Virgin Sydney Premium Entry Permanently Closing

[RooFlyer]

I would encourage every loyal VA flyer to reply to the email and let them know how you feel.

As in

Dear Virgin. <yawn>. ?

 

[kamchatsky]

What a shame. I absolutely loved the SYD Premium Entry when I was travelling for work pre-COVID. That was one of the major reasons why I decided to fly VA over QF (which most of my colleague flew on, at our work's higher expenses) for work. It was so convenient to just go straight to lounge via Premium Entry. I ended making VA Platinum for 2 years on purely VA Y domestic flying, so lots of sectors.

Of course, the new VA is completely different from the pre-COVID VA. The strategy is different and cost trumps everything else. I no longer fly for work anymore so it doesn't affect me, but what a bummer for the regular VA flyers.

 

[simmomelb]

What a shame. I absolutely loved the SYD Premium Entry when I was travelling for work pre-COVID. That was one of the major reasons why I decided to fly VA over QF (which most of my colleague flew on, at our work's higher expenses) for work. It was so convenient to just go straight to lounge via Premium Entry. I ended making VA Platinum for 2 years on purely VA Y domestic flying, so lots of sectors.

Of course, the new VA is completely different from the pre-COVID VA. The strategy is different and cost trumps everything else. I no longer fly for work anymore so it doesn't affect me, but what a bummer for the regular VA flyers.

Just a wild guess here, but you'll still get into The Lounge in Sydney just as fast, if not faster in some cases
Why?
1) New body 3D body scanners and CT hand luggage scanners, meaning no need to remove laptops etc, make it much faster than the old scanners VA were using.
2) Extended hours for priority scanning with the new, faster scanners, compared to the curbside entry, including other cities with their extended or reintroduced priority and extended hours.
3) The main Lounge entry in SYD is directly after the new security scanners, literally a few metres away (maybe a 30-second walk, no, seriously!).
If anything, I feel the new system is far more efficient, given we are moving to the new security scanners (which are also safer with detection), and it's all right next to each other anyway and just inside the door from the curbside.

 

[Saab34]

I would encourage every loyal VA flyer to reply to the email and let them know how you feel. No point coughing here - register your opinion and make them reply. Also just read the Fin Story on the closure and there was this ominous quote from Dave Emerson who said the new-look airline would “only be investing shareholders’ money where they can get a return”. Does this mean no more shower curtains being installed between business and economy

They make these decisions long before any announcement and any customer feedback makes 0% difference in this case.

 

[Layslow]

They make these decisions long before any announcement and any customer feedback makes 0% difference in this case.

Simply not true. Airlines are always market testing everything - from catering, in-flight products to lounges etc. Any blowback that takes their net promoter score down is responded to. Martini's in the QF First Lounge didn't return because customer feedback didn't matter...