"Serious about Business", says DJ

[VH-Cheer Up]

Well, this should solve everything then...

Where does this leave OzJet?

Virgin Blue Gets Serious About Business Travel With New “Blue Plus” Fare

Virgin Blue is stepping up its bid to lure more of the corporate market with the launch today of “Blue Plus”, a radically new Virgin Blue fare designed specifically for business travellers.Virgin Blue is stepping up its bid to lure more of the corporate market with the launch today of “Blue Plus”, a radically new Virgin Blue fare designed specifically for business travellers.

Virgin Blue’s new Blue Plus business fares will provide the following:

A choice of a money back refund (minus a $30 admin fee), or a full credit which can be used towards a flight within 12 months of the original booking should the guest fail to check-in or cancel their flight.
Free entry into the airline’s Blue Room lounges
New Priority Check-in counters for Blue Plus passengers (It is also possible to check-in at Blue Room concierge desks)
Seating in our Suit Zone™ section of the aircraft.*
Generous checked baggage allowance of 32kg
Ability to change the name of traveller without penalty
Ability to change the flight time or date without penalty

* subject to availability - Suit Zone™ is in the front half of our aircraft and offers more personal space.

“We have listened to our corporate customers and we are serious about developing service propositions for the business traveller which also offer significant savings for their companies,” said Virgin Blue Chief Commercial Officer, Stefan Pichler.

“Our feedback shows that business travellers actually don’t want to be charged premium prices for the privilege of being served cafeteria style food on the way to a business meeting.

What they want is what we will deliver, hence our Blue Plus product,” he said.

“The ‘no questions asked’ refundable feature is particularly important as it allows great flexibility in managing and optimising corporate travel budgets. This is the first time Virgin Blue has offered a refund option. This not only sets us apart from any other low fare airline in the world, it will also put us in a stronger position to compete with traditional carriers,” Mr Pichler said.

“We expect Blue Plus to attract a number of new Virgin Blue flyers, and we will continue to enthusiastically lobby for an increasing share of business from Australian corporation and Government organisations,” he said.

Virgin Blue also offers ‘Blue Zone’ seating with extra leg room and will introduce an Australian first when it installs live in-flight seatback TV later this year.



So does this mean more legroom, more bum room, more head room, or what?

Somehow, it doesn't sound like a J class...

[cabin secure]

Now if we can just teach the cabin crew how to "anticipate customers needs" and adjust their onboard PA's and behaviour accordingly......
Our business passengers will stop cringing in their seats.

[tinpis]

Wont get me in yer bloody seats Im not a midget !

[BankAngle50]

Just put the Seats in Idiots! Do they really think they are still Low Cost? Hummm; same economy seat pitch as QF, lounges, and now J class wothout the seats (how patetic!).

Brett must really be running scared of Patricks.

PS. Nobody actually likes that Virgin Fair crap anymore, and the Hosties look like they are forced to craay on like pork chops, so if your going to be more business friendly then cut it out. The trailer trash who like it have gone to Jet*!:yuk:

[MIss Behaviour]

That sounds all well and good if DJ can deliver what it promises, however a couple of scenarios come to mind that may not have occured to the pony-tailed champagne socialist who dreamed them up:

Is the 'Suit Zone' inventory strictly controlled when selling these fares for each flight ie have DJ taken steps to ensure that they don't sell more Suit Zone' seats than the applicable aircraft has?

What happens in the event of last minute substitution of aircraft in the event of one going u/s or will all DJ 737's have the same number of 'Suit Zone' seats? What compensation will the suit receive if DJ have run out of 'Suit Zone' seats?

We expect Blue Plus to attract a number of new Virgin Blue flyers.....

The concept might well lure them but will it keep them???

32kg of baggage possibly would not be of any advantage to same day business travellers. The rat gives everyday punters 2 pieces of baggage & each can weigh up to 32kg. QF Club members get a third piece free.

The name change thingy could come in handy for corporates as Joe Bloggs often needs to go in place of Jack Smith.

Do the suits get a free newspaper to read?

The priority checkin or being able to checkin at the Blue Lounge would be one of the biggest advantages as suits don't like queueing up with the rabble.

Will the suits still continue to enjoy onboard privileges such as bum squeezing calisthenics, face painting and eye spy? Will the suits be boarded according to their shoe colour?

I just hope DJ can deliver for the sake of its check-in staff and flight attendants who shouldn't be left in the firing line if all doesn't go to plan. Maybe Bratt could leave a stack of his business cards in the Blue Lounge so pax with any gripes can contact him direct. :ooh: :ooh:

[rescue 1]

East West Loco - What's your thoughts on this latest campaign?

[VH-Cheer Up]

OK, so who's ever been in the 'Blue Room"?

Like it?

OK for business people?

IMO it's UK Motorway cafeteria service style with a disco decorator look. It's not quiet, clean or soothing for the business person at the start, middle or end of their day. I don't know who they think they are targeting... Maybe Jet* customers?

No, these guys have lost the plot. They have no idea whom to target, or how. Perhaps SRB thinks the world is still a 1970's hairy left wing student, but in truth some of us have had to grow up, get a haircut, and get a real job. And we'd like to be taken seriously when we are handing over $460 for a round trip MEL-SYD.

C'mon OzJet, it's an old agenda, but a good one!

Perhaps Rod Eddington will return to OZ and put the wind up these guys?

