Velocity/Virgin websites are RUBBISH

[lobo76]

Am I missing something?

[h=3]Upgrade to Platinum Show detail[/h]

Status Credit balance[SUP]3[/SUP]
Eligible sectors flown[SUP]2[/SUP]
Status Credit balance required to upgrade to Platinum
Eligible sectors required to upgrade to Platinum[SUP]2[/SUP]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"]440[/TD]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"] 14

[/TD]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"] 1,000

[/TD]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"] 8 [/TD]

Why do I need 8 more sectors?

 

[Fruitcake]

Am I missing something?

No, but you are adding something. It doesn't say you need 8 more. It says you need 8, but you have flown 14.

 

[maninblack]

Sorry but have to laugh. Some of us on here were saying this a year ago and six months ago and certain members came after us with internet machete's so I just shut up. Virgins website(s) have only gotten worse. It is an unmitigated disaster. How can an experienced company, in operation for 13 years just get things so badly wrong? It beggars belief.

 

[totd]

Sorry but have to laugh. Some of us on here were saying this a year ago and six months ago and certain members came after us with internet machete's so I just shut up. Virgins website(s) have only gotten worse. It is an unmitigated disaster. How can an experienced company, in operation for 13 years just get things so badly wrong? It beggars belief.

They started out as a LCC with a website to match. As they started repositioning within the market, they neglected to bring the website with them. From a business point of view sales have been growing so they're probably just applying the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" logic. If the plebs keep booking tickets and everything works well enough, why should they (Virgin) do anything about it? Admittedly it has gotten a *lot* worse since Sabre, but, to VA, that is probably the aberration, not the last however many years. Once all the pieces are put back together, we'll probably end up with a site that's about as functional as it was pre-Sabre... not necessarily something that works well.

 

[lobo76]

No, but you are adding something. It doesn't say you need 8 more. It says you need 8, but you have flown 14.

Ah ok, I could have sworn that number was higher before my last set of flights. It's a little inconsistent to have a countdown timer on the 'retain gold' table and a static info figure on the 'attain plat' table, that's what confused me.

 

[medhead]

Sorry but have to laugh. Some of us on here were saying this a year ago and six months ago and certain members came after us with internet machete's so I just shut up. Virgins website(s) have only gotten worse. It is an unmitigated disaster. How can an experienced company, in operation for 13 years just get things so badly wrong? It beggars belief.

Back then issues were raised that had work arounds. eg It was possible to login only once depending on how and where you logged in. Post the sabre introduction even those work arounds have broken.

 

[notzac]

I'd argue that as a LCC, the website is even more important (seeing as being accessible to the various GDS'en isn't typically part of the LCC experience).

Either way, as they stand the websites are a disaster.

 

[robert65]

I agree the VA website is not the easiest in the world to navigate and comprehend - but things could be worse. Try Virgin Money - I'm sure this one is sponsored by the Australian Hairdressing Association, because it sure will have you pulling your hair out! And of course you could always call the Virgin or Velocity call centre and get redirected to Malaysia where you will receive very little assistance from the staff, although they are very pleasant and polite to you!

 

[totd]

I'd argue that as a LCC, the website is even more important (seeing as being accessible to the various GDS'en isn't typically part of the LCC experience).

Either way, as they stand the websites are a disaster.

Valid point, although I wasn't saying that the website is unimportant for an LCC. What I was getting at was the original website was designed to be as low-cost as the rest of the service and they've just continued on under the premise that the plebs keep throwing money at them in spite of the website... so, taking a long-term view, there is no financial indication that the website is a problem.

Ah ok, I could have sworn that number was higher before my last set of flights. It's a little inconsistent to have a countdown timer on the 'retain gold' table and a static info figure on the 'attain plat' table, that's what confused me.

I'm pretty sure they just give you a static "You need X points to reach the next level" across the board now. I'm still on nuffin' red and all I get is that I need 250 (BTW: I'm almost there, and should hit SG by the end of April... not that I'm counting)

 

[Pilbaracommuter]

Have tried several times today to check my seat number on a flight booked next week. Trying with both booking ref and FF#, couldn't find it. In contrast QF has worked faultlessly over last few weeks

What really gets me is that you often need to log in multiple times as you navigate the site. Only ever happens with QF after a time out.

URGENTLY NEEDS ATTENTION VIRGIN

After several attempts to find my allocated seat, gave up. But on line check in evening before worked at first attempt and had 2F pre-allocated. Perhaps someone in cyberspace was monitoring my failed attempts!

