Could VAs Ongoing Problems Be A Danger?

[Deleted member 29185]

With the obviously difficult IT problems surrounding the Sabre move, rapidly heading toward the three week mark with no genuine promising indications of rectification, a though occured to me this morning. Could any of these issues be dangerous or risk aircraft? I'm assuming not, but they are struggling with seat selection and we do know balancing the aircraft is an important safety issue, so perhaps???? Any thoughts?

What has become very clear to me, is that VAs problems are far more extensive than they're letting on or they'd have fixed most issues by now. It seems the only issues they've fixed are the ones that were beneficial to us (at VAs expense). The lack of information is also indicative that they don't actually know what to tell us about when we can expect to see a fully operational, predominently bug-free system restored!

 

[coyote25]

I couldn't see how the booking / reservation system would endanger a flight. If there is a balancing problem on the plane they can ask PAX to move which I have only seen once on my many flights.

 

[oz_mark]

Obviously, without reviewing everything they have done, it is hard to give a definitive answer, buty thoughts are that there is no issue from that perspective.

As far as I can tell, sabre is functioning correctly, and while we can see some issues, these arrives not really sabre issues.

What we have seen have been issues with the correct filing of fares and some issues with customer self service. I suspect that the reduced self service functions was the result of an intentional descope of functionality to enable focus elsewhere.

Ultimately, I guess they have built something minimally functional for the self service part of the project. But this doesn't mean the other areas have issues.

 

[Boris spatsky]

The load sheet on the day is signed by the Captain - it is his or her responsibility to load the aircraft in limits. Even if they were given a dodgy load setup by sabre, they would fix it before flight.

So no, i don't believe that it is a safety issue at all.

 

[smit0847]

They've definitely done major damage to the brand over the past few weeks, not sure about the safety.

 

[oz_mark]

They've definitely done major damage to the brand over the past few weeks, not sure about the safety.

Seems they had developed and were executing a pretty good communications plan right up until the cutover. Then we hit radio silence.

 

[VA777]

They've definitely done major damage to the brand over the past few weeks, not sure about the safety.

I am not sure that is the case. Whilst there are negative comments here and on Facebook, in the general mass media there has been generally neutral comments. Very few articles and they were either neutral or slightly positive.

I don't think their brand has been damaged by this, and in fact from my observation, this was a necessary change to provide the information systems needed to help them take their brand to the next phase.

Some some short term contained pain for a much larger long term benefit.

 

[lovestotravel]

some some short term contained pain for a much larger long term benefit.

^^^^this^^^^

 

[hobo]

I am not sure that is the case. Whilst there are negative comments here and on Facebook, in the general mass media there has been generally neutral comments. Very few articles and they were either neutral or slightly positive.

I don't think their brand has been damaged by this, and in fact from my observation, this was a necessary change to provide the information systems needed to help them take their brand to the next phase.

Some some short term contained pain for a much larger long term benefit.

The lack of communication from Virgin is damaging. I understand the short term pain for gain, and am all for it. The communication could be better though, as it has now been 3 weeks.

 

[UP4014]

I couldn't see how the booking / reservation system would endanger a flight. If there is a balancing problem on the plane they can ask PAX to move which I have only seen once on my many flights.

Economic risk, say your sales are $1m per day and you need $900k per day to cover expenses. Then you have 7 days of 700k sales but it takes a week to find out, then you are in the hole $1.4m before you know it.

Endangers the every flight.

matt

 

[straitman]

Economic risk, say your sales are $1m per day and you need $900k per day to cover expenses. Then you have 7 days of 700k sales but it takes a week to find out, then you are in the hole $1.4m before you know it.

Endangers the every flight.

matt

I understand your maths but have no understanding of how that puts any flight in danger.

 

[moa999]

Virgin is definitely in danger of losing my business (1200+ SCs last year, all on VA)... and I suspect a lot more.

