Flying Club redemption on Virgin America
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,203
Flying Club redemption on Virgin America
This was posted on Virgin America forum but given that it is redemption from Flying Club, it may be more appropriate here and deleted from there.
Like to share recent experience of a loyal VS Gold for VX redemptions:
1) Call VS Gold line, who says that they do not have current availibility of VX , only indications, please call VX
2) VX asks to talk to VS
3) VS reiterates original story but given its frustrations with VX, simply gives booking codes to give to VX and if VX says availibility exists then call back VS (they are unable to do that part themselves)
4) VX states that no Main cabin seats are available for ANY california - NYC trips in entire next 90 days period (not a single one - hung up and reverified with different agent) but First Class is available on certain days (however, cautions that VS may not be able to see them) in K booking class (which is used for Flying Club redemptions in VX first Class)
5) VS can not "see" the availibility given by VX but is willing to send a message with strict instructions that customer should be calling back only after 24 hours and not before that.
6) 24 hours later VS confirms that seats are indeed available but VX has put 4 hour condition on it and hence the process needs to be restarted. (and this time they would initiate request only for those seats that they "see" even when they were proven wrong just a day ago)
7. Another 24 hours and VS deadpans that VX can not confirm availibility (sorry for giving wrong information but willing to try another 24 hour attempt. Supervisor insists that in spite of them being sister companies, communication has to take 24 hours)
8. Used conf call feature to get both on the lines together to find a flight that they both agree is available for flying club redemption on VX, However, process still requires 24 hour turn around.
9. Next day, VS comes back stating that seats were no longer available and no redemptions are available in any class on any CA (SFO/SJC/SAN/LAX) to NYC (EWR/JFK) for entire next 30 day period.
Customer gives up and instructs COO to blacklist VA and divert business (about 120,000 USD in UC tickets in FY 2012-2013) to any other airline with comparative pricing.
is this one off or flying club redemptions on VX are indeed a difficult manual process involving 24 hour turn around?
Like to share recent experience of a loyal VS Gold for VX redemptions:
1) Call VS Gold line, who says that they do not have current availibility of VX , only indications, please call VX
2) VX asks to talk to VS
3) VS reiterates original story but given its frustrations with VX, simply gives booking codes to give to VX and if VX says availibility exists then call back VS (they are unable to do that part themselves)
4) VX states that no Main cabin seats are available for ANY california - NYC trips in entire next 90 days period (not a single one - hung up and reverified with different agent) but First Class is available on certain days (however, cautions that VS may not be able to see them) in K booking class (which is used for Flying Club redemptions in VX first Class)
5) VS can not "see" the availibility given by VX but is willing to send a message with strict instructions that customer should be calling back only after 24 hours and not before that.
6) 24 hours later VS confirms that seats are indeed available but VX has put 4 hour condition on it and hence the process needs to be restarted. (and this time they would initiate request only for those seats that they "see" even when they were proven wrong just a day ago)
7. Another 24 hours and VS deadpans that VX can not confirm availibility (sorry for giving wrong information but willing to try another 24 hour attempt. Supervisor insists that in spite of them being sister companies, communication has to take 24 hours)
8. Used conf call feature to get both on the lines together to find a flight that they both agree is available for flying club redemption on VX, However, process still requires 24 hour turn around.
9. Next day, VS comes back stating that seats were no longer available and no redemptions are available in any class on any CA (SFO/SJC/SAN/LAX) to NYC (EWR/JFK) for entire next 30 day period.
Customer gives up and instructs COO to blacklist VA and divert business (about 120,000 USD in UC tickets in FY 2012-2013) to any other airline with comparative pricing.
is this one off or flying club redemptions on VX are indeed a difficult manual process involving 24 hour turn around?
#2
Moderator, Virgin Atlantic
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: www.V-Flyer.com
Programs: VS Red, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium - earned out of our own pocket!.
Posts: 2,375
You have my sympathy, but I cannot say I am surprised by the way you have been treated.
From my own experience, and from what I have read here and other boards -It would appear that the vast majority of redemptions on partner airlines are either very difficult, or worse.
IMHO, it is extremely poor that in the 21st century bookings can't be done in seconds with a few clicks on a computer keyboard, especially when 'partner airlines' are supposed to be part of a growing global brand, and share first name.
Having said that, my recent experience of trying to book VS rewards using VS miles on VS metal online resulted in having to abandon my computer in frustration with endless error message and resort to phone calls.
It didn't get much better booking revenue flights on line either - that resulted in more error messages and going back to the phone.
It does make me wonder how much revenue VS misses out on due to its creaking IT infrastructure?
Nick
From my own experience, and from what I have read here and other boards -It would appear that the vast majority of redemptions on partner airlines are either very difficult, or worse.
