Epic Fail - Virgin's Special Platinum Treatment

[DaveB]

Family holiday for four at end of the month has four separate EY bookings, two through VA points and the other two on Citi Rewards. All bookings made pre-Sabre. Despite the on-line hiccups, one call has all four of us together across a row for each of the four flights no problem with bookings reissued to handle post Sabre changes.

 

[JohnK]

I'm now trying to work out if it is even worth maintaining that.... Wonder if anyone else is in same boat??

I let Platinum slip to Gold and 3 more flights will mean I will have requalified Gold. At this stage I am more than likely going to let Gold lapse as well. Just not worth the effort,

Like you I've had little positivity from the VA lounge dragons in general - mostly when I tried to fly ahead...and don't get me started on their ability (or lack thereof) to call and display boarding flights!

This really needs to be managed better. Enough of the socialising and more focus on the simple task at hand.

 

[bullerdude]

Virgin are trying to capture a large slice of the corporate market so this means treating their higher status pax well. In my case I have only attained Platinum with them though a status match.

Based on what I have experienced, they have just lost any chance of me moving my flying over to them.

I had booked flights a couple of months ago, mine direct, the others via an agent, and after much consternation, with Virgin and the agent initially not wanting to have anything to do with the bookings made by the other, had the bookings linked and seats allocated.

I've turned up today to find the bookings not linked and us not sitting together on either the forward or return legs of our trip. Coupled with the surliness of the lounge staff who eventually did sort things out, although we were certainly placed further back in the plane, it was a great start to our holiday.

Never again.

Did they get this perfect... no.

But was it an epic fail... not at all.

Personally, The platinum call centre have been fantastic at providing a level of service well above that of the standard call center. I have help with many things, from having seats allocated across multiple booking references to fare rules being ignored to make last minute changes to flights.

In my book, Virgin are definitely providing Platinum customers a higher level of service. Is it perfect... no, but it certainly has been pretty good.

To the OP, sometime things go awry, but your 'incident' was by no means an epic fail - there are other people on this forum as platinum that have had far worse occur to them as a high status member.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Virgin are trying to capture a large slice of the corporate market so this means treating their higher status pax well. In my case I have only attained Platinum with them though a status match.

Based on what I have experienced, they have just lost any chance of me moving my flying over to them.

I had booked flights a couple of months ago, mine direct, the others via an agent, and after much consternation, with Virgin and the agent initially not wanting to have anything to do with the bookings made by the other, had the bookings linked and seats allocated.

I've turned up today to find the bookings not linked and us not sitting together on either the forward or return legs of our trip. Coupled with the surliness of the lounge staff who eventually did sort things out, although we were certainly placed further back in the plane, it was a great start to our holiday.

Never again.

Hi Fungus,
We never like to read of unhappy experiences like this.
As other members have said, the separate PNRs, created by separate bookings certainly made your experience with us more problematic than usual, but should have been able to be fixed easily with a phone call or in the Lounge.
If you would like to provide us anymore feedback our inbox is always open.

 

[Ausbt]

Like you I've had little positivity from the VA lounge dragons in general - mostly when I tried to fly ahead...and don't get me started on their ability (or lack thereof) to call and display boarding flights!

.

I've found flight announcements to be pretty dismal but everything else to be in fact quite wonderful. Lot's of fly ahead, no delays on the platinum phone line and incredibly helpful staff, generous compensation when I've been inconvenienced. It might in fact be all about how you ask?

 

[pauly7]

I've found flight announcements to be pretty dismal but everything else to be in fact quite wonderful. Lot's of fly ahead, no delays on the platinum phone line and incredibly helpful staff, generous compensation when I've been inconvenienced. It might in fact be all about how you ask?

Doubt it, given smooth talking and influencing people is pretty much my job description

Glad you have managed to have some good experiences. Like I posted earlier those are my direct experiences in specific circumstances.

Moot point really (for me) as most of my work travel is starting to switch back to QF now thankfully