In a move to muscle Qantas out of some of its current market share, Virgin Australia has announced it will start offering free food and checked baggage across its domestic network.
A further step in its transition into a full-service carrier, Virgin’s inclusion of checked baggage and food will be a standard aspect of fares from 15 April onwards. This update will include all regional routes, with free meals tailored to the time of day and duration of the flight.
The inclusion of checked baggage will bring Virgin into direct competition with Qantas who have always offered baggage at no extra cost.
Head of Virgin’s customer service, Mark Hassall, acknowledged the changes as “an important part of our ability to deliver a consistent, premium service across our network.”
With its acquisition of Tigerair Australia, to protect its share of the budget airline market and rival Qantas’ Jetstar, Virgin has been making the shift to a full-service carrier over the past five years.
What do you think? Will this change your choice of airline for domestic flights?
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