One of my many grievances with QF is that there is only cheap bubbly available in the domestic first/business lounge (not talking Club), no real champagne. Do VA have real champagne in their top tier lounge?
Will VA upgrade their top tier members at the gate out of courtesy when there are empty business seats, as EK does regularly?
VA top tier lounge. Oh that made me laugh, thank you. Head over to AFF velocity forum before you jump ship, and also review VA website.
Ease up chaps. The poster was asking for some information and advice from the community. Not everyone has the same level of knowledge about what the different airlines offer in terms of service, whether on the ground or in-flight.
From what I can tell the poster has been a QF customer for sometime and, as such, he cannot be blamed for not fully understanding what VA is currently offering. I daresay there a lot of QF customers who would be in the same boat who, for some good reason, would never have had need to consider VA.
Equally, from all the fanfare in the MSM about VA, one could be forgiven for thinking that the service and offering was significantly better than it is actually is. Mr Borghetti has certainly done a good job marketing what is, at least in my view, a pretty sub-par product due to a lot of superficial tweaks. It is, as my dear old Uncle would say, the case of "lipstick on a pig".
I have been a VA Platinum for 2 years and moved to QF Platinum for 2 years. Here are the differences, However, I don't drink alcohol. I have never been upgraded with both.
The reason I switched....1) QF is with Oneworld..When I traveled in Europe for 3 months, I got access to the one world lounges including Oneworld Lounges...Far better then club and Business lounge 2) QF has lifetime membership whereas VA does not. 3) VA is not part of any alliance so other than a hand full (I think Etihad, AirNZ, and Singapore) you are nobody. 4) QF business lounges are better than VA lounges.Furthermore, on an International leg, you get access to the QF First lounge in Sydney. Which my family enjoyed too. What I liked about VA platinum 1) 4 upgrades per year from Full economy to business 2) Upgrade to Hotel and rental car (your choice from a list).
I think that’s a fair summary. I would, however, add that QF affords the option of transcon in something other than a 738 and, indeed, triangle routes on the 330 product. With VA, apart from occasional PER flights, you’re stuck on a 738 come what may.
I would also have to say that, in addition to the beverage service, VA J class food is woeful. QF leaps and bounds ahead. I actually don’t know what VA is thinking serving up that slop to paying J class customers. I understand that meal service is still basically non existent (apart from the occasional stale sandwich or the like) in Y.
Finally and as I have already said, VA acts with a degree of inflexibility when it comes to enforcing certain policies or dealing with unexpectancies. I’ve never had a problem moving to an earlier or later flight with QF (subject to availability), whereas VA will often refuse even where there is availability. God help you if you miss a flight. With QF they’ll usually accommodate you on the next plane without too much fuss, whereas with VA I’ve been told to buy a new ticket. Sad.
As a final aside, VA insists on boarding flights a ridiculous time before the scheduled departure. Not uncommon to have final boarding calls 20 mins before. Really? For a 180 seat 738? Get real!
A few years ago I took a status match offer and had 6 months of VA Gold.
During this time, when on a personal trip with elderly parents in law, my wife and a 10 month old baby, our Sunshine Coast-Sydney flight was cancelled at the last minute. I was super impressed when they picked us out of a queue in the airport, and advised they had arranged an immediate private transfer to Brisbane, with connecting flights to Sydney.
My employer at the time had a Qantas preferred policy so I never maintained the status, but that experience left a very strong positive impression with me...
I've been both VA Platinum and QF Platinum and both are good in their own rights, again all really depends on where and how often you fly but my vote is for QF Platinum has the edge in every category (except the VA upgrade coupons which are great). I think the core of the issue is that VA's focus is very domestic/short haul where QF has a strong domestic, international (their own flights) & global (oneworld) focus which makes it very seamless when travelling international. I'm now QF Platinum and would never risk losing it.
I've seen plenty of status match from QF platinum to VA platinum so you should be able to do it.
I fly both QF and VA but I have only ever been QF Bronze when I am VA platinum.
Most things have already been covered. To add my bit:
VA pros:
Good on time performance
Very accommodating to platinum's when there is an issue while travelling on VA metal
Diamond status with Hilton
Long haul business class product to LAX/ Hong Kong
Cheap to maintain status
VA cons:
No international lounges
Very heavy international partner network with inconsistent rules and process
Domestic business class is pretty average
Mixed feelings:
Everyone is in the same domestic lounge
VA international partner network
Playing "musical lounges" with international trips
VA are very heavy domestic airline and international is very lacking. VA use their partner airlines very heavily for international routes. While you get all the published benefits when flying with a partner airline, you are NOTHING in terms of status unless you are on VA metal. I have had things go very wrong flying on partner airlines and when that happens you get treated like a non status economy passenger with no help.
However it is a different story while on VA metal, in their lounge, platinum call centre etc the service to platinum members is very good.
johnaboxall
johnaboxall
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 24 Aug 2011
Total posts 384
Will VA upgrade their top tier members at the gate out of courtesy when there are empty business seats, as EK does regularly?
VA top tier lounge. Oh that made me laugh, thank you. Head over to AFF velocity forum before you jump ship, and also review VA website.
Covvers
Covvers
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 19 Jan 2018
Total posts 64
Ease up chaps. The poster was asking for some information and advice from the community. Not everyone has the same level of knowledge about what the different airlines offer in terms of service, whether on the ground or in-flight.
rstephenp
rstephenp
Qantas
Member since 01 Jun 2016
Total posts 8
I have been a VA Platinum for 2 years and moved to QF Platinum for 2 years. Here are the differences, However, I don't drink alcohol. I have never been upgraded with both.
Covvers
Covvers
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 19 Jan 2018
Total posts 64
I think that’s a fair summary. I would, however, add that QF affords the option of transcon in something other than a 738 and, indeed, triangle routes on the 330 product. With VA, apart from occasional PER flights, you’re stuck on a 738 come what may.
I would also have to say that, in addition to the beverage service, VA J class food is woeful. QF leaps and bounds ahead. I actually don’t know what VA is thinking serving up that slop to paying J class customers. I understand that meal service is still basically non existent (apart from the occasional stale sandwich or the like) in Y.
Finally and as I have already said, VA acts with a degree of inflexibility when it comes to enforcing certain policies or dealing with unexpectancies. I’ve never had a problem moving to an earlier or later flight with QF (subject to availability), whereas VA will often refuse even where there is availability. God help you if you miss a flight. With QF they’ll usually accommodate you on the next plane without too much fuss, whereas with VA I’ve been told to buy a new ticket. Sad.
As a final aside, VA insists on boarding flights a ridiculous time before the scheduled departure. Not uncommon to have final boarding calls 20 mins before. Really? For a 180 seat 738? Get real!
DavePlat
DavePlat
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 31 Oct 2017
Total posts 5
A few years ago I took a status match offer and had 6 months of VA Gold.
AT
AT
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 14 Sep 2012
Total posts 16
I've been both VA Platinum and QF Platinum and both are good in their own rights, again all really depends on where and how often you fly but my vote is for QF Platinum has the edge in every category (except the VA upgrade coupons which are great). I think the core of the issue is that VA's focus is very domestic/short haul where QF has a strong domestic, international (their own flights) & global (oneworld) focus which makes it very seamless when travelling international. I'm now QF Platinum and would never risk losing it.
Spaniel
Spaniel
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 12 Apr 2017
Total posts 28
Doktor if you are a medical doctor join the business for doctors facebook group and ask the admins about status match QF to VA.
banana0692
banana0692
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 03 Oct 2016
Total posts 11
I've seen plenty of status match from QF platinum to VA platinum so you should be able to do it.