Virgin Australia

[Infernal]

I wasn't talking about the frequency, but so what, DJ have 2 330's on a possible 14 flights a week, compared to Qantas mix of 747's 330's and 767's to which they announced they where changing the config back to 2 2 2 as the 2 3 2 was not working well

Im criticizing your comments

The Business class will work, seeing pictures of the business class its going to put Qantas to shame.

and

Bye Bye Qantas.

Im closing this topic, as has been mentioned, this has nothing to do with radio scanning, if you would like to discuss airline operations take it to PPrune or Jetspotters.

[Zebedee]

Hmmm well, I work for an airline, you work for....?, I think my information is more credible.

I don't think that makes your information "more credible" unless you can back it up with sources, etc. The same goes for anyone. If there's no source, it's speculation, nothing more. Who you work for is immaterial in that regard.

Well id like to, but I cant scan in the notices we get at work, and upload them here.

That's fine - but you can reference those notices even if you can't reproduce them. Along the lines of "From information I read at work, we've been told that {blah}...

I wouldn't lie, or make any thing up, half of what i have mentioned here is in the media any way, a simple search on 747's to Perth will bring you every thing that I have said Qantas will do.

That's fine too, however if any person is making a claim that something is or isn't true, it's incumbent upon them to provide some kind of source or backup if they're presenting it as a fact rather than an opinion. Not just in this case but in everything.

None of this really has anything to do with Radio Scanning here guys....

No, but it is aviation related, and is therefore in the right section. The discussion has been respectful and people are offering different opinions and points of view.

That's perfectly fine here, we don't expect every single post and every single topic to be directly related to radio scanning.

This topic has been re-opened on the proviso that it continues in the way that it has... Polite, respectful, on-topic discourse is always the order of the day around here

[written_ficton]

This topic has been re-opened on the proviso that it continues in the way that it has...

Thanks Doug appreciate the re-opening of this topic. I was a little miffed to the reason why it was closed as I was estimate that around 50% of posts are no directly related to scanning.

Getting back on tropic RE: Qantas / Virgin Blue Business class.

I wasn't talking about the frequency, but so what, DJ have 2 330's on a possible 14 flights a week, compared to Qantas mix of 747's 330's and 767's to which they announced they where changing the config back to 2 2 2 as the 2 3 2 was not working well

*my highlighting"

You have highlighted the issue I was going to bring up. By operating a 'mix' bag of different types of aircraft and different products [QF also operate x 3 weekly in an international A330 configured aircraft] your not really providing an exceptional service nor providing a same service are they? Business class passengers would be expecting a certain business class on say the B767 but rock up to a A330. They use that service and next time they rock up they have an internationally configured aircraft.

With Virgin Blue's new aircraft I am under the impression [from sources within Virgin Blue and the way the press release state] that the A330 will be sole aircraft on the route providing a same service regardless of which service/time you take.

I know of a group here in Perth that usually spends around $100,000 on PER - MEL flights a year and usually fly Qantas. Like many corporate customers of QF they have had enough and are all awaiting in anticipation for DJ's new product.


So as you can see if DJ play right they will be in a great position to win a substantial share of the corporate market.

My views is that Qantas have done a knee jerk reaction by just putting a single B747 onto the route.

[Infernal]

Essentially its not different to other airlines like EK their 343 345 and 777 business classes are worlds apart.

But I still dont think that Virgin can offer a better business class product than Qantas, or put them to shame, like i have mentioned before, Qantas have the infrastructure to do it.

Of course Qantas are going to throw more planes on the route, no one wants to loose market share to any one.

All you have to do is look at Virgins seats, like i mentioned before, when the guy in front decides to lie down, where does your TV go??, pointing to the floor.

Virgin Blue been a Low cost carrier, and thats what people liked them for, ill probably move away from them, their uniform change and business class market, just makes them another airline in the race for a quick $$, I expect to see their prices go up as a result in this market change, and that will be unfortunate.

[Zebedee]

To me, Virgin have always seemed to be stuck somewhere in between a low cost and a full service carrier. They seem to share elements of both. Although, I've never flown with them so can't really comment from first-hand experience here, only observations on how they seem to run their business.

Me personally, I prefer to fly Qantas and every flight I've ever taken in Australia with the exception of a Melbourne to Gold Coast leg has been in a Qantas aircraft. (The exception was flying Jetstar since Qantas didn't do Melbourne <-> Gold Coast flights).

At the end of the day everyone's going to see something that attracts them to a particular plane, route, company, etc. I don't think that having increased choice is going to hurt us, the travelling public, very much...

[dlcat1]

To me, Virgin have always seemed to be stuck somewhere in between a low cost and a full service carrier. They seem to share elements of both. ...

Exactly, and I think that the introduction of Jetstar and Tiger several years back have put them even more in that position. It's been a while since I looked but I don't think they can compete on price with Tiger (which is understandable when looking at what Tiger is offering) and I suspect the same with Jetstar's sale seats, so people looking for lowest cost are naturally going to end up there.

Given a choice between Q and VB, if the prices were close I'd choose Q for the longer hauls simply because I find them more comfortable, I like the fact I get fed food that doesn't feel like it's out of a school canteen or 7/11, and I occassionally get offerred a pillow or blanket. On VB I get charged a premium for eating, checking my baggage or watching in flight entertainment. This isn't a problem if I'm hopping Canberra to Sydney or Melbourne or Adelaide, and only have a single carry on bag, which a lot of business travellers do, but I want that extra little bit of feeling looked after that makes the trip go faster and me get off feeling more relaxed if going to be spending more than a few hours.

