comments about V-Australia. Don't forget the thongs ! The one thing they will need to work on to grow the business traveller market to LAX is the Lounge. The Alaska Lounge at Terminal 2 doesn't have a shower, which is something that I have started to take for granted . Not being able to have a shower after a long connection and before a 14 hour flight is an issue that needs fixing.

Re Virgin Blue, short haul, not sure what one needs other than a seat, on time performance and a friendly crew. Grab a paper on the way in and off you go for the hour or so flight. The coffee in the Virgin Blue Lounges on the east coast is also second to none and you won't be fighting for a seat or having to stare at a fellow passengers that you will do at peak hour in the Qantas Club.

 

[straitman]

Recently the company went from Qantas/Air Niugini for flights from Aus to P.N.G to Virgin/Airlines P.N.G as Air Niugini would not/could not service the domestic leg from POM (Port Moresby) to the site.
It's a remote site but has a registered airstrip, one that can handle Citations, Dash-8's, Twin Otters etc.
Any way, the deal is we have to fly Virgin from BNE to POM, then APNG to site on one of their Dash 8's.
Now Virgin will not award Velocity points or status credits as all our tickets are "P" class.
This means you can't really gain status tiers so line up with every one else in the scrum at the check in counters and can't use the lounges.

You're not being very helpful.

klavdy,

People are being helpful, it is just that you are not getting the answers that you wish for.

The posts from crazydave98 and markis10 sum it up well. You are getting what you company has agreed to and paid for. It seems though they they have taken the cheapest option with little regard to the individuals concerned.

 

[straitman]

Are the LAX-BNE business class flights relevant here at all or are we just wandering OT as usual:?:

 

[markis10]

I might add I dont work for an airline, I work in IT and fly Virgin and QF. When I first flew Virgin I did not enjoy it too much, however it only took a few flights on JQ and to read the stories here about tiger to alter my expectations about LCC's.

I happily take Virgin to Adelaide over QF because their schedule fits, I actually like the option of catering for my own tastes as far as food goes rather than eating what is served and often I have no entertainment options as the route is frequently flown by the EMB's. Thats a similar route to that being discussed in terms of time, now if we were talking 5 + hours, I am definately a QF fan as the widebodies make all the difference, but again we are not talking about that long a flight here.

 

[klavdy]

Are the LAX-BNE business class flights relevant here at all or are we just wandering OT as usual:?:

You're no bloody fun at all, there I was , having a good old moan and you and markis10 come and bugger it all up with logic and reason.
Bah!
I'll go back to instant noodles on Virgin then I suppose.

Call whine one one for me, I need the waaaambulance.

 

[anat0l]

You're no bloody fun at all, there I was , having a good old moan and you and markis10 come and bugger it all up with logic and reason.
Bah!
I'll go back to instant noodles on Virgin then I suppose.

Call whine one one for me, I need the waaaambulance.

Well frankly you're not making any bloody sense :!: :evil: