A few questions for upper class passengers

Hello all!

My name is Jay and I'm an avid VA flyer...no other choice for me when flying to the UK. As I'm very happy with VAs performance so I'm sure you are as well. So I've chosen to make a example of VA in a Brand Management assignment and would like to get some feedback from a few passengers who regularly fly upper class (at least 80% of your flights with VA are in upper class).

I'm just looking for answers to a few questions and any feedback you'd like to give.

How do you feel about travelling in other cabins of the plane? Do you travel UC simply because you have the means to or do you feel its become an integral part of the in-flight experience?

If you've flown PE or econ do you think that VAs PE and econ are better than those of other airlinesGranted its no upper clas experience would you still say they're quite good? If you haven't flown in other cabins how would you guess the service in them would be?

Finally, VAs UC offer so many amenities and perks that it's become part of the experience and hard to imagine living without. I know they've done away with in-flight massages, but what other UC perks and amenities could you not live without (can be any aspect of travelling UC not just onboard the aircraft)? Would this be enough to make you consider flying in another cabin? Would it be enough to make you fly with another airline?

Thanks for your responses in advanced they'll be a great help for this assignment. Also if you could give your first name and city where you live.

If I didn't know better I'd say that looks like a VA employee looking for which non-contractual services to cut next!

How do you feel about travelling in other cabins of the plane? I WOULDN'T IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO

Do you travel UC simply because you have the means to or do you feel its become an integral part of the in-flight experience? INTEGRAL PART

If you've flown PE or econ do you think that VAs PE and econ are better than those of other airlinesGranted its no upper clas experience would you still say they're quite good? I HAVE NO IDEA BUT PLEASE REFER TO THE DATA COLLECTED FROM THE TRIP REPORT 'DASHBOARD'

If you haven't flown in other cabins how would you guess the service in them would be? I WOULDN'T DARE GUESS.

Finally, VAs UC offer so many amenities and perks that it's become part of the experience and hard to imagine living without. I know they've done away with in-flight massages, but what other UC perks and amenities could you not live without (can be any aspect of travelling UC not just onboard the aircraft)? WINGS AND ENGINES COME TO MIND, BUT I RATHER LIKE THE BED, THE CLUBHOUSE AND REVIVALS.

Would this be enough to make you consider flying in another cabin? WOULD WHAT BE?

Would it be enough to make you fly with another airline? WOULD WHAT BE?

GRINNING
SEATTLE, WA

quote:Originally posted by Capt.Pag
If I didn't know better I'd say that looks like a VA employee looking for which non-contractual services to cut next!


LOL well I'm glad you know better. Actually the assignment is on branding and emotions. The main point I'm looking for is how much function has to be lost a 'high-involvement' purchase before consumers wont consider it. all the other questions are just background really.

quote:Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
How do you feel about travelling in other cabins of the plane? I WOULDN'T IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO

Do you travel UC simply because you have the means to or do you feel its become an integral part of the in-flight experience? INTEGRAL PART

If you've flown PE or econ do you think that VAs PE and econ are better than those of other airlinesGranted its no upper clas experience would you still say they're quite good? I HAVE NO IDEA BUT PLEASE REFER TO THE DATA COLLECTED FROM THE TRIP REPORT 'DASHBOARD'

If you haven't flown in other cabins how would you guess the service in them would be? I WOULDN'T DARE GUESS.

Finally, VAs UC offer so many amenities and perks that it's become part of the experience and hard to imagine living without. I know they've done away with in-flight massages, but what other UC perks and amenities could you not live without (can be any aspect of travelling UC not just onboard the aircraft)? WINGS AND ENGINES COME TO MIND, BUT I RATHER LIKE THE BED, THE CLUBHOUSE AND REVIVALS.

Would this be enough to make you consider flying in another cabin? WOULD WHAT BE?

Would it be enough to make you fly with another airline? WOULD WHAT BE?

