My Experience with VX
 

Hello,

New here to this particular side of the forum but I just wanted to share my experience with Virgin America. Although I'm up north in YVR, we aren't served by VX. I decided upon a very spontaneous trip down to SFO and then to LAX to visit my family. I flew to SFO on Air Canada, stayed over night, then booked myself a first class seat from SFO to LAX. The fare difference at the time between Economy and first class was a mere $50 so I thought to myself, why the heck not? From check-in to getting off the plane, it was awesome. The seats were comfortable, I found the lighting system to be neat, food/snacks offered were excellent and the FA was super-mega-made-me-melt hot! :p :D :-:

Beside me was a young couple with an infant maybe a year old at most. The infant was crying and making noise now and then but the FA did her best to calm the child down even after he threw up. I was trying to get some last minute work done and the FA was very respectful of my privacy and ensured I had enough water, coffee and snacks to keep me going throughout the flight.

The verdict - I like VX - a lot. The service and overall experience blew me away compared to my years of loyalty with AC. Although I understand that VX is new and they have a different approach to doing business a la Sir Richard Branson, I have a feeling that this may change but I hope they keep this up. Their airfares are justifiable and not too expensive and their schedules are great. Not only that, they're expanding to SEA which is no more than 2 hours away from me anyway giving me more flexibility to fly with them. On the other hand, as mentioned in a previous thread, there is no FFP and at the same time, apparently, I am a "Founding Member" of eleVAte, whatever that means.

All in all, I like VX and hope they keep up their standards the same way I first experienced them, however, I'd fly with them more often if they offered service from YVR and if they worked on a /better/ FFP.

Your thoughts? :)

A Ticket Agent told me that they are planning on services to "major Canadian airports" and also Mexico. I'm based in YYZ myself (relocating to YEG soon).

I'm also hanging out for Chicago :D

Canadian service? Can't wait! I would be very surprised if they didn't offer service at YYZ but if they can offer it at YYZ, YVR and YUL, I'm totally up for more flights with VX!

What discourages me or this hope for expanded service was their reported operating loss but I guess as a new "discount airline" perhaps it was expected. I hope they keep things up and grow as an airline despite how some people have reported terrible experiences with VX.

I would have been surprised if they didn't report a loss. Could you imagine the costs involved in setting up and expanding an airline? It's reassuring that their investors have deep pockets though ;)

For a young airline with less than a dozen destinations, I too, would be surprised if they didn't report a loss so it looks like we're on the same page. I read their website and it shows that Sir Richard Branson only has a 25% stake in the airline while the other 75% is an American based LCC but I think the government had a say in all of this. I hope that these investors have more than just deep pockets to keep this airline alive. :)

Where near YVR is two hours away from SEA? are you sure driving down I 5 that you're going 100kmh rather than 100mph. If 100mph I have a nice friend, officer accident, for you to meet. Please tell more about the flight, what types of snacks did you recieve? How was the IFE? Was there a special first class checkin?

I am flying VX in march when they open up SEA and would like to know all about them.

100MPH would be definitely silly but 100KMH would take forever to get to Sea-Tac so I'll settle for 80MPH. Not sure how you drive, but I always get to Seattle in no more than 2 hours. :D

Are you flying economy? If so, I honestly can't tell you what was available because I flew on first class. I'll upload pictures later on but basically before we left the tarmac, the FA asked us what we wanted to drink prior to taking off. I opted for some water and coffee as I normally don't drink alcohol. Once we were airborne, we were served a snack box. Inside were three items:

1. Strawberry yoghurt with fresh berries (raspberry, blackberry, blueberry)
2. Fruits - Strawberry, honeydew, grapes, cantaloupe
3. Ham'n'cheese roll with pickle on the side

The cutlery was very nice and solid (afterall, they are new) and the overall presentation was excellent. I had to opt out of the IFE unfortunately as I had to finish off a report using my laptop. All I know is that the IFE system is called, "RED." There, you have options on satellite TV and movies etc. For economy there is a charge for premium content (PPV etc.) but that is all included in first class. They also have video games I think and a chat program where you can chat amongst other passengers. Kinda neat if you happen to find a good looking guy or gal you want to get to know. ;) Also, they are working on WiFi during your flight. I believe Lufthansa offered this service but if VX can offer it, even more enticing for me to fly with them on a regular basis!

