New VA Fare Structure

[UP4014]

Fly Ahead and changing your fare on a Flexi are subtly different things.

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No one should be taking it out on staff about these changes - they are system changes, not something that staff like you are responsible for. Of course, the company have employed you into the front lines for precisely the reason that you are the shock buffer between the potentially displeased consumer and the suits in white (and maybe purple) board rooms.

When a customer grouses about a cut in benefits - and they may even use the words "you guys" etc. etc. - notwithstanding their misdirected comments, they are passing that to you as a criticism of the company's decision, with the view that you will pass that onto higher authority. I've heard rumours that such feedback is often ignored from frontline staff and instead is only given proper "credence" if it comes from feedback channels suited for customer use, e.g. the online form on the VA website (or, an email sent directly to John Borghetti himself).

Separating a criticism of the company from one against you when you're taking the full verbal brunt from the customer can be tough, and not quite fair in a way. I'd like to hope that no respecting flyer truly is having a go at you in the firm belief that it is your fault, or they are doing so in order to extract (extort) a certain form of gain.

As long as staff are doing the best they can to offer the best service to their customers, there is no reason to grouse at the frontline staff.

Of course the customer has to complain to the check in staff, they are the only staff people generally interact with and most airlines don't even want that.

If I have a beef with the airline I tell the next 'customer service' representative I deal with.

If customer service staff don't want to take the good with the bad then perhaps they need to ask themselves what they want to do. Would it be great if service was so good there was no reason to complain, but it isn't and customers do and often have valid reasons.

Matt

 

[anat0l]

Of course the customer has to complain to the check in staff, they are the only staff people generally interact with and most airlines don't even want that.

If I have a beef with the airline I tell the next 'customer service' representative I deal with.

If customer service staff don't want to take the good with the bad then perhaps they need to ask themselves what they want to do. Would it be great if service was so good there was no reason to complain, but it isn't and customers do and often have valid reasons.

Matt

The main thing is that customer service staff are human as well. There is no need to lay into them as if it is their fault that these changes have taken place, even if the implication is supposed to be that a customer is enraged not at the staff member directly but the company.

A staff member not doing their job is a different thing.

Staff members have no problem taking on the bad (and passing it on) if they understand that whoever is reporting to them is clear that they (the staff member) were not directly responsible for the fault.

Most staff are resilient enough to understand that if a customer yells and cusses at them, it isn't because they (the staff) are directly at fault (provided that the complaint is not about the staff member personally and the staff member knows they didn't do something wrong or neglect something), so it won't send them to the wall. Does that mean we are allowed to shout, lay into, cuss at and slander staff, because we know it should have no effect on them?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Except Saver Lite didn't include checked bags, which funnily enough gave some of us a valid reason (per work policy) to select the more expensive fare - at least some of the time. Also, dealing with checked bags clearly does have a real cost associated with it, so the distinctions and price differences between the old Saver Lite and Saver were perfectly logical and reasonable. Conversely, the differences between the new cheapest and middle fare classes are all "soft" benefits that many employers will simply not pay for, and as you say, probably don't cost VA anything, so they make no sense IMHO.

I think you're probably right that the aim is to "encourage" people to select higher fares, but I don't think it has been properly thought through, as a lot of people travelling with work just won't have the option to select "Elevate" fares, and many leisure travellers won't be willing to. If they had reintroduced the distinction of checked luggage or not (which would be consistent with a lot of other airlines), I think many leisure travellers would have paid for the mid level fare, as holiday makers tend to have more luggage.

All good points....especially the difference with the old saver lite to the new Getaway.

 

[williamsf1]

Of course the customer has to complain to the check in staff, they are the only staff people generally interact with and most airlines don't even want that.

If I have a beef with the airline I tell the next 'customer service' representative I deal with.

If customer service staff don't want to take the good with the bad then perhaps they need to ask themselves what they want to do. Would it be great if service was so good there was no reason to complain, but it isn't and customers do and often have valid reasons.

Matt

The check in staff are there to greet you and check in your bag and get you on your way. Yes they are the "face of the airline" however if you have a beef with the airline ... take it up with the CEO or someone who can actually do something about it and not the poor customer service person getting paid a pittance following the rules they are given.

I hope the next customer service rep you meet sends your bags to Mumbai and seats you in row 70 next to the bathroom

 

[Milefest]

All good points....especially the difference with the old saver lite to the new Getaway.

Indeed, I missed the fact that the new Getaway fare will include baggage. It probably would have been a good opportunity for VA to add another additional extra while keeping status pax happy with their free baggage allowance.

 

[DavidFlynn]

So here's a bit of good news on the Virgin Australia fare front: following outcry from its top-tier frequent flyers, Virgin Australia is dropping the contentious 'advance seat selection' fee for Velocity Platinums and Golds under the new fare structure

In fact, due to the need to make necessary changes in the backend IT system to recognise Platinums and Golds as being apart from the herd, nobody will be charged the advance seat selection fee until the tech update takes place (as a yet-to-be-determined time).

More at Virgin Australia advance seat selection fee Velocity Platinum Gold frequent flyers - Australian Business Traveller

 

[esseeeayeenn]

So here's a bit of good news on the Virgin Australia fare front: following outcry from its top-tier frequent flyers, Virgin Australia is dropping the contentious 'advance seat selection' fee for Velocity Platinums and Golds under the new fare structure

In fact, due to the need to make necessary changes in the backend IT system to recognise Platinums and Golds as being apart from the herd, nobody will be charged the advance seat selection fee until the tech update takes place (as a yet-to-be-determined time).
More at Virgin Australia advance seat selection fee Velocity Platinum Gold frequent flyers - Australian Business Traveller

Great to see them respond to customer demand.

