Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for 2.

[markis10]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

I have a bad feeling about this.

1. We now find out that there are *13* planes involved. That's a very long way indeed from what I and various others were told which was "only 2 left to refit and they'll be done by the end of March".

There are not 13 involved, that is wrong, surprise surprise, I have been on a refitted 737-700 and know so for a fact, unlike so called "facts" published elsewhere in error (on a frequent basis). Yes there are 13 in the fleet, which is where the number comes from. Its also wrong to say they retain the 3 PE rows, evidence in the case of VH_VBV:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ustralia-velocity/737-700-pe-no-1a-35433.html

 

[MichaelD]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

There are not 13 involved, that is wrong, surprise surprise, I have been on a refitted 737-700 and know so for a fact.

Please elaborate - did the refitted 737-700 have the proper wide J seat of the 737-800s or just the old PE seat recovered?

If it had the J seat, then ripping these out and putting them back into all Y configuration seems illogical.

Addendum:
If the 737-700 refit is simply ripping out 1A-1C as per the picture in the link - that's not J in my view.

 

[markis10]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Please elaborate - did the refitted 737-700 have the proper wide J seat of the 737-800s or just the old PE seat recovered?

If it had the J seat, then ripping these out and putting them back into all Y configuration seems illogical.

Addendum:
If the 737-700 refit is simply ripping out 1A-1C as per the picture in the link - that's not J in my view.

Its full J seats, as per another thread in which you responded to the information given on actual rogue numbers:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-fleet-update-thread-32486-14.html#post549556

The VBV and VBU are still WIP I understand, having been yanked back into service when QF stopped flying.

 

[MichaelD]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Its full J seats

So why would Virgin revert these back to Y configuration planes? It doesn't make sense to me when what seems to be logical would be to simply complete the remaining conversions to full J and then re-offer the product for sale.

 

[MarkD]

Given the reconfig happens this month for them, thats to be expected.



What did you expect, them to gound the 737-700s .

Of course not that's ridiculous , however to sell a product you know you cannot deliver is wrong. I understand subs happen and that is not the basis of this thread. Far be it from me to disagree with a mod, but it seems on this occasion I have to, I don't understand how you can defend a product to the death, when the actual product provided does not compare remotely to the product purchased. I have nothing against you markis, however It wears a bit thin when you constantly deend virgins product, without even considering what other people's opinions or grievances are

 

[markis10]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

So why would Virgin revert these back to Y configuration planes? It doesn't make sense to me when what seems to be logical would be to simply complete the remaining conversions to full J and then re-offer the product for sale.

Until Virgin confirm this I would be hesitant to say it will happen, note the story has already been changed to reflect an error .

 

[dandandan]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Until Virgin confirm this I would be hesitant to say it will happen, note the story has already been changed to reflect an error .

Further to my experience of yesterday afternoon and after reading this article I think I pretty much experienced economy seating anyway on a flexi fare!

It was only once we boarded, that we realised that we were being seated in Premium Economy configuration. No one explained this beforehand and when we boarded the staff acted if everything was how it should be. Once seated, we were offered a glass of water so I am not sure what happened with the offer to start your flight with a complimentary newspaper and signature mocktail.

The seating of this supposedly superior section of the plane was most uncomfortable on this flight due to it being very hot on board and also due to the general disappointment of basically sitting in an economy seat. We were seated in row 3 on our flight from Sydney to Coolangatta on Friday evening, however we felt that this was a superior experience, and that was in economy. The seating offered in row 3 of economy on the Friday evening flight was roomier and more comfortable than our Premium seats, it was actually very pleasant.

Another thing to note was that the majority of the Economy section was served before “Business” passengers were offered anything. I mean it would have been nice to be offered a glass of wine whilst we were waiting for our cheese twist scroll thing to be heated up that no one wanted anyway. I noticed all other passengers sitting in this makeshift Business section ordered off the economy menu as a result of what was offered, we ordered cheese like a few of the others so I do not know what happened with throughout the day enjoying the gourmet snack range, including rice paper rolls and cheese plates as mentioned on the website as part of the business offering. A few other things to note; economy passengers were able to use our supposedly reserved and on this flight limited overhead luggage storage along with the front lavatory.

As a result I do not think it was anywhere near the same excellent service on the 800 aircraft. It would have been nice to be informed of this before we boarded as obviously things like schedule changes to aircraft happen which is acceptable but not being advised and trying to offer the same thing when it clearly is not is disappointing.

It is however great to see that Virgn has listened to customers brought this issue to a head.

 

[markis10]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Of course not that's ridiculous , however to sell a product you know you cannot deliver is wrong. I understand subs happen and that is not the basis of this thread. Far be it from me to disagree with a mod, but it seems on this occasion I have to, I don't understand how you can defend a product to the death, when the actual product provided does not compare remotely to the product purchased. I have nothing against you markis, however It wears a bit thin when you constantly deend virgins product, without even considering what other people's opinions or grievances are

I am not defending a product, I agree its poor whats happened and have stated as such numerous times in this thread if you read it again, however I am pointing out that having an expectation the problem will go overnight is unrealistic, as it stands there are people with foreward booking for J on a 737-700 who wont get it, hopefully they are warned in a proactive manner, just like the removal of J bookings on such aricraft is seen by me as being proactive as well.

