Lapsed VS flyers? Why?

Forget the internet and call UC?

I just can't be bothered anymore. I don't see why I have to play with my browser to get the site to work, or sit in call centre queues, or deal with off hand staff. I'm a customer, and one who has spent many many many tens of thousands of pounds with this company over the last three years (company travel as well as personal).

Fair play to all those of you who can see availability and can make bookings, although you'll appreciate that your victories and tales of 'well they are wonderful to ME!' doesn't make me feel any more warm towards Virgin.

I'm off to book paid BA CW tickets. Which takes me neatly back to the title of, and many posts in, this thread. Interestingly BA are wide open on Avios seats for the same months. Funny that, perhaps they didnt notice the Olympics.... Just wish I could convert my FC miles and status into BA ones.

Thanks for all your help, but Avios - whoops, adios.

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

I am only a red and got the good availability at the end of august I posted above.

Don't forget that lots of people are looking for reward seats and book when they see something they like.

Of course BA has more rewards available it is a much bigger airline than VS.

I do agree though that there is something wrong with the VS website at the moment yet to them it works properly and all down to us users that its broken.

Interestingly BA are wide open on Avios seats for the same months.

Seriously? I just looked and BA had no reward availability outbound for 2 adults in CW between 25 April and 31 August! The only inbound availability between May and August was on 15 May.

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.

Interesting opinion. Could you elaborate?
As I see it they should be compared, both business class products on 2 rival airlines, and often identical price.

Hi Hamster, my view goes something like this.

Yes, they are both "classified" as business class.

My personal opinion, however, is that VS try to make it a "business class plus", trying to cover both business class and first in one hit, so to speak, by adding such elements as CDC, more "private" suites on-board etc.

BA do have first, and therefore the CW product is not so "supercharged" and is aiming at a very slightly different audience.

As for identical price - really? That is not my recent experience...I'm not saying that they don't have similar prices occasionally, but I'm becoming increasingly aware that CW is generally more affordable for me than VS UC, based on my recent, albeit limited, future flight searches.

All just my opinion, of course!

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.

Have to agree with you re the BA site. It doesn't seem to make any difference what time of day I'm surfing the VS site, it's always slow and clunky, the BA site seems to always be speedy. But I can't help but wonder just why this is? Presumably, both companies have access to similar experts and software/systems, so it flummoxes me as to why so much difference. ?|

[honey lamb]

Have to agree with you re the BA site. It doesn't seem to make any difference what time of day I'm surfing the VS site, it's always slow and clunky, the BA site seems to always be speedy. But I can't help but wonder just why this is? Presumably, both companies have access to similar experts and software/systems, so it flummoxes me as to why so much difference. ?|

Not necessarily. Many of the airlines use systems like Amadeus which are industry-wide but I understand that the VS site is more or less independent which really doesn't help

[Scrooge]

My thoughts as someone who pays for their own flights.

In years gone by VS was ahead of the pack, the fact that at times they were a little less money was a bonus, even when they priced out exactly the same they would still get my $$$

As time went on more cuts were put into place and prices went up.

At one point I switched to Maxjet which I absolutely loved, sad to see them go.

After they folded it was back to VS, the biggest thing for me was the decline in the food and the amenity kit, sounds silly I know, but if i'm going to fly for 11 hours and pay top dollar for it, the food better be good and I shouldn't have to hunt down a pen if I need one.

Next would be the fuel surcharge, I can agree that at times it is needed for a limited time to deal with market volatility, however, at this point it has been in place for how many years ?

When doing a simple reward flight comparison, VS was over $800 more than NZ on the same route, i'm sorry but combining the fuel surcharge with the UK APD I have had to look at other choices where I want to earn my miles.

Have to agree with you re the BA site. It doesn't seem to make any difference what time of day I'm surfing the VS site, it's always slow and clunky, the BA site seems to always be speedy. But I can't help but wonder just why this is? Presumably, both companies have access to similar experts and software/systems, so it flummoxes me as to why so much difference. ?|

Not necessarily. Many of the airlines use systems like Amadeus which are industry-wide but I understand that the VS site is more or less independent which really doesn't help

Ah, you may well be right HL - but you would think VS would be aware that their site being so temperamental would be an irritant to customers. I suspect they are. In today's climate, it doesn't take much for people to switch, surely the aim is to hang on to old customers and attract new?

Oh heck, what do I know. No doubt that's why I don't run an airline

[Darren Wheeler]

Ah, you may well be right HL - but you would think VS would be aware that their site being so temperamental would be an irritant to customers. I suspect they are. In today's climate, it doesn't take much for people to switch, surely the aim is to hang on to old customers and attract new?

Oh heck, what do I know. No doubt that's why I don't run an airline

They do. Hence the new website being developed and rolled out

Ah, you may well be right HL - but you would think VS would be aware that their site being so temperamental would be an irritant to customers. I suspect they are. In today's climate, it doesn't take much for people to switch, surely the aim is to hang on to old customers and attract new?

Oh heck, what do I know. No doubt that's why I don't run an airline

They do. Hence the new website being developed and rolled out

Accepted - but we don't seem clear on a timeframe for the new booking engine (I asked earlier in the thread, and no-one bit).

Also, if I were "frolling out" a new website, I'd prioritise it's features, and would surely put the booking engine very high on that list?

[Darren Wheeler]

But equally, the booking engine is the most important and complicated part so surely it's best it's developed properly and not rushed out?

But equally, the booking engine is the most important and complicated part so surely it's best it's developed properly and not rushed out?

