Virgin Blue - waiting for take-off?

I always try to book virgin flights via Quantas booking service that our dept has a contract with.

Not surprisingly it is always easier to to book Qantas.

I liked Impulse with the free white wine and a paper and the sheepskin seat covers.

Government has contracts with QANTAS. I think they need to spread them around more. They sent some business the way of the doomed Impulse Airlines and they were complete hacks, no lounge and they served Smiths Crisps and White Wine on the flights. I think Virgin deserves some govvie business just as much.

Remove the FBT concessions attached to Qantas Club membership and Virgin will become a lot more popular for the business traveller.
Remove status from the government contracts, and suddenly its an almost level playing field.
Until that point in time – I and my wife will do our darndest to accrue status, and keep that Gold Frequent Flyers going at taxpayer’s expense – its a lot more handy than the Virgin Blue scheme.

I’m a very infrequent airline passenger but flew to Melb on Virgin Blue a while back and found it quite good, no probs. The only problem was the exorbitant prices charged by the airport shops (both Canb & Melb) on pretty much everything.

Maelinar – in general circumstances I would agree, but when connecting between long hot flights wearing long hot suits, access to a shower is the best thing imaginable (for the passenger sitting next to me as well as for me, I suspect). If I’ve got a two hour gap between San Francisco – Sydney and Sydney – Canberra then a shower is a godsend,

Also, it’s not one of those ten cent “engaged” locks on a door a good limbo dancer could get under – more like a decent hotel bathroom. So it’s also a few blessed minutes of privacy.

Apart from that I agree that Qantas Club is not worth a lot any more. Food pretty ordinary (though coffee is OK), very hard to get access to a computer – or a chair, for that matter. If I’m travelling for work then I’m not drinking, either. And they’re beginning to replace the complimentary magazines with shops where you have to buy them, which is rubbish.

When it’s quiet, it’s great – you can get a magazine, a drink, a coffee and curl up in front of a TV or check your webmail – but that’s a very rare occurrence now.

and you can have a shower – I’ve never understood this concept. I generally ensure that I have had a shower before I arrive at the airport, regardless of what time in the morning my departure is.

I consider it completely unfathomable to nude up in an airport with a 10c lock between you and the outside world.

Ferret your an idiot – if everyone drove up to Sydney they wouldnt be able to use the clean toilets and showers that come with the priveledge of the qantas membership. I might add that its not all rosey in the qantas lounge as pointed out by Gungahlin Al, the food is not real good, and sometimes the unwashed even get in there. What is happening to this great nation that is now allowing anyone into the qantas lounge!

Bring on a third option for flying: seaplanes!

Anyone know what killed that idea? It was mentioned a few years ago but obviously didn’t go anywhere. Pity, it would have been a great way to travel: straight from the lake to the harbour, flying low and slow to take in the views on the way.

GA: Have seen said “very strict regs” circumvented many times before. Just sayin’… 😉

Take in to account taxi costs and check in times and yes driving to sydney wins almost every time. the only time I’d think otherwise would be if I had connecting flights