Golds make your voices heard regarding the new seating choice arrangements!

[lovestotravel]

I have used the feedback form to say it's great that Platinums are getting an extra benefit now

Well done VIRGIN!

 

[medhead]

As I said in the other thread, by and large seating was working fine,

I disagree based on my experiences.

 

[clarkkent]

I disagree based on my experiences.

But it wasn't enough of an issue for your displeasure to rise above the noise level in this forum. And there is plenty of displeasure aired here daily. Perhaps Virgin just went for low-hanging fruit rather than dealing with the most pressing grievances, and/or are projecting large growth in their platinum population.

 

[medhead]

But it wasn't enough of an issue for your displeasure to rise above the noise level in this forum. And there is plenty of displeasure aired here daily. Perhaps Virgin just went for low-hanging fruit rather than dealing with the most pressing grievances, and/or are projecting large growth in their platinum population.

I can see how you might have that impression. Alternatively, I just didn't air my displeasure publicly. I did, however, raise issues with VA privately.

 

[Daggs01]

Bit strange eh. Wasn't enough of a problem for you to care about it 3 weeks ago: "The only 2 enhancements to the program I would like to see are status credits for points and a business lounge." That thread does not make a strong case for widespread disappointment at seating assignments. Nor do any other threads here.

That detective work should make the front page of the Daily Planet. ;p

It wasn't and still isn't a major problem if Golds end up seated ahead of me on a plane. However It's a great nice to have that I now get first shot at the pointy end.

My big problem is the "lets tell Virgin that we are unhappy with a change in our privileges which separates us further from WP". After all they are two different statuses.

It's just going to open flood gates.

Seat selection on 3 sectors is a systems limitation, one which I am unsure is possible to even fix with the change to Sabre. This is something I cop due to it being beyond mine and VA's Control.

As stated previously the two enhancements I care about and want, as the two most important things to me are points and lounge.

More lounge so I don't have to fight SG's for a seat and a coffee and a points bonus for every 500 status credits.

 

[clarkkent]

I can see how you might have that impression. Alternatively, I just didn't air my displeasure publicly. I did, however, raise issues with VA privately.

Of course posts in this forum suggest that your experience is far from universal.

It wasn't and still isn't a major problem if Golds end up seated ahead of me on a plane. However It's a great nice to have that I now get first shot at the pointy end.

My big problem is the "lets tell Virgin that we are unhappy with a change in our privileges which separates us further from WP". After all they are two different statuses.

Oh sure, but why make it a large negative change for golds rather than a positive change for platinums? e.g., simplest would have been to let platinums choose at time of booking, the rest following the old rules. Or if that's not enough, add a small negative change for golds and preserve row 3 until OLCI. Plenty of ways they could have played it to keep everyone happy.

 

[smit0847]

I don't think any SGs are suggesting the priority seating should be exactly the same for WP as it is for SGs.

I think the argument is that SGs should have priority over PS and NBs by being able to select Row 3 at T-24 OLCI.

 

[Daggs01]

Look at it like sport. The referee awards a penalty. It's only going to please those who benefit from the decision. Those being penalised will always complain.

 

[mannej]

Look at it like sport. The referee awards a penalty. It's only going to please those who benefit from the decision. Those being penalised will always complain.

It's been a while for you hasn't it!?

 

[Daggs01]

It's been a while for you hasn't it!?

Please explain?

 

[mannej]

Please explain?

How long has it been since you have been out in the middle of the park?

 

[Daggs01]

Saturday was my last appointment, and my most recent appointment prior to that was 22nd December.

 

[medhead]

Of course posts in this forum suggest that your experience is far from universal.

You claimed that the old seat selection system worked fine. As a platinum my experience is it does not work fine. I didn't feel at all rewarded for being platinum and was considering reducing my flying to drop to gold. The lack of posts from me or others expressing that does not prove your assertion.