VHCU

[coaldemon]

Of Course .......Last time Rod was here he ran that other operation into the :sad: . I think News corp's board room beckons there is more handiwork to do yet so says Rupert

[Alien Sex God]

Maybe Eddington is going to replace Dixon???

[Capt OverUnder]

Eddington leaves BA for Rio Tinto and wait for it Sherrard has retired from Virgin Blue! Is something happening?

[The Enema Bandit]

Is he going to Qantas?

[SkySista]

Gee, hope they put a Blue Room in PER soon then... I assume this will be happening AFTER they finish putting in the lounges in all of the major ports?

Used the one in Sydney a couple years back, it was okay, but c'mon, do you really need to let the world know you painted bits of the old Golden Wing lounge red? And why isn't the internet free after you have to pay to get in? The only thing I didn't have to pay for was reading the paper and the view.....:confused:

Sky

[BankAngle50]

VH-CHEER

Ever been into the QF Club at BNE lately. Boring, stale environment, where you sit around in uncomfortable lounges chairs, drinking coffee that comes out of machine. YES folks--a machine. Pathetic!

The place is dull, lifeless and you would see more excitement in a retirement village.

[The Enema Bandit]

Well if you don't like it go to the Blue Room then.

[tinpis]

The place is dull, lifeless and you would see more excitement in a retirement village.


Oh..you just described Brisbane....

[VH-Cheer Up]

Actually Sydney is a new lounge, but the old Golden Wing lounge in Melbourne was painted red and they installed a putting green. Go figure.

I thought the main reason business people wanted the club-type lounges ayway was to get some peace and quiet (hence retirement illage atmosphere). VB seems to think the required image is retro-punk singles bar with games and movies.

Me, I want a quiet place, free coffee, free local phones and internet access (wireless would be great) and today's newspapers.

Not much to ask really for five bucks a visit?

[SkySista]

Sydney is a new lounge

Not sure about now, but when I was there, I thought the Starmarks in the ladies' lav were a nice touch! :E

[OverRun]

All that’s missing in Blue Zone are the seats - the 737-800s are only fitted with 6 proper Blue Zone seats.

They also have 6 Thin-blue seats. That’s their row 1 seats with fixed armrests that suit stick people. The same sort of seat width is used on Cathay internal Asian flights, and it comes with a far superior chop suey than ‘blue beef burgundy’

But much worse are their RyanAir-Blue seats - that’s row 14 with the non-recline seats. How on earth anyone can be expected to grind across the country for 4+ hours in a non-reclining seat is beyond me. And to pay $30 extra for the privilege? Look, I know that we all say that you have to be nuts to be in business, but that is self-deprecation wit, and not a statement of fact. Patrick - don’t take it so seriously that you provide business people seats that you have to be genuinely nuts to sit in. Not knocking the concept of Virgin Blue’s new Blue Plus business fares too much – just that you will have to provide a product to match the hype and extra $$.

[sinala1]

How on earth anyone can be expected to grind across the country for 4+ hours in a non-reclining seat is beyond me. And to pay $30 extra for the privilege?

Those seats are not sold as Blue Zone seating for the exact reason you quote. Row 14 on the 738 is an exit row, but as you correctly state it does not recline - so therefore that row is not sold as blue zone seating - hence why there is only 9 blue zone seats on both the 737-700 and the 737-800 (1ABC, 12ABCDEF on the 700, 1ABC and 15ABCDEF on the 800)

Just thought I would clear that up for you :ok:

[SkySista]

How on earth anyone can be expected to grind across the country for 4+ hours in a non-reclining seat is beyond me.

Was unlucky enough to have that happen.... asked the girl if there was an empty row so I could have a kip, as i didn't get a lot of sleep the night before, she said 'sure', all was well until I got the row in front of exit row, which didn't recline.....:{

Return trip, got to cruise, thought 'at least I can recline my seat", heard a cry behind me..... lady in seat behind nursing brand new baby on lap, no reclining then either..... :( Being pinned in by a girl with a laptop meant no walking around to relieve the legs either! :(

Was a fairly empty flight too, they could have put me somewhere else... but all the FAs looked too busy, I didn't want to ask! =)

Sky

[OverRun]

Thanks Sinala1 - guess I shot off without the correct facts to hand. Indeed delete my thought of RyanAir-Blue Zone being Row 14.

I now know that it isn't blue zone territory. And I was able to use your insight to teach Virgin Blue Guest Contact Centre Staff that this morning. They even gave me a credit, upon request.:ok:

Makes me wonder how much VB save by the non-recline option and having 6 less Blue Zone seats compared to using the exit row seat recline locking option that [yep you guessed it] RyanAir have got in their current planes. That gives you the FA activated lock during TO/LDG and recline in flight.

Call it $20,000 per row * 2 rows [of three seats] = $40,000 capital cost for the locking option. Add in maintenance of $5000 per seat per year on the recline mechanisms. Balanced against 6 sectors per day average, load factor 92% (in blue zone), $30 per seat = 6 x 6 x 30 x 92% = $1000 per day (with rounding) = $300,000 per year (with some seasonal averaging) = payback period of 4 months.

And with row 14 converted to Blue Zone, there is the potential additional saving of $0.013 per seat per sector in face paint . . . . . . . .

[sinala1]

OverRun, glad I could be of service! :cool::ok: