justcallmeryan
Member
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2010
- Posts
- 154
I am a Canuck expat living in SYD who used to travel back and forth on the direct AC flight to YVR then on to YYZ. With AC fares ex-OZ being close to extortion lately, and also recently qualifying DJ Gold, I have since decided to return to connecting through LAX on VA to help accrue status and points. Having done it now twice in Y+ and once in J, this trip I finally had to suck it up and do it in Y as this trip I had the +1 with me.
This was also the first time to travel on long haul VA as a DJ Gold so thought I'd share a few of the highlights (and lowlights) of the flights.
Highlights:
1. Priority check-in at SYD and LAX. No more than a 5 minute wait at either end.
2. Check in ladies in SYD were wonderful and promised to 'block out' a middle seat in between myself and the +1. Once on board realised the flight was no more than half full, so this would have helped. They also put us in row 21 (right behind Y+ and far away from the loo's which get crowded). Interestingly upon asking in LAX if they could to the same, the check in guy said ' that's impossible, we don't do that' which I found interesting. Anyway, on the flight back it was more like 75% full and we still got the seat in between free. Whether this is due to status or not I'm not sure.
3. Koru lounge in SYD = great for a mid day flight. Not up to standards of Q or Etihad international, but still nice.
4. After departing from SYD the cabin manager came up and introduced himself to me and other Golds/Plats and asked if we would like to pre-order lunch and brekkie so we would be sure to get our first choices - nice touch! Also offered the papers.
5. Upon arriving in LAX we were given the purple card for immigration, although it was unnecessary as no queue at all.
6. Arriving in T5 is miles better than TBIT, no queues, cleared immigration and customs in 15 minutes and were curbside walking over to the godawful AC T3 within 25 minutes of landing - not bad at all! Priority bag tags worked a treat here.
7. On the way back we received express path for immigration at SYD but unnecessary as being the first flight to land @6am sharp we cleared customs and were out in the taxi line by 6.30 - a new record for me! Priority tags again worked perfectly.
Lowlights:
1. This will seem nit-picky but I figure if you're going to get personal attention on the way over (blocking seats, greeting by the cabin manager with lunch order etc) then it would have been nice to see it both ways. I know, this is a minor thing, and maybe only done on the way over as the plane was half full, but anyway.
2. The LAX lounge and T2. One word = awful. They were handing out vouchers for drinks at the bar below, but as everyone knows, if there's ever a VA flight leaving, good luck getting a seat or a drink there! I asked the lounge peeps what is going on, and they said the space is in the process of being remodelled and to be shared by VX and DJ and it is looking better, but still very small I would have thought? If you had two VA flights going out that night, it would be like sardines... Still unsure why they aren't moving their departures to T5 to be with Delta? Anyone have any insight?
Overall it was a good cross Pacific trip, and having the second person (+1) made the Y trip that much more bearable. I will certainly continue to use VA for this leg as long as the fares stay under AC.
Anyone else have any of the above experiences?
This was also the first time to travel on long haul VA as a DJ Gold so thought I'd share a few of the highlights (and lowlights) of the flights.
Highlights:
1. Priority check-in at SYD and LAX. No more than a 5 minute wait at either end.
2. Check in ladies in SYD were wonderful and promised to 'block out' a middle seat in between myself and the +1. Once on board realised the flight was no more than half full, so this would have helped. They also put us in row 21 (right behind Y+ and far away from the loo's which get crowded). Interestingly upon asking in LAX if they could to the same, the check in guy said ' that's impossible, we don't do that' which I found interesting. Anyway, on the flight back it was more like 75% full and we still got the seat in between free. Whether this is due to status or not I'm not sure.
3. Koru lounge in SYD = great for a mid day flight. Not up to standards of Q or Etihad international, but still nice.
4. After departing from SYD the cabin manager came up and introduced himself to me and other Golds/Plats and asked if we would like to pre-order lunch and brekkie so we would be sure to get our first choices - nice touch! Also offered the papers.
5. Upon arriving in LAX we were given the purple card for immigration, although it was unnecessary as no queue at all.
6. Arriving in T5 is miles better than TBIT, no queues, cleared immigration and customs in 15 minutes and were curbside walking over to the godawful AC T3 within 25 minutes of landing - not bad at all! Priority bag tags worked a treat here.
7. On the way back we received express path for immigration at SYD but unnecessary as being the first flight to land @6am sharp we cleared customs and were out in the taxi line by 6.30 - a new record for me! Priority tags again worked perfectly.
Lowlights:
1. This will seem nit-picky but I figure if you're going to get personal attention on the way over (blocking seats, greeting by the cabin manager with lunch order etc) then it would have been nice to see it both ways. I know, this is a minor thing, and maybe only done on the way over as the plane was half full, but anyway.
2. The LAX lounge and T2. One word = awful. They were handing out vouchers for drinks at the bar below, but as everyone knows, if there's ever a VA flight leaving, good luck getting a seat or a drink there! I asked the lounge peeps what is going on, and they said the space is in the process of being remodelled and to be shared by VX and DJ and it is looking better, but still very small I would have thought? If you had two VA flights going out that night, it would be like sardines... Still unsure why they aren't moving their departures to T5 to be with Delta? Anyone have any insight?
Overall it was a good cross Pacific trip, and having the second person (+1) made the Y trip that much more bearable. I will certainly continue to use VA for this leg as long as the fares stay under AC.
Anyone else have any of the above experiences?
