Recently traveled this route in December and thought I'd post some impressions.
This was my first VA long haul experience in any cabin.
VA1 SYD-LAX
Highlights:
Lowlights:
- checkin service at SYD was horrendous:
VA2 - LAX-SYD
Highlights: pretty much consistent with VA1. Service was great. Half full flight so FA's lending a hand everywhere! Could not fault the service. Checkin was a much nicer experience than Sydney. No hassles. Seats I wanted (row 5) were allocated.
Lowlights: none!
Overall, great consistent service in both directions. Let down by Toll ground staff wearing VA uniforms at Sydney Airport. They need to work on that. I've provided feedback and got an apology and told they will refer it to management for action
This is definitely worth a look if you haven't considered it as an option. When comparing to my last Qantas flight in J SYD-HKG in September, I could definitely say the VA experience felt like a different class of service (maybe that's just my experience). Got off the plane and got me thinking when the next VA J long haul experience will be! I'll follow up with some photos.
This was my first VA long haul experience in any cabin.
VA1 SYD-LAX
Highlights:
- fantastic service onboard. Flight manager took the time to talk and hear me out about check in issues (see below). FA's superb in anticipating and servicing. Nothing too much trouble at all. Made you feel like you were being treated like valued customers.
- food I thought was great
- I like the bedding "mattress" and sleep blanky
- nice PJs and amenities
- row 5 - I've read about it, but to experience it was fantastic - like a private suite!
Lowlights:
- checkin service at SYD was horrendous:
- Agent insisted on weighing our 1 carry on, and taking things out of it and carry it separately despite the fact we were entitled two pieces each! Meanwhile 6 other pax checkin without the same questioning...
- Had seats switched on us from the original seat allocation via the Call centre. Was very rude when I asked for others and denied any requests to move. I had to go to the CSM to redo the boarding passes and magically got row 5!
- had to ask for the express customs pass.
- we had a connection to VX at LAX but didn't get told we can drop our bags, so had to carry them from T5 to T3...no biggy... just a 10min walk in the *fresh* Cali air.
VA2 - LAX-SYD
Highlights: pretty much consistent with VA1. Service was great. Half full flight so FA's lending a hand everywhere! Could not fault the service. Checkin was a much nicer experience than Sydney. No hassles. Seats I wanted (row 5) were allocated.
Lowlights: none!
Overall, great consistent service in both directions. Let down by Toll ground staff wearing VA uniforms at Sydney Airport. They need to work on that. I've provided feedback and got an apology and told they will refer it to management for action
This is definitely worth a look if you haven't considered it as an option. When comparing to my last Qantas flight in J SYD-HKG in September, I could definitely say the VA experience felt like a different class of service (maybe that's just my experience). Got off the plane and got me thinking when the next VA J long haul experience will be! I'll follow up with some photos.