Thinking it's time to give VA the flick

[nlagalle]

Having already re-qual'd PG on Qantas i thought over the last month or so i would direct my flying to Virgin to do my re-qual there. I'm beginning to think i may be wasting my time after tonight..

I've had to put up with a useless website (no one can tell me that the website is good). I can't select seats online,

I've had more delayed flights this year on my VA flights than all of last year on QF.

Putting up with Sabre is something I'd like to forget.

The staff have little enthusiasm anymore, my last Qantas flight they were a lot happier.

The flexi food is a waste of a cardboard box, actually i think tonight i would have eaten the box.

The lounge still has no spirits!

Tonight was the icing on the cake. Arrived at SYD and used the premium entrance which i do think is brilliant. THe lounge was a complete Zoo thanks to the weather and re-furbishing works. To my surprise when i received my boarding pass i'd been upgraded to J.. Very happy i was, and despite all the delays my flight wasn't too late compared to some. Anyway as boarding was a total mess. people just lined up where they want and there was no order.. PB fail here. THen my BP scans red. told to go and see the agent for a new BP. I'm then given a BP for 7B. i'm like WTF???? couldn't even get my original seat back. no excuse no real apology. I may be a DYKWIA here, but that sort of stuff up is unacceptable. If you are going to OPUP someone leave them there! I had my usual Row 3 seat, then i get relegated back to a middle seat.

I see very little reason to keep wasting time, the Red Roo is looking so much better.

 

[totd]

There's no doubt that Sabre is going to cost VA at the top end of their market... So much for getting out of the LCC business.

Maybe try again in 6 months and see if they've managed to get sabre working.

 

[cove]

Hopes dashed are so much worse than hopes raised!

 

[medhead]

No problem with being upset IMO. Did you try pretending you'd paid for the J seat? Was anyone in the J seat?

 

[Simo]

You have not had a great run with VA over the last few month's have you.

The entire up grade and then being put down the back would be the killer blow for my business on VA.

 

[nlagalle]

No problem with being upset IMO. Did you try pretending you'd paid for the J seat? Was anyone in the J seat?

I had someone in my original 3D and yes someone was in 1D too...

 

[nlagalle]

You have not had a great run with VA over the last few month's have you.

The entire up grade and then being put down the back would be the killer blow for my business on VA.

And to top it off although i've had contact from the Guet office of the CEO, they have simply given hollow promises and no action..

I'm not the only one who is fed up with them.. I've heard people grumbling on some flights too.

 

[MarkD]

Getting a bit annoyed with people blaming the sabre thing. Thats horse****. If they wanted to fix it they would. They have lost their way, and seriously, i cant even work out their website to book seats/ sick and tired of entering Ff number and nsme and address and phone EVERY TIME I TRY TO BOOK, EVEN AFTER LOGGING INTO VELOCITY
I just booked two more qf flights in frustration and even chose a jetstar one as its actually bookable without getting a migraine

 

[Must...Fly!]

This is not the first instance of op-up given then taken away on AFF, IIRC. Unbelievably poor policy.

I have not flown Virgin since the Sabre switchover and despite my slightly wavering loyalty to QF I see no reason to give VA a cent of my relatively small spend. It appears to have gone backwards in a big way, and I was not very impressed with the in-flight service on my last flight in November (SYD-ADL)

However this was always on the cards, an aircraft does not care what seats you put in it or where the nuts and bolts are replaced. But the crew that man the aircraft are open to all sorts of influences...the transition from LCC sounds like it has beat them up something chronic.

Although, how would you feel on an 8 day shift that included several transcontinental sectors and 7 hour jaunts to coughet on a 737?

 

[Fantic125]

Computer systems certainly aren't perfect.

For the last day and a half I've been trying to get into the website to do seat selection for my final sector of HGH-HGK, HKG-SYD, SYD-ADL and even though I'm logging on and clicking through the correct links to select my booking reference, it keeps telling me my booking reference is not recognised.

I tried calling them this morning from Hangzhou, and was on hold for 5 minutes (on my mobile) before I hung up.

And this was Qantas, not Virgin. Grass not always greener... :-|

 

[mella2007]

You've had bad run that's for sure.

If I didn't already have so many flights booked with them, I'd be looking elsewhere also, however as QF Silver not really worth my while at this point in time. I am very thankful I made most of my reward bookings in J pre Sabre. I've spent about 10 hours on the phone in the past month trying to get issues fixed and still not. Emails are "we're sorry, blah blah blah" but still the problems remain the same.
I am sick of it.

