Virgin goodbye for now

[Oldmate1]

Hi everyone,

Wanted to share experience as a VA platinum I really enjoy VA domestic product but as someone who travels regularly overseas VA just became too problematic.

The good,
1. melb and bris lounges are great
2. Plenty of reward seats to VA destinations
3. Great staff and brand
4. Partners Singapore and united great airlines
5. Economy x for plat (although had my seat moved to non econ x several times without explanation)
6. Wifi availability is improving

Things that were a problem
1. Change to needing half status credits on VA marketed or operated as intl flyer backdated based on renewal date (poorly communicated and executed imho)
2. Navigating individual SQ and United partnerships and nuances (had mixed experiences with boarding lounges)
3. Recent Reduction in UA status credits recently got 20 status credits bne to sfo on a decent economy ticket (not full fare or flex)
4. Targeted bonus status credits promos that never were available to me
5. Dogs on planes (I have a dog)

Quick call to qantas and they gave gold if 200 status credits earned in 3 months plus access to qantas club for the interim period - which was a nice touch.

I will miss VA and I tried to stay loyal, but for now it was time to try something else.

I’m interested in others thoughs

 

[kpc]

The grass is not always greener.

 

[goldenhorn]

I totally agree with your assessment. My family live in Perth and I fly quite a few times a year from the East Coast to the West Coast but the change from status credits to flight spend is a major problem for me. While it’s quite possible I would spend $6000 a year flying back-and-forth to Perth I don’t want that to have to be the minimum requirement.

Although I’ve been Gold with virgin for the last couple of years and I have enjoyed the lounge and the premium boarding, I’ve made a switch to Qantas

While I haven’t flown QF much for a few years. I’ve managed to collect 140 status credits with the recent status on the ground promotion and some other small flights.

I’ve also booked my DSC status run OOL-MEL-AKL in J return for February and that will earn me 560 SC. So all going well, I’ll have the 700 SC to make Qantas Gold and say goodbye to virgin for good.

I will continue to collect velocity points. I like their availability and every trip I’ve done - one to 2 times a year to Asia - has been in SQ business class which I really like.

 

[AIRwin]

Things that were a problem
5. Dogs on planes (I have a dog)

Were? It's only been over a month on a limited number of flights...

 

[Human]

I'd be interested in the wider issue; in fact I just thought about this a couple of days ago.

• How many disaffected Qantas customers have abandoned Qantas for Virgin, and stayed with Virgin?
• How many disaffected Virgin customers have abandoned Virgin for Qantas, and stayed with Qantas?

My almost-totally-uninformed guess (but also based on quite a few informal discussions, not least with other AFFers) is that the first group is larger than the second, but that really is just a guess.

 

[goldenhorn]

I'd be interested in the wider issue; in fact I just thought about this a couple of days ago.

• How many disaffected Qantas customers have abandoned Qantas for Virgin, and stayed with Virgin?
• How many disaffected Virgin customers have abandoned Virgin for Qantas, and stayed with Qantas?

My almost-totally-uninformed guess (but also based on quite a few informal discussions, not least with other AFFers) is that the first group is larger than the second, but that really is just a guess.

I was the first group and abandoned QF while AJ was at the helm. Swore I’d never go back.

But new QF management, Virgin changes and the better international lounge network has seen me want to cross back to the dark side again,

 

[humley123]

I’m in the boat of mostly abandoning Virgin as a soon to be former Virgin Platinum - I’ve switched nearly all my travel to Qantas and am on track to obtain WP with them this year. My main reasons for switching are the failure to get lounges in place for Virgin’s own international network (small though it may be), the steady degradation in service quality including onboard, over the phone and at their ageing domestic lounges, deteriorating ‘recovery’ when trips are disrupted or you have any issues with baggage (my main port no longer even has a baggage counter for Virgin), deepening alliances with Qatar - an airline I’m not keen on due to past poor experiences, and poor redemption options for Velocity (at least on the routes I travel on). All of these have vindicated my decision to switch and just maintain Gold with Virgin going forward.

Virgin’s decision to aim ‘in the middle’ of Qantas and Jetstar (although increasingly to the ‘discount Jetstar end’), has made them into a weird quasi-discount carrier masquerading as something better. While the Borghetti days might have been financially unsustainable, they were much better days for their customers. I don’t begrudge them for focussing where they can be profitable of course - two full service carriers in Australia doesn’t seem to be commercially possible. Having said this, it hasn’t stopped me going back to Australia’s actual full service carrier.

Qantas will soon have a much improved and more modern fleet (with a clear focus from their executive team on product consistency across different air frames), non-stop options to key overseas destinations, and of course the Virgin Economy X equivalent of Economy Plus. They’re hitting all the right notes at the moment. I’ll miss my Velocity Platinum (particularly the full Fly Ahead benefits) at points I’m sure, but overall I suspect I’ll be happier with Qantas.

 

[AirAdl]

I look to keep Platinum with both by booking during the DSC promotions, new QF fleet coming slowly will be great. More lounges domestically and Internationally.
Use Qantas and one world for international travel including NZ
Virgin for domestic.
VA have great staff on board, wifi is good and economy X is great. vA flex fares are bloody cheap, compared to QF.
Down fall is international side of things with VA.
The VA experience with Air NZ partnership is poor and SQ can't even choose seats. I had no lounge in Shanghai on SQ.
If VA joined Star Alliance and add more lounges nationally I d be happy to stay.

 

[Clayton]

I'm feeling much the same as the comments above. I left QF due to their non-existent international service out of ADL and their truly woeful customer service to all customers during AJ's reign. However Virgin's ADL lounge is one of the worst I've encountered , due to zero edible food and truly minimal beverages. I'd honestly prefer to go to one of the food outlets in the vicinity. The new QF Business lounge is comfortable, clean, has great coffee, and a reasonable assortment of breakfast items, along with their usually good alcoholic beverages, and they actually announce when your plane is boarding. I'll be revisiting my domestic flights, but will remain loyal to SQ and QR for International flights, at least until CX stumps up all seasons flights out of my home airport.

 

[serfty]

I'm also on the way out with Velocity.

My plan is to earn PP in January then soft landing through to 2029 when I'll be relegated to Silver.