Lapsed VS flyers? Why?

A fair point - but the Olympics ends on the 12 August, and there are no seats AT ALL to SFO in Economy, one day on one flight in PE, and nothing before the 21st in Upper....

A fair point - but the Olympics ends on the 12 August, and there are no seats AT ALL to SFO in Economy, one day on one flight in PE, and nothing before the 21st in Upper....

Don't forget about the paralmpics at the end of August.

Let's face it July and August will be very busy travel months - much busier than in other years - and reward seats will be limited.

Why offer reward seats when you can get full £/$ whack ??

I have just done a dummy booking for G's for LHR/SFO in August and there is UC reward avaiabilty on

LHR - SFO - daily from 21st to 30th

SFO - LHR - ditto except the 25th (Sat)

So you can have quite a long trip if you choose the right dates !

That's interesting, thanks. I'm not seeing any seats except outbound 21st and 25th, return 27th. What IS up with their systems??????

What IS up with their systems??????

As often happens lately Bookflights is totally blank for me - so just a push towards BA.

Edit - just found I can book flights using IE - but not with Chrome !
I've asked the question before - Is someone in VS IT actively working against the company?

As often happens lately Bookflights is totally blank for me - so just a push towards BA.

I generally use Firefox browser and I have had loads of blank pages and website trouble lately. So today, as I had to get some flights booked I resorted to using MS Internet Explorer and that worked fine if a little slow.

Its a poor show that VS IT don't check all their currrent changes on a few differenet browsers... IE, Firefox, Safari and Chrome. I bet they are losing a fair bit of business from the non-committed VS customer base. Sadly they probably don't even know it.

What IS up with their systems??????

As often happens lately Bookflights is totally blank for me - so just a push towards BA.

Edit - just found I can book flights using IE - but not with Chrome !
I've asked the question before - Is someone in VS IT actively working against the company?

The right hand side is what many VS customers will see if they attempt to book - it just suggests they do not want the business. Perhaps I should have said the right hand side is what many ex-customers will have seen over the last week or so!

On the FB page VS are essentially saying it is a problem with the users computers and not with the VS system and adivise clearing cookies

So to me and I'm no IT geek that indicates a problem with the cookies that are generated by the VS site and stored on my computer?

I normally use firefox and get the 1/2 blank screen but when I went to IE it was fine.

But this is not good for VS

On the FB page VS are essentially saying it is a problem with the users computers and not with the VS system and adivise clearing cookies

So to me and I'm no IT geek that indicates a problem with the cookies that are generated by the VS site and stored on my computer?

I normally use firefox and get the 1/2 blank screen but when I went to IE it was fine.

But this is not good for VS

Typical incompetent response - blame it on the users (customers)!
That just gets me even more annoyed! ! ! !

I absolutely agree TB - not at all good for VS.

This is what Greg is posting on FB when people report problems

A few people have only been seeing some of the page recently which our web team are looking into. It might be worth clearing the cache and cookies on your browser and trying again. If the problem persists can you right click on the page and click 'view source'. This should open up another window with a code. Can you copy that into an email for me and send it to [email protected]. Many thanks. Greg

I am right though in that it is the VS site that generates the cookies that are then stored on my laptop/pc so if the cookies are wrong then it's VS that are causing it?

[Darren Wheeler]

No different from any website

HL had an issue, cleared here cookies and all worked.

This is what Greg is posting on FB when people report problems

A few people have only been seeing some of the page recently which our web team are looking into. It might be worth clearing the cache and cookies on your browser and trying again. If the problem persists can you right click on the page and click 'view source'. This should open up another window with a code. Can you copy that into an email for me and send it to [email protected]. Many thanks. Greg

I am right though in that it is the VS site that generates the cookies that are then stored on my laptop/pc so if the cookies are wrong then it's VS that are causing it?

So now VS IT expect us to de-bug their code for them?
As you say they do not even bother to check their work on other browsers.

A blank booking screen is the first indication we have seen recently with airlines as they go out of business.

I suspect that it may be untested Java code rather than cookies but whatever it is VS have been told their website does not work and have done nothing about it.
This is not a new problem - it is a recurrent issue.

BA works for me .... VS does not.

Just seen your comment before I submit, Darren - That simply repeats that the customer is to blame! It is offensive imho.
It is not every website - BA works.

[Darren Wheeler]

Without getting way off topic, if it was the VS end causing the issue, how come it wasn't affecting every user?

Darren - I don't think this is getting off topic.
It is not affecting every customer - and I specifically say customer not "user".

It IS affecting a number of VS customers without affecting their use of the BA website.

Deleting VS cookies (actually the 2nd of the 8 left by VS on my PC with a lifetime of 1 year from my unsuccessful booking attempt 9 days ago) does allow the page to display correctly. But why should I have to clear every cookie off my PC? They are there for a purpose.
Very few customers will know how to search for and selectively delete cookies.


