Positive Virgin?

[mik01]

Hi all.
have been reading for a while and noticed quite a few grumpy posts about Virgin seemingly popping up recently.
Is it just me, or am I the only one who has experienced great service and appreciated all the good changes that they have made, and continue to make?

No I don't work for them. I switched from Qantas a couple of years back (forced) and wasn't happy with the 'fun in the skies' attitude - but over the last year and half they have really changed for the better.
i just went platinum and experienced J class from Perth last week - excellent service!

Plus, tonight I was upgraded to J at the gate without prompting - thanks Virgin!

Sure they are still working through some teething issues, but I don't expect them to be as polished as Qantas - yet. The priority boarding lane is a fantastic initiative you have to admit.

As s frequent flyer, i can't believe I'm the only one that felt unloved at Qantas, and has jumped ship and is feeling valued at Virgin? Am I too easy to please? Or are some posters just too demanding?


Discuss....

 

[samh004]

I think everyone initially was swept up in a reality distortion field (no doubt stolen from Steve Jobs) and were just over the moon to be getting treated superbly, instead of what they were used to at QF. However now that things have settled they’re starting to notice little things, as you do, and thus grumpy posts.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Discuss....

Plenty of discussion is here for the reading. I'm glad your experiences have all been positive, but not everyone is entirely in agreement.

 

[vitagen]

I had a very good flight on Sat evening from Mel-Per! Unfortunately human behavior cannot be modeled or predicted. Sometimes the fault doesn't lie with the QF/DJ staff but the passengers with the wrong attitude, either in life or the day!

I know some days I can be a complete cough where anything anyone does just s&/) me!

 

[dfcatch]

I think your experience is very much in line with the majority of posters on here.

Virgin have been doing some amazing things, priority boarding, genuineness on the part of staff etc are real tangible service positives that we have all experienced.

The issues coming through are that all the positives are for nothing if Virgin keeps making rookie mistakes such as the business class debacle, inadequate systems, opdowns etc.

It takes 10 positives to make up for a single negative, and at the moment Virgin are making an unacceptably high number of unforced errors.

But I agree with everything in the OP.

 

[MarkD]

Human nature is to complain and whinge when you dont get your way, and enjoy it when you do. I would get 10 complaints to every compliment for my staff, very few of those complaints are justified, however, its so easy to picku up a phone, or type an email, without the brain engaging, and saying "Geez you really are expecting to much" or "yes, well I was a total arrogant prick".

 

[simongr]

Sure they are still working through some teething issues, but I don't expect them to be as polished as Qantas - yet. The priority boarding lane is a fantastic initiative you have to admit.

If I pay $400 for a return to MEL from SYD - I expect both carriers to be as polished as each other. If they aren't then they should discount their prices accordingly.

 

[drron]

No you are not unusual at all.I am the unusual one who thinks that AA service is great.Over 9 years flying with them have only come across 1 grumpy FA and i service snafu.
We are all unique in our experiences which of course is the beauty of life.

 

[QLD'r]

I've had a couple of issues, but nothing like I have with Qantas. Virgin are doing a fantastic job. From airport entry, lounge, to gate, air, and back out, the whole process is just easy. And for me that's it! Its just dam easy with VA.

 

[lovestotravel]

Nothing has changed in the past few months, it's just less people complaining,

Seats are still the same
IFE is still the same
Food is still the same (well mostly) but I feel it's improving as the menu changes...
Service is still the same
Errors still happen

Some people have moved back to QF for lots of flights, I am one of them and the next 3 months is pretty much all QF flying instead of VA. I did book a few of the 40% off fares in J, as that pricing is what I see to be about right for the service currently offered in J on VA

Virgin really need a J lounge, or failing that, more food in the lounges at all times! Paying a J fare with QF gets you far better food.. I will be interested to see what the talked about "2 lounges" in SYD means!

The last straw for me was equipment swaps from 738 to E-Jets for my flights in J over the next 3 months. Yes I'd probably get a credit blah blah blah but it's too hard

I have been called twice about an issue which was fixed, but NONE of the follow up I was assured would happen, has happened about other issues. No email, no phone call the next day.

I actually sent a scathing email to Virgin 2 nights ago detailing my problems, I don't want anything done about it I just wanted them to know why I have cancelled a ton of flights.

I should have attached the screenshot of my "before" and "after" list of bookings of my upcoming flights, the "after" being a very short list.

 

[DC3]

No you are not unusual at all.I am the unusual one who thinks that AA service is great.Over 9 years flying with them have only come across 1 grumpy FA and i service snafu.
We are all unique in our experiences which of course is the beauty of life.

+1 to that drron. Continuing slightly OT, AA service is great from the flights that I've had. I have no complaints at all.

 

[dfcatch]

If I pay $400 for a return to MEL from SYD - I expect both carriers to be as polished as each other. If they aren't then they should discount their prices accordingly.

Yep - this sums it up nicely!

 

[mik01]

Plenty of discussion is here for the reading. I'm glad your experiences have all been positive, but not everyone is entirely in agreement.

Ummm that's my point. Not everyone has to agree - I'm keen to hear opinions of others as to the current attitudes towards Virgin. Plenty of discussion, quite a few negatives. I could have had reason to complain about minor stuff, but I'm trying to take a happy go lucky approach when it comes to flying with Virgin.

Perhaps my point wasn't clear, although others appear to have got it - is the problem with the airline, or are we expecting too much from an airline that is clearly in its infancy in the frequent traveller/business market?

For example, I forgive some minor stuff from virgin now which I wouldn't forgive from Qantas - however there will come a time when I won't.
Qantas charge full rate from its customers and are the market leaders in business travel, yet I didn't believe it delivered me value for that - I.e. ungracious FA's, whereas Virgin staff have always been excellent to me.
So, should they be held to the same standards as Qantas yet?

