Virgin Australia’s massive change to economy

Virgin Australia has announced it has completely overhauled its economy airfares, allowing travellers the option to choose the best flight which suits their needs.

From today, the three new fares – Economy Lite, Economy Choice and Economy Flex – will be available for purchase, each of which will offer different booking options.

So what’s the difference with Virgin Australia’s economy class?

Travellers who book an Economy Choice and Economy flex ticket will continue to receive 23 kilograms of checked baggage and have the opportunity to choose their seats. Economy Choice ticket holders will also score bonus Velocity Frequent Flyer Points and Status Credits and have booking flexibility for changes up to 14 days prior to departure without having to pay a fee.

Virgin Australia now have three different economy options. Picture: BeyondImages/iStockSource:News Regional Media

The biggest change however has to be the Economy Lite seat. If you’re someone who doesn’t bring along checked baggage – this is for you.

After a review of fares, pricing, and booking, the airline found that 30 per cent of customers didn’t bring along checked baggage. As a result, they have introduced the Economy Lite seat-only fare. This gives travellers the option to remove the unwanted cost of baggage from their ticket price.

“We discovered that nearly one in every three Virgin Australia customers don’t bring a checked bag when they travel, despite a bag allowance built in to their airfare. On flights between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, that number is even higher, ” a Virgin Australia Group spokesperson said.

Virgin Australia said their new ‘lite’ offering is for people who don’t travel with much baggage. Picture by Damian ShawSource:News Corp Australia

“Today we’re putting the power back in the hands of our customers by leaving it up to them to choose what they want. If they don’t want a checked bag or seat selection, they won’t have to pay for it – it’s that simple. If they prefer to keep the extras, there are great value inclusive fare options available.

“Every customer is unique and has different needs and budgets, and we want to welcome all of them on-board to experience our award-winning service, in the way that best suits them,” they added.

The new fares allow travellers to personalise their flying experience and prices start from just $59 (the seat-only Economy Lite).

And if you’re a point-savvy flyer, rest assured that you will still be able to earn Velocity Frequent Flyer Points and Status Credits with every booking.

This article originally appeared on Escape and has been republished with permission

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