johnso29

I'm not really sure how stating facts from company provided financial data is "trolling". My statement is not intended as a reflection on VX employees or the product they provide. As I stated earlier, the over saturated market simply does not allow VX to command the premium they need to cover the product they provide. If they can't do that, they don't make money.

Golden Bear

I'm going to start a new drinking game: you Google the words "David Cush" and "profitable" and then you have to take shot for every quarter that comes up in which Cush counters the announcement of a loss with a claim that they will still be profitable on the year.

RJtrashPilot

Exactly. Hence I prefaced my comment with "I'll believe the results when I see them..."

Believe me, I'm far, far from a kook-aid drinker. In fact, I tend to be quite the opposite.

CanoePilot

We've been told that a profit is just around the corner for almost 5 years now. We've also been told all upgrade in 4 years.

Virgin's problem isn't feed it's a bad business model. They are flying on routes where there is already stiff competition. They think people will flock to them because of their ife and mood lighting. Honestly that is not all that great, AA is putting a better ife in their a321 trans-con planes this year and it will have a better first class than VA. So why would anyone fly va if you can get a better product cheaper with more connections.

VA is trying to run a hub and spoke airline out of la and sfo. They think people will fly to sfo to connect and go on to another city. It's a bad model, they should have put a base on the east coast and/or in the central part of the country.

The business travelers don't want to bother with va for this main reason. Unless sfo is their final destination they don't have a use for VA. All va has are leisure travelers and the hipsters.

RJtrashPilot

Columbia

The view across the table during your interview?

RJtrashPilot

Something like that.

ShyGuy

Upgrade in 4 years? No one told me that. And why would you believe that? I wouldn't trust any timeline for an upgrade unless you are physically and directly hired as a Captain.

VX's IFE is still greater than AA's. I haven't seen their new A321s, but we'll see how that plays out. Is AA also getting new FAs? Or will it be grumpy grannies serving all classes? Also, it's worth nothing that VX did offer elite status match for FF programs at United and American, to try and get more people to switch.

West coast people can connect through SFO. But you obviously won't go ORD-SFO-JFK, that wouldn't make any sene. VX already has a crew base (ALF) at JFK, albeit, a small one.

From working at the airline, I have seen lot more than leisure travelers and hipsters. Anytime someone is sitting in first class, they either paid for the first class ticket or they upgraded their main cabin seat by paying money ($299 for transcons) upon checkin. In my experience, I'd say that all 8 FC seats are usualy full. VX does have a niche of people who are willing to pay that extra money for the service provided. VX gained a 4-star rating, making it only the 2nd US airline to achieve that. Do you think AA or anyone else will be in line to get that? The legacies have PO'ed old FAs because everything they have gone through in their 30-40 year career.

VX is what flying was (or used to be) and how it should be. Employees actually happy working there, taking care of the customers, smiling, and having fun. I'd say that is missing altogether at the legacies, for the most part. FAs are the frontline for customer service, and they make or break the passenger's experience.

swamp

These are two very contradicting statements.... Shy I know YOU truly believe in VX, but do you go home, lay in your bed and HONESTLY believe in VX???? There are many of your ex 9E friends that read this wondering about VX. Your post give them little hope, but don't sell them unicorns and beachfront property in Montana. Best of luck my friend.

ShyGuy

How are they contradicting points? They are very accurate points. Believe it or not, there was a time when the only way to get into first class was to pay for a first class ticket, and people actually dressed to fly, both in first and in coach. Back then, FF programs didn't exist and this continued for a while even after FF programs came into existence. Now, people can upgrade into first using their FF program miles or Elite status. At many places, non-revs can travel in first class (some for free).

I'm not selling ANYONE unicorns or beachfront property in Montana. I'll admit there are profitability issues in question for VX. I'm not sure where VX will be in one year, two, three, etc. That having been said, I'd enourage anyone from a regional (especially ones that are shrinking, downgrading, and furloughing) to consider VX. What do you have to lose, especially if you are going to lose your current job? Best case, VX works out and you enjoy your job and stay put. Worst case, get a PIC A320 type rating, time in the bus, and you can apply elsewhere to legacies/LCCs.