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

I am not defending a product, I agree its poor whats happened and have stated as such numerous times in this thread if you read it again, however I am pointing out that having an expectation the problem will go overnight is unrealistic, as it stands there are people with foreward booking for J on a 737-700 who wont get it, hopefully they are warned in a proactive manner, just like the removal of J bookings on such aricraft is seen by me as being proactive as well.

I would say that the removal of J bookings on the -700's was reactive rather than proactive. They were reacting to the rather significant nagative feedback that offering the product on the -700's was generating.

 

[markis10]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

I would say that the removal of J bookings on the -700's was reactive rather than proactive. They were reacting to the rather significant nagative feedback that offering the product on the -700's was generating.

Reactive would be a fairer word, "active" being something we at least see with DJ when it comes to feedback .

 

[medhead]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Gee the abuse that gets hurled at me because I ask for people's opinion to test if I'm overreacting. Then there is this thread full of people crying because, despite getting the full service and treatment, they get a different seat that is still better than an economy seat.

Wow! you poor things, I really feel for you. It must have been so traumatic I'm surprised you all haven't had to seek professional help to cope with the vast and overwhelming dispair that you all must be experiencing. You should be proud of the response you've got from Virgin, they've got rid of those aircraft that they were getting rid of.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Hi all!

Just wondering what the latest is with the situation? More to the point, are people on non-refurb planes automatically getting their refunds?

Flying tomorrow morning on a 737-800 MEL-CBR, so that should be alright. But on Sunday night I've got CBR-SYD on an E190, then SYD-CBR on a 700, I'll report back.

 

[MichaelD]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

are people on non-refurb planes automatically getting their refunds?

I'm still waiting...

Didn't happen automatically, and was told it was processed a week ago...still nothing.

 

[VOZZY]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

I'm still waiting...

Didn't happen automatically, and was told it was processed a week ago...still nothing.

My refunds were processed as credit under the flight reservation number for future booking via the call centre.

Vozzy

 

[MichaelD]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

My refunds were processed as credit under the flight reservation number for future booking via the call centre.

Didn't think of looking there...but no dice, nothing, nada, zip.

Sigh. Back into the fray.

 

[notmensa]

BNE-CHC Booked as Etihad business but got PE - should I request compensation?

Hi,
I've been reading through this thread to see if any of the complaints have been for bookings made on Etihad.

I've just flown DUB-AUH-(SIN)-BNE-CHC in business class, booked as an Etihad fare through Jetaboard. The ticketing showed each sector as 'W-Business Class', including the BNE-CHC sector. It didn't show as a mixed class airfare during booking, which is something Jetaboard usually flags when booking. When I arrived in BNE and checked in for the BNE-CHC sector, I was told it was PE not business. The boarding pass said 'Business/Premium'.

I'm not sure if I should make a compaint about it. What do you think?

Thanks,
-n

 

[loobloke]

Re: BNE-CHC Booked as Etihad business but got PE - should I request compensation?

They don't sell business on TT flights and never have so I'm not sure you could really claim.

 

[notmensa]

Re: BNE-CHC Booked as Etihad business but got PE - should I request compensation?

They don't sell business on TT flights and never have so I'm not sure you could really claim.

Virgin Australia might not sell business class on the TT route, but my ticket was booked with Etihad. So Etihad is selling 'business' seats on VA flights where there is in fact no business class.

 

[Fruitcake]

Re: BNE-CHC Booked as Etihad business but got PE - should I request compensation?

Hi,
I've been reading through this thread to see if any of the complaints have been for bookings made on Etihad.

I've just flown DUB-AUH-(SIN)-BNE-CHC in business class, booked as an Etihad fare through Jetaboard. The ticketing showed each sector as 'W-Business Class', including the BNE-CHC sector. It didn't show as a mixed class airfare during booking, which is something Jetaboard usually flags when booking. When I arrived in BNE and checked in for the BNE-CHC sector, I was told it was PE not business. The boarding pass said 'Business/Premium'.

I'm not sure if I should make a compaint about it. What do you think?

Thanks,
-n

I certainly would. But not to Virgin Australia, because they're not the ones who sold you the fare. I'm assuming Jetabroad is an online travel agent? They're the ones who sold you the fare, you should be starting with them. For what it's worth, if you try and book this itinerary using the Etihad website, it gives you an explicit fullscreen warning about which legs are in economy.

 

[serfty]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

My refunds were processed as credit under the flight reservation number for future booking via the call centre.

Vozzy

Just noticed this - Surely you could have received a $$ credit to the payment method.

I'm still waiting...

Didn't happen automatically, and was told it was processed a week ago...still nothing.

Didn't think of looking there...but no dice, nothing, nada, zip.

Sigh. Back into the fray.

Did you ever receive the compensation?