Rebranding V Australia and Pacific Blue under the Virgin Australia name

[smit0847]

I heard a while ago this was supposed to happen around the end of 2011. Is this still happening? It makes sense to me to have one large brand rather than all these small brands.

My concern is that V Australia is a vastly different product to Virgin Australia and would cause an enormous amount of confusion if they are both under the same name but sold as different products.

I am concerned they will change the V Australia service to the Virgin Australia service of Saver, Flex and PE/Business tickets. Apart from the comfortable leg-room of the 777-ERs, this would make the service to LAX not much better than the United or Delta service in my opinion which would be a real shame.

Does anyone know whats going to be happening with this? Whats the long term goal of V Australia anyway? It doesnt seem to have grown much in the last few years?

 

[Justchecking]

According to all the press releases since the re-brand....

V Australia was always a wait and see proposition as at the time JB took over it was bleeding $$$. It's future was uncertain and certainly no new investment was planned for it in the short term. Things are looking considerably better since they turned a profit. That is why it's been 'on-hold'.

No more confusing than the present situation. Everyone calls V Virgin anyway and not many people actually see it as a seperate airline. The new transcon services are tending to look more like V than Blue these days, with a certain amount of free product for everyone, even those in economy, and pay for the extra's. Going forward, it's anyone's guess. But in the short term there's been no talk at all of V's onboard product changing. Remember they still have to be equivalent to their full service code share partners, and in fact the changes in domestic are reflecting the contractual requirement for DJ to offer a comparable product as well.

Now there Is talk that the brand new A330 will be different to the used ones they rushed into service in terms of onboard product. If true, that will be the biggest indicator yet of which way things will go for V. The next logical rumor\idea is that the A330s will o international in which case they will have to be pretty similar to the 777s in terms f onboard product. Most airlines even under one brand have domestic, regional, and international products that all differ slightly. IT doesn't seem to cause major issues.

 

[notzac]

For what it's worth - I really like the VA service and I think it complements the short-haul service well. I don't see that it would be reasonable to expect lie-flat seats and a bar SYD-MEL (though it *was* pretty awesome for that one flight.. )

There's plenty to love about the premium cabins on VA - J food and wine, the sit down bar, the ample number and amazing attitude of the J FAs - whY+ is also really quite excellent (stand up bar, dedicated crew) .. about the only thing I don't particularly like are the actual J seats (and even then I don't dislike them all that much - they're way better than Skybed mk. I, just not up to the standard of Skybed mk. II). I honestly hope JB leaves most of it as it stands; even some of the quirky stuff is great (and I normally hate that sort of stuff, but it's nicely understated - for example, air sickness bags that are called "Fully Sick Bags").

 

[Jack Melon]

Yes, January 1st, Pac Blue, Poly Blue and V Aus will come under the virgin australia name.

 

[pshepvic]

Most airlines even under one brand have domestic, regional, and international products that all differ slightly. IT doesn't seem to cause major issues.

Yes, take Qantas for example. They publish that they have priority boarding on both domestic and international, yet only seem capable of providing it on international services. That hasn't caused any major issues or complaints around here at all!

(Queue LiamR to start groaning at someone mentioning priority boarding! )



Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[LiamR]

Yes, take Qantas for example. They publish that they have priority boarding on both domestic and international, yet only seem capable of providing it on international services. That hasn't caused any major issues or complaints around here at all!

(Queue LiamR to start groaning at someone mentioning priority boarding! )

At least you didn't make a reference to Another Airline.

I think the three carriers aren't going to become one until their AOC is up for renewal (Apparently it was renewed shortly after rebranding!). Once that expires I think we'll see a merger of the airlines.

Does anybody know/have a way of checking AOC registrations?

Second point is I don't think we will see V Australia repaint their aircraft anytime soon, talking to a FO on my last flight, he quoted it to cost in the millions, and that Virgin were just considering painting over "V Australia" with Virgin Australia in the short term.

 

[TonyHancock]

Did someone say Qantas domestic priority boarding?

 

[pshepvic]

Did someone say Qantas domestic priority boarding?

No but of course Liam had to bloody mention AA!


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[oz_mark]

Did someone say Qantas domestic priority boarding?

I think there's an oxymoron in there somewhere

 

[LiamR]

No but of course Liam had to bloody mention AA!

AA? I don't know what you are talking about? I was talking about Another Airline, such as Virgin Australia.