I would also suggest that the very premise of this thread and the large number of posts from golds complaining about the change actually supports my view that the the old seating arrangement did not work well for platinum.

 

[clarkkent]

You claimed that the old seat selection system worked fine. As a platinum my experience is it does not work fine. I didn't feel at all rewarded for being platinum and was considering reducing my flying to drop to gold. The lack of posts from me or others expressing that does not prove your assertion.

I claimed "by and large seating was working fine". Big difference. As I already said, plenty of grievances are aired here daily. In the face of that, you will struggle to convince me that a privately-loud but publicly-quiet majority were repeatedly afflicted with poor seating options.

I would also suggest that the very premise of this thread and the large number of posts from golds complaining about the change actually supports my view that the the old seating arrangement did not work well for platinum.

If golds were able to easily get into row 3 (let alone rows 4, 5, and 6), then so too were platinums.

 

[bullerdude]

I don't think any SGs are suggesting the priority seating should be exactly the same for WP as it is for SGs.

I think the argument is that SGs should have priority over PS and NBs by being able to select Row 3 at T-24 OLCI.

I agree that SG's should have priority over PS and NBs, but not be given access to row 3.

I'll make my point very clear - Row 3 should be reserved for Platinum except for last-minute operation changes.

 

[MH_fan]

I admit that I'm disappointed that I can't select row 3 at T-14 now but, to be fair, this deserves to be a perk for WPs. What I don't like is that I don't have the opportunity to select it at OLCI (T-24). If you're a WP and you haven't selected your seat by T-24, then it should be fair game for other elites to select those seats at OLCI.
I feel that it may be fairer for SGs to have a crack at row 3 come T-48.

 

[medhead]

I claimed "by and large seating was working fine". Big difference. As I already said, plenty of grievances are aired here daily. In the face of that, you will struggle to convince me that a privately-loud but publicly-quiet majority were repeatedly afflicted with poor seating options.

And now we go in circles. I repeat, in my experience it wasn't "by and large working well" for me as a platinum. How and where I expressed that is entirely irrelevant.

If golds were able to easily get into row 3 (let alone rows 4, 5, and 6), then so too were platinums.

This statement validates my experiences and my feelings about the old system. By and large it was not working to recognise platinum members as they were level with gold members. Again as I said seating provided no incentive to maintain platinum. I would think the airline would want to provide such an incentive to consider that it works fine. Apparently VA have now changed the system to do just that. I'll reserve my judgement on the success of the new system until sometime after the dust settles.

 

[clarkkent]

And now we go in circles. I repeat, in my experience it wasn't "by and large working well" for me as a platinum. How and where I expressed that is entirely irrelevant.

I meant across a population, not within an individual.

This statement validates my experiences and my feelings about the old system. By and large it was not working to recognise platinum members as they were level with gold members. Again as I said seating provided no incentive to maintain platinum. I would think the airline would want to provide such an incentive to consider that it works fine. Apparently VA have now changed the system to do just that. I'll reserve my judgement on the success of the new system until sometime after the dust settles.

Several of us have suggested more broadly palatable alternatives. I still maintain that the changes as they currently stand are overkill; I hope they will consider revising them. I suspect we'll have to disagree on this.

 

[Daggs01]

It could be a consideration that WP and SG seating in the old booking system was a limitation. Especially given that DJ didn't add WP until the implementation of VA.

New brand, new status levels, new booking engine. More desperation between SG & WP

 

[medhead]

I meant across a population, not within an individual.

I'm not sure what was unclear about "my experiences". In any case, there is a lack of evidence to support your statement.

Several of us have suggested more broadly palatable alternatives. I still maintain that the changes as they currently stand are overkill; I hope they will consider revising them. I suspect we'll have to disagree on this.

I don't think I've made any comment about the palatability of the current change or the alternatives proposed. If I have it wasn't may intention to do so. I'm waiting for the dust to settle before passing judgement on the new system.