Virgin America Elevate - Question about Main Cabin Select

VX experts:

We're having a discussion (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alaska-airlines-mileage-plan/972583-desperately-needs-e-equivalent.html) in the AS forum about whether AS should implement a test of some sort of premium economy style product. Questions have been raised about existing premium economy programs -- specifically, their profitability (or not) and the loyalty they generate among elite fliers (or don't).

What is your perspective on this? I believe that Main Cabin Select is profitable; is this correct? And how loyal does it make you to VX? What would you do if it went away?

Thanks!

For non-elite VX members, MCS gives free food, drink (cocktail), and baggage... we hate to have everything as carry-on, so we're already saving $15/bag per pax.

Without MCS, we'd need to factor the $15 and bring our own food.

However, not having MCS wouldn't stop us from flying VX, simply because of the amazing IFE, super-friendly staff (ground and air), and food options when we want to spend money. The fact that the IFE allows one to order/pay for food shows faster speed and thought with this transaction, which UA/et al don't seem to understand.

Speaking of UA, their Economy Plus (E+) gives extra legroom and priority seating compared to the regular Economy section, and this little tidbit is responsible for a lot of the UA loyalists despite the various complaints that UA elites have about UA. UA also sells E+ access to their non-elite PAX.

As a tall person, VX is simply not an option for a transcon for me unless I can get MCS for a price similar to full-Y on other carriers. In that sense, it does encourage me to fly VX. However, VX's lack of a competitive frequent flyer program means I don't fly them on transcons unless I have already made highest level status on another airline.

Generally speaking, the comments I have heard have been a mix of "I wish they would just charge me for the space, like before MCS" (previously, it was a lower charge to reserve the bulhead/exit row seats), and "this is fine".

I've sat in MCS on a lark. It was OK, but I don't think it's worth $50 day-of-flight on a 2+ hour SEA-LAX flight, in retrospect.

Generally speaking, the comments I have heard have been a mix of "I wish they would just charge me for the space, like before MCS" (previously, it was a lower charge to reserve the bulhead/exit row seats), and "this is fine".

I've sat in MCS on a lark. It was OK, but I don't think it's worth $50 day-of-flight on a 2+ hour SEA-LAX flight, in retrospect.

I'm with the "I wish they would just charge me for the space, like before MCS" crowd.

Maybe I'm the weird one, but I like MCS for more than the space!

Dare I say, I enjoy MCS more than FC. Recently flew FC out, MCS back and found that with the "Eat" button and the promptness of the crew, MCS service was even better than FC. The FC attendant was busy the whole flight prepping, serving, and cleaning the galley. In MCS, I got my drinks within 5 min or so, I like the food options better, and its nice to have dedicated overhead space and free TV.

I wouldn't pay for just more room, I happily pay for all the other extras included.

Without starting an entire new thread - are the front of cabin MCS seats better/worse/the same as the mid cabin ones? Service any different? Do you just order and they bring stuff, or do they pass through the cabin?

Without starting an entire new thread - are the front of cabin MCS seats better/worse/the same as the mid cabin ones? Service any different? Do you just order and they bring stuff, or do they pass through the cabin?

There is usually a pass through from front to back, so the front seats are better in terms of getting served faster.