Virgin and Velocity websites - enough is enough

[Solid]

A problem I've always had and not been able to solve is that I can't see how to make a flight booking NOT with points when logged into Velocity. I have clicked every damn button there but all I get is points offers etc. My only way to manage it is to come into the main site without logging in, make the booking and then click the box that says something like "are you a Velocity member?" and the details go in automatically. For this reason I keep two bookmarks of the relevant pages.

Now I can't believe the website can be that bad and it's just me but if it is the case then it is a problem.
Not sure what other problems people have. Seems to work okay except I don't like how the default setting is to select their travel insurance for the flight - of course I always spot it and de-select it but they do have a nerve. I guess it's just business though.

Have you tried logging in, then clicking on the Virgin Australia logo on botto, right of screen? Works for me, takes you back to virgin home page where you can book flights and you will also still be logged in to your velocity account.

 

[pat25d]

To be fair, given Virgin didn't spend $5 million on a new song by an out-dated artist and a poorly filmed ad campaign, they could probably throw some dollars at their web design team.

 

[777]

To be fair, given Virgin didn't spend $5 million on a new song by an out-dated artist and a poorly filmed ad campaign, they could probably throw some dollars at their web design team.

They're actually spending a lot more than that i think.

This is actually one of the areas where Virgin are actively doing something. The issue isn't "web design" it's that their underlying IT systems aren't appropriate for the sort of airline that they want to become so they are spending a lot of money and time migrating to a new reservations system and IT platform. They announced that last year and it's due to be implemented by early next year when i last saw any update on it. Until then, i wouldn't expect any major investments in the current IT platform beyond keeping it ticking over.

The mock outrage in the OP is all well and good but this is actually an area where Virgin's "talk" it's "walk" and it's timetable are all perfectly aligned. They have acknowledged the problem, invested a lot in fixing it and - for the time being at least - there is no sign that they aren't going to meet that timetable. Fair enough if you're frustrated (although i still have no idea about what the actual issue(s) are despite 2 pages of "critique") but it's a bit rich to claim that they aren't aware or are somehow behind a timetable that they've promised.

 

[munitalP]

To be fair, given Virgin didn't spend $5 million on a new song by an out-dated artist and a poorly filmed ad campaign, they could probably throw some dollars at their web design team.

Whats fair about that? This discussion is about VAs poor web design and difficult web site, not Qantas

I think 777 needed to attend the recent Xmas event and listened to what Andrew Mason had to say regarding roll outs (or lack of). Your statement "it isn't their web design..." ... Tripe. That is the complaint, it IS the web design, it's the many clicks, repetitive information entering, the forgetfulness of the website and he general chunkyness that is the problem..

 

[maninblack]

Oh, i thought that was after you said you'd never fly them again. But my memory may not serve me correctly.

Have to pull you up again and express a bit of "mock outrage" at your comments.

A few months ago I expressed some disappointment in the Virgin domestic J product and I said that, for the time being Virgin have lost my business but that I will continue to consider giving them my business as I am not partisan and would like to see a real competitor to Qantas in the Business class sector. This is the total opposite of saying that I would never fly them again.

You have every right disagree with me or any members comments and to be as partisan as you like on a subject but you should not misquote or misrepresent what a member has said.

 

[777]

Whats fair about that? This discussion is about VAs poor web design and difficult web site, not Qantas

I think 777 needed to attend the recent Xmas event and listened to what Andrew Mason had to say regarding roll outs (or lack of). Your statement "it isn't their web design..." ... Tripe. That is the complaint, it IS the web design, it's the many clicks, repetitive information entering, the forgetfulness of the website and he general chunkyness that is the problem..

Hmm. Not sure it really is a design issue so much as underlying systems that don't talk properly to each other. Most of the examples you've given (many clicks, repetitive information entering, the forgetfulness of the website) are likely caused by the cludgey underlying systems. The system that does international bookings for example, or frequent flyer redemptions, or whatever are often different systems. According to all reports they've been built up over time by a series of hacks and fudges and as a net result they don't work well together.

The solution then is to replace them with a single underlying system that can do it all and remember your details all the way through. As i understand it that's one of the key things the migration to sabre will achieve and when that's done many of these issues will be resolved. You can do whatever you like with the design but if, behind the scenes, you are being passed from system to system to system you will inevitably get the kind of "design" symptoms you're talking about.

 

[777]

A few months ago I expressed some disappointment in the Virgin domestic J product and I said that, for the time being Virgin have lost my business but that I will continue to consider giving them my business as I am not partisan and would like to see a real competitor to Qantas in the Business class sector

.

Fair enough. You said Virgin had lost your business not that you wouldn't fly them again. The key point remains, if it is so frustrating for you and clearly makes you upset every time with/ book with/ or otherwise engage with them then no one is making you do it.

 

[markis10]

A few months ago I expressed some disappointment in the Virgin domestic J product and I said that, for the time being Virgin have lost my business but that I will continue to consider giving them my business as I am not partisan and would like to see a real competitor to Qantas in the Business class sector. This is the total opposite of saying that I would never fly them again.

For the record here is what you said, given its an Internet forum context is easily lost:

If you mean flying Virgin. I won't for the time being. Other than a few pre-existing bookings they have lost my business.

But, I will continue to consider giving them my business. I am not partisan and had hoped that they would offer a real alternative Business class product to Qantas but they are not delivering. YMMV

 

[serfty]

Maybe the solution is not to book DJ at all until the problems are fixed if that's the way it's seen.

