Morning everyone! After a couple of weeks off the Barista is revived, refreshed and ready to tackle all things travel. And much of my refreshed state comes from a truly fantastic holiday to Fiji. Which, interestingly enough, started off with a flight experience that has (at least in my mind) led me to believe that Virgin Blue's new boss John Borghetti has the future right where he probably wants it.
As I've said in previous editions of the Cafe, I was struggling to figure out how Virgin's new boss was going to loosen the bear hug on the corporate travel market that Qantas currently enjoys. But thanks to a terrific experience on V Australia (or maybe it was too much Fijian kava) things have started to crystallise in my mind about some things that Virgin Blue can start using to make inroads into the business travel market.
As a first-time flyer on V Australia, I have to admit even though I had heard the advertising and some feedback from others who've travelled on them, I was expecting a more Virgin Blue-like experience. Imagine my pleasant surprise then after boarding the plane that besides a flight attendant crew who all looked younger than my son, there was very little Virgin Blue and a whole lot of something else.
That "something else" was what you just don't seem to get these days on other airlines, and that's a feeling that you're in for a whole new experience. Yes, the colour schemes are from Virgin Atlantic and so is the pop/rock music piped in (which sure beats hearing Qantas' "I Still Call Australia Home" anthem over and over again) but the plane itself just feels more cool, more comfortable, and more unique than anything I've been on lately. The other "something else" was the crew - just as young, laid back and better looking than I am as is the rest of Virgin's staff but they just seemed to adapt their approach to the passengers better than other crews I've travelled with lately.
For example, our flight was to Fiji so obviously it was a holiday-heavy flight. However in Business class, there were several travellers who looked as though they were either coming from or going to a business meeting. As opposed to assuming everyone was off on holiday, the crew in the cabin took the time to not only say hello but also stop and query the nature of the passenger's journey. With Mrs. Barista, Barista Junior and yours truly already in our shorts and sandals it was obvious what our story was, but not so obvious was what the gentleman across the aisle with the Tumi laptop bag and phone glued to his ear was up to. Just saying a quick hello is fairly Virgin Blue or Qantas-like, but a "what will make your trip with us more comfortable?" is what V Australia seems to be about.
Now onto the actual experience on board: with mood lighting, cool colour schemes, big touch-screen TV's with on-demand content available for you right from the moment you sit down until arrival at the other end, and completely lie-flat seats, this biz class product is a real winner. Coupled with excellent food and, of course the requisite sit-down bar, the entire V Australia flying experience was a treat. As their adverts for the SYD-NAN route say, you'll wish the flight was longer. And I certainly did.
However - and this is the "Hey John, listen up!" moment- I was actually more impressed with the Premium Economy product. Not so much as saying its the best long-haul Premium Economy product in the sky, but rather that I believe that this product, installed in the first few rows of Virgin's domestic aircraft, would give Virgin Blue a differentiation in the domestic business class sector rather than the half-hearted attempts at doing so they currently have on board.
The V Australia Premium Economy seat is covered in very comfy, soft leather, has useful (ie- not painful) footrests on the seat in front, has generously-sized on-demand TV screens that, coupled with free on-board Foxtel, would really entertain the biz traveller and make it feel like a more international-type product rather than a rigged-up domestic seat with an extra drinks tray. Throw in a free welcome glass of bubbly in one of V Australia's cool and rather large champagne "schooners" (nothing like a big fat drink after a long day to calm the nerves!) then if I had the chance to fly biz class domestically this way I'd be all over it.
For certain, it will take a lot more than one comfy seat to send the corporate traveller who's drunk on Qantas Frequent Flyer status and points staggering over to Virgin Blue. But I'm sure John's got all those other aspects of engendering corporate loyalty all figured out. It's the actual flying experience on Virgin that I've said before still has a long way to go, but I think by taking a few pages out of their sister long-haul product then DJ could have a flying chance at it.
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