As for a special check-in for first class, at SFO at least, yes, there is as I did see a sign for it but it wasn't busy so I was just pointed to the next available check-in agent. I've read somewhere on this forum that there isn't special check-in for first class but not to my experience anyway. Also, there is no priority baggage check but North American priority baggage check-in service is iffy and almost meaningless anyway.

If you're more of a traditional traveller, you may be irked by the upbeat FAs and pilots as they have more of a personal approach to doing things along with jokes here and there to make you smile. I didn't have a problem with this as I tend to like this style of operation. Regardless, I can't wait for them to start service in SEA. Maybe I'll even bump in to you! :D Otherwise, if you check out their website thoroughly, it gives you a Flash presentation as to what you can expect and for me, it was pretty bang-on.

All of VX's stations offer a First Class check-in line and a separate Main Cabin check-in line. You can also avail yourself of online check-in or use one of the handy touch-screen check-in terminals at the airport.

SEA is 20 minutes south of Bellevue (where I am). I drive the speed limit after I pass Everett, before Everett the traffic is so terrible at peak times that it often takes 2 hours to get there. I would say going from the Blaine airport (right next to the truck border) to PAE would be 2 hours if I rushed, but I would never consider North of the Border to SEA in 2 hours. Anyway, 80MPH is 10 higher than the speed limit to Everett and 20 higher than Everett-SEA. You drive fast!

Back onto pertinent topics...I will be flying VX in both first class and economy. I wish to try both services out, the first class because it was a cheap intro fare and I can always wish, and the economy cabin because that is where I will be sitting most of the time (can't justify $1200 for transcon while $300 will do).

The food service sounds like it was good, especially for a SFO-LAX flight. I assume the SEA-SFO service will be similar to that, but I'll have to wait until 3/18 to see about that :).

I am not a traditional traveller so I don't think an upbeat crew will annoy me.

I have only had one trip in first class previous to now that was SEA-DEN-ORD on UA (I was bumped into first class off the nonstop). The snack to DEN was a fruit and cheese plate and the DEN-ORD flight was on a 777 INTL configuration and I had a nice sandwich. Sounds like VX is a much better product than UA.

I am with you on the confusion about eleVAte, I have a feeling the details of the plan will be given at the opening of SAN on 2/13, just a guess, nothing more, nothing less.

Does anyone have an idea of the gate for VX at SEA? I tried to look at the POS website, (just wondering who thought of the initials, probally the same person with the South Lake Union Trolley :)) and the website had maps of each concourse and sattilite, but didn't show individual gates :(. Maybe VX gets FL's gate and FL gets shafted sharing a gate with YX or DL :).

I hope that SEA is helped by the weakness of the USD and the strength of the CAD, Canadians could come to SEA to fly on our airlines akin to YUL-BTV and YYZ-BUF. Or possibly BLI would have better access to the Canadian market? We need more people like you bcrdukes to drive across the border on the only *2* hour drive. Uncle Sam wants you to fly out of his airports. As a side note, I once flew AQ from YVR when they started their ill-fated service, YVR is a very nice airport--especially the park that is behind one of the runways with the flags of all the airlines.

