Discussion about, and issues with, new website & booking engine post 13 Nov 16
Dec 5, 2016, 8:39 am
#76
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Dec 5, 2016, 9:34 am
#77
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Exactly. You have to pick a date. It is such a step backwards it really is not funny for customers.
Dec 6, 2016, 12:01 am
#79
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,774
Great upgrade.
Dec 7, 2016, 12:25 am
#81
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Here today, gone tomorrow
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Posts: 2,493
My first post in the Virgin area I think! I hope this is in the right thread.
I booked an award flight HKG - LHR in upper class pre the changes and it cost 60K miles. It now seems to be 50k. Is that right?
If so, there's still availability for the same flight so presumably I would be better off cancelling and rebooking (is it still £30 to cancel (nothing happens when I click on that bit of Virgin's website)?). I wouldn't want to risk losing the flight though - can I book a second seat and then cancel the first or will the system see I have two bookings and not allow that?
Thanks
I booked an award flight HKG - LHR in upper class pre the changes and it cost 60K miles. It now seems to be 50k. Is that right?
If so, there's still availability for the same flight so presumably I would be better off cancelling and rebooking (is it still £30 to cancel (nothing happens when I click on that bit of Virgin's website)?). I wouldn't want to risk losing the flight though - can I book a second seat and then cancel the first or will the system see I have two bookings and not allow that?
Thanks
Dec 7, 2016, 12:10 pm
#82
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Join Date: Jul 2009
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Posts: 844
I wouldn't.
Just because you cancel your award flight doesn't put it back into award inventory.
The system is so messed-up right now that I'd keep the flight you've already been e-ticketed for.
Steve
The system is so messed-up right now that I'd keep the flight you've already been e-ticketed for.
Steve
My first post in the Virgin area I think! I hope this is in the right thread.
I booked an award flight HKG - LHR in upper class pre the changes and it cost 60K miles. It now seems to be 50k. Is that right?
If so, there's still availability for the same flight so presumably I would be better off cancelling and rebooking (is it still £30 to cancel (nothing happens when I click on that bit of Virgin's website)?). I wouldn't want to risk losing the flight though - can I book a second seat and then cancel the first or will the system see I have two bookings and not allow that?
Thanks
I booked an award flight HKG - LHR in upper class pre the changes and it cost 60K miles. It now seems to be 50k. Is that right?
If so, there's still availability for the same flight so presumably I would be better off cancelling and rebooking (is it still £30 to cancel (nothing happens when I click on that bit of Virgin's website)?). I wouldn't want to risk losing the flight though - can I book a second seat and then cancel the first or will the system see I have two bookings and not allow that?
Thanks
Dec 7, 2016, 3:38 pm
#83
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Here today, gone tomorrow
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Posts: 2,493
I'm new to Virgin but I haven't found anything indicating that the miles required should have changed yet (and as I understood it HKG was changing from 60k to 57.5k rather than to 50k in any case) so the other concern is that the amount and/or the availability may be wrong and I wouldn't be able to book it anyway.
Dec 7, 2016, 6:17 pm
#84
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Posts: 844
Then do it on the phone with Flying Club.
Flying Club is actually generally very efficient.
Have them do it.
Steve
Have them do it.
Steve
There is still award availability for the flight. My concern, probably groundless, is that if I cancel that may affect i.e. remove that availability, rather than the concern being whether my existing ticket goes back into award inventory.
I'm new to Virgin but I haven't found anything indicating that the miles required should have changed yet (and as I understood it HKG was changing from 60k to 57.5k rather than to 50k in any case) so the other concern is that the amount and/or the availability may be wrong and I wouldn't be able to book it anyway.
I'm new to Virgin but I haven't found anything indicating that the miles required should have changed yet (and as I understood it HKG was changing from 60k to 57.5k rather than to 50k in any case) so the other concern is that the amount and/or the availability may be wrong and I wouldn't be able to book it anyway.
Dec 8, 2016, 7:29 am
#85
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Somebody probably re-programmed HKG into the China and Africa region too early. Since that's clearly an error that a human might notice, I would just stick with your existing booking.
Dec 11, 2016, 3:46 pm
#86
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: VS Gold, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 73
The biggest problem for me with the award availability calendar, even with the "5 week" box checked (as it's basically a reskin of Delta's engine) is that you have to select the dates first, which is predetermining