Personally, although I find it a pain, especially via some of the proxies I need to deal with (https URL are very problematic), I'm not about to "throw the baby out with the bathwater".

 

[Warks]

Have you tried logging in, then clicking on the Virgin Australia logo on botto, right of screen? Works for me, takes you back to virgin home page where you can book flights and you will also still be logged in to your velocity account.

Thanks for the heads-up - I never spotted that before - tried clicking on all the logos up top that did nothing.

The only problem with this is that it opens a new browser tab and I'm not logged in? It shows empty boxes for "log in" and password at the top so for some reason it doesn't stay logged in.

Either way it's anything but convenient or intuitive. I've managed to get by though.
Just re-qualified for Gold too. Not really a requalification as I was only comped last year. It's worked for them though. The main reason is their direct SYD-TSV flights at half the price of the QF flights that take me over half a day with the change in BNE. All they need is a The Lounge in TSV.

 

[Justinf]

I am less than two weeks out from a MEL-PER flight in J and I can't select my seat. All the website does is take me back to my itinerary. I'm not overly fussed as I am 2D on a 2-2-2 configuration, but it would be nice to see how the load is in J and have the option to move if I want. Has anyone else experienced this? Usually the seat selection works just fine for me.

 

[mickeyc747]

Do a dummy J booking you will be able to see the seat map.

 

[munitalP]

Hmm. Not sure it really is a design issue so much as underlying systems that don't talk properly to each other. Most of the examples you've given (many clicks, repetitive information entering, the forgetfulness of the website) are likely caused by the cludgey underlying systems. The system that does international bookings for example, or frequent flyer redemptions, or whatever are often different systems. According to all reports they've been built up over time by a series of hacks and fudges and as a net result they don't work well together.

The solution then is to replace them with a single underlying system that can do it all and remember your details all the way through. As i understand it that's one of the key things the migration to sabre will achieve and when that's done many of these issues will be resolved. You can do whatever you like with the design but if, behind the scenes, you are being passed from system to system to system you will inevitably get the kind of "design" symptoms you're talking about.

I won't argue with that as my iT skills start and finish with our internal 1800 number, in saying that however, as much as you may dislike QF, their website is a dream compared to VA, NZ, CX and SQ IMHO

The lack of ease of use with the VA website actually costs them revenue from my perspective, it certainly costs them revenue from my wallet when I am in a hurry as well...

 

[TonyHancock]

.....as much as you may dislike QF, their website is a dream compared to VA, NZ, CX and SQ IMHO.

....unless you are a P1 trying to use the mileage calculator!

I agree though. I do find the DJ sites clunky. The QF site is not bad at all. At first I just thought I struggled with the DJ site because I was used to the QF one.....but nearly a year later it's not the best.

 

[Justinf]

Do a dummy J booking you will be able to see the seat map.

I would, but my work internet crashes every time I try to a Virgin Australia booking. (not joking)
Crashes every time on every computer. Only for Virgin. Qantas, Jetstar, Tiger etc all fine.

 

[medhead]

I'd suggest the main problem is people used to the qantas website, trying to use it in the same way. After I accepted that it wasn't the qantas website it was easy to use. If you're trying to use it in the same manner as you do qantas of course you'll have problems.


Sent from the Throne

 

[serfty]

.... After I accepted that it wasn't the qantas website it was easy to use. ...

I reckon more the case that once you work out where you need to go to use the DJ/Velocity sites it can be better.

However it's not all obvious, especially with the Virgin Australia site's gigantic pop ups that cover the areas one is actually after (invoked by mouse-overs when simply moving the cursor from the top of the window to the centre).

The JQ site is similarly painful - with it's large pop-ups.

Fortunately these can be overcome with the use of an "element hider", although one does lose some functionality.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[greenfish]

Just look at the history of site problems - many documented on AFF. I've experienced all of the issues below:

- When rebranded, links were broken in every direction. Virgin were pushing ads via google that went to broken links on the site
- seat selection has been erratic
- Couldn't print boarding pass from Google Chrome
- On at least 2 occasions I stopped being able to manage existing bookings. Came good after a few days
- At least 2 different points bugs allowing low cost redemptions after Virgin changed the points + pay mix (costs DJ money)
- The 3 week outage (resolved a week ago) for international bookings on velocity
- Erratic site integration
- Frequent mismatch between advertised specials and the booking engine
- Frequent lengthy advertised outages of the Velocity website

While many of these issues have been resolved, they reflect very poorly on Virgin's IT culture. Clearly testing has not been a high priority in the past. Few of the issues above have anything to do with underlying back-end limitations.

EDIT: Not to mention the non-bug but deep irritation caused by insurance selected by default...

 

[pauly7]

I agree the VA site is clunky but I muddle through it and look forward to it being fixed in line with their BOH IT projects...

Keep on mind that as a LCC their website was very bare bones and as they try and move up market they have been doing bolt ins instead of a thorough revamp. I expect the new site once the BOH system is improved will be a huge improvement.

My only consistent bug bear is that my international bookings linked to my Velocity account never ever appear.... Annoying but not life critical.... DJ can't explain it either.
Seat selection is a bit clunky too.

 

[djchuckles]

A guy I know has just recently joined VA as an eCommerce Transaction Specialist so its likely this is an area for improvement soon