Virgin Blue achieves record 93.8% on time performance in Oct.

[pauly7]

I certainly do recommend you avoid the aircraft without wings fitted. They tend to be far less aerodynamic. The ones with wings fly so much better .

I think Virgin probably charge extra for wings, like everything else - and I'm on BFOD when I fly so have to take what I get

 

[DJ737]

Air New Zeraland, of course.

Isn't that an LCC these days? (No airpoints).

Might as well fly Virgin (it's a bit cheaper).

Personally I wouldn't pay for a flight on either.

Hi there

NZ just lately is way better than a few years ago in Y

Virgin don't yet fly across the pacific........and it will not be LCC when it does.
With an opinion like yours, do you really think the CEO's of DJ or NZ give a rat's cough if you go anywhere near their airplanes?

So Clifford, stop playing the "my d..ck's bigger than yours game, and realise that some people travel BFOD and may have to use LCC's from time to time.

Cheers
DJ737

 

[clifford]

Hi there

NZ just lately is way better than a few years ago in Y

Virgin don't yet fly across the pacific........and it will not be LCC when it does.
With an opinion like yours, do you really think the CEO's of DJ or NZ give a rat's cough if you go anywhere near their airplanes?

So Clifford, stop playing the "my d..ck's bigger than yours game, and realise that some people travel BFOD and may have to use LCC's from time to time.

Cheers
DJ737

Thanks for your opinion DJ. However, I do pay for my flights in hard cash, unlike some others on this board.

Virgin Blue (or whatever their "Pacific" incarnation calls itself) does fly across the Pacific, at least to RAR. From there it's a hop, skip and a jump to HNL.

As for my view of LCC's, I am the board's most ardent supporter of them, eg, TR, FR, U2, AK, etc, etc.. (check my posts). It just so happens that I am also a UA MM (you probably don't know what that is). What it does mean is that I spend a lot of (my own) money on air travel, so ......

FWIW, Air NZ acts like a LCC, but charges like a wounded bull, and gives no FF points. And it really should be put out of its misery for what it did to Ansett (you're probably too young to remember).

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Isn't that an LCC these days? (No airpoints).

Since last month airpoints earned on all longhaul fares. Shorthaul (tasman and pacific excl PPT/HNL) and domestic has non-earning fares.

And the longhaul product in no way compares with LCC service. I guess you haven't flown them lately?

 

[JohnK]

My aircraft choices for trans-continental would be A330, B747, B737.

Don't like B767's for flights longer than 1 hour.

A320's would mean flying JQ. No way jose.

 

[DJ737]

Hi there

Virgin Blue (or whatever their "Pacific" incarnation calls itself) does fly across the Pacific, at least to RAR. From there it's a hop, skip and a jump to HNL.

It's 4708 km from RAR to HNL hardly a hop, skip and jump.

(you're probably too young to remember).

.....then again i'm probably not :mrgreen:

Although the (mis) management of Ansett by NZ may have contributed to their problems, AN was in trouble long before NZ became involved, A mixed fleet (why have 737,320 & 727 in the fleet at the same time?) a highly unionised workforce, some questionable maintenence practices and a lethargic management team in the late 1990's who failed to realise that the light at the end of the tunnel, was in fact an oncoming train.

The start up of a couple of LCC's in 2000 sealed the fate of Ansett.

S**t happens in the aviation industry, it was over 5 years ago......move on

Cheers
DJ737

 

[oz_mark]

My aircraft choices for trans-continental would be A330, B747, B737.

Don't like B767's for flights longer than 1 hour.

A320's would mean flying JQ. No way jose.

Assuming a consistent product across the aircraft, I would take a 320 over a 737.

 

[crazydave98]

Assuming a consistent product across the aircraft, I would take a 320 over a 737.

Where would they rank against the widebodies (or more to the point how do you rank the widebodies?)

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Wide body is better than narrow body - more chance of an aisle seat, less chance of a middle seat and even less still chance of being 2 seats away from aisle.

 

[Evan]

For me i like the prefer most to least.... A330, B744, B777, B767
A340 are nice but only ever seen inside one never flown one.

Generally i find the newer the interior the better, hence for QF the A330 is better than the 744 because more seat pitch in Y, no IFE boxes under the seats. A330 is also quiter than some of the others.

What Idiot put an IFE box under every single isle Y seat in the QF 744's !!!!

Evan

 

[DJ737]

Hi there

Twin Aisle

1...MD11
2...A340
3...A310
4...B777
5...B767
6...B747

Single Aisle

1...B737
2...E190
3...CV990
4...B727
5...B707
6...A320

Cheers
DJ737

 

[NM]

Hi there

Twin Aisle

1...MD11
2...A340
3...A310
4...B777
5...B767
6...B747

Hmm, interesting order. Can you provide some background for your selection? I have not been inside an MD11, but always assumed it was similar to a DC-10. What characteristics place the MD11 at the top of your list?

Single Aisle

1...B737
2...E190
3...CV990
4...B727
5...B707
6...A320

So where would the VC-10 fit in your list .

I assume the DC9 and its variants, the B757, and the BAe146 don't get a mention as they just don't deserve to be considered (rightly so in my opinion).