 

[gwilli1]

For what it's worth - I really like the VA service and I think it complements the short-haul service well. I don't see that it would be reasonable to expect lie-flat seats and a bar SYD-MEL (though it *was* pretty awesome for that one flight.. )

There's plenty to love about the premium cabins on VA - J food and wine, the sit down bar, the ample number and amazing attitude of the J FAs - whY+ is also really quite excellent (stand up bar, dedicated crew) .. about the only thing I don't particularly like are the actual J seats (and even then I don't dislike them all that much - they're way better than Skybed mk. I, just not up to the standard of Skybed mk. II). I honestly hope JB leaves most of it as it stands; even some of the quirky stuff is great (and I normally hate that sort of stuff, but it's nicely understated - for example, air sickness bags that are called "Fully Sick Bags").

I agree noztac , would hate to see to many changes with VA . I have increasing become a fan of them over the last year , having travelled twice with them in whY+ . You are spot on with VA FA's , the attitude they have is second to none in my experiences. On my last trip back in June , both whY+ FA's personally went to each passenger in whY+ and thanked then personally for choosing to travel on VA . Its was a nice small touch of appreciation . I have to admit I have never had that experience before in Y or whY+.

With VA starting to turn a profit , I hope JB , looks at an expansion of VA in a small way . A few ports I had in mind would be :

San Fran - Direct - Some competition for UA since QF dumped it . Virgin America Hub
Las Vegas - Direct - Once a week min. . Im sure they could fill a flight easily both ways with Aussies heading to Vegas
Vancouver - Competition to AC on this route (Maybe Seasonal)
Japan - Alternative to QF & JQ .

 

[smit0847]

With VA starting to turn a profit , I hope JB , looks at an expansion of VA in a small way . A few ports I had in mind would be :

San Fran - Direct - Some competition for UA since QF dumped it . Virgin America Hub
Las Vegas - Direct - Once a week min. . Im sure they could fill a flight easily both ways with Aussies heading to Vegas
Vancouver - Competition to AC on this route (Maybe Seasonal)
Japan - Alternative to QF & JQ .

Hmmm.... I would have thought the only Asian destination they would be considering is MEL/BNE-HKG to feed Virgin Atlantic?

I reckon a direct flight to Las Vegas (3 x weekly?) would be a great idea - there were enough bucks parties headed that way on my flight to LAX earlier this year!

I know its very unlikely but I would LOVE to see a MEL- anywhere in South America service. South America is prohibitively expensive to fly to and you need to transit through either SYD or AKL. I reckon a $1,500 return fare would really entice Aussies to head over there.

I'm not a fan of their alliance with Etihad (it would be like Air NZ codesharing with Tiger - not exactly two equal products) and was thinking today how awesome it would be if they had instead set up an alliance with Qatar Airways, a 5 star airline whom I have never heard a bad word about. In exchange for QR dropping its MEL-DOH route (only port it services in Australia), V Australia could expand by feeding QR with daily direct flight to Doha from MEL, SYD, BNE, PER and maybe even ADL. QR could then easily carry these people onto their numerous european destinations.

If they stay with their Etihad alliance I would love to see the SYD-AUB VA plane continue onto LHR.

 

[Noob]

I would love to be able to fly from Australia to london on Virgin Australia metal!

 

[Mh4k]

Yeah a direct flight to London would be fantastic but I don't see it happening any time soon - perhaps Etihad would permit 3 flights a week from AUH to London but beyond that...

Etihad are fine in Business (and presumably first) but ground service is poor and their Economy cabin is hellish.

But the two airlines are rather fundamentally misaligned - VA offer no First class, their Business cabin, though nice enough, lacks the space and privacy of the Etihad J product, Etihad offer no PE service so PE customers are forced to slum it in Economy for part of their trip, and while the VA Economy product is well above average, with a comparatively low-density configuration, Etihad economy is a true cattle-class product with a crushing lack of legroom, cold service and a four-abreast middle row that is intensely unpleasant.

I'm not sure anyone else would be a significantly better fit, though.

 

[pshepvic]

Don't really need another carrier to take us to London do we? As well as the aforementioned Etihad, we also can choose from VS and SQ as VA partners ... although I'm concerned that the Velocity site still says Points earn is coming soon for SQ, but SC earn is not mentioned at all (even though it was previously).


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[leemin]

although I'm concerned that the Velocity site still says Points earn is coming soon for SQ, but SC earn is not mentioned at all (even though it was previously).

I noticed this the other day too!

Would VFF "please explain?". -sorry, too much celebrity apprentice

Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app




Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[Globetrotter]

Hi guys

I'm in the Air NZ lounge awaiting my Virgin Atlantic flight to Hong Kong, flying Upper Class of course

As I was walking through the international terminal I saw a VA Australia aircraft and noticed the name had been changed to Virgin Australia. Tail still the same.

I'll try and upload the pic I took on my iPhone.

 

[Globetrotter]

And here is the photo. Sorry it's a little amateurish!

 

[MarkD]

Nice scoop!!!

 

[Noob]

That actually looks really smart, they could keep them that way for a while!