Ignoring the booking problems (seat selection for Plat/Gold on one booking and failure to be able to change seats post)

Need to shift booking back a few hours (Saver Lite within 24hrs - against the rules but as a Plat would expect some leniency)....
Can't be done online.
Call call centre
Blames Qld weather for service delays.
Type in Plat number.
Finally get thru all the menus after 2 minutes
1 minute wait for operator (ok as Plat on mobile), obviously offshore call centre
Me: Would like to change flight tomorrow.
Op: What is booking ref
Me: Dont know on mobile, can you see it under my FF reference
Op: What is FF number
Me: Well I typed it in but. xx_xx
Op: Looking for it now (2 minutes passes)
Get colleague to pull up reference
Me: How about I give you reference.
Takes 3 Goes Phoenetically Spelling it...
Op: Found booking
Me: Would like to change 11am flight to 2pm
Op: 2 minutes later. OK. That will be $80 per pax (brand new flight on 2pm is only $110)
Me: Begrudgingly, fine... Just change it.
Op: 2 minutes later. Oh. No availability on 2pm, how about 12pm or 3pm
Me: No I need 2pm.
Op: 4 minutes later. Ok will process that now.
Op: Another 2 min.. Ah your flight within 24 hrs I can't change it.
Me: Furious.... What the. I have just spent 10minutes on hold to you on a mobile asking to change flight and you know tell me I cant change, as a Plat member that is disgraceful, can I speak to manager.
Op: Stammers. Ok.
Five minutes on hold.

I give up, will no show on Virgin, and have just booked on Qantas.
And Virgin won't get another cent until I am 100% sure the problems are fixed.

 

[grubbidok]

Economic risk, say your sales are $1m per day and you need $900k per day to cover expenses. Then you have 7 days of 700k sales but it takes a week to find out, then you are in the hole $1.4m before you know it.

matt

My guess is the post-Sabre specials they'll need to attract customers back and inducements to quell FF outrage (a la QFF after grounding) will probably cost them more than the money they've lost during transition. But I'm sure that they've budgeted for worst case scenario, and they probably see it as a necessary cost to be able to compete in the future and take them to the next phase.

If it *did* turn out they simply ran out of money, the aircraft wouldn't leave the ground. Creditors would refuse to fuel it in the first place! Potential brand damage definitely, actual safety concerns very unlikely.

I've also been surprised that given the AFF outrage it hasn't crossed over into the media. Barely rates a mention at all. Even Plane Talking remains fixated on QF, not VA

 

[bcworld]

I've also been surprised that given the AFF outrage it hasn't crossed over into the media. Barely rates a mention at all. Even Plane Talking remains fixated on QF, not VA

This has surprised me too. Given that their FB wall has been full of people claiming to be charged multiple times, credit cards maxed out, unable to meet other expenses, told to wait 3 weeks for a resolution. It's the kind of thing I'd expect to see picked up somewhere.

 

[bullerdude]

Well this weekend sale if obviously aimed at trying to get some people back to booking VA in stead if Qantas.

The same name even appears in the website page/link... see bold.

hxxp://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/specials-offers/flight-specials/view-best-fares/?RRID=35248730&RMID=VM_201302021_QFReactiveSale_LITE

 

[Ausbt]

A couple of interesting things seem to be cropping up with the booking process. I booked three pax SYD-ZQN-SYD and got an itinerary for only two. Noticed a couple of days later and quickly chased VA up - they claimed something or other about the booking for the third pax being 'stalled' or 'stuck'. Ok, well let's get it unstuck then. Back on the phone, I ignorantly (at least at the time I asked) told the call centre that the pax was a minor thus "shouldn't she pay a lesser fare?". I was placed on hold to await the answer. In the meantime I bit of digging around the VA site turned up the fact that reduced fares for minors were available on Long Haul but Domestic and Short-Haul were full-fare. Surprisingly, the call centre came back with a discount. No arguement there then.

 

[VA777]

From my perspective, and may be I have been lucky, as a J class paying pax the old Navataire system was a disaster and I regularly needed assistance from an executive with VA to solve problems with changing flights and not being charged to do so.

A couple of weeks ago made a J class booking online - no problems, last week needed to change one of the segments and for the first time it all worked without a hitch.

From my perspective - this is what we have been waiting for and my experience has been excellent under the new system.

 

[UP4014]

I understand your maths but have no understanding of how that puts any flight in danger.

Was meaning economic failure would result in business failure, meaning all flights are gone.

matt