Have Virgin cancelled the 'Fly Ahead' benefit again?

[Harrison_133]

do we know what’s the right buttons to press to get to the right team for fly ahead request on the phone?

Tried to request that on the phone this morning and dialing 136789 and entered my velocity number but still seemed to got to the wrong team. I had to be transferred to the “premium team” to process the request. It wasn’t any back and forth and the initial guy who took the call handed it over well but just wondering what’s the right number to call and button to press to get directly to this “premium team”

That seems to be the standard protocol unfortunately. Recently I've never had a call answered directly by the premium team. It goes to the normal call centre, they take your details and then transfer you to complete the request.

I've had some pretty poor experiences doing it this way, sometimes the initial agents have no idea what 'Fly Ahead' even means and want to charge the change fee, or they are very poorly trained in knowing Platinum benefits. They also never seem to honour the Velocity Pin system which is one of my biggest gripes since they got rid of the Australian based premium team. If only they'd just connect the call to the premium team in the first place...

IME, the out of hours line is a different story. I always get connected to the premium team straight away (or the out of hours team at least the same training). They know what Fly Ahead means, they honour the Velocity pin and there is a lot less back and forth.

 

[Human]

I think this is a casualty of VA's administration and is now a feature of VA 2.0.

Pre-Covid, it used to be that entering our Velocity number took us straight to the "premium" team. Now this does not seem to be the case.

I'd classify this as a very minor annoyance: we now have to ask to use our Fly Ahead and then be transferred over. It might add 90 seconds to each call.

 

[travelislife]

No chance of fly ahead today on MEL-SYD flights (and lounge!) are chockers.

 

[AIRwin]

No chance of fly ahead today on MEL-SYD flights (and lounge!) are chockers.

Everyone trying to fly back in time for Halloween?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I noticed flights MEL-SYD being really busy for the next few days. I think it is people taking the long weekend due to Melbourne Cup on Tuesday?

 

[serfty]

I noticed flights MEL-SYD being really busy for the next few days. I think it is people taking the long weekend due to Melbourne Cup on Tuesday?

Two decades ago, Qantas would rotate a 747 between MEL and SYD at these peak times.

Used to be some cheap fares on the backfill.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Two decades ago, Qantas would rotate a 747 between MEL and SYD at these peak times.

Used to be some cheap fares on the backfill.

Indeed!

Out of interest, the cheapest airline MEL-SYD this saturday is Jetstar, and they want $415 one way for economy! At 8.55pm!

At $425, is Rex via Wagga!

Cheapest VA is $563 for the day.

 

[AIRwin]

It

Cheapest VA is $563 for the day.

It's now $782

 

[henrus]

At $425, is Rex via Wagga!

and who said Rex didn't fly between SYD and MEL anymore

Not good for anyone buying last minute tickets or trying to fly ahead!

 

[ben95]

I think it is people taking the long weekend due to Melbourne Cup on Tuesday?

Also Coldplay concerts in Sydney next week

 

[kerfuffle]

Also Coldplay concerts in Sydney next week

And Thom Yorke today and tomorrow in Sydney

 

[travelislife]

Flights on SYD-MEL-SYD seriously packed at the moment. Impossible to fly ahead at all today on MEL-SYD, literally zero seats, so was a long stay at the airport from 3:30pm until the 9pm flight!

 

[simmomelb]

Flights on SYD-MEL-SYD seriously packed at the moment. Impossible to fly ahead at all today on MEL-SYD, literally zero seats, so was a long stay at the airport from 3:30pm until the 9pm flight!

Yes, it is much the same today, most flights are sold out for SYD-MEL

Hopefully you found something to kill the time

 

[travelislife]

Yes, it is much the same today, most flights are sold out for SYD-MEL

Hopefully you found something to kill the time

Good for the airlines when they can get last minutes tickets at $800+ a ticket!

 

[clifford]

Yes indeed, however it wasn't a problem getting a flyahead a couple of days ago for SYD-OOL early afternoon (apart from having to seat in thre crying babies zone (with actual crying babies).