Ask Valerie - Virtual Travel Agent

[Nottingham Nick]

Virgin Holidays have introduced a Virtual Travel Agent to answer questions about holidays - Ask Valerie. It is linked from the VH homepage.

Has anyone used it?

The service is already being panned on The Dibb after apparently giving duff information about the new baggage allowances. [:I]
Don't know how long that thread will last, as people are asking for it to be deleted.

Nick

quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick


Don't know how long that thread will last, as people are asking for it to be deleted.

Nick




[:I] and look at the hastle I've caused [}:)][}:)]

David

[Nottingham Nick]

LOL - I have just had a look at some of the questions that 'Valerie' has already answered.

The questions about pre-selecting seats say that booking seats is easy. Nowhere is it mentioned that that these are only requests and that they are subject to change - this is likely to cause Check-in Agents all sorts of aggro.

The topic about ESTA gives a broken link.

Not a good start, to what initially looks to be a good idea.

Nick

It's bad enough that it's giving out dud info, worse that it's being posted, but whats probably worse is that people aren't reading the whole thread (including a correction a few pages into it) and then passing on the bad info to other sites.

Oh this interweb thingy - doesn't half cause issues [:D]

David

[Nottingham Nick]

True - that is always the case with long threads. Human nature is to cherry pick replies and take in the bits you want to believe.

One poster even claims to have cancelled their holiday on the strength of (maybe duff) information she read in the thread. [:?][V]

Nick

quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick

One poster even claims to have cancelled their holiday on the strength of (maybe duff) information she read in the thread. [:?][V]

Nick


Noticed that. Thats a worry .... [:w]

David

[Bazz]

Just goes to show you should always check things out first hand. Do not rely on stuff you read on the Interweb until it is officially collaborated! Silly people!

quote:Originally posted by David
quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick

One poster even claims to have cancelled their holiday on the strength of (maybe duff) information she read in the thread. [:?][V]

Nick


Noticed that. Thats a worry .... [:w]

David


The emphasis ahould be on CLAIMS to have cancelled.

Did the person actually cancel the holiday? did thy get the money back? I am sure that when they contacted VH they would have asked the reasons and attempted to give the correct info.

Or did they merely decide to book they holiday with another agent / operater - not the same as cancelling it at all !

It does seem very stupid that the 'incorrect' information on new baggage allowances is still there.
quote:
Allowances will be as follows:

Flying to USA, Caribbean, Kenya, Nigeria:

Economy 1 x 23 kg
Premium Economy 2 x 23kg
Upper Class 3 x 23kg

Surely VH have some means to contact Valerie!
Or at the very least issue a correction on their own site!

Or is this actually a try-on to see what the reaction would be if they followed BA?

[mitchja]

VH baggage info is, has and probably always will be wrong [V]

Even the baggage info they provide with e-tickets is wrong. I don't think I've ever had a ticket from VH with the correct baggage info on it!!!

If they can't even get VS info correct what chance is there of getting other airlines info correct?

Regards

i used to have a girlfreind called valerie [:?](don't ask why?) she was rubbish too. [n]

quote:Originally posted by chumba
i used to have a girlfreind called valerie [:?](don't ask why?) she was rubbish too. [n]


[:D]

David

Sounding less like Valerie, more like Mrs Mills (Sunday Times Agony Aunt-of sorts...) [:)]

[buns]

I take it the self same Valerie has been offering advice recently to the England Cricket Team[:w][:w]

buns

Poor Valerie, I could has given VH a long list of men's names who were seriously 'rubbish' if they had taken the trouble to consult me![:w]

[Scrooge]

I will have to look at TheDibb later, maybe have some fun with it.

My question is, I can understand why the Virgin companies do this, but why do they insist on always having some lunatic who knows nothing, post incorrect info and generally makes them look bad ?

This wrong info. is not sourced on TheDibb - its a Virgin Holidays site.
Still not corrected!
(I will upload a screen copy of the error to Gallery, if allowed)

edited to link to that screen copy.
A week gone by and the Virgin advice on their baggage allowances to the USA is still different on their different websites.

It's been updated...

This is what I get in a reply to baggage allowance:

What is my luggage allowance?

If you are flying with Virgin Atlantic then your allowance is 2 pieces per person, maximum 23kg per piece for all Transatlantic routes, Caribbean, Nigeria and Kenya in Economy, 32kg in Upper Class (that's a maximum of 23kgs per bag and not 46kgs!). - I think this sentence could be confusing
All other routes x1 piece at 23kg in Economy, 30kg in Upper Class.
Please note: These allowances will be changing from 23 September 2009 - click below to find out more.

It is still the same!

The incorrect value is in the following page: see the final sentence of your post.
This seems inexcusable if they are unable to correct the error.
Or is it possible that this is not an error but they are actually intending to reduce down to 1 bag in the near future?

quote:Hi, bill.

I'm Valerie, the virtual assistant for Virgin Holidays.

I'm here to take you through the vivid and varied world of Virgin Holidays and if you've got any questions, I'll try my best to answer them.

I'm new, so if I don't have all the answers, contact my colleagues in the office and they will update me.

You wrote:

What is my luggage allowance


smartAgent said:

What is my luggage allowance?

If you are flying with Virgin Atlantic then your allowance is 2 pieces per person, maximum 23kg per piece for all Transatlantic routes, Caribbean, Nigeria and Kenya in Economy, 32kg in Upper Class (that's a maximum of 23kgs per bag and not 46kgs!).

All other routes x1 piece at 23kg in Economy, 30kg in Upper Class.

Please note: These allowances will be changing from 23 September 2009 - click below to find out more.

If you are flying with another airline, please contact them directly.

You selected:

Luggage allowances after 23/9/09


smartAgent said:

Luggage Allowances from 23 September 2009

From 23 September 2009 Virgin Atlantic's checked in baggage policy will change.

From this date, each piece of luggage you are entitled to take can weigh up to 23 kilograms within your free allowance, across all cabins. Bags exceeding 23kg will incur additional charges up to a maximum weight of 32kg.

Allowances will be as follows:

Flying to USA, Caribbean, Kenya, Nigeria:

Economy 1 x 23 kg
Premium Economy 2 x 23kg
Upper Class 3 x 23kg

All other International destinations

Economy: 1 x 23 kg
Premium Economy 2 x 23kg
Upper Class 3 x 23kg

[Decker]

Can't think why this slipped my mind at the time... the web designers obviously have a good sense of humour - albeit at VH's expense... NSFW the somewhat more famous virtual Valerie

quote:Originally posted by Decker
Can't think why this slipped my mind at the time... the web designers obviously have a good sense of humour - albeit at VH's expense... NSFW the somewhat more famous virtual Valerie

You could post that link on Virgin Facebook - how long would it last?

[Decker]

Well I would but it's not a VH Facebook is it really?