It really is a rhetorical question...
After having flown enough TT flights since start of the year, and unfortunately with 2 segments on VA... want to know if anyone of you observed the same (in case they are... once or twice-off)
NZ TT Service:
- Better seating choice (Space+) on A320s
- Premium headphones and AU Fast-track card (where available) for Elite
- Even Newspaper along with the above for Elite
- VA Platinum are clearly marked as VIP on NZ manifest, and treated the same as Elite (Premium headphones, Fast-track cards etc.)
VA TT Service:
- No choice in seating, at best a "request" for Window or Aisle seat (bear in mind their 738s are already narrower), where available you could grab Row 3 or Exit Rows at check-in
- No seatback IFE, strictly BYOB and IF you got the app prior to flight
- NZ Elite are now marked as "Partner Gold" on boarding pass, instead of "Partner Platinum" when this alliance first started
- No offer of AU Fast-track card at all for Elite
- NZ Elite are NOT marked out on VA manifest (see above)
Surely, I'm not the only one that noticed this increasing disparity?
On my most recent AKL-OOL flight, while the ISM went around to give VA Platinums bottled water & fast-track card along with a smile and personal greeting, none of the NZ Elite on the flight got anything above & beyond, matching that "Partner Gold" printed on the boarding pass.
Does NZ even care/notices? Sure, NZ needs/wants VA as a partner for domestic AU feeds but this Trans Tasman "alliance" is pure joke nowadays.
I have been actively avoiding booking NZ coded VA flights for the past year... just that schedule/timing means so far, ended up twice on them... and boy did I regret every moment...
