best business SYD-LAX? Virgin?
Aug 14, 2018, 6:09 pm
#31
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: QF Lifetime Gold + more
Posts: 87
I'd be very keen to try VA J to LAX. Any idea of how often sales occur in J to the USA (and if sales will likely to cover June 19)? I think I've seen sale fares historically as low as $4.7k return with the standard lead in fares of about $7k. Keen to know if anyone has seen better. Thanks!
Aug 30, 2018, 6:02 am
#32
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 3
Interesting discussion- thanks everyone! Best business class? So far I have done VA, AA, QF, UA.
I pick VA - for the reasons others have above plus enthusiastic friendly staff. In my view, it’s really rather nice having a decent conversation with a human when flying a lot.
Next QF and UA equal. QF as they try. Sometimes you can get the grand old cruise liner of the skies (747 blast from the past). Sometimes a new Dreamliner and seat. And, downsides, the food is tired, staff are often rigid (don’t you dare open that blind to look outside!), old seat padding is only just ok with the mattress on top. Yea, I know, first class, first world problem.
UA, lovely bedding, pretty good food, surpasses expectations, Dreamliner. Downsides - staff often party through the night = often waking me up. You need to know to ask for bedding/pj’s etc.
Both - if you care about individual aisle access you won’t like some UA and QF options. I don’t care about this.
AA next - upsides, will sometimes upgrade you. Down, delivers the service my expectations think are UA. Usually runs out of alcohol early and I often don’t really want to order early. Middling - nicer staff I think than UA if you actually ask and make a point of chatting.
And, all this is just a generalization. Part of the reason I rate VA first is I’ve never had anything but positive experiences.
Hope this is useful.
I pick VA - for the reasons others have above plus enthusiastic friendly staff. In my view, it’s really rather nice having a decent conversation with a human when flying a lot.
Next QF and UA equal. QF as they try. Sometimes you can get the grand old cruise liner of the skies (747 blast from the past). Sometimes a new Dreamliner and seat. And, downsides, the food is tired, staff are often rigid (don’t you dare open that blind to look outside!), old seat padding is only just ok with the mattress on top. Yea, I know, first class, first world problem.
UA, lovely bedding, pretty good food, surpasses expectations, Dreamliner. Downsides - staff often party through the night = often waking me up. You need to know to ask for bedding/pj’s etc.
Both - if you care about individual aisle access you won’t like some UA and QF options. I don’t care about this.
AA next - upsides, will sometimes upgrade you. Down, delivers the service my expectations think are UA. Usually runs out of alcohol early and I often don’t really want to order early. Middling - nicer staff I think than UA if you actually ask and make a point of chatting.
And, all this is just a generalization. Part of the reason I rate VA first is I’ve never had anything but positive experiences.
Hope this is useful.
Sep 5, 2018, 7:40 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 32
I'd be very keen to try VA J to LAX. Any idea of how often sales occur in J to the USA (and if sales will likely to cover June 19)? I think I've seen sale fares historically as low as $4.7k return with the standard lead in fares of about $7k. Keen to know if anyone has seen better. Thanks!
Sep 6, 2018, 6:16 pm
#34
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 192
% off sales are so dodgy. Hotels have % off sales, off rack rates that virtually no one ever pays, but they can "discount" off.
Sep 6, 2018, 6:18 pm
#35
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 192
just now saw an email of VA dumping seats to the industry from AUD$499 eg. SYD/LAX/SYD + govt taxes of AUD$200. It's on an open website
also cheap PE & business class
Virgin Australia Industry Rates to LAX from $499* - Virgin Australia - Breakaway Travelclub - cheap flights, discount holidays for the travel industry - Breakaway Travelclub
also cheap PE & business class
Virgin Australia Industry Rates to LAX from $499* - Virgin Australia - Breakaway Travelclub - cheap flights, discount holidays for the travel industry - Breakaway Travelclub
Sep 6, 2018, 6:30 pm
#36
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
Sep 6, 2018, 6:39 pm
#37
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 192
Talk to any decent travel agent & they will tell you there are lots of different business & 1st class fares.
Sep 6, 2018, 6:58 pm
#38
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
Sep 6, 2018, 7:09 pm
#39
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 192
travel agents usually have fares better than anything on airline websites, plus they can play with commissions, that airlines can't. Some agents even sell at cost especially at end of month, 1/4, year, just to get their numbers up & then get rebates based on monthly, 1/4 ly or annual sales.
Airlines offer all sorts of incentives to agents to sell them, rather than some other airline.
Airlines offer all sorts of incentives to agents to sell them, rather than some other airline.
Sep 6, 2018, 7:16 pm
#40
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
Indeed, but tell a TA to beat 30% off the lowest published fare. I'm sure sometimes they can, but definitely not always. It's rare to see that amount of discount applied across the board.
Sep 7, 2018, 9:24 pm
#41
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 192
not really. Published fares are like hotel rack rates ... not many people actually ever pay them, they are just a number to discount from.
Sep 7, 2018, 9:35 pm
#42
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
Everyone who buys a ticket direct on the airline's website pays a published fare. Anything on ITA matrix is a published fare. And you say 'not many people actually pay' published fares? Rubbish.
A TA or special group rate is in the vast minority of airline fares.
Sep 7, 2018, 9:39 pm
#43
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 192
Haha, no, Hotel rack rates are like full 'Y fare' airline seats. Published fares are like what the hotels themselves actually sell rooms direct to the consumer for.
Everyone who buys a ticket direct on the airline's website pays a published fare. Anything on ITA matrix is a published fare. And you say 'not many people actually pay' published fares? Rubbish.
A TA or special group rate is in the vast minority of airline fares.
Everyone who buys a ticket direct on the airline's website pays a published fare. Anything on ITA matrix is a published fare. And you say 'not many people actually pay' published fares? Rubbish.
A TA or special group rate is in the vast minority of airline fares.
Sep 7, 2018, 9:40 pm
#44
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
All the popular online ETAs here sell published fares. Maybe Flight Centre does not, but it is a dinosaur.