GRINNING
SEATTLE, WA


LOL Thanks Grinning.
The last 2 question were about what you couldnt live without in upper class, basically saying 'If virgin did away with ________ I would stop flying in upperclass and/or VA altogether'

quote:Originally posted by Jblaze912
quote:Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
How do you feel about travelling in other cabins of the plane? I WOULDN'T IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO

Do you travel UC simply because you have the means to or do you feel its become an integral part of the in-flight experience? INTEGRAL PART

If you've flown PE or econ do you think that VAs PE and econ are better than those of other airlinesGranted its no upper clas experience would you still say they're quite good? I HAVE NO IDEA BUT PLEASE REFER TO THE DATA COLLECTED FROM THE TRIP REPORT 'DASHBOARD'

If you haven't flown in other cabins how would you guess the service in them would be? I WOULDN'T DARE GUESS.

Finally, VAs UC offer so many amenities and perks that it's become part of the experience and hard to imagine living without. I know they've done away with in-flight massages, but what other UC perks and amenities could you not live without (can be any aspect of travelling UC not just onboard the aircraft)? WINGS AND ENGINES COME TO MIND, BUT I RATHER LIKE THE BED, THE CLUBHOUSE AND REVIVALS.

Would this be enough to make you consider flying in another cabin? WOULD WHAT BE?

Would it be enough to make you fly with another airline? WOULD WHAT BE?

GRINNING
SEATTLE, WA


LOL Thanks Grinning.
The last 2 question were about what you couldnt live without in upper class, basically saying 'If virgin did away with ________ I would stop flying in upperclass and/or VA altogether'


Gotcha! For me, I think I'd only fly Virgin in UC...if I can't blag or pay for a UC seat, I just don't travel. So my answers would be the same for both contingencies: flat bed, Clubhouse and Revivals. If any one of those were taken away, I would seriously weigh BA. If all three went away, then they can just forget it.

Good luck with the assignment!

GJ

I travel VS UC because 1) Flat Beds, duvets, PJ's 2) Clubhouse 3) Revivals. Take away any of those and I would run back to SQ or QF. That said, if there were more erosion of the UC product in terms of crew numbers that would do it as well. Its already at very poor levels for pax and crew which is impacting on service/morale.

I also think that VS should protect its UC cabin and CH. Whilst not an elitist jerk there is value in the product which will be eroded through paid options or automatically filling UC with op ups or cheap upgrades. For a product to remain desirable it needs to remain somewhat special.

quote:Originally posted by centurionman
I travel VS UC because 1) Flat Beds, duvets, PJ's 2) Clubhouse 3) Revivals. Take away any of those and I would run back to SQ or QF. That said, if there were more erosion of the UC product in terms of crew numbers that would do it as well. Its already at very poor levels for pax and crew which is impacting on service/morale.

I also think that VS should protect its UC cabin and CH. Whilst not an elitist jerk there is value in the product which will be eroded through paid options or automatically filling UC with op ups or cheap upgrades. For a product to remain desirable it needs to remain somewhat special.


Great insight! Can I get your first name and city tho?

quote:Originally posted by Jblaze912
quote:Originally posted by centurionman
I travel VS UC because 1) Flat Beds, duvets, PJ's 2) Clubhouse 3) Revivals. Take away any of those and I would run back to SQ or QF. That said, if there were more erosion of the UC product in terms of crew numbers that would do it as well. Its already at very poor levels for pax and crew which is impacting on service/morale.

I also think that VS should protect its UC cabin and CH. Whilst not an elitist jerk there is value in the product which will be eroded through paid options or automatically filling UC with op ups or cheap upgrades. For a product to remain desirable it needs to remain somewhat special.


Great insight! Can I get your first name and city tho?

Gosh - you should know that I'm married [:o)]

Darren - Brisbane, Queensland

Although from an Australia to UK flyer point of view, the other draw for VS is the ability to earn domestic mileage with DJ (Virgin Blue) and V Australia. If there wasn't the ability to earn VS mileage on either of those it would be a deal breaker as well.