New to Virgin

[Jaryd]

Hi all,

I'm a QF WP and work for a company who has recently switched to Virgin. I've been dumped from Qantas Platinum to Virgin Red which is a bit of a shock but that's another story.

I am having major issues trying to check in, and always seem to have to check in and select seats at the airport. The irony is, I can go to qantas.com and select virgin seats, but I can't do anything through virgin's website. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Also, I mainly fly east coast and MEL/Syd- DRW. Do any of these planes have IFE? I usually work on my laptop on flights, and watch something in the background, but the whole BYO screen isn't really conducive to this. Also, work restricts us from installing silverlight.

No IFE just makes Darwin flights particularly long... And I prefer to get to the airport as late as possible... So not being able to check in is a really big pain in the cough!

 

[Liroquai]

Not sure on the check in issue but no, no IFE on DRW flights unless you somehow end up on a 330. I believe, like most, the route is flown exclusively by 737's. Seatback IFE was removed on all aircraft except for the couple of remaining 700's but these are disabled anyway.

Why not buy one of those covers for your phone that flips around to become a stand?

 

[Denali]

Yep, no IFE to/from Darwin unless you are J and you get a tablet provided.

Hubby watched 2 movies one way on the weekend on his phone and I had to use a power pack to recharge (he didn't use the tablet) because if there is power on board, I couldn't find it.

 

[Buzzard]

Unfortunately VA is stil a LCC so it is BYO entertainmenmt.

 

[Denali]

Unfortunately VA is stil a LCC so it is BYO entertainmenmt.

They provide entertainment, just not the tools to enjoy it. I don't even bother to download the app but hubby does. He just wishes there were better movies.

I think you can rent the tablets but no idea how much or why someone would do that - all the announcements cutting in/out of the movie must be annoying.

 

[alviau]

Unfortunately VA is stil a LCC so it is BYO entertainmenmt.

I guess on that basis, QFF may be considered LCC too in a way, in light of this announcement: http ://www .ausbt.com.au /qantas-boeing-737s-to-get-more-economy-seats-wifi-entertainment

"38 of the airline's older Boeing 737s, which currently pump out entertainment via overhead screens and radio channels, will have Q Streaming installed so that passengers can beam 400 hours of content onto their own devices such as laptops, tablets and even smartphones."

Tho unclear yet whether the overhead screens will remain operational in conjunction with Q Streaming. I can't recall the exact article, but some time ago QF mentioned that they will move to BYO device alla VA.

 

[toowongman]

So not being able to check in is a really big pain in the cough!

Depends on how you are ticketed. Are you buying tickets directly through the VA site, or through an agent (CWT etc.)?

 

[Warks]

It's a pity VA isn't comping QF WPs and SGs at present (that I know of). I was a QF SG when VA comped me to VA SG - I hit QF WP a month later by the way. This made a big difference to my flying choice as I'd been flying QF almost exclusively but when VA offered me lounge access and priority check-in etc the barrier to my flying with them was lowered. As I pay for my own flights this also meant considerable savings on some routes (not on others).

I wonder if there's a chance for you getting comped in the future? You could ask I guess.

 

[Ausbt]

Hi all,

I'm a QF WP and work for a company who has recently switched to Virgin. I've been dumped from Qantas Platinum to Virgin Red which is a bit of a shock but that's another story.

When my company signed up to VAs Accelerate scheme they gifted one VA SG status (I think our Sales Manager took it). So who got yours? Regardless, it's a hard landing for you. Hopefully you can climb back up quickly.

 

[Jaryd]

Go through an agent. I'm in Sydney now, can't even self checkin. Have to go to the customer service desk.

So painful! At least I can select my seats through QF or I would be in the tail!

 

[Starsky99]

I travel almost 50/50 between Virgin & Qantas and I prefer the Wifi entertainment on Virgin.

It would be nice if there were a few more options, but streaming to a Galaxy Tab S works flawlessly, and the screen quality and audio of a BYO device is much better than than the Y cabin seat-back IFE units on Qantas.