Just wondering what the length of the Blaine airport runway is? I imagine an airline could fly out of there and market it as YVR. White Rock is closer to Blaine (or BLI) than it is to YVR! I'm sure that XE could fly Blaine-PSP/ONT/LGB/SAN/IWA(PHX)/TUS/GCN/CSN(RNO) 1X daily and easilly make money, if the runway permits. Possibly buy or charter 50 seater greyhound busses--coinciding with their flights--to White Rock and downtown YVR and ticket from there! Think an Alligent Air that guarantees you won't miss your flight stuck at the border! Maybe under a special US law waiver the flight could be checked in in Canada and function as an international flight that was really an inside secure area bus connection from some Canadian place-Blaine airport-destination, there would be no border wait (customs would be at bus stop in Canada) and XE could market as a Canadian origiantor, without the Canadian taxes. In addition XE could take a few people from the BLI/Blaine area on their flights under a BLI checkin/board bus to Blaine airport and not have TSA in Blaine. Is having busses being in a secure area leagal under USA law? If not my idea is dead.

Ain't no A320s landing in Blaine. 2539 feet. I wouldn't have even landed there when I was training on a single engine prop.

Airline Airport Concept
 

Well I was thinking ERJ 145XR's on Xpress Jet, not A320's, but I get the picture that the Blaine airport would not work for commercial service, disregard my last post. I was recently up in Blaine and though it looked like there was a runway and a few props on the tarmac I didn't know anything else about the airport.

Has there ever been an airline building an airport for themselves? I don't think that has happend before but it could make sense. The air carrier, use the code XX, could build their own airport and not allow other airlines in, or they could charge exorbinant rates for other airlines access. XX could build their own small terminal to their needs and build a runway only to their needs. If they buy a 2 mile long, 1 mile wide piece of real estate they could build an 8000ft runway with 1200ft seperation on each side and a small terminal similar to the Skybus one in St. Augustine or Punta Gorda. XE could buy a farm up near Blaine--land is cheap enough--and bus people in from Canada and other strategic collecting places, precleared, is this leagal? The terminal with land could not cost more than 2 million dollars, small change for an airline, especially with free landing fees and 100% concession revenue. Now imagine if airline XX is XE, under my previous plan detailed in my last post.

I want VX--I was bound to bring them up in the thread!--to succed. With all the problems with JFK slots maybe they should build their own airport in the NYC area and transit--bus, train, other--people into the city. Assume a bus, the configuration would be 2X2 in economy and 1X2 in First class, the bus would just be a continuation of the flight. There would be a Bus Attendent (FA) and a driver (pilot). VX would hire additional crew for this service and build a small crew layover area for the airplane FA's and pilots to rest at. All seats would get the red TV service and be an actual flight, tied to the airplane. For example, flight 1 leaves from new airport (NNY) to SFO at the same time as flight 2 to LAX, flight 3 to SEA and, flight 4 to SAN. 800 seats in total to be flown. VX would pick people up at key locations in NYC area to arrive at NNY at the same time. There would be 50 seat busses to pick up at different boarding zones such as: Penn Station, Times Square, Financial District, northern-most stop in Manhattan on the 1/9 train, EWR, HPN, SWF, Palisades Mall (my wish), ABE, nearest Amtrak station, and other places where VX would build opperate a "store front" with TSA screening, checkin, parking--if needed (not in Manhattan)--food, drinks, a mini airport. VX would publish a schedule of the busses to all arrive at the same time in the secure zone. Boarding would commence from a small holding area when all busses arrive. People would want to fly VX in this scenerio for many reasons:

1. Save on parking.VX could offer parking at a reduced price because land costs less in suburban areas (near the Palisades Mall) than it does near an airport. People could also take mass transit to the airline "store front" and not even use a car.

2. Less delays. With their own airport, VX would not have to have ground delays of JFK to pad flights with.

3.More discreet travel time. Passengers would appriciate having full travel time instead of segmented to their own discretion. People would have to arrive only 15 minutes before flight at the "store front" instead of 2+ hours ahead at an airport.

4. Faster. Even with NYC traffic, the full travel time for an individual travelling from any place in NYC would be faster than if they flew from one of the established airports between less security time to less waiting time at the airport, to less parking time.