 

[Pleb Status]

So here's a bit of good news on the Virgin Australia fare front: following outcry from its top-tier frequent flyers, Virgin Australia is dropping the contentious 'advance seat selection' fee for Velocity Platinums and Golds under the new fare structure

In fact, due to the need to make necessary changes in the backend IT system to recognise Platinums and Golds as being apart from the herd, nobody will be charged the advance seat selection fee until the tech update takes place (as a yet-to-be-determined time).
More at Virgin Australia advance seat selection fee Velocity Platinum Gold frequent flyers - Australian Business Traveller

A bit of sense has prevailed. The seat selection charge was the change that caused the biggest angst among SG and WP.

 

[anat0l]

Kind of funny how the IT requirements contributed to their backing out.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Kind of funny how the IT requirements contributed to their backing out.

That's a very good point.
In fact it could well be that they weren't able to have Golds and Plats pre-selected into the front rows in unassigned seats at all as they said initially after the outcry when the story first broke.

 

[Milefest]

A bit of sense has prevailed. The seat selection charge was the change that caused the biggest angst among SG and WP.

Yep this was my biggest problem. Glad to see they've responded by removing the charge.

 

[DavidFlynn]

FWIW, during the Virgin Australia briefing I also asked if Fly Ahead under the lowest fare bucket would also be reinstated – but nope, that's not happening. But hey, axing the 'advance seat selection' fee has got to be a better win, right?

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

We would like to reassure members that we are aware that there is a significant amount of speculation around the details of the new “Fares for you” fare structure being launched on 7th Sep.


We’d also like confirm that the feedback provided by members on this and other forums is monitored and considered as valuable input. Please be assured that Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer value the business and loyalty of our members.


We are pleased to confirm that Virgin Australia no longer plans to introduce an advance seat selection fee for Platinum and Gold Velocity members.


We will release full details prior to the launch of ‘Fares For You’ on 7 September 2016 and we are confident that the changes will be seen as fair, balanced and continue to protect the benefits of our most valuable members in a way that is commercially sustainable.

 

[nlagalle]

We would like to reassure members that we are aware that there is a significant amount of speculation around the details of the new “Fares for you” fare structure being launched on 7th Sep.


We’d also like confirm that the feedback provided by members on this and other forums is monitored and considered as valuable input. Please be assured that Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer value the business and loyalty of our members.


We are pleased to confirm that Virgin Australia no longer plans to introduce an advance seat selection fee for Platinum and Gold Velocity members.


We will release full details prior to the launch of ‘Fares For You’ on 7 September 2016 and we are confident that the changes will be seen as fair, balanced and continue to protect the benefits of our most valuable members in a way that is commercially sustainable.

It should never even have happened.. It shows Virgin and Velocity don't get their loyal customers. Charging them should never have even been considered...

Virgin v Woolworths vying for the gold medal in backflips at Loyalty Games 2016

 

[williamsf1]

It should never even have happened.. It shows Virgin and Velocity don't get their loyal customers. Charging them should never have even been considered...

Virgin v Woolworths vying for the gold medal in backflips at loyalty gam

In other news Simone Biles has joined the Virgin Australia team. Simone is well remembered for her triple backflip and Gold medal from the 2016 Olympics

 

[esseeeayeenn]

We would like to reassure members that we are aware that there is a significant amount of speculation around the details of the new “Fares for you” fare structure being launched on 7th Sep.


We’d also like confirm that the feedback provided by members on this and other forums is monitored and considered as valuable input. Please be assured that Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer value the business and loyalty of our members.


We are pleased to confirm that Virgin Australia no longer plans to introduce an advance seat selection fee for Platinum and Gold Velocity members.


We will release full details prior to the launch of ‘Fares For You’ on 7 September 2016 and we are confident that the changes will be seen as fair, balanced and continue to protect the benefits of our most valuable members in a way that is commercially sustainable.

Great that you're prepared to be flexible.

It has been reported that you need to reprogram your systems to allow them to distinguish between Platinum and Gold Velocity members and other PAX.
Hopefully if you do that for seat selection you'll be able to use it to offer more targetted benefits as well.

 

[rtyuiop]

Glad you are listening VA... But you need to fix your IT department if ticketing and loyalty policies are both being driven by system limitations... I'm sure that's not news given the website!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Great to see them respond to customer demand.

Or perhaps "customer demands"!

use it to offer more targetted benefits as well.

I honestly wish they'd fix that bug that doesn't see me getting offers at all...let alone targetted offers.

Please be assured that Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer value the business and loyalty of our members.

Nice to see some feedback VFF, but could I say your throwaway line about valuing business and loyalty is just rubbish. I'd hate to think how many previously loyal pax you've flipped the bird to in recent years. I'd also hate to think how many $$$$ you'll be losing after this latest PR debacle you instigated with classic VA thoughtlessness.......to do what? Chase breadcrumbs? I bought a swag of VA J fares on the sale earlier this year (and still have 4 or 5 left) but now I'm doing something I have never previously done in my life.......actively looking for QF J sales and it will be at your expense.......you see, we can flip the bird as well! :evil:

 

[Marty_]

Tough crowd! What's up with you people? Velocity have just made a huge concession in response to feedback - one that will cost them $ that they clearly need - and all you can do is cry like babies about it.

Why would anybody try to make things right with customers like this.

I, for one, am grateful for the response.

 

[Jack_OC]

Tough crowd! What's up with you people? Velocity have just made a huge concession in response to feedback - one that will cost them $ that they clearly need - and all you can do is cry like babies about it.

The backflip won't cost them $ - in fact it might just limit the losses that were otherwise going to result from this customer relations disaster.