New route to Atlanta

The main reason for the 'metal swap' is because a UK based airline is more favourable to UK based customers, and vice versa with US.. Or so they say.

Delta haven't told VS to do anything.. Just because they're bigger in size doesn't mean they bark orders around. They're only 49% stakeholders remember.

Also - LAX Clubhouse IS happening.

Oh. Not so good.

Do we know which? Sod's law says it'll be my favourite, the VS23.

It will be interesting to see which one goes, I'm on the 23 in January so I guess come June 25th when I can select my seat, if it is on DL metal I hope it's one of their 777's but I guess that means no Clubhouse for me if the 23 goes

Wouldn't we still be able to use the Clubhouse because we've booked through VS? ... I'll be well miffed if I'm told that I'm not entitled to use the Clubhouse because they've decided to move the flight to Delta.

Oh. Not so good.

Do we know which? Sod's law says it'll be my favourite, the VS23.

It will be interesting to see which one goes, I'm on the 23 in January so I guess come June 25th when I can select my seat, if it is on DL metal I hope it's one of their 777's but I guess that means no Clubhouse for me if the 23 goes

Wouldn't we still be able to use the Clubhouse because we've booked through VS? ... I'll be well miffed if I'm told that I'm not entitled to use the Clubhouse because they've decided to move the flight to Delta.

If you're travelling in BusinessElite (equivalent of UC) then you'll have access.

Forgot to mention - Delta will be flying a 767 during the winter from LAX.

I don't know if that's good or bad!

At the mo our original VS flights are still showing so I'll just have to wait and see...theres nothing I can do about it anyway so will just suck it up and enjoy....anythings got to be better than flying 11 hours in economy!

So more US customers will choose to fly from LAX with DL rather than VS? Interesting so presumably where VS has more than 1 flight per day (excluding NYC) DL might wish to do a swap, say MCO for instance.

Thanks

Can't see MCO changing - it's a totally different market to LAX.

I'd imagine there's pretty much an equal split between Brits wanting to go to LAX and Los Angelinos wanting to go to London.

With MCO, though, it's almost entirely one way traffic so no real reason for DL to fly to the UK.

Also - LAX Clubhouse IS happening.

Praise be.

Presumably taking over the Koru lounge? Do we know when that closes yet?

Oh. Not so good.

Do we know which? Sod's law says it'll be my favourite, the VS23.

It will be interesting to see which one goes, I'm on the 23 in January so I guess come June 25th when I can select my seat, if it is on DL metal I hope it's one of their 777's but I guess that means no Clubhouse for me if the 23 goes

Wouldn't we still be able to use the Clubhouse because we've booked through VS? ... I'll be well miffed if I'm told that I'm not entitled to use the Clubhouse because they've decided to move the flight to Delta.

I would like to think we would be able to use the Clubhouse but at the moment DL's flights are split between T3 and T4 to various US destinations.

[mitchja]

Details on Business Traveller website:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/1 ... ic-flights

Just found the article VS23/24 to go then and DL39/40?

Am just about to book LA.
Is that definite - the 07/08 will remain Virgin?

So it seems ... I'm booked on VS7/8 in Jan/Feb next year in UC ... Relieved !

Hi all, bit troubled by this. I'm booked with my other half on VS23 in PE (1 x PE reward and 1 x Y reward upgraded using the Amex voucher) for 1st November. According to the flight times in the Business Traveller article (http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100533/delta-and-virgin-to-transfer-transatlantic-flights) it looks like it's VS23 that's becoming a DL service.

The thing is, DL don't offer PE, just Economy Comfort, which I'd consider a fairly significant downgrade against VS PE. Do you reckon they'd reaccommodate us on the other VS LAX service in PE or simply leave us in DL Economy Comfort? I'd be more than a bit miffed if it's the latter.

@Virgin AU Flyer - looks like it: DL's new LAX flight (DL35) departs LHR at 1500 which is pretty much the same time as the VS23.

The new VS Atlanta flights will be VS103/104 and will replace the first of DL's current three rotations.

[Neil]

Hi all, bit troubled by this. I'm booked with my other half on VS23 in PE (1 x PE reward and 1 x Y reward upgraded using the Amex voucher) for 1st November. According to the flight times in the Business Traveller article (http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100533/delta-and-virgin-to-transfer-transatlantic-flights) it looks like it's VS23 that's becoming a DL service.

