LAX-SYD Delta One or Virgin Australia “The Business”?
Jan 5, 2019, 7:51 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Mostly living in the basement
Programs: Newly minted free agent; MR LT(!)TE, HH SE, BA SECM, DL MM, UA PS, 2V Fanboi, CBP GE
Posts: 5,107
VA. Literally the only reason I can think of to take DL instead is Pre-√, and frankly that's not worth it.
I've never had this problem on either VA or VS, though I don't doubt it could happen.
I've never had this problem on either VA or VS, though I don't doubt it could happen.
Jan 5, 2019, 9:04 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 3
Decided on VA. I am looking forward to the flight tonight - especially the in-flight bar. I really appreciate everyone’s input and advice on this! DL wont have the new D1 suites for this route until April so I figure it is the older 777-200.
At the Emirates Lounge now which is a huge plus with VA. Not sure if the SkyTeam Lounge is this nice (Don’t think there is a D1 lounge at LAX as of yet). I will post another update on my flight experience when I am in Sydney.
At the Emirates Lounge now which is a huge plus with VA. Not sure if the SkyTeam Lounge is this nice (Don’t think there is a D1 lounge at LAX as of yet). I will post another update on my flight experience when I am in Sydney.
Jan 5, 2019, 9:06 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 3
Decided on VA. I am looking forward to the flight tonight - especially the in-flight bar. I really appreciate everyone’s input and advice on this! DL wont have the new D1 suites for this route until April so I figure it is the older 777-200.
At the Emirates Lounge now which is a huge plus with VA. Not sure if the SkyTeam Lounge is this nice (Don’t think there is a D1 lounge at LAX as of yet). I will post another update on my flight experience when I am in Sydney.
Jan 5, 2019, 9:49 pm
#22
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSN
Programs: Delta DM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,987
I'd go VA. My experiences with D1 crews have skewed that their seniority is a detriment to the quality of their service. DL has much better service domestically. This admittedly is based on 5 D1 flights the last 2 years but they've all been disappointing, miscatered, short on things (champagne!) and the service is full of flaws. My 3 VS PE flights had way better service than my 5 D1 flights. Way better. I know that VS <> VA, but a similar attitude.
Jan 5, 2019, 11:09 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Decided on VA. I am looking forward to the flight tonight - especially the in-flight bar. I really appreciate everyone’s input and advice on this! DL wont have the new D1 suites for this route until April so I figure it is the older 777-200.
At the Emirates Lounge now which is a huge plus with VA. Not sure if the SkyTeam Lounge is this nice (Don’t think there is a D1 lounge at LAX as of yet). I will post another update on my flight experience when I am in Sydney.
Jan 6, 2019, 12:31 am
#24
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
The SkyTeam lounge situation in TBIT is even worse - the KE lounge is an okay enough physical space but the amenities are a disgrace. It’s kind of mind boggling there hasn’t been an effort to procure space to build a more appropriate SkyTeam lounge there yet; even when DL builds the new SkyPalace between T2/T3, it won’t serve the other ST international carriers like MU or CI...
Jan 6, 2019, 1:22 am
#25
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, DL FO, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5 Whatevers
Posts: 1,099
The SkyTeam lounge situation in TBIT is even worse - the KE lounge is an okay enough physical space but the amenities are a disgrace. It’s kind of mind boggling there hasn’t been an effort to procure space to build a more appropriate SkyTeam lounge there yet; even when DL builds the new SkyPalace between T2/T3, it won’t serve the other ST international carriers like MU or CI...
Jan 6, 2019, 5:18 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: Delta Diamond , Marriott Ambassador, Alaska MVP Gold, American Airlines Gold
Posts: 77
I literally had to make this exact choice yesterday. Chose VA based on my research. I even made my return flight through BNE so I can avoid the ancient 777 D1, as my flight is in a month and the retrofits won’t be ready yet.
ETA: Based on my calculations, I’ll earn fewer miles with the VA flights (I booked through Delta but the transpac flights are VA) than if I was flying on DL metal BUT the MQM are the same and I care more about that tbh.
ETA: Based on my calculations, I’ll earn fewer miles with the VA flights (I booked through Delta but the transpac flights are VA) than if I was flying on DL metal BUT the MQM are the same and I care more about that tbh.
Last edited by film_girl; Jan 6, 2019 at 5:33 am
Jan 14, 2019, 3:13 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 258
I will likely be making this decision for late April or late June. Delta should have the 777 refresh / suites. The thread seemed to favor virgin australia over Delta. Would the refreshed 777 change anyone from Virgin to Delta?
Does Delta dates usually hold. I would hate to book the new plane for late April and get the old plane. i don’t really care as much about atentive smiling service as I would quiet and comfortable.
Thanks.
Does Delta dates usually hold. I would hate to book the new plane for late April and get the old plane. i don’t really care as much about atentive smiling service as I would quiet and comfortable.
Thanks.
Jan 14, 2019, 3:24 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington, DC, Chapel Hill, NC (RDU)
Programs: DL Plat (won't hit DM again) 2MM (2.5), HH Gold, PC Gold, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 5,626
I've not flown the suites on the 77, just the 350, but I'd still go for VA. Or you could book one each way and write us a comparison.
Jan 14, 2019, 5:38 pm
#29
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 442
I will likely be making this decision for late April or late June. Delta should have the 777 refresh / suites. The thread seemed to favor virgin australia over Delta. Would the refreshed 777 change anyone from Virgin to Delta?
Does Delta dates usually hold. I would hate to book the new plane for late April and get the old plane. i don’t really care as much about atentive smiling service as I would quiet and comfortable.
Thanks.
Does Delta dates usually hold. I would hate to book the new plane for late April and get the old plane. i don’t really care as much about atentive smiling service as I would quiet and comfortable.
Thanks.
Jan 14, 2019, 7:35 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
It’ll take a few years, but a brand new flagship SkyClub is definitely coming to T2/3 - should at least be as nice as the SEA club, which some FT friends originally coined the SkyPalace moniker for.
The existing T2 lounge is just the decaying old AC lounge hurriedly converted so they’d have a stopgap, and it is for sure a dump (although T3 is worse by far). But DL knows and is working as quickly as permitting and construction allows to fix the situation LAWA dumped in their laps with the terminal move. When all the dust settles on the new T2/3, DL should be set for a decade or more to come.
KE has none of these excuses to fall back on for how lousy their TBIT lounge is - it’s simply them being cheap. I hope someone steps up to the plate and opens a better shared lounge for SkyTeam in the international terminal that can compete better with the wonderful experiences offered by the other alliances in LAX.
The existing T2 lounge is just the decaying old AC lounge hurriedly converted so they’d have a stopgap, and it is for sure a dump (although T3 is worse by far). But DL knows and is working as quickly as permitting and construction allows to fix the situation LAWA dumped in their laps with the terminal move. When all the dust settles on the new T2/3, DL should be set for a decade or more to come.
KE has none of these excuses to fall back on for how lousy their TBIT lounge is - it’s simply them being cheap. I hope someone steps up to the plate and opens a better shared lounge for SkyTeam in the international terminal that can compete better with the wonderful experiences offered by the other alliances in LAX.