As TB has said - the cookies are placed there by VS. If their code can not cope with their own cookies they THEY are at fault - NOT the customer - when their site does not allow a customer to place a booking.

Not every customer will use IE - and it is suicidal for any major company to ignore those who use other browsers. Clearly they have tested their code with IE and got it working. They have not done so for Chrome or Firefox. What is even worse - after being informed of their error, they have not put it right but just blamed "the user".

This is by no means the first time that there have been problems with VS IT - it is a regularly recurrent issue and an issue that is losing customers.
This is exactly the topic - Why are VS Flyers lapsing?

[Darren Wheeler]

I only had an issue when I tried using Firefox 9 (IMHO, very buggy so I've stopped using it) Chrome, Safari and IE9 worked perfectly with no clearing needed.

Cookies are entirely optional. Browser developers have spent a lot of time and effort recently allowing either private browsing or ways of blocking cookies very quickly.

I'm not saying VS haven't had an issue with cookies but to say say the cookies are casuing every issue is pushing the limit of what cookies do. Yes the website isn't perfect, but then neither is BA, BMI, AA, Singapore, QANTAS, Amazon, BBC and dare I say Facebook.

If people really think that the VS cookies have 'broken' their computer, then they should call VS and tell them to fix it.

As the all the previous post allude, one companies loss is another companies gain and in "VS v BA" it has worked both ways. VS will still get my cash in the foreseeeable future as compared to my experiences with BA, they are head and shoulders above.

I only had an issue when I tried using Firefox 9 (IMHO, very buggy so I've stopped using it) Chrome, Safari and IE9 worked perfectly with no clearing needed.

Cookies are entirely optional. Browser developers have spent a lot of time and effort recently allowing either private browsing or ways of blocking cookies very quickly.

I'm not saying VS haven't had an issue with cookies but to say say the cookies are casuing every issue is pushing the limit of what cookies do. Yes the website isn't perfect, but then neither is BA, BMI, AA, Singapore, QANTAS, Amazon, BBC and dare I say Facebook.

If people really think that the VS cookies have 'broken' their computer, then they should call VS and tell them to fix it.

As the all the previous post allude, one companies loss is another companies gain and in "VS v BA" it has worked both ways. VS will still get my cash in the foreseeeable future as compared to my experiences with BA, they are head and shoulders above.

Cookies are not causing every issue - but VS cookies combined with the VS site code, are preventing on-line booking - I won't drift into telephone time.

I've looked up the Facebook page - I see they are even causing problems with IE. Reported 4th Jan - copy of code sent that day. On 6th Jan the customer still cannot get a fare price - and no reply from VS - then or since.

any news on the virgin atlantic site, is it working yet?????????
January 6 at 3:23pm

It is not the customers' computers that are broken - but the customers will have an opinion as to what is broken. Many customers have told VS that the VS system is broken - both on this website and others.

For me as an Ag FC card holder not being able to access the Clubhouse when flying is a real disappointment. Previously, we have had a BA Silver FC card holder in the household so it became a real incentive to continue racking up the miles and enjoying lounge access privileges with BA or the oneworld partners. Especially on our annual trips to NZ (LHR-SIN-SYD-CHC)....3 excellent lounges with the added bonus of a shower and breakfast in SYD prior to CHC sector.
I am recent convert to VS due to where I work and the flights I now take. I have been "Going for Gold" but alas am just going to fall short in this my first year......it was really my only real chance of making it TBH!!
For me VS should look to make Ag more rewarding......

My suggestion would be.......(caveat that with, new to this forum and VS, so please can you advise if these are terms which have been or where once in place or perhaps under consideration if you are a VS employee).

1. Access to the Clubhouse if available or allow Ag members to purchase lounge access with airmiles.

2. Consider an alternative choice to the Heathrow/Gatwick train upgrades........not much use to the Ag members who are primarily based out of Manchester!!!

Appreciate your thoughts on 1 and 2........

Rgds,

YM

And ... IE now only has 34% of the browser market. Bill, you're absolutely right, it's either bad, or rushedly released code from VS that is causing problems and it does show a lack of testing, and actually a lack of customer focus, and that is really poor.

I am recent convert to VS due to where I work and the flights I now take. I have been "Going for Gold" but alas am just going to fall short in this my first year..

Welcome and interesting points - I think the idea of space available, miles access to Clubhouses (perhaps bookable online, ooops, see above ) is a good idea to differentiate Ag. Lots of people would like Ag to have some further differentiation, yet with the recent qualifying level changes, the only change was slightly more miles earning.