To me, it just makes sense for VB to try to get more of the business travellers by offering a bit more. I don't think they will put Q out of business, but I can definitely see them increasing market share this way.

[Infernal]

Virgin blue are still offering low prices, I'm off to Melbourne this weekend for the Avalon air show, Virgin blue came out with the best price, and offered mor flights than jetstar and tiger.

I belive the current CEO of Virgin blue is ex Qantas.

[Zebedee]

Given a choice between Q and VB, if the prices were close I'd choose Q for the longer hauls simply because I find them more comfortable, I like the fact I get fed food that doesn't feel like it's out of a school canteen or 7/11, and I occassionally get offerred a pillow or blanket.

I'm in much the same boat. I like the fact that when I buy my ticket with Qantas, it's "all inclusive". I get fed, I get a beer and/or a cuppa, I get to watch a movie if it interests me, and so on.

Now I can do all of those things with Virgin, but you have to buy all these little additions on the spot. I'd rather pay one price up front and have it all supplied. (Especially if it's a work trip and someone else is paying! )

If I were doing a short hop, like Hobart to Melbourne, or Melbourne to Sydney, I'd probably be quite happy to do without all those things, but Perth to anywhere is a fairly long flight, so I like my creature comforts

I guess it's all a matter of perspective and what you want or what you're used to getting...

[Infernal]

I've just been to a road show today where they discussed the inner workings of the airline, and thus Virgin blue topic, i can update more when i get home.

This while Virgin business class in its self is a knee jerk reaction due virgins profits being down.

[Nafenn]

I've just been to a road show today where they discussed the inner workings of the airline, and thus Virgin blue topic, i can update more when i get home.

This while Virgin business class in its self is a knee jerk reaction due virgins profits being down.

not to mention a new COO with different business ideas

[Infernal]

Ok so a few things I found out today
*Qantas and Jetstar are still the most profitable airline's in 1H10 (1st Half 2010 FY)
*Virgins change in their market has come as a reaction to the airline being down on their profits.
*Qantas is trying to stop their customers moving to virgin, and i personally dont blame them, no one wants to loose money to any one.
*Qantas will be changing their config on the 330's back to 2 2 2, they had 2 3 2 because well while there is no competitors, why not make some money out of it, and I dont blame them there either.
*AFL, yes they weren't the cheapest option, also the AFL told Qantas that they had to drop their sponsorship of the Wallabies and Socceroos, also Qantas where at the point where they where happy to let the AFL go, as it was more trouble than it was worth.

On a side note re: offshore maintenance, I thought this was a good one, and worth mentioning.

Qantas has 18% of the International market share, that means 82% of consumers are traveling on other airlines who do their maintenance where? exactly.. so the general flying public dont care where their maintenance is done.

[written_ficton]

Essentially its not different to other airlines like EK their 343 345 and 777 business classes are worlds apart.

Unfortunately you are comparing apples to an over ripe Lemon. EK are a purely international carrier whilst Qantas is a domestic/international carrier
As you will see EK pretty much send the same equipment on each route to avoid confusion in what fare paying passengers pay. Although not an exception PER sees a 777 and often an A345.
Whereas like routes DXB - MRU, DXB - DKA have the same equipment day after day.

But I still dont think that Virgin can offer a better business class product than Qantas, or put them to shame, like i have mentioned before, Qantas have the infrastructure to do it.

You will also find that so will Virgin Blue when they come to operate the aircraft.

All you have to do is look at Virgins seats, like i mentioned before, when the guy in front decides to lie down, where does your TV go??, pointing to the floor.

If you cared to read my comments earlier in the forum you will see that I clearly answered this post. You will find that the screen will pull out from the bottom so the screen is in the best position for viewing, much like VA's PE screens.

This while Virgin business class in its self is a knee jerk reaction due virgins profits being down.

Unfounded comment. Unless you care to provide a relevant source of information? Nowhere has Virgin Blue claimed that the Business class is a knee jerk reaction because of profits. You will find out that this was on the cards as soon a JB came on board.

Qantas and Jetstar are still the most profitable airline's in 1H10 (1st Half 2010 FY)

And? Irrelevant to this conversation due to the fact that Qantas is what x 3/4 times the size of Virgin Blue? But you will find out that if you looked at the Profit Margin Qantas peforms badly against others.

AO11912 - If I can ask, just exactly what do you do within Qantas?

I'll go into further some of the other points later this evening. I have a family outing this evening and it would be bad of me to miss such an outing to sit infront of the laptop!

[auntys_eyes]

FOR GOD'S SAKE WILL YOU TWO STOP THIS PISSING CONTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both of you, build a bridge and get over it.

[written_ficton]

FOR GOD'S SAKE WILL YOU TWO STOP THIS PISSING CONTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both of you, build a bridge and get over it.

This isn't a pissing contest, its a well involved conversation of the ins / outs of Australian Aviation and Qantas / Virgin Blue. I would believe that AO11912 will concur?

[Infernal]

Who said I worked for Qantas?

The information came from a seminar that I attended Monday, that was hosted by a airlines executive