Premium Economy to Europe: Virgin Australia or Atlantic? Or something else?

[CeeJayOz]

Hi all, recently hit Velocity Gold, and planning a trip for 2 to Europe in August.

Does anyone have an opinion on the relative merits of flying PE on VA (with the final leg in Etihad Economy) or paying the extra for VS (looks like an extra $1600 or so between us, which could otherwise be used to increase the accommodation budget).

Any other options we should consider? Is now a good a time as any, or is there the possibility of sales/offers between now and then? It would be cheaper in September, but unfortunately that's not an option.

Any advice would be gratefully received!

 

[samh004]

$1600 seems like a good amount to use while on holiday for something else, though you are talking about a leg in Y, which scares a lot here.

 

[yohy?!]

interesting question, VA will put the longest leg in PE with the shorter EU leg in EY Y.

whereas VS you could put the HKG-LHR leg in PE and SYD-HKG in Y on a mixed fare to save $. VS also allows you to buy more legroom in Y.

 

[bullerdude]

Book VS premium directly from their own website - I did a test booking in August and came back with prices around $3300 - whilst the cheap premium deal on the VA site i can see is around $3800.

What prices did you see?

 

[CeeJayOz]

VS you could put the HKG-LHR leg in PE and SYD-HKG in Y on a mixed fare to save $. VS also allows you to buy more legroom in Y.

Thanks - that's an option to consider. It doesn't appear you can book that online? It also says there's an option to select a stopover in HK, but I couldn't get that to work either (maybe it's just me...)

Coincidently, both my Velocity Gold pack and Virgin Flyer card arrived in today's mail

 

[CeeJayOz]

Book VS premium directly from their own website - I did a test booking in August and came back with prices around $3300 - whilst the cheap premium deal on the VA site i can see is around $3800.

What prices did you see?

A lot more than that! Around $4,400. What dates where you looking at? I've tried departures from both Mel and Sydney. If I could find that rate I'd book it now! We were looking at returning early Sep, but I didn't get any lower rate with a late August return. I saw that kind of rate for Departures after 1 September.

 

[yohy?!]

Thanks - that's an option to consider. It doesn't appear you can book that online? It also says there's an option to select a stopover in HK, but I couldn't get that to work either (maybe it's just me...)

Coincidently, both my Velocity Gold pack and Virgin Flyer card arrived in today's mail

book it as all-economy first, check the box for stopover and put the number of days in. you should get the option to upgrade specific legs to PE also.

 

[bullerdude]

A lot more than that! Around $4,400. What dates where you looking at? I've tried departures from both Mel and Sydney. If I could find that rate I'd book it now! We were looking at returning early Sep, but I didn't get any lower rate with a late August return. I saw that kind of rate for Departures after 1 September.

Oh my bad, I read your post incorrectly thinking that you would be travelling in September. Apologies.

Cheapest I saw for could find for August is $3995 - depart 16th and return 30th.

 

[carpenteria]

Associated question, as I too was considering trying the half-journey in PE on VA then Y on Etihad... In terms of SC earning for the latter leg is it considered Discount Economy or Full Fare?

 

[notzac]

Associated question, as I too was considering trying the half-journey in PE on VA then Y on Etihad... In terms of SC earning for the latter leg is it considered Discount Economy or Full Fare?

The times that I've booked these fares, everything was booked in to the one fare - O class - so I earned at the premium economy rates for the full itinerary. That was some time ago now, but I took a quick look on the VA website just now and it seems that this is still the case.

 

[Robbietenor]

I think in September I earned 120 CSS Sydney to Abu Dhabi and 40 Abu Dhabi to Frankfurt. On the plus side if coming from Melbourne you get a business class seat to Sydney...

 

[notzac]

On the plus side if coming from Melbourne you get a business class seat to Sydney...

Sadly, that changed when VA completed the roll-out of domestic J. For a Premium Economy combo fare to Europe, the domestic sector is in Y, SYD-AUH is in W and AUH-Europe is in Y.

 

[777]

Sadly, that changed when VA completed the roll-out of domestic J. For a Premium Economy combo fare to Europe, the domestic sector is in Y, SYD-AUH is in W and AUH-Europe is in Y.

I got a J seat for domestic legs both ways back in September. When did it change?

 

[notzac]

I got a J seat for domestic legs both ways back in September. When did it change?

Hrm.. I booked one of these early 2012-ish and got given an economy seat MEL-SYD. You've got much more recent experience, so maybe it's changed multiple times? I just tried a dummy booking and there's a warning that MEL-SYD will be in economy .. so I don't know what's right

 

[yohy?!]

Hrm.. I booked one of these early 2012-ish and got given an economy seat MEL-SYD. You've got much more recent experience, so maybe it's changed multiple times? I just tried a dummy booking and there's a warning that MEL-SYD will be in economy .. so I don't know what's right

could it depend on the fare class perhaps? i've never seen the domestic leg in J on a deep discount PE fare

 

[bullerdude]

could it depend on the fare class perhaps? i've never seen the domestic leg in J on a deep discount PE fare

Interesting... I just did a dummy booking for MEL-LHR and it should both the MEL-SYD and SYD-AUH legs as being in premium economy class. The only warning it gives is that the AUH-LHR leg will be in economy. This gives em the impression that the domestic leg could in fact be in business class given it clearly doesn't show it to be economy. Also, all 3 legs are listed as being 'O' class so you should earn at PE rates for the whole journey.

 

[CeeJayOz]

Interesting... I just did a dummy booking for MEL-LHR and it should both the MEL-SYD and SYD-AUH legs as being in premium economy class. The only warning it gives is that the AUH-LHR leg will be in economy. This gives em the impression that the domestic leg could in fact be in business class given it clearly doesn't show it to be economy. Also, all 3 legs are listed as being 'O' class so you should earn at PE rates for the whole journey.

That would give 240 SC from MEL-LHR (30+120=90)? That's not bad!

 

[Robbietenor]

Mine was a premium deal but the earning on the etihad leg was definitely economy. The ticket issued for the MEL-SYD leg also stated Premium/Business not just Business....

 

[ausi ski bum]

I recently purchased PE tickets to Abu Dhabi (dubai actually using the bus as well) and return on VA however I did not book through VA as they wanted 3300 per ticket, I booked through Etihad and got them for 2400 each on VA. I also found that sometimes you can buy seats on VA / Etihad via Zuji even cheaper than both airlines offer, well worth the excercise. Fomy Dubai into Europe there are so many options.

My flights were on 14 Sept returning 18 Oct if thats a guide.

 

[CeeJayOz]

Yes it looks like the Etihad leg is H (Full fare economy).