Virgin booking website down?

You could just call to book?

yes you could but website is better for doing all those qestions like

Wwhat if I moved by date(s) by a day

What if I shifted my dates by a weeek

Arrived in EWR but left from JFK (and vice versa)

Did an open jaw

All the sorts of things that trying to do down the phone is far more complex.

As to where HoneyLamb lives - shhhh state secret !

You could just call to book?

yes you could but website is better for doing all those qestions like

Wwhat if I moved by date(s) by a day

What if I shifted my dates by a weeek

Arrived in EWR but left from JFK (and vice versa)

Did an open jaw

All the sorts of things that trying to do down the phone is far more complex.

As to where HoneyLamb lives - shhhh state secret !

Oh really? I tend to get lots of passengers calling me to find those answers! Each to their own I guess!

I could... but the thought of dialling, going through an automated system, then being put on hold for who knows how long doesnt appeal. Would rather book on a website that makes it simple and involves zero human interaction. Perhaps that is asking too much though.

But if you need to book flights then isn't it better to call if the website isn't working? You can avoid an 0845 number by using Say No to 0870 website.

I could... but the thought of dialling, going through an automated system, then being put on hold for who knows how long doesnt appeal. Would rather book on a website that makes it simple and involves zero human interaction. Perhaps that is asking too much though.

But if you need to book flights then isn't it better to call if the website isn't working? You can avoid an 0845 number by using Say No to 0870 website.

I think with the ever increasing terms and conditions related to mistakes and confusion correcting many people like to be the ones in the driving seat. You can check and double check before pressing that pay button. On the end of a phone it's easy to get he wrong end of the stick, you can't really think about things as clearly on the spot and whilst I am sure the majority of VS call centre staff are well trained, you might get one who had a heavy night before your call ...

I could... but the thought of dialling, going through an automated system, then being put on hold for who knows how long doesnt appeal. Would rather book on a website that makes it simple and involves zero human interaction. Perhaps that is asking too much though.

But if you need to book flights then isn't it better to call if the website isn't working? You can avoid an 0845 number by using Say No to 0870 website.

I think with the ever increasing terms and conditions related to mistakes and confusion correcting many people like to be the ones in the driving seat. You can check and double check before pressing that pay button. On the end of a phone it's easy to get he wrong end of the stick, you can't really think about things as clearly on the spot and whilst I am sure the majority of VS call centre staff are well trained, you might get one who had a heavy night before your call ...

However booking over the telephone allows you a 24 hour cooling-off period, where any changes or cancellations are actually free of charge - over the website, once its booked that is it.

[honey lamb]

You could just call to book?

yes you could but website is better for doing all those qestions like

Wwhat if I moved by date(s) by a day

What if I shifted my dates by a weeek

Arrived in EWR but left from JFK (and vice versa)

Did an open jaw

All the sorts of things that trying to do down the phone is far more complex.

As to where HoneyLamb lives - shhhh state secret !

Oh really? I tend to get lots of passengers calling me to find those answers! Each to their own I guess!

While I appreciate that many passengers might well call to find answers to those questions for me the value of the website is when I'm at the very initial planning stage where I might not even have decided where to go or exactly when. It's then I use the website to explore the kind of questions Tonty was talking about often with different destinations in mind. At that stage it's pointless to call and waste time musing about potential destinations at the same time blocking up one of the booking agents while others may be trying to get through to make actual bookings. That's the kind of situation that has people posting on here about long delays in getting through to someone on VS.

Currently I'm thinking of Asia and an open jaw using SQ. Can I do that on the website at the moment? No I can't! v(

As to where I live - it's Ireland

However booking over the telephone allows you a 24 hour cooling-off period, where any changes or cancellations are actually free of charge - over the website, once its booked that is it.

Is that really true Jay?
Is it not possible to ring (if you really have to!)in the 24hrs after a web-site booking and get a change?

I think that most of us have no problem with the service we get from reservations - but it's the telephone system to get through. Now if you gave a direct line......
Seriously, most regular users will only use the telephone system as a last resort - and some would even just use another carrier! With all due respect, the customers on here tend to have rather more experience in this than most VS employees. Unless you can use status, it can be trying!

Now the website has joined the fracas.....

However booking over the telephone allows you a 24 hour cooling-off period, where any changes or cancellations are actually free of charge - over the website, once its booked that is it.

Is that really true Jay?
Is it not possible to ring (if you really have to!)in the 24hrs after a web-site booking and get a change?

I think that most of us have no problem with the service we get from reservations - but it's the telephone system to get through. Now if you gave a direct line......
Seriously, most regular users will only use the telephone system as a last resort - and some would even just use another carrier! With all due respect, the customers on here tend to have rather more experience in this than most VS employees. Unless you can use status, it can be trying!

Now the website has joined the fracas.....

Yep, as on the website you are told to make sure all details are correct once you hit submit that is unfortunately you committed, except in some extreme circumstances.

I know I'm probably a bit biased as it's what I do for a living, but alot of people do ring through for enquiries - it's what we're there for! We can hold bookings for a day or two, have much better access to what is available and when and give reasons for things that may be unexplainable by just using the website..

As for a direct number... I have an extension which will come through to me..

[mitchja]

I still prefer to book online as by doing that I have all the information in front of me in real time. At the same time as booking my VS flight, I'm usually also booking my domestic flight to/from LON using another browser tab, making sure there's good availability and sensible connection times available to fit with the VS flights.

Yes I know VS can book some these at the same time but its always at a premium and doesn't include over-night stop-overs. Not even sure VS can book connections to/from LGW with only BA being the carrier on the MAN>LGW route can they?

