Free Foxtel on Virgin

[Jon B]

I have noticed of late that if the flight is delayed on departure that Virgin is providing the Foxtel for free on that flight for all passengers. This is announced once boarding is completed.

This seems like a good initiative as it does offer something in return for the delay and not sure what it costs or if it costs anything other than maybe some lost revenue from those that would have paid anyway?

Something else to watch other than Channel 13 and the map

[Arthur Boy]

But I'll bet they still had the gall to charge cash for the vile dishwash brew they call coffee.

I dont mind DJ but the coffee is as vile as the seats are uncomfortable.

Roll on 'change'.

AB

[Ryan K]

I dont mind DJ but the coffee is as vile as the seats are uncomfortable.

As a regular flyer of all three major airlines, you are right about saying DJ's seats are uncomfortable! They feel very hard and slim compared to JQ's A320 seats.

[Nathan Long]

I flew MEL-BNE and BNE-MEL on consecutive days 2 weeks ago and got free Foxtel on both legs... :)

Both delays where due to weather in MEL.

[Darren Butterworth]

My flight last week DJ950 Bris back to Syd (VH-VUG) was only slightly delayed and they flicked foxtel on for free, which was great because there was a sensational political debate on at the Canberra press club........... ok back to channel 13.

Oh and arthur, I don't drink the coffee, just the jim beam.

Darren

[Zac M]

Regarding the seats I think it really has to do with the person. I myself like the Virgin seats and I know many other people who are the same but then there is a lot of people that hate them. I am quite big and I find the seat to be fine width wise, however if I am not in an exit row my legs are crushed (I am also rather tall, and still growing).

[Adam.S]

which was great because there was a sensational political debate on at the Canberra press club........... ok back to channel 13.

:D

[Mark Fahey]

On a recent flight the crew told me that the new policy was Foxtel is free if the flight is more than 15 min late.

[damian f]

Free Foxtel if your flight is 30min or more late leaving the gate (as happened to us and as explained by the CSM)... movies aren't covered... you still pay for them... and you still pay for the dishwater (coffee).

Cheers
Damian

[Philip Argy]

Flew syd to cns this morning and was surprised to find no IFE of any kind except in J class - is this a new policy? The kids had their iPads but would have been bored to tears otherwise. Seemed like a pretty new 738 too (didn't catch the Rego).

[Andrew M]

Hi Philip, Virgin don't believe in fixed IFE on their 737's and they believe the future is WiFi and BYO device.

The brand new 738's have nothing in J/Y, but 1 has in-seat power in J
The refitted 738's that have Foxtel, have kept it for now in Y, but nothing in J
The about to be refitted 737's that have Foxtel, have kept it for now in Y, but nothing in J

Virgin have the shocking old DigiPlayers for J and have been "trialling" the Samsung Galaxy Tab in J class on one plane for months, but no news of a full rollout!


An interesting strategy!

[Steve S... 2]

If it was DJ1413 SYD-CNS this morning, it was VH-YVD - a few months old.

I don't like the old Virgin Blue seats, but the new Virgin Australia seats are good.

I don't like Jetstar seats.

Actually, I don't like aeroplane seats...

[Thomas Collins]

I believe this is a result of Virgin still deciding (or working through) their IFE solution, which I believe may be a tablet (Samsung) versus seat back IFE.

[Philip Argy]

If it was DJ1413 SYD-CNS this morning, it was VH-YVD - a few months old.

I don't like the old Virgin Blue seats, but the new Virgin Australia seats are good.

Yes - it was DJ1413. The seats themselves were OK, although the armrests all fall down, which defeats the purpose of raising them to assist ingress and egress.

Surprised to hear that zero IFE is actually deliberate policy. It certainly didn't go down well with the majority of pax. By all means OK for short flights of under 2 hours but for CNS and PER flights pax expect seme IFE.

[Rob R]

First aircraft with wifi installed is about to start is trial. Once the trial is over fitting of the other aircraft will happen very quickly as the system can be fitted overnight. B737 will be done first and the Ejet's will be fitted early next year.

[Andrew M]

Meanwhile all those people who don't have a tablet to watch something on
&
Those who want to try to eat a meal/watch TV at the same time....

[Tim B]

Flew Virgin from Sydney to Gold Coast a week of so ago, and I'm sure I remember reading that Foxtel was free for flights under 2hrs and charged for flights over 2hrs. The free earphones hurt my ears after 15 minutes.
The free snack (Greek salad wrap, biscuit, mixed nuts and soft drink) with my flexi-flyer fare was welcome, but would not have been worth paying for on a normal saver fare.

