Originally Posted by
TWA Fan 1
Agreed that VX is a "sexier" product, but I am not sure that is actually competitive.
Interesting choice of words... I am seeing a lot of quite full VX flights LAX to SEA, LAX to IAD, and LAX to JFK. Lotta people I talk to on those flights used to fly B6 until VX came along. No real explanation, but they're on the plane.
Originally Posted by
TWA Fan 1
First, as far as "hard product," VX does not have the same legroom as B6, which to a lot of people is a huge plus for B6 even if their interiors aren't quite as mod. The single greatest asset of VX is the presence of a/c and usb outlets.
True and true.
Originally Posted by
TWA Fan 1
VX has an outstanding FC, possibly the best in the United States, and on this score B6 cannot compete at all, obviously.
Definitely. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by VX F. Nothing domestic comes close.
Originally Posted by
TWA Fan 1
For the time being, though, the biggest issue for many B6 flyers is the VX route system, which currently only operates out 7 cities. Out of New York, B6's hub, one can currently only fly to SFO.
They also fly to LAX and LAS (and connecting to SAN and SEA via SFO.)
But agreed that route limitations are an issue with VX.
Originally Posted by
TWA Fan 1
Also, while SFO is a wonderful city, it is a fairly odd choice as a hub for a domestic carrier. Not only is SFO a coastal city, but it's also a smaller market with far lower O&D than NYC, B6's eastern coastal hub but which is also the nation's largest city and its principal airline market.
I guess I'm indifferent about their hub being in SFO, I don't know what their overall expansion strategy is, so I'm not sure how much of an impact it will have on them over time.
Originally Posted by
TWA Fan 1
Finally, while B6's frequent flyer program may be simple and bereft of features, it certainly is in the same category as Elevate, the similarly feature-free frequent flier program from VX.
True - which is one of the reasons I brought this up on the thread in the first place. I felt an expansion of TrueBlue redemption options would make it more attractive than the similarly isolated EleVAte program, thereby giving me an incentive to get back on B6.