Agree - but in my opinion, VS should have planned and completed the upgrade much earlier. Someone in VS HQ must have recognised the website was lagging.

I can't wait for the new system to be implemented. The time lag when getting pricing and accessing MMB is painful at times! v(

[Scrooge]

The VS website is actually a group of very different systems trying to work together, at some point VS will break down and actually put in place a single sourced site.

At one point I switched to Maxjet which I absolutely loved, sad to see them go

To Scrooge, I couldn't agree with you more. We flew with them out of Stansted to New York twice and then to Las Vegas - wonderful setup and brilliant service, like you so sad to see them go under.
I've been on many many Virgin Atlantic flights over the past 20+years and I've yet to experience that Maxjet service Hev

I too was AU for several years and even after moving to Spain I would aways route through Uk to fly long haul with Virgin. However now only silver as due to the continuous decline of the UC product and overall standard in service ( continually missing onward connections due to VS being late) I now look to alternative airlines. Sad to see it but no surprise that Virgin lost its Four star rating

In the same place. Au for years, routed all the travel I could with them, even to the extent of going via somewhere else so that I could use VS. In the last few months, these guys have called me a liar (I wasn't, and eventually got an apology); I had the 'whatever' incident; I've had my emails ignored; via Facebook, my questions have been ignored, and Howard has implied that since all his experiences have been great I must be a liar (here we go again); I've found my miles next to impossible to spend; and on board, the last seat I had had an electrical fault, which meant it rose and fell all night.

Enough. I have one miles flight booked in UC, and a remaining 250k miles, which I intend to spend in a way which is as expensive to Virgin as possible.

It stuns me that the business seems to fawn over people who fly once or perhaps twice a year with them, and dismisses the more frequent fliers. Case in point, last week I had a VERY minor ticketing problem with Emirates (I'm Au with them as well). The problem was sorted really quickly, it was a very simple problem where an agent had misheard me, these things happen, and two days later a manager rang to make sure it was all resolved and I was happy.

I've recently told VS that I am sending my Au card back to them, for their disposal, and - SILENCE. They really don't care any more.

Sarastro - I get the feeling that you are seeking a little reciprocal loyalty/attention, that you may once have received from VS, but it isn't there anymore for any but the UNIqs etc.

Maybe it's that they've grown - who knows. But don't go beating yourself up waiting for any kind of loyalty back from VS, because you'll be disappointed - IMHO, of course.

Thanks C-RIP. I suppose partly I am, but more than that, I just want them to be polite again. That would be a start. I just don't feel they want me as a customer, I feel taken for granted by them, and I won't spend money with an organisation like that.

As I say, I have one more flight booked with them, and they are going to have to be as good as they used to be if they want any more money off me....

The position VS is in at the moment may have a lot to do with this.

The company made a significant loss last year, and is due to the do the same again this year and for a few years to come.

Staff are worked hard, but recruitment has been frozen, and a lack of resources can sometimes mean peoples experiences don't go too smoothly. When things go wrong I know a lot of members of staff are horrified, but don't have the power to be able to do much about it apart from sit there and listen.

It's unfortunate, but the 'lower end' of the spectrum at VS feel the same way lots of people here do. Obviously cuts need to be made here and there, to survive and to return to profit, but the last thing to cut back on is the customer experience.

A lack of investment probably has a lot to do with the fact VS are no longer seen as leading the pack.. and this is something that needs to return with the new CEO and Delta on-board.

It's definitely a rough patch, but BA had one of those, and they seem to be on the up now. Fresh blood on the board of directors can only be a good thing.

Hey Sarastro - just remember, it's not personal!

StillRedHot - that's a great post - I just wonder whether the bad patch is transient enough that VS doesn't loose too many FFs. (I don't really count myself in this, around 3 return trips a year from a family of 3 doesn't register, but 100s of such customers might).

Ok, so I've swithced airline for now, but do not rule out a return if things pick up again.

I might take a VS flight anyway, just to keep my hand in, so to speak.

A lack of investment probably has a lot to do with the fact VS are no longer seen as leading the pack.. and this is something that needs to return with the new CEO and Delta .

To be fair though, the LGW fleet refurbishment must have cost a few bob, and then there are the new 330's entering service, so investment has been happening (granted that some of it may have been a mis-step).

A lack of investment probably has a lot to do with the fact VS are no longer seen as leading the pack.. and this is something that needs to return with the new CEO and Delta .

To be fair though, the LGW fleet refurbishment must have cost a few bob, and then there are the new 330's entering service, so investment has been happening (granted that some of it may have been a mis-step).

Only since 2010/11.. The fruits of which we are just seeing now. There was nothing before then which allowed the rest of the pack to catch-up (and over-take), whilst VS plodded on with the shocking LGW fleet and other out-of-date systems. They could have had long haul wi-fi on-board years ago, but decided not to at that time due to the costs involved.

A lack of investment probably has a lot to do with the fact VS are no longer seen as leading the pack.. and this is something that needs to return with the new CEO and Delta .

To be fair though, the LGW fleet refurbishment must have cost a few bob, and then there are the new 330's entering service, so investment has been happening (granted that some of it may have been a mis-step).

Only since 2010/11.. The fruits of which we are just seeing now. There was nothing before then which allowed the rest of the pack to catch-up (and over-take), whilst VS plodded on with the shocking LGW fleet and other out-of-date systems. They could have had long haul wi-fi on-board years ago, but decided not to at that time due to the costs involved.

... and this is why there are so many people out there (and on V-Flyer) who look at the VS advertising with such cynicism, because VS really hasn't been "flying in the face of ordinary" for some time as you say.