Virgin Blue perception

[harvyk]

So rumour is that as part of the new product onboard, Economy will still be pay for everything...nothing complimentary...what are your thoughts on this?

Then they are not really fighting QF...

Whilst I would love to travel J everywhere, I'm almost always in Y, thus if a basic meal and drink is not part of the price I will go to an airline where it is...

Until QF become as bad as US based "full service" airlines (AA I'm looking at you) where the onboard service is "here is your can of coke, be grateful your even getting that" DJ really do need to step upto the plate and offer the full service if they want to complete with QF. Otherwise they will always look like QF's poorer cousin.

The only exception I would have to this is if DJ's Y+ (or J) was the same price as QF Y, but the perks where better (eg bigger seats \ more leg room etc...)

 

[straitman]

Then they are not really fighting QF...

Whilst I would love to travel J everywhere, I'm almost always in Y, thus if a basic meal and drink is not part of the price I will go to an airline where it is...

Until QF become as bad as US based "full service" airlines (AA I'm looking at you) where the onboard service is "here is your can of coke, be grateful your even getting that" DJ really do need to step upto the plate and offer the full service if they want to complete with QF. Otherwise they will always look like QF's poorer cousin.

The only exception I would have to this is if DJ's Y+ (or J) was the same price as QF Y, but the perks where better (eg bigger seats \ more leg room etc...)

I agree entirely. IF the perception is that the prices are the same and one is offering more than the other then most people will want the 'more' scenario. It is basic human nature.

 

[pauly7]

+1
I departed from T2 last week. What a hole.
Downstairs, luggage pick up looks like a dilapidated boarding house. Have a look at the ceiling, it's like some of those old "Fitness First" clubs which haven't been taken care off since opening their doors. T3 is miles ahead.

It's also going to be hard for Virgin to expand their check in/bag drop on the main floor because Jetstar has half of that front part of the terminal area. From what l saw, Virgin is also sharing bag drop with Tiger?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure QF own T3, or have a very different arrangement with Syd airport than they, JQ, DJ and TT do with T2 - the 'budget' terminal.

Whatever it is, they have alot more control over it, hence why it is much more attractive, well furnished, calibre of shops etc etc.

I do agree that T2 is a bit of a dump but 80% of the flights (excluding Qantaslink and Rex basically) are the low cost carriers and the pax they attract I'm sure don't really care that it's grubby with stains on the roof and bags of half eaten Maccas lying all over the place

 

[harvyk]

I don't mind SYD T2, prior to becoming a QP member, (and even after becoming a member if I want a walk knowing I have many hours of sitting ahead of me, but quite a few hours before my flight) I'd sometimes walk over to T2 and get something to eat from the food court (plus they have a much better view of the runway)...

 

[notthedash]

Took a virgin blue flight this weekend just passed. There wasn't anything on the flight to change my perception.

1. As previously stated - no lounge access
2. Had quite a low cost feel to it with the announcements of 'swipe you credit card to watch tv', 'to purchase a cold drink, our preferred payment is credit card".
3. My seat didn't recline (I'd usually try not to recline too much on short flights, but after the passenger behind pulled my hair and didn't apologise, I felt it would be ok for me to do so :evil

So in summary my position remains the same, the DJ flight would need to be significantly cheaper, or at a significantly more convenient time for me to consider them.

 

[pauly7]

So in summary my position remains the same, the DJ flight would need to be significantly cheaper, or at a significantly more convenient time for me to consider them.

Thanks for the mini review!

I'm thinking about trialling DJ again soon as well to see if anything has changed for the better

Half hoping crazydave will pop his head in here and comp me a status match for QF WP or maybe a lounge access!!

 

[Flashback]

Thanks for the mini review!

I'm thinking about trialling DJ again soon as well to see if anything has changed for the better

Half hoping crazydave will pop his head in here and comp me a status match for QF WP or maybe a lounge access!!

A lot of people on here will get to trial DJ soon, myself included..... thanks to AMEX

 

[medhead]

I flew virgin again last Monday morning. It was rather good. Empty middle seat checkin to row 8, as a red member. A few empty seats around when I took this flight earlier in the year it was always full. They also ignored my 3 carry on items. (long story, I won't bore you with details)

I also had a fairly comprehensive survey about my flight. It hit the bases of number of flights, leisure vs business and other program/lounge memberships.

 

[cove]

My hopes are rising on Virgin because they read posts on this site and now clearly want to make changes for the better.It will take a while for the proposed changes to get implemented and then a while for us to catch on to improvements.

 

[dk4]

web check-in, seq 7 & 2, 4F & 4A - velocity silver

 

[Homer]

I don’t know if it has been mentioned in this thread - I haven’t read every post - but in my opinion if DJ wants to compete more directly with QF then they need to do something about their FAs.

I mostly travel in J on QF, but occasionally in whY when I’m with the family, but regardless I find the QF cabin crew are always professional and treat me respectfully; a favour that I return to them.

However on the two occasions that I have flown DJ the cabin crew seemed to treat me like a first time flyer or a young person. I don’t expect “Mr Simpson” everywhere I go but the DJ staff were too familiar when they shouldn’t have been and too aloof when it would have helped to be a bit warm. Maybe it’s because many of them were the “it girls” (and boys, I guess) at school - a place many only left a few years ago by the way - and they haven’t had time to grow out of it yet? Or perhaps some were sold an idealised version of what it means to be an FA? Whatever it is, during my admittedly limited experience with DJ, I didn’t get the impression that the cabin crew actually *liked* customers all that much. I think DJ needs to have a fresh look at their recruiting and customer service training as part of any rebranding exercise.