 

[Cryptarcadian]

Must be something specific to your case… booking through an agent in and of itself shouldn't prevent you from using OLCI. My employer books travel through CWT, and I've been able to check myself in with no problems, mobile boarding passes and all.

In any case, I'm really curious, how does selecting VA seats through qantas.com actually work?! :shock:

 

[Demon_fan]

Hi all,

I'm a QF WP and work for a company who has recently switched to Virgin. I've been dumped from Qantas Platinum to Virgin Red which is a bit of a shock but that's another story.

I am having major issues trying to check in, and always seem to have to check in and select seats at the airport. The irony is, I can go to qantas.com and select virgin seats, but I can't do anything through virgin's website. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Also, I mainly fly east coast and MEL/Syd- DRW. Do any of these planes have IFE? I usually work on my laptop on flights, and watch something in the background, but the whole BYO screen isn't really conducive to this. Also, work restricts us from installing silverlight.

No IFE just makes Darwin flights particularly long... And I prefer to get to the airport as late as possible... So not being able to check in is a really big pain in the cough!

You should look into Pilot Gold to see if you can fat track yourself to Gold. I'm pretty sure VA still offer it. If they give it to you, you will need 80 SC's in 3 months.

 

[kevrosmith]

Yes, if your company is part of Accelerate, that program allows two people to be nominated as Pilot Gold. Heck, if you have an ABN, sign-up to Accelerate, and assign yourself Pilot Gold. You need to get 80 SCs in 3 months, as previously indicated.

I would've thought the "can't change anything or check-in online" is due to corporate travel agent booking, and while others have suggested theirs work, I reckon this will still be the case. Virgin's booking system is pretty flaky. Do you have simple one-way or return bookings, or are they multi-city type bookings? I had some multi-city bookings, and it was impossible to check-in via mobile check-in on these types of bookings.

Also, if you have an upgrade on one sector of a return booking, for example, you can't change the booking online either. (Not sure about online check-in).

The other thing to note with Virgin (which may make you reconsider check-in before getting to airport) is that once you check-in, that's it - you can't change your flight or uncheck-in, and if you all of a sudden can't fly, even if it's a Flexi fare, you'll most likely forfeit it. However, having said that, there is anecdotal evidence this can be worked around, and probably just depends on who you are and who you get to help you.

While I do like the streaming wifi, the movie choices are often lacking and limited. Rarely a big new release block-buster like on QF's seat-back IFE. I think the VA 737 streaming wifi is much better than QF's overhead offering though. Do you have smart phone or tablet you can use for IFE?

 

[Jaryd]

How do you do this? I earned 80SC yesterday and today.

Re QF.com it is only recent but their website and system seems to read other carriers if you're on the same booking (even if not oneworld). Bit hit and miss when it works, but it's better than nothing. See below extract from QF app for VA flights

...

 

[kevrosmith]

How do you do this? I earned 80SC yesterday and today.

http://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/experience/corporate-travel/accelerate/

 

[Jaryd]

Oh... No we don't qualify for accelerate. We would spend more than 300k per annum I think

 

[kevrosmith]

Re QF.com it is only recent but their website and system seems to read other carriers if you're on the same booking (even if not oneworld). Bit hit and miss when it works, but it's better than nothing. See below extract from QF app for VA flights

If you have bookings with mixed Airlines, then it is clearly booked through a travel agent. This basically means you probably won't be able to do seat selection or online check-in with these bookings.

Edit: Opps, I misread the flight numbers on that booking... they're both VA. I thought one was QF. I just tried a pure VA booking (booked via VA website) and it can't be read by QF MMB.

 

[kevrosmith]

Oh... No we don't qualify for accelerate. We would spend more than 300k per annum I think

Do you know anyone who has an ABN? Get them to sign-up to Accelerate... it's free, and then get them to assign you for Pilot Gold.

 

[kevrosmith]

Did your company contact VA when the decided to "switch" to VA, or is it just an internal policy thing? VA are known (even in the last few months) to offer status matches to company staff members when they make an official switch to VA. A friend who works for a mining company in Mt Isa had this recently offered.