 

[MarkD]

Admittedly it has gotten a *lot* worse since Sabre, but, to VA, that is probably the aberration, not the last however many years. Once all the pieces are put back together, we'll probably end up with a site that's about as functional as it was pre-Sabre... not necessarily something that works well.

What a waste of money, and terrible loss of goodwill, to achieve nothing, but to get a worse system than they had drrrrrrrrrr Virgin drrrrrrr
How do people actually get excited about this cough, I just tried to book some flights for next week, and I got sick and tired of entering my details etc, then finally got to booking page, and my details were required to be filled in again, including NAME FF Number, PHONE ETC, at this point, I closed the VA Tab, and opened a new QF Tab and booked, I dont even know what the price differnce was, I assume it was less than the cost of a new laptop, so I am in front, because if I satyed on the VA site and continued the pain, the laptop would have more than likely flown out the window..... Frustration plus

 

[eastwest101]

What a waste of money, and terrible loss of goodwill, to achieve nothing, but to get a worse system than they had drrrrrrrrrr Virgin drrrrrrr
How do people actually get excited about this cough, I just tried to book some flights for next week, and I got sick and tired of entering my details etc, then finally got to booking page, and my details were required to be filled in again, including NAME FF Number, PHONE ETC, at this point, I closed the VA Tab, and opened a new QF Tab and booked, I dont even know what the price differnce was, I assume it was less than the cost of a new laptop, so I am in front, because if I satyed on the VA site and continued the pain, the laptop would have more than likely flown out the window..... Frustration plus

Consider yourself vented my good man... - I know the feeling myself.

 

[Warks]

And what is it with the login screen when you open Velocity where it has two login panels? I try and click both simultaneously but just can't do it in time!

 

[Warks]

Also I've tried searching for award flights for Dec-Jan SYD-ZQN and no matter what dates I choose it shows them as "sold out" which is a load of cobblers.

I also enjoy the fact that I logged in when I started but as soon as I choose a destination and some dates it shouts:

Velocity membership login required
To continue with your booking, please enter your Velocity Membership number on the right hand panel before selecting your flights below.

I'm working on requalifying for QF SG now more than trying to requalify for VA SG that's for sure.

 

[SYDMIA69]

the old site was not the best but the new one is a hot mess!

 

[doctork]

I agree that it's not as seamless as QF (let alone as seamless as it should be). Just because your loyalty program is a different entity from your operations doesn't mean you can't integrate the experience.

Also annoying (and mentioned in this thread: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ocity/flying-bne-msp-minneapolis-y-48503.html) is the inability to book certain US destination codeshares despite the timetable and interactive map showing multiple flights. I've been trying to book SYD-IND via LAX and the VA website just can't handle it: J, W or just plain Y. At the moment, I refuse to pay QF's rates (which are still more expensive even with the big sale on now), but if I want to do it online, the easiest way is just use the Delta site (less points, but a whole lot less hassle).

 

[notzac]

Can you book via Expedia or Travelocity or similar?

 

[doctork]

Can you book via Expedia or Travelocity or similar?

Thanks. You're right. zuji/travelocity can do it.
So why can't VA's website. They both look at the same inventory, regardless of the GDS, don't they?

 

[notzac]

Thanks. You're right. zuji/travelocity can do it.
So why can't VA's website. They both look at the same inventory, regardless of the GDS, don't they?

..because the VA website is useless?

 

[Jurahn]

The VA website is doing my head in. Looking for return J flights PER-LAX for Nov/Dec - am flexible with dates, so the flight calendar comes up. Hmmm, that's a cheaper day to fly, select that date instead. Nope, won't let me change dates on that page (won't let me even continue on without changing dates), have to refresh the Flight Calendar page first, THEN it will let me select different dates. However the fares shown on the Flight Calendar page bear little relation to what's actually available on the following "Select Flights" page, most are showing at least several hundred dollars more expensive than those listed on the previous page. Then when using the date tabs on the Select Flight page to check fares on preceding and following days to see if any cheaper fares will come up, it either (a) won't let you select other dates at all and just keeps "jumping" to the top of the page or (b) will let you select other dates, but then suddenly the prices rise considerably on either the outbound or inbound flight (the date that you HAVEN'T changed), in a couple of cases up to $800 more!!! However by closing down the page and deleting the cookies, then going back in, the original prices come back up for selection.

Using the Flight Calendar to compare prices for flexible dates seems to be a waste of time on the VA website - however for two particular dates I selected, I CAN book at the prices shown on the Flight Calendar page, but not on the VA website - the exact same flights on Zuji are $600 less and on Best Flights are $300 less than I can select on the VA website. So WTF is the point in even trying to book directly through VA??? (ETA: Have just tried going via the Velocity site and the same thing happens).