I still prefer to book online as by doing that I have all the information in front of me in real time. At the same time as booking my VS flight, I'm usually also booking my domestic flight to/from LON using another browser tab, making sure there's good availability and sensible connection times available to fit with the VS flights.

Yes I know VS can book some these at the same time but its always at a premium and doesn't include over-night stop-overs. Not even sure VS can book connections to/from LGW with only BA being the carrier on the MAN>LGW route can they?

Yep we sure can - and we can include stopovers for connections too.. And the 'premium' comes from the other airline just providing VS with their full fare ticket rather than lowest available.

There have been issues with the website unfortunately, and I know the web team are constantly working on it - but also, as an above post mentions, I think the website is being completely overhauled soon!

Which fills me with dread. You may well work for VS and have a vested interest in defending it, but this is after all a customer site where our experiences count in terms of developing our relationship with VS. A complete refresh to me = avoid the site like the plague for quite a while!

There have been issues with the website unfortunately, and I know the web team are constantly working on it - but also, as an above post mentions, I think the website is being completely overhauled soon!

Which fills me with dread. You may well work for VS and have a vested interest in defending it, but this is after all a customer site where our experiences count in terms of developing our relationship with VS. A complete refresh to me = avoid the site like the plague for quite a while!

Well it's better than leaving it as it is, surely?

I think that most of us have no problem with the service we get from reservations - but it's the telephone system to get through. Now if you gave a direct line......

You surprise me Bill, I quite enjoy being asked for my advanced passenger information atleast 3 times whilst waiting for 15 mins to be put through to India, from where 1/2 the time conversation ends in in complete confusion

I think that most of us have no problem with the service we get from reservations - but it's the telephone system to get through. Now if you gave a direct line......

You surprise me Bill, I quite enjoy being asked for my advanced passenger information atleast 3 times whilst waiting for 15 mins to be put through to India, from where 1/2 the time conversation ends in in complete confusion

Then you pleased to know that from the end of this month all call centres will be UK based.

My most recent bookings have been using the PE upgrade voucher (AMEX) and FC Miles to upgrade, so I've initially used the website to check out reward availability. I've then followed up with a call to hold/book flights because you can't use the voucher/upgrade with miles online.

I must say that the BA site is currently leagues ahead in terms of searching for rewards online. The other day I was able to look at all Club awards to every available destination in North America in July and August 2011, all on one search, and the results were very easy to navigate to find specific destinations and dates.

You surprise me Bill, I quite enjoy being asked for my advanced passenger information atleast 3 times whilst waiting for 15 mins to be put through to India, from where 1/2 the time conversation ends in in complete confusion

Or calling the Flying Company line to listen to 3 minutes of "If your FC # begins with 4 call this, then that, then this" etc. Or the PAMS line with another string of messages ... I can understand its irritating that people call the wrong numbers, but more so if it's actually the number you want!

I think that most of us have no problem with the service we get from reservations - but it's the telephone system to get through. Now if you gave a direct line......

You surprise me Bill, I quite enjoy being asked for my advanced passenger information atleast 3 times whilst waiting for 15 mins to be put through to India, from where 1/2 the time conversation ends in in complete confusion

I almost never speak to Indian call centres. The phone just goes down. Sorry - I'm too old ... my hearing is not what it used to be ... I'm a grumpy old man perhaps ... but my time is too valuable to do battle over 5,000 miles of phone lines!
If I can't find an alternative, another company gets my business!

For VS, you usually can find a number here to ask if they want your business ):

I wish you could all come through to me!

Jay - slightly off topic but relevant to bookings. Some of our travel recently has taken us to final destinations that aren't on the VS network, for example, Tampa Florida.

It's pretty frustrating when you get through to an agent and their first response is a very flat "we don't fly to Tampa" and I then have to sometimes encourage them to look at other ways to get there such as via NYC or MIA.

Surely this must cost VS quite a bit of business, and a more proactive approach would be far better?

Jay - slightly off topic but relevant to bookings. Some of our travel recently has taken us to final destinations that aren't on the VS network, for example, Tampa Florida.

It's pretty frustrating when you get through to an agent and their first response is a very flat "we don't fly to Tampa" and I then have to sometimes encourage them to look at other ways to get there such as via NYC or MIA.

Surely this must cost VS quite a bit of business, and a more proactive approach would be far better?

I can understand your frustration!

I certainly don't do that - but I have heard it myself in the past. Sometimes it's because other airlines tend to show us their highest available price, but they should still be actively looking for you... It's good now we have a partnership with Virgin America as we both tend to be singing off the same hymn sheet!

[mitchja]

Just to balance this out a bit. BA did have website problems last week (albeit not the booking engine).

Their Exec Club password reset system went down for a couple of days as it took me several phone calls to find out why the BA website was not sending me an email with a password reset link in it.

On the subject of maddening automated customer service lines, look what landed in my email today from HBR!

[mitchja]

Those voice activated systems are the worst which MBNA and Apple now use ! . I hate those more than the menu options!!

I wish you could all come through to me!

Well how about a hint - like the last 4 digits of your direct line

On automated systems - one commonly used system allows the use of a "0" pressed before anything else to take you to a real person. Not mentioned on the menus but worth trying!

There have been issues with the website unfortunately, and I know the web team are constantly working on it - but also, as an above post mentions, I think the website is being completely overhauled soon!

Which fills me with dread. You may well work for VS and have a vested interest in defending it, but this is after all a customer site where our experiences count in terms of developing our relationship with VS. A complete refresh to me = avoid the site like the plague for quite a while!

Well what can I say...what a joke v(
Just try searching a single adult MAN to MCO in April...

No Flights.. :0

looking like BA will be mopping up the mess..