IMHO, it is extremely poor that in the 21st century bookings can't be done in seconds with a few clicks on a computer keyboard, especially when 'partner airlines' are supposed to be part of a growing global brand, and share first name.
Having said that, my recent experience of trying to book VS rewards using VS miles on VS metal online resulted in having to abandon my computer in frustration with endless error message and resort to phone calls.
It didn't get much better booking revenue flights on line either - that resulted in more error messages and going back to the phone.
It does make me wonder how much revenue VS misses out on due to its creaking IT infrastructure?
Nick
#5
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: TLV now - formerly LAS
Programs: King of Rental Cars, BA Gold, Virgin Gold, AA MM Gold, A3 Gold, SK Gold, Hotel SuperElite
Posts: 7,348
#6
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Bronze, Hilton Diamond, Virgin Flying Club Red
Posts: 1,257
This was posted on Virgin America forum but given that it is redemption from Flying Club, it may be more appropriate here and deleted from there.
Like to share recent experience of a loyal VS Gold for VX redemptions:
1) Call VS Gold line, who says that they do not have current availibility of VX , only indications, please call VX
2) VX asks to talk to VS
3) VS reiterates original story but given its frustrations with VX, simply gives booking codes to give to VX and if VX says availibility exists then call back VS (they are unable to do that part themselves)
4) VX states that no Main cabin seats are available for ANY california - NYC trips in entire next 90 days period (not a single one - hung up and reverified with different agent) but First Class is available on certain days (however, cautions that VS may not be able to see them) in K booking class (which is used for Flying Club redemptions in VX first Class)
5) VS can not "see" the availibility given by VX but is willing to send a message with strict instructions that customer should be calling back only after 24 hours and not before that.
6) 24 hours later VS confirms that seats are indeed available but VX has put 4 hour condition on it and hence the process needs to be restarted. (and this time they would initiate request only for those seats that they "see" even when they were proven wrong just a day ago)
7. Another 24 hours and VS deadpans that VX can not confirm availibility (sorry for giving wrong information but willing to try another 24 hour attempt. Supervisor insists that in spite of them being sister companies, communication has to take 24 hours)
8. Used conf call feature to get both on the lines together to find a flight that they both agree is available for flying club redemption on VX, However, process still requires 24 hour turn around.
9. Next day, VS comes back stating that seats were no longer available and no redemptions are available in any class on any CA (SFO/SJC/SAN/LAX) to NYC (EWR/JFK) for entire next 30 day period.
Customer gives up and instructs COO to blacklist VA and divert business (about 120,000 USD in UC tickets in FY 2012-2013) to any other airline with comparative pricing.
is this one off or flying club redemptions on VX are indeed a difficult manual process involving 24 hour turn around?
Like to share recent experience of a loyal VS Gold for VX redemptions:
1) Call VS Gold line, who says that they do not have current availibility of VX , only indications, please call VX
2) VX asks to talk to VS
3) VS reiterates original story but given its frustrations with VX, simply gives booking codes to give to VX and if VX says availibility exists then call back VS (they are unable to do that part themselves)
4) VX states that no Main cabin seats are available for ANY california - NYC trips in entire next 90 days period (not a single one - hung up and reverified with different agent) but First Class is available on certain days (however, cautions that VS may not be able to see them) in K booking class (which is used for Flying Club redemptions in VX first Class)
5) VS can not "see" the availibility given by VX but is willing to send a message with strict instructions that customer should be calling back only after 24 hours and not before that.
6) 24 hours later VS confirms that seats are indeed available but VX has put 4 hour condition on it and hence the process needs to be restarted. (and this time they would initiate request only for those seats that they "see" even when they were proven wrong just a day ago)
7. Another 24 hours and VS deadpans that VX can not confirm availibility (sorry for giving wrong information but willing to try another 24 hour attempt. Supervisor insists that in spite of them being sister companies, communication has to take 24 hours)
8. Used conf call feature to get both on the lines together to find a flight that they both agree is available for flying club redemption on VX, However, process still requires 24 hour turn around.
9. Next day, VS comes back stating that seats were no longer available and no redemptions are available in any class on any CA (SFO/SJC/SAN/LAX) to NYC (EWR/JFK) for entire next 30 day period.
Customer gives up and instructs COO to blacklist VA and divert business (about 120,000 USD in UC tickets in FY 2012-2013) to any other airline with comparative pricing.
is this one off or flying club redemptions on VX are indeed a difficult manual process involving 24 hour turn around?
#7
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Bronze, Hilton Diamond, Virgin Flying Club Red
Posts: 1,257
BA booking was entirely online, a single booking for flights + car as a package and the whole end-to-end process completed within 15 minutes max.
VS simply couldn't offer a flight + car deal, and the 2 separately were much
more expensive.
25 minutes on the phone with Virgin Holidays, after several "computer says no moments", resulted in them offering me economy flights to Miami at double the price of BA.