Can we add Concorde to the Single Aisle list?

 

[d15.in.oz]

2...A340
Single Aisle
1...B737
6...A320

Airbus only makes number 2 for a 4 engine 2 aisle aircraft!... surprising given the comparative 777 price and ETOPS!

And as for the 737 vs A320 (beside an extreme fuel consumption & latest model range difference) passengers love the extra “elbow room”!?! Don’t they… (well except when squeezed into a seat pitch of a *coffin)

 

[d15.in.oz]

What characteristics place the MD11 at the top of your list?

Sorry to butt in... but - "cheap, retro-fit" - I think!?!?!

 

[stryker]

Since last month airpoints earned on all longhaul fares. Shorthaul (tasman and pacific excl PPT/HNL) and domestic has non-earning fares.

And the longhaul product in no way compares with LCC service. I guess you haven't flown them lately?

Interesting, Kiwi Flyer. How many points for cheap economy? 100%, 50%?

I might even consider them again for long haul.

While we're in this thread, I've just had my views of Vermin reconfirmed today.

Just flown QF (cheap economy) and got a nice window exit row seat, with an empty seat next to me. Then (must be my lucky day), I got an op-up on OS to J class.

Some days can be quite nice!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

It varies by route since airbucks earning is flight specific (not related to mileage). Typically discounted econ fares earn 50-75%, full economy 100% (this includes a lot more booking classes than QFF) and premium economy more again.

 

[Yada Yada]

While we're in this thread, I've just had my views of Vermin reconfirmed today.

Just flown QF (cheap economy) and got a nice window exit row seat, with an empty seat next to me. Then (must be my lucky day), I got an op-up on OS to J class.

Some days can be quite nice!

I beg to differ... I don't think this says anything about Virgin Blue or Qantas. It's all just luck.

I always check-in online for my flights but yesterday decided not to to see what would happen. For my early morning SYD-MEL flight on Virgin Blue, I checked-in at The Lounge about 35 mins before the flight and asked if there were any exit row seats. I was assiged to 1A, and 1B was empty. The plane looked to be about 90% full. It was a very nice comfortable flight.

For the trip home MEL-SYD, I was booked on QF454 departing at 5:30pm. A traffic jam meant that I arrived at Tullamarine right on 5:00pm, so I went straight to the QP to check in. Again I asked for an exit row, but the person said "sorry, the flight is full" and after tapping on the keyboard made a face and said "ew, that's a horrible seat... hang on, I thought I saw something else further forward. Seconds later I had a boarding pass for 23E. The plane was an international config 763 (VH-OGN, I think). I was in the front row of Y in the middle section, there was no 23A or 23B (a crew cubicle was there) and no 23F, so I had great leg room, good elbow room and a wider aisle on my side. The only issue was being so close to the main screen which was a bit blurry.

Interestingly, the woman sitting next to me looked to have been at the tennis in MEL for the day - casually dressed and reading an Australian Open program. When the queue of people boarding were held up in the aisle next to us at one point while someone further back was trying to squeeze an enormous bag into the o/h locker, a women standing there said to her "great seat, you must be a frequent flyer!" to which she responded with a shrug "no... just lucky I guess".

So checking in at the last minute worked for me yesterday on both airlines, but I bet there are plenty of instances where it doesn't work well either!

I do wonder however - with regards to QF - why there weren't WP's sitting in 23D and 23E instead of a person who was not even a member of the FF program and me, a lowly SG! Ploise explain??? If I was a WP sitting further back I'd be a bit p!ssed off. Last week I was further back, in a horrid ex-BA plane that was depressing to sit in, and with no window on our side of the plane.

It's all just luck.

 

[NM]

I do wonder however - with regards to QF - why there weren't WP's sitting in 23D and 23E instead of a person who was not even a member of the FF program and me, a lowly SG! Ploise explain??? If I was a WP sitting further back I'd be a bit p!ssed off. Last week I was further back, in a horrid ex-BA plane that was depressing to sit in, and with no window on our side of the plane.

It's all just luck.

Those seats may have been pre-allocated for Platinum FF members. But by the time you checked in the original passengers had changed to a different flight (earlier or later depending on their needs), thus freeing up the good seats for whoever is lucky enough to snaffle them at the check-in process. I am sure this happens all the time.

I agree that it often comes down to luck of the timing.

 

[oz_mark]

Those seats may have been pre-allocated for Platinum FF members. But by the time you checked in the original passengers had changed to a different flight (earlier or later depending on their needs), thus freeing up the good seats for whoever is lucky enough to snaffle them at the check-in process. I am sure this happens all the time.

I agree that it often comes down to luck of the timing.

In any case, I don't think anything guarantees that the very front seat will be for a platinum.

 

[serfty]

... was in the front row of Y in the middle section, there was no 23A or 23B (a crew cubicle was there) and no 23F, so I had great leg room, good elbow room and a wider aisle on my side. ...

Certainly 23E is one of the best non exit rowWHY seats on QF 763's with that configuration (IMO). The best is 24F (better than ANY of the Exit row seats); 23D is good as well.

NM is almost certainly correct about WPs probably changing their bookings from that flight after allocation.