VX for sale?
Apr 2, 2016, 5:08 pm
#92
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,844
From the cashing out point of view-definitely. Having offered a part in the IPO to frequent flyers, once the announcement hits it will definitely be time to cash out.
From the point of view of the long term viability of what differenciates VX from the others, it is a horrible time. AS is slightly better than the other legacies but that is not saying much. SFO flyers gain more flights to the PWN...and daily service to PSP...and several old 737s with no entertainment at all.
From the point of view of the long term viability of what differenciates VX from the others, it is a horrible time. AS is slightly better than the other legacies but that is not saying much. SFO flyers gain more flights to the PWN...and daily service to PSP...and several old 737s with no entertainment at all.
Apr 2, 2016, 6:51 pm
#93
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,506
We can only speculate at this point. A buyer hasn't been formally agreed/announced yet, but even when one is, it will take a bit of time for the deal to close. And then integration will begin which also takes time. VX and AS (or B6) may be able to integrate more swiftly than the other legacies did since they are smaller, but integrating still takes some time. So my *guess* is that you will be able to redeem Virgin awards to Australia for 'a while'. In a year? iffy. In two years? Almost certainly not.
Apr 2, 2016, 7:26 pm
#94
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lexington KY/Coronado, CA
Posts: 950
Apr 2, 2016, 7:50 pm
#95
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,187
Apr 2, 2016, 8:31 pm
#96
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,552
Regardless of the buyer, I'm sure that VX planes & seats & staff will stay the same. Their on-demand on-plane payment/service products will probably stay the same because margins are already good. F food/beverage and snack quality will probably become lower in quality but even Target/Costco-brand chips / nuts / chocolates are still as decent as the Dean & Deluca brand of snacks.
Apr 2, 2016, 9:07 pm
#97
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: ORD / MDW / FLL
Programs: DL DM/1MM, AA EXP, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 2,295
So what does AS do with the VX planes? AS is an all-Boeing fleet and VX an all-Airbus fleet. Do they take the path of WN and dump the planes of their acquisition target to another carrier and replace with their Boeing aircraft? I'm sure DL would be more than happy to pick up some slightly used Airbus planes.
Apr 2, 2016, 9:18 pm
#98
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 1,032
So, IF the AS-VX tie up happens, who's going to be angrier? AS fliers who expect MVP upgrades to F and mileage earnings (as opposed to revenue earnings, if they decided to go that route)? Or VX fliers who expect the VX quality F seats (and Y seats) and will be sorely disappointed if they try on the AS F seats (or any hard/soft product for that matter)?
Apr 2, 2016, 9:54 pm
#99
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,718
Apr 2, 2016, 10:22 pm
#100
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: DL PM MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 3,276
So, IF the AS-VX tie up happens, who's going to be angrier? AS fliers who expect MVP upgrades to F and mileage earnings (as opposed to revenue earnings, if they decided to go that route)? Or VX fliers who expect the VX quality F seats (and Y seats) and will be sorely disappointed if they try on the AS F seats (or any hard/soft product for that matter)?
Apr 2, 2016, 10:31 pm
#101
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: BOS
Programs: B6/Mosaic/AF/VX/AS Gold Hertz PC HH Dia. AMEX Plat SPG/Marr Gold Nat. EE FPC Plat
Posts: 833
Ugh.
No matter how you spin it, the VX Elevate crowd is going to be supremely disappointed if the VX experience goes away.
Trying to make AS a cool option for the SFO crowd is going to be a very difficult sell.
Compare T-2 in SFO to the zoo of SEA. At T2 SFO, I have gone from the car in the garage to standing in the plane in 12 minutes with no running. Nexus helps
The Q400 fleet is old and noisy. Even AC Q400's are miles better.
Expect grumpy customers coming from each airline with their expectations on service/upgrades etc.
No matter how you spin it, the VX Elevate crowd is going to be supremely disappointed if the VX experience goes away.
Trying to make AS a cool option for the SFO crowd is going to be a very difficult sell.
Compare T-2 in SFO to the zoo of SEA. At T2 SFO, I have gone from the car in the garage to standing in the plane in 12 minutes with no running. Nexus helps
The Q400 fleet is old and noisy. Even AC Q400's are miles better.
Expect grumpy customers coming from each airline with their expectations on service/upgrades etc.
Apr 2, 2016, 11:06 pm
#103
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
NYT saying the same thing....
If was believe "fox business" its b6 or the NYT and WSJ its AS.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/03/bu...n-america.html
price said to be $2B (25% higher than close of stock on Friday), and the NY notes that AS+VX = 15% market share at SFO, and 11% at LAX.
From Alaska's standpoint, this will better allow them to compete with Delta, United, and SWA, and also make it impossible for someone to swallow them up.
It will be interesting how they meld the airlines, or if they keep them as separate brands for now.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/03/bu...n-america.html
price said to be $2B (25% higher than close of stock on Friday), and the NY notes that AS+VX = 15% market share at SFO, and 11% at LAX.
From Alaska's standpoint, this will better allow them to compete with Delta, United, and SWA, and also make it impossible for someone to swallow them up.
It will be interesting how they meld the airlines, or if they keep them as separate brands for now.
Apr 2, 2016, 11:35 pm
#104
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 230
What's everyone's thought? Are they going to dump the Virgin brand/product and rebrand as Alaska? Will be a sad day for their product innovation if that's the case.
Other option is do a:
-Qantas/Jetstar setup
-Virgin Australia/Tiger Airways setup
Full Service and Loco.
Other option is do a:
-Qantas/Jetstar setup
-Virgin Australia/Tiger Airways setup
Full Service and Loco.
Apr 2, 2016, 11:54 pm
#105
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: UA Premier 1K: PlAAtinum; DL SM, MM; Marriott Gold; CO Plat Emeritus; NW Plat Emeritus
Posts: 4,776