 

[Justchecking]

I don’t know if it has been mentioned in this thread - I haven’t read every post - but in my opinion if DJ wants to compete more directly with QF then they need to do something about their FAs.

I mostly travel in J on QF, but occasionally in whY when I’m with the family, but regardless I find the QF cabin crew are always professional and treat me respectfully; a favour that I return to them.

However on the two occasions that I have flown DJ the cabin crew seemed to treat me like a first time flyer or a young person. I don’t expect “Mr Simpson” everywhere I go but the DJ staff were too familiar when they shouldn’t have been and too aloof when it would have helped to be a bit warm. Maybe it’s because many of them were the “it girls” (and boys, I guess) at school - a place many only left a few years ago by the way - and they haven’t had time to grow out of it yet? Or perhaps some were sold an idealised version of what it means to be an FA? Whatever it is, during my admittedly limited experience with DJ, I didn’t get the impression that the cabin crew actually *liked* customers all that much. I think DJ needs to have a fresh look at their recruiting and customer service training as part of any rebranding exercise.

Can agree with some of this, sadly. Often that 'virgin flair' translates as being overly familiar and cheeky which might be fine with some people but definately not all. Although it's not all youth in the camp nowadays, they are hiring plenty of mature people now.

 

[ANstar]

1. As previously stated - no lounge access
2. Had quite a low cost feel to it with the announcements of 'swipe you credit card to watch tv', 'to purchase a cold drink, our preferred payment is credit card".
3. My seat didn't recline (I'd usually try not to recline too much on short flights, but after the passenger behind pulled my hair and didn't apologise, I felt it would be ok for me to do so :evil.

Re point 1 A gold DJ flyer would have lounge access, but like yourself if moving immediately tro the compeitior (QF) would not have QFclub access.

Re 3. QF also have non reclining seats on their 737's. They are the rows directly in front of an emergency exit... oh and as for the hair pulling, can happen on any carrier... I have had a kid constantly kicking my seat SYD-MEL on a QF 767 before...

 

[serfty]

...
Re 3. QF also have non reclining seats on their 737's. They are the rows directly in front of an emergency exit... ..

ISTR recline can be easily enabled/disabled by levers/switches access from the aisle at the end of each of the seat rows in question.

Not only is this for the row of seats in front of the exit row, also the front exit row has this facility.

The recline is disabled for take-off/landing and enabled for cruise.

 

[clifford]

However on the two occasions that I have flown DJ the cabin crew seemed to treat me like a first time flyer or a young person. I don’t expect “Mr Simpson” everywhere I go but the DJ staff were too familiar when they shouldn’t have been and too aloof when it would have helped to be a bit warm. Maybe it’s because many of them were the “it girls” (and boys, I guess) at school - a place many only left a few years ago by the way - and they haven’t had time to grow out of it yet? Or perhaps some were sold an idealised version of what it means to be an FA? Whatever it is, during my admittedly limited experience with DJ, I didn’t get the impression that the cabin crew actually *liked* customers all that much. I think DJ needs to have a fresh look at their recruiting and customer service training as part of any rebranding exercise.

The DJ cabin crew were recruited mainly because of their extrovert and silly tendencies. Selection criteria didn't include customer service at all. So what you're left with now is a rump of fairly useless FA's who can't cut it with a more business-oriented approach. I do know a bit about this as the daughter of a friend of my wife was a DJ hostie, and fitted the stereotype perfectly.

DJ is one of the luckiest airlines still flying today. They're only here because of Sir Selwyn Cushing and 9/11. I don't believe they will ever be able to shake off their ridiculous beginnings.

 

[Justchecking]

Yes I am certain knowing 1 FA (through a 3rd hand relationship) who happened to be a silly extrovert is indicative of an entire airline...:-| Great logic.

 

[drron]

I am one who does think it worthwhile acknowledging good service.If i think an FA has delivered above average service i will by some means let the airline know.i have done that once this year-and it was about a DJ FA.Does that make every employee wonderful,of course not but to assert that none care about customer service is equally wrong.
If you are used to QF J then DJ FAs wont measure up to your standards.For the Pax they serve i believe most do a good job.As I have a choice of DJ,JQ or TT from my home port DJ gets the lions share of my business.

 

[Homer]

I am one who does think it worthwhile acknowledging good service.If i think an FA has delivered above average service i will by some means let the airline know.i have done that once this year-and it was about a DJ FA.Does that make every employee wonderful,of course not but to assert that none care about customer service is equally wrong.
If you are used to QF J then DJ FAs wont measure up to your standards.For the Pax they serve i believe most do a good job.As I have a choice of DJ,JQ or TT from my home port DJ gets the lions share of my business.

I assume you are referring to my post. I didn’t assert that there are no DJ FAs who care about customer service. I said that I have flown DJ on two occasions - an experience I described as “limited” - and that the cabin crew didn’t give me the impression that they liked customers. You are the one making generalisations about my comments which were about my individual experiences and my impressions of those experiences. The reason I mentioned that I mostly fly QF J is that I was commenting about DJ’s stated desire to take on QF at the premium end of the market and that, in my opinion, they need to work on more than just the name of their airline.

 

[drron]

No Homer I was actually referring to the post by Clifford.Though primarily just reflecting my own experience.

 

[Homer]

No Homer I was actually referring to the post by Clifford.Though primarily just reflecting my own experience.

Sorry drron, maybe quote next time?