5. Not driving to airport. Many people in NYC area either don't have cars or don't like driving them (evidence from familly living in NYC). The plan would let the airline do the driving and people would be able to watch TV instead of watch the gridlock

6. Better operations (VX internal). VX would be able to time flights better because they have complete control of the runway. The concept would also reduce fuel consumption because planes would not use power taxiing on the runway, but wait until people board them to turn the fuel usage on.

7. Corportate Loyalty. After VX gets a better FF program than the nonexistant eleVAte, VX could reach out to buissness travelers better. A company--IBM for the sake of discusion--could give VX a deal for VX to provide bus service from their campus for a minimum amount of flyers a day, say 20. IBM would allow people collection to be on their property and increase employee effectivness by allowing them to leave work 5 minutes before the flight (bus) so employees would not have to waste time driving to the airport when they could stay on premises for longer. Employees would also get less airport related hassles and be able to work on the bus to the airport rather than driving.

I am not an expert and I want to hear any comments/critisims that you may have about my plans for airline XX (presumebly XE) and VX. I think that the concept of own airport is innovative and could possibly be the solution to VX's JFK slot problem. The concept could probally also work from SWF run by the airport to increase service. If anyone else thinks they are a better "armchair airline CEO" than me or are an actual airline CEO please comment. I will look for holes in this plan and post them later if I see any.

There is a seperate thread on eleVAte where I will add my thoughts about that, I will add a link when I find the thread. The thread is http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9014055, an old thread about being tired of having no details about VX's FF program, my post is post 22.

Sorry for stealing this thread, bcrdukes, maybe I should delete my thoughts here and open up a new thread based on my ideas?

prismwiz - no worries. :)

Flights originating from YVR to practically any destination is expensive. If it means driving down to Seattle and saving at least $400 per round-trip flight, I don't see why not. For example, if I were to fly AC each time I go down to LAX, it's usually $500 minimum and that's ECONOMY class with no option of refunds etc! I can spend the same amount, if not, less, drive down to Seattle, pick up a Sourdough Jack, and then jump on to VX first class, hell yeah! :D And plus, I like VX enough to do this so help me airline Gods. prismwiz - you'd be surprised at the amount of friends I recommend to fly out of SEA than YVR. I've helped many friends save over $500 each trip. Canadian taxes cost an arm and a leg.

BTW, I'm in Bellevue a lot. I like staying at the Westin Bellevue and having an ever-so-classy lunch at What The Pho. :p

Wow, AC charges an arm and a leg! Have you tried amtrack or quick shuttle? once the light rail is up and running in 2009 amtrack will be a one change ride. Also, have you tried to check airfares out of BLI? They are usually a bit more than SEA but BLI has cheaper parking and is closer to the border. BLI has flights to SEA (QX), SLC (DL), LAS/RNO/PSP (Alligent Air). BLI used to have SX to CMH but that failed :(.

@:-)AC has a strange fare structure I'll never understand. What really kills us Canadians are the taxes and whatnot so really, it's still safer to fly out of SEA for trans/intercon flights to certain destinations.

I've tried the Amtrak to Seattle and then to SEA but I'd rather drive and drop the car off at aunt'n'uncle's house instead but that's just me. I've heard that Alligent Air flying out of BLI but...no real perk to fly with them so...SEA is still my "second" airport home next to YVR.

What exactly is this Amtrak light rail you speak of? Oh, and I hear about the "S.L.U.T." :D

If you get free parking at your aunt and uncle's house and you get to see them then there probally is an advantadge to drive instead of transit.

I referneced Amtrak and light rail as two seperate entities, sorry for the confusion. The light rail that is being built is from Westlake Center down to SEA through the bus tunnel and going next to BFI. It is called link light rail, opporated by Sound Transit, the link is here: http://www.soundtransit.org/x1171.xml

S.L.U.T. was the South Lake Union Trolley, a one mile streetcar system. Now renamed the First Hill Streetcar.