 

[nlagalle]

Computer systems certainly aren't perfect.

For the last day and a half I've been trying to get into the website to do seat selection for my final sector of HGH-HGK, HKG-SYD, SYD-ADL and even though I'm logging on and clicking through the correct links to select my booking reference, it keeps telling me my booking reference is not recognised.

I tried calling them this morning from Hangzhou, and was on hold for 5 minutes (on my mobile) before I hung up.

And this was Qantas, not Virgin. Grass not always greener... :-|

No they aren't, but introducing them when they are clearly not ready for production work is another matter all together. Sabre is still months away from returning functionality that was available previously according to the person I spoke to from the CEO office.

And yes I hear QF had some issues yesterday but I've never had the issues I've experienced in my short fling with VA. QF have smashed VA with website and integration.

 

[IainF]

I have had multiple issues over the last 4 weeks and have had contact with senior management at VA. I was told that the issues would be transient as they bedded down Sabre. If I want to to book a BNE-SYD return, it's no problem, but trying to book international flights is worse than than ever. I must have spent at least 15 hours on the phone just to CONFIRM a booking I had made was in the system. For one leg I currently have six seperate Etickets. I think I am taking up at least half the seats in business class atm.

 

[munitalP]

Computer systems certainly aren't perfect.

For the last day and a half I've been trying to get into the website to do seat selection for my final sector of HGH-HGK, HKG-SYD, SYD-ADL and even though I'm logging on and clicking through the correct links to select my booking reference, it keeps telling me my booking reference is not recognised.

I tried calling them this morning from Hangzhou, and was on hold for 5 minutes (on my mobile) before I hung up.

And this was Qantas, not Virgin. Grass not always greener... :-|

The QF website has had more bugs than a South American rain Forrest over the last couple of days due to a complete overhaul. Notwithstanding the fact that it should have been tested before going live, it will be functional in it's entirety in the short term - in fact a few bugs I was having yesterday have now gone - Qantas repairs to its site... measured with a clock. Va repairs to its site... measured with the burning of a candle.

I don't agree with the grass is not always greener in this instance

 

[nlagalle]

The QF website has had more bugs than a South American rain Forrest over the last couple of days due to a complete overhaul. Notwithstanding the fact that it should have been tested before going live, it will be functional in it's entirety in the short term - in fact a few bugs I was having yesterday have now gone - Qantas repairs to its site... measured with a clock. Va repairs to its site... measured with the burning of a candle.

I don't agree with the grass is not always greener in this instance

I agree here. Qantas have been quick at fixing website issues (I missed the new look changeover during the week) but compared to virgin, well Virgin is looking more and more like an amateur outfit.

I'd still love to know why sabre was brought in so quickly, knowing it was nowhere near ready. Was the CEO pushing for it to be in?

 

[hydrabyss]

I remember a thread were a few people had been upgraded at checkin only to have it removed at boarding.I think the outcome was to not accept the upgrade unless it is at the gate as checkin or lounge upgrades can be revoked and you end up in 23b as your 3c has now been given away.

 

[serfty]

...

I'd still love to know why sabre was brought in so quickly, knowing it was nowhere near ready. Was the CEO pushing for it to be in ...

There was a post somewhere indicating the SABRE implementation team was needed elsewhere and it was January or bust (AKA late this year).

 

[nlagalle]

There was a post somewhere indicating the SABRE implementation team was needed elsewhere and it was January or late this year.

I would have preferred late this year!!!

 

[777]

Personally i'm not too concerned about the actual mechanics of the sabre switchover. I know that's heretical around here but from following FT and elsewhere the bugs are pretty standard for a switch of this scale and more or less what i expected in advance. It's worked in my favour in a few cases as well. As i've said many times around here, how they've managed the communication around sabre problems has been awful though and a sign that they are slipping in that area. I spoke to someone in the call centre the other night who told me several things i knew to be wrong but clearly didn't know any better.

But the op-up then op-down happened to me once before and it's feels like they are gratuitously kicking you in the face. Particularly when they take away your original seat assignment. Very poor form and guaranteed to alienate your most loyal customers.

 

[JohnK]

Never ever op-up someone and then take it away.

I have a few more bookings with VA and that is it. I am not going to continue sitting down the back whilst people with no status travel up the front.

There was a post somewhere indicating the SABRE implementation team was needed elsewhere and it was January or bust (AKA late this year).

Later in the year would have been a much better plan....