Well, thanks for all the replies. I am truly glad that you have had a better time from Virgin Atlantic than I have had. Well done. But the fact remains that I get a frankly ropey and declining level of service from pretty much all aspects of VS apart from the bar in the Clubhouse in Heathrow.

You can all say how wonderful it is - but that is not my experience. And as per the title of this thread - why I am I a lapsed VS Flyer? I think I answered that. And reading many other fora, I am not alone.

Another bug for me - checking in for UC from Accra to London. I pay several thou. At the check in, they are offering Y to J upgrades for the equivalent of £220. Makes you feel really inclined to pay for Upper next time.....

What your comments tell me is of a different experience - I always get personally welcomed on board, have found SFO redemptions (and upgrades) several times this last year, and so on, but your experiences are yours and you are entitled to them (and thank you for sharing).

On the cheap upgrades issue, I too would find that galling, I do all the time in the US when booking F domestically knowing that just about everyone else around me got a free upgrade - without status (ahh, back to the lack of alliance), it's the only way for me to sit there.

On our recent Japanese sojourn we had utterly superb service on our VS900 to NRT, even if the experience in the LHR CH was a bit ropey (lots of staff chatting to each other yet no-one seemingly serving customers? I thought the cloak of invisibility only existed on Star Trek? ).......
On the return VS901 to LHR the whole experience was mediocre at best (excluding the NRT CH which was brill), certainly not what I'd expect from a trip in the UC cabin ! .
VS need to sort out these patchy service levels, realise that they can't rest on their proverbial laurels and that if they don't up their game pretty soon they will simply lose more loyal customers.
I haven't travelled long-haul with anyone other than VS since 2005,and am beginning to consider why I should show them any more brand loyalty than I already have......... ?|

Northernhenry - I am starting not to trust the VS website - can you actually see ANY UC availability to SFO in August before the 21st? I can't.

We managed to get 2 UC seats using miles to LAX in the middle of the Olympics. We did book in September though. At the time there were literally one or two dates in the summer holidays to SFO.

We last flew VS last year to Chicago. I have to be honest and say I don't feel we've ever had a terrible VS flight.

But for this years holiday we are considering BA.

I've been looking to go back to Antigua and BA with a hotel are coming out at over £300 cheaper. We are frequent virgins so get 10% with VH, but even with them price matching I'm not sold on VH this year.

Having just booked BA for a return trip to BGI in October, the whole booking experience is a real differentiator now.

The BA online booking engine was easy to use, fast, didn't collapse, showed me options for differing cabins, showed me cash, Avios and all upgrade options, showed me dates either side at the clikc of the mouse...

When I updated my API, got an email stating i had...

Miles ahead.

Now come on VS, why not making it easier and more dynamic for your customers to buy your product?

Incidentally, I don't think it's right to compare VS UC with BA CW directly - they are different products really. But the fact is, that BA CW is very competitively priced, and if you like it (as I do), it's a great option.

VS UC wins hands dwn (provided the CC are switched on), as long as it's the "right" price, or you can get miles upgrades etc.

I am looking for two UC seats to SFO - and they can offer me, from May to end August, only five dates - with the returns all less than four days later. That's dismal by any standard.

I think you should look again.

Outbound availability:
May 2/3/4/7/9/10/15/16/18/19/21/23/24/25/28/30/31
Jun 1/6/7/8/13/17/20/21/27
Jul 1/8/10/12

Inbound availability:
May 1/2/7/8/9/13/14/15/16/21/22/23/28/29/30
Jun 4/5/9/11/15/26
Jul 4/6/9/10/11/12/13/15/16/17/19

August is admittedly busy, but I guess that's to be expected.

I am looking for two UC seats to SFO - and they can offer me, from May to end August, only five dates - with the returns all less than four days later. That's dismal by any standard.

I think you should look again.

Outbound availability:
May 2/3/4/7/9/10/15/16/18/19/21/23/24/25/28/30/31
Jun 1/6/7/8/13/17/20/21/27
Jul 1/8/10/12

Inbound availability:
May 1/2/7/8/9/13/14/15/16/21/22/23/28/29/30
Jun 4/5/9/11/15/26
Jul 4/6/9/10/11/12/13/15/16/17/19

August is admittedly busy, but I guess that's to be expected.

Could the sudden release coincide with the extra SFO departures?

Thanks for the updates guys, but I'm still not seeing those. I've cleared my cache, restarted my browser (Safari) and I'm seeing two dates in June, one in July, two in August. The June and July ones are included in AT240's list.

What on earth is happening? Do they have different availability for different grades of Gold???

A fair point - but the Olympics ends on the 12 August, and there are no seats AT ALL to SFO in Economy, one day on one flight in PE, and nothing before the 21st in Upper....

When I was looking for SFO back in late October, there was only 1 seat in august and 2 in july. No return legs.