[Justin L]

Back in December I flew ADL-MEL-ADL and Foxtel was free on both legs.

As for eating and watching TV at the same time, Virgin should consider something like Canada's WestJet (http://tabtimes.com/news/traveltourism/2012/04/18/canadian-airline-take-272-galaxy-tabs-flight-entertainment) if they haven't already. That type of set up would be most practical.

[David Knudsen]

Did a flight BNE-MEL-BNE last month and had Foxtel free both directions.

[Rob R]

And those who knock Virgin for going down the portable IFE, Qantas is also looking at it as are most airlines around the world. Fixed IFE is very expensive and becomes out of date very quickly.

[Andrew M]

Qantas is not a benchmark that other airlines should follow......

[Micheil Keegan]

If airlines are heading towards Wifi and a BYO device solution, what happens when the BYO device goes flat? Re-charge for a small fee?

Micheil

[Morris Biondi]

We are already seeing business or premium economy seats around the world being fitted with power points for charging and using BYO devices, not sure what will happen in economy though.

[Zac M]

Pretty sure the new Qantas 737s have in seat power in Y, if they don't the A332s do for sure. The newer JQ A332s (EBQ, R and S) do as well, I am sure that the interiors in them are the same (except leather) as the newer domestic QF A332s.

[JamesL]

Yes, I flew on VZW and they have the same set up like the VA B77W's

[J Brown]

...not to mention the weight penalty of fixed IFE systems.

[Morris Biondi]

Well i guess if all seats have in seat power all they have to is encourage people to bring and use their devices, get rid of IFEs and maybe rent out USB sticks with movies and other entertainment on them, i realise it's far fetched but in today's world of technological wonder it could be done, it's light weight and easy to implement.

[Rob R]

The system Virgin is going with will enable any wifi device to log onto the aircraft system and allow the passenger to select movies, TV shows, games etc. The aircraft system will be able to store thousands of content.

[Thomas Collins]

The solution Virgin are evaluating, many other airlines are evaluating, including Qantas and Jetstar.

Lufthansa has been trialling the system for a while, which is basically a server based Wifi distribution to download paid content - so the user with their BYO device, can purchase content as they see fit | desire.

The obvious benefit is that this system works with multiple platforms and media.

Typically today, consumers have either a laptop, tablet or media device of some sort capable of video or audio content in multiple formats.

The airlines then only need to carry a small inventory of tablets to support any additional consumer demand outside of their BYO option.

Doing away with the in-seat solution delivers significant benefits to the airlines as already mentioned e.g. weight, infrastructure, maintenance and advancements in technology, superseding IFE faster than airlines can install them.

Expect more and more airlines to move down the cabin stream solution in the coming years as the technology proves itself...

[Blair E]

I'm suprised more airlines/seat manufacturers haven't explored the option of mounting an iPad within the headrest. As in, wired in and fixed.

[David Henderson]

Well I flew PER - SYD today and got free Foxtel, free cheese and crackers and free Pepsi!

We were 35 mins or so in pushing back... but landed on time.

[Pat Clementson]

I flew CBR-MEL on VZM on Monday and it had inflight PTV's and USB port.

[Lawrie L]

I flew last time - last year and few months ago, we had free foxtel many times. We had new seats but the ptv are old and out of date. Virgin Australia needs to change inflight service and entertainment right now.

When I flew on QF, I was so suprised that it has got new PTVs in Y on the domestic flights. It has free games, movies, TV show and inflight maps (on 737s only). Wow Qantas has been improved a lot and got better serivce than Virgin Australia. I give QF 95% for the big improvements!

[Philip Argy]

Returning from Cairns yesterday we were in row 3. Rows 3 and 4 on Jillaroo (OW) were the only Y class rows without in-seat video. What kind of mad IFE configuration is this? So different from our Perth flights at Easter which had free Foxtel and great IFE.

[Andrew M]

Rows 1/2 would have had nothing either, well the silly Dig-E-Players if you count them....

The majority of Virgin planes have NO IFE and WiFi will be the "solution"

[Philip Argy]

Rows 1 and 2 are J class, Andrew - row 3 is the front row of Y class on OW.

[Andrew M]

Yes thanks, I do know that :)

Every 737-800 with DJ has that layout and some of the 737-700's are getting 1/2 in J class

[JamesL]

It's because they couldn't outfit the perspex with a screen.

I have flown on VZW and used the IFE system, it was merely a catch up to something Virgin had in terms of the Foxtel. By using the system it seemed very "redish"...

Once Virgin release their inflight package I'm sure once again QF will be left in the dust...

[Andrew M]

If you count WiFi as a "package" then yes sure.....