Why do you choose to fly VA (domestic)

[Shano]

My work flight activity has dropped significantly due to a change in jobs, so I would struggle to achieve / maintain SG on QF without reasonable out of pocket expenditure.

The family pooling of points and SC has contributed to my decision to book VA where possible, with my (and my daughter's) flight on the weekend pushing me to SG with VA (when the SC's finally post ).

I was also doing a number of flights to LST, which on the cheaper JQ fares didn't earn SC's (I realise that this has changed).

I find their level of service on a par with QF, although the call centre is more difficult to deal with. Hopefully as a VA SG this will change.

 

[djchuckles]

because I always have - and now am Platinum vs. no status on Qantas. If QF did a status match i'd certainly give them a try but they don't seem to want to know.

I do also like the Virgin lounges (though haven't experienced the QF equivalent), the priority entrance at Sydney and the general good service VA provide

Oh yes - plus family pooling in which my girlfriend has helped me get to Plat, and now earned companion Gold which I've obviously given back to her

 

[MH_fan]

Up until the change to Sabre, I chose VA because:
1. Usually cheaper fares compared to QF.
2. Great J cabins (on both the 332 and 738 but especially the 332).
3. Premium entry at SYD (I absolutely love this service).
4. Great lounges (especially with the barista as opposed to the machine in the QP in the mornings).
5. Family pooling of SCs and points.
6. Up front seat selection (I used to get pre-allocated row 3 even without doing the T-14 seat selection).

But my reasons for flying VA will become much less as I'm going to hit WP with QF this year and also because of the change in up-front seat selections for SG on VA.

 

[Blinky]

Usually cheaper, good lounges and Sydney priority entry. But the biggest difference is the staff. Virgin staff act like they really enjoy their work, which makes flying less of a chore. I simply can't the same about Qantas staff.

 

[ledj]

I support VA as they are the company that bought competition to the Australian airline industry.
VA give you a choice to pay for food, drinks, luggage etc.
Happy, friendly staff who on more than one occasion have gone above & beyond with service offered.
Family pooling.
2 for 1 flights with virgin credit card.
Free flight with Amex Plat Edge card.

 

[greenfish]

To answer a slightly different question to what you're asking, I'd keep status with both if you can, as they have different strengths and weaknesses e.g.

Fly NZ domestic - prefer VA (thanks to NZ status recognition)
Fly to airports with only a QF lounge - prefer QF
Family pooling makes status a doddle for those with families - prefer VA
Fly international ex-Syd or Mel - First Lounge! - prefer QF
Fly routes where QF is actually Jetstar - prefer VA
Fly routes where QF link only option - prefer QF
Fly coast to coast on 332 - prefer VA
Reliable, tested, well integrated booking / FF systems - prefer QF

And so on.

Given how similar the product is on the east coast routes, it really is hard to choose between them. So why choose? Just keep status with both.....

 

[flyingfan]

1. Often cheaper than QF on my routes
2. The status match
3. I'm looked after very, very well as a status member - love the SYD premium entry, enforced priority boarding (I'm not sure about enforcement of priority security screening) and very strong inflight service (it was like each FA was determined to convince me never to fly another airline again)
4. I've always had my first choice of seats
5. Schedules fit my destinations
6. Supporting the competition helps keep QF honest
7. Family pooling will be good (about to see it in action)
8. I won't lie... the younger calibre of FAs is appealing (sorry for being ageist )

 

[nlagalle]

Although QF is my primary choice, VA have a few things that make me choose them on occasion (aside from work booking them):

Premium entry at SYD.
2for1 credit card
Direct MEL-OOL
4 x plat free upgrades

 

[notzac]

For what they're worth, here are my reasons..

• Mostly competitive pricing
• Mostly great staff
• Domestic upgrade certificates
• Long haul product
• EY codeshare
• Status earn system that suits my travel profile

 

[Bolthead]

I don't have an option due to company travel policy. I now have Plat status and with family pooling, bonus upgrades and the use of the 2for1 credit card I couldn't consider changing. Especially because of family pooling my wife and elder daughter are Plat. Now working on the younger daughter but unfortunately we most probably will fall short for her.

 

[Moopere]

Domestically its an easy choice for me. PER-MEL/SYD J 332, lounges, priority boarding and priority baggage that works. Cheap J upgrades from Flexi comes in a close second and reinforces the main point.

Internationally I don't know how to properly work their 'partner' system and I'm fully doing BFOD as a result. I have a feeling that if they joined an alliance this would change and they'd probably bag a fair bit of my int. business as well.

 

[moa999]

I would also add as a VA Plat often booking fares close to flight date that the earn burn rates are much better.
For SYD-MEL, SYD-BNE you get 1,000 points on QF, but with the Plat 10x multiplier, any flight $100+ earn more on VA (and some a lot more!)
Obviously this benefit increases with higher status.

 

[JohnK]

what are/is the dilution of gold benefits on VA? I think I've missed something!

The inability to choose a seat forward of row 7 online and needing to wait until at the airport. So unless you get to airport early you have small chance of getting more forward seat. I am not worried if Platinums are sitting in front of me but I would hate it if Silvers and below sit in front of me.