The thing is, DL don't offer PE, just Economy Comfort, which I'd consider a fairly significant downgrade against VS PE. Do you reckon they'd reaccommodate us on the other VS LAX service in PE or simply leave us in DL Economy Comfort? I'd be more than a bit miffed if it's the latter.

I would give VS a call and asked to be transferred free of charge on to the VS 7/8.
You might have to fight a bit for this, but pretty sure they should play ball in the end.

Delta haven't told VS to do anything.. Just because they're bigger in size doesn't mean they bark orders around. They're only 49% stakeholders remember.

That may be so, but on the face of it DL are coming out of this much better than VS.

So far, since the joint venture was announced:

VS have given up a Little Red MAN slot at LHR for Delta to launch its SEA service.
VS have retimed several of their NY flights and their BOS flight to fit in with DL's schedule.
VS have ended one of their flagship routes (albeit an unprofitable one) - SYD.
VS have stopped serving Accra and Tobago.
VS have given up one of their flagship flights, VS23, to DL in order to access one of DL's hubs and provide DL with feeder traffic for its ATL domestic network.

Now it's perfectly possible that some of those would have happened anyway, and I'm not questioning the commercial sense of them. But I don't see DL making many sacrifices - so far this joint venture does seem somewhat one sided.

Why do I get the feeling that my yearly trip to LA this year will be my last with VS.

I flew the route last year with Air New Zealand and found the PE spaceseat a much better product and the business seat is virtually identical to Virgins upper and IMO service quality and inflight entertainment was much much better than Virgin.

Only flying with VS this year as we got a very good deal with Virgin Holidays and I may be wrong but with only one flight a day on virgin metal are reward flights to LAX going to become harder to secure?

Also BA's PE on the A380 looks to be finally catching up with Virgins cabin and for me personally I think a lot rides on the new seats that are appearing with the dreamliner if it is another drop in standards like the UCDS my 15 years loyalty to virgin may be heading over to BA.

So far, since the joint venture was announced:

VS have given up a Little Red MAN slot at LHR for Delta to launch its SEA service.

That slot was never Virgin's in the first place. It was Delta's and Virgin was just asked to slot sit - hence the MAN flight. MAN-LHR was always only planned to be 3 daily.

I can also see us moving away from VS - We usually fly in PE and I very nearly booked Air New Zealand because I want try out their space seat but for £200 more (pp) and using all of our miles I found UC reward flights so it was a no brainer!.

However, we will be back in PE next year so the one VS flight per day doesn't give us much choice

We make two or three trips to LA and Palm Springs a year and losing the 23/24 is a big downer. Or rather VS7 out and VS24 back is the usual routine. I can see that moving to NZ or BA in the future is becoming a real possibility when we head out there because:

a) Flight timings are going to be better with more options
b) Ease of use of miles is greater
c) The product is getting better to compete with VS

It's a great shame for VS to mess up their loyal passengers to sop Delta's. There should be a better compromise here.

Virgin has had some pretty bad financial years - so these moves are undoubtedly freeing up capital, and improving efficiency - to help the long-term sustainability of the airline. At least, I tell myself that.

My understanding with the Sydney route is that it wasn't profitable. There's too much competition on that route, and Australia just didn't have the population to justify it.

What I am confused about is why they are continuing to operate Chicago, a whole new station with associated costs.

Surely it would make more sense to drop ORD, maintain the 2 X LAX and launch ATL.

What I am confused about is why they are continuing to operate Chicago, a whole new station with associated costs.

Surely it would make more sense to drop ORD, maintain the 2 X LAX and launch ATL.

I don't think DL would swap yearly ATL for seasonal ORD if thats what you meant. I think DL announced covering VS's off period in ORD but then quickly scrapped sales after a month or so, so I think for DL (looking to expand destinations US-LHR) LAX is the most desirable to nab. And given that I don't think VS could keep x2 LAX as well as DL add one....it would be a lot riskier in terms of competition. This way I suppose DL hopes at least some of the ex-VS23/24ers will hop on their new service.

I do agree somewhat to questioning the seasonal routes though

VS have given up a Little Red MAN slot at LHR for Delta to launch its SEA service.

Not heard about this. When does it start? Seattle is one of my 'on the list' to visit...

It started on March 29th - DL36/37