 

[777]

If I pay $400 for a return to MEL from SYD - I expect both carriers to be as polished as each other. If they aren't then they should discount their prices accordingly.

Interesting. I don't actually share that assumption. I expect both carriers to provide fair value but within that i expect and assume that each will put a different weighting on different parts of the service mix. One person's polish is another person's redundant gloss. For $400 or any given amount each company will provide a slightly different mix of service and benefits and the joys of forums like this is that we can debate and argue who gets which bit right.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Perhaps my point wasn't clear, although others appear to have got it -

Your point was clear enough, so was mine. There's nothing new in this thread which hasn't been discussed (sometimes ad nauseam) previously. FAs good, lounge angels fantastic, lounge great, lounge food acceptable...just, priority boarding good, family pooling great, priority luggage good when working, priority security screening good when working, web site sucks, attention to detail sometimes sucks, opdowns sucks, consistancy in the product average, J offering frequently sucks (so I'm told), LCC fees/charges/food/luggage boardering on schzophrenic, ife sucks, dramatic fare increases sucks............what have I missed? It's all available in threads already active. There's even one for Great DJ experiences, just waiting for your input .

 

[simongr]

Interesting. I don't actually share that assumption. I expect both carriers to provide fair value but within that i expect and assume that each will put a different weighting on different parts of the service mix. One person's polish is another person's redundant gloss. For $400 or any given amount each company will provide a slightly different mix of service and benefits and the joys of forums like this is that we can debate and argue who gets which bit right.

I sort of agree - they should both meet my standards for that value. One might have better food and the other better lounges - but I won't accept the basics not being achieved by either airline.

 

[markis10]

Your point was clear enough, so was mine. There's nothing new in this thread which hasn't been discussed (sometimes ad nauseam) previously. FAs good, lounge angels fantastic, lounge great, lounge food acceptable...just, priority boarding good, family pooling great, priority luggage good when working, priority security screening good when working, web site sucks, attention to detail sometimes sucks, opdowns sucks, consistancy in the product average, J offering frequently sucks (so I'm told), LCC fees/charges/food/luggage boardering on schzophrenic, ife sucks, dramatic fare increases sucks............what have I missed? It's all available in threads already active. There's even one for Great DJ experiences, just waiting for your input .

Doesnt hurt though to have fresh input even if it's been covered in a thread buried three pages back, time does change things so an experience from a month ago may not be as relevant as one from this month

 

[mik01]

Your point was clear enough, so was mine. There's nothing new in this thread which hasn't been discussed (sometimes ad nauseam) previously. FAs good, lounge angels fantastic, lounge great, lounge food acceptable...just, priority boarding good, family pooling great, priority luggage good when working, priority security screening good when working, web site sucks, attention to detail sometimes sucks, opdowns sucks, consistancy in the product average, J offering frequently sucks (so I'm told), LCC fees/charges/food/luggage boardering on schzophrenic, ife sucks, dramatic fare increases sucks............what have I missed? It's all available in threads already active. There's even one for Great DJ experiences, just waiting for your input .

Thanks. You're the only one with an issue with my thread. Never mind.
you seem to have a problem, and from a new member keen to get involved you couldn't be more unwelcoming. If my point was clear, you failed to address it.

 

[Globetrotter]

Hi all.
have been reading for a while and noticed quite a few grumpy posts about Virgin seemingly popping up recently.
Is it just me, or am I the only one who has experienced great service and appreciated all the good changes that they have made, and continue to make?

No I don't work for them. I switched from Qantas a couple of years back (forced) and wasn't happy with the 'fun in the skies' attitude - but over the last year and half they have really changed for the better.
i just went platinum and experienced J class from Perth last week - excellent service!

Plus, tonight I was upgraded to J at the gate without prompting - thanks Virgin!

Sure they are still working through some teething issues, but I don't expect them to be as polished as Qantas - yet. The priority boarding lane is a fantastic initiative you have to admit.

As s frequent flyer, i can't believe I'm the only one that felt unloved at Qantas, and has jumped ship and is feeling valued at Virgin? Am I too easy to please? Or are some posters just too demanding?


Discuss....

Great feedback re your Virgin Aust experience Mik01. I wouldn't give up or risk giving up the great benefits Virgin are providing you. I'd be happy with that.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Thanks. You're the only one with an issue with my thread. Never mind.
you seem to have a problem, and from a new member keen to get involved you couldn't be more unwelcoming. If my point was clear, you failed to address it.

Welcome to the forum mik01. As many of us know, AFF has been a wealth of information and answered many questions for a lot of us. It can be even better when one realises there's a search function that works. The post of mine you quoted, addressed many of the points DJ have either excelled at, passed maginally or absolutely failed at. A brief summary of many of the recent threads discussed, but I have no intention of starting to regail the hundreds of views or opinions expressed in those recent threads simply because you don't wish to read back a few pages. Sometimes you won't get the answers you personally want........seems this is one of those times, doesn't it? Sorry if my opinion doesn't suit you, but that is my opinion (for better or for worse). Markis 10 has already given a mods view and I agree with it. Now all I have to do is find your "fresh input". That's where I'm having trouble and for the record, I personally don't have any problems with DJ except their ever increasing fare costs. I like many of the changes, but they're not worth the added cost to me IMO. I pay my own fares and hence we may be viewing the new DJ experience from different angles (oh and I recognise some members don't agree fares are increasing by any substantial amount). You mention you were forced to move to DJ a few years ago and you didn't like the LCC "fun in the skies" experience...........that forced move was possibly price driven. Maybe a new force will see you on JQ or TT soon, then you may have an opinion on the fare increases??