The recent baggage allowance changes worry me as well.

 

[JohnK]

They are seated behind the platinums in the new booking system.

What he actually means is improvement of platinum benefits.

Thanks for trying to answer on my behalf but you should have waited.

My reply is in the post above....

 

[esquire]

I fly VA domestic now and then (managed to earn platinum last year and platinum will be earnt this year within 6 months) based on the following:

QF don't fly on all the routes - PQQ-BNE, SYD-MCY, NCL-MEL and if I'm connecting with Perth I will usually stay on the same carrier
VA can be (or was?) good value especially on busy QF routes like BNE-PER and any Adelaide and Darwin flights so if the price is significant (flexi here) then VA will win sometimes (although the opportunities are narrowing).
The express SYD Domestic kerbside lounge is a winner for me so it has been JQs loss (and occassionally QF-Link, although QF-Link is usually cheaper than VA.....)
SYD/MEL- PERTH A330s in J are excellent and great value with upgrades
VA linked with Skywest - so it has also been a nice earner here even when paying obscene fares (albeit a nightmare getting the SC and points!)


The annoying thing for me is unless your are flying the golden triangle VA can be shocking for connections, flight times or just not have enough flights per day (BNE/ADL-PER, Darwin, KTA) - so QF wins about 80% of my flights, but it is good to have a choice.

 

[Daggs01]

Tiger is my 'airline to avoid at all costs'.

Isn't that their motto?

 

[grubbidok]

I've noticed a narrowing gap between the two airlines of late, with QF rapidly degrading and VA rapidly improving (the accuracy of that final point being subject to post-Sabre enhancements, of course).

- VA is usually cheaper on the flights I need to fly, and their partners in the areas I need to fly far better than what QF offers (I don't know how much grief QF get from pax for their AA links, but whatever it is, it's definitely not as much grief as they deserve).
- VA serves direct flights from SYD-ROK & SYD-MKY to allow me to visit family without too many connections.
- You can actually book reward flights on VA within a reasonable time, and ASA rates are more reasonable than QF.
- VA have been as helpful as possible and fixed - or tried to fix - every problem I've had, and pre-Sabre at least had the best SM team of any airline (does nayone know where their SM team went? They've been abysmal in 2013). QF treated me with derision as a Silver and no better as a Gold. They didn't even notice me as a Bronze. VA treated me well even as a Red.
- The VA aircraft are younger, FAs act like it isn't a burden to serve you
- Singapore (via partners yes, but what a partner!)
- Bundaberg Ginger Beer. Or more correctly, it was one of the last things I missed about QF. Glad VA came on board!

That being said I was as pushed from QF as I was pulled to VA. It was due to QFs gradual decline, but a few things made the choice easy. The main dealbreakers were:
- JQ. The writing seems on the wall to me at least that the majority of QF routes aside from CityFlyer will become JQ at some point. I'd rather fly Tiger.
- Dubai. Ugh. I have no interest in being stuck in an over-hyped shopping centre built on slave labour in the middle of the desert for my 3x European trips pa when an Asian stopover is a far more civilised and enjoyable way to do break up the trip. I know we need partners for both, but VAs are better. QF lost their advantage and fell behind. I've been to Dubai - and enjoyed it. Once was enough though. VA if you're listening, ditto Abu Dhabi.
- Kath and Kimberella. Seriously. Sounds like a joke, but after a long business day trip all I wanted was something relatively entertaining on the IFE to tune out to on the flight home. Instead I was served up 'The Making of Kath and Kimberella' as a special feature. That was the A-Ha moment for me, it was totemic of how much QF offerings in food, IFE and everything had declined, and made me realise that QF was no longer a premium product and I may as well check out the other side.

 

[lovestotravel]

it was totemic of how much QF offerings in food, IFE and everything had declined, and made me realise that QF was no longer a premium product and I may as well check out the other side.

Could you let me know about the food offerings in the Virgin lounges and their IFE ?

 

[grubbidok]

Could you let me know about the food offerings in the Virgin lounges and their IFE ?

Swings and roundabouts.

Most of my flights with VA have had free Live to Air, which is superior to anything QF has, though I acknowledge IFE on VA is a work in progress. TBH I'd prefer to have nothing than to have an expectation of entertainment, only to be delivered up ads (on last QF flights the IFE has been what appears to be paid 'behind the scenes' docos on films or sports events or those terrible half hour destinations videos spruiking the new QF destination). Entry level QF lounge is now comparable to VA, which is usually not full of fluoro vests. QF Lounge has declined significantly in the last 2 yrs. The coffee is also much, much better in VA, and I've enjoyed the beer selection (Fat Yak).

The important difference is the trajectory. QF seems to be on a steady decline, whilst VA appears to be steadily improving. I know which trend I prefer.

YMMV

 

[eastwest101]

Could you let me know about the food offerings in the Virgin lounges and their IFE ?

Oh thats cruel. Personally I don't mind the VA lounge food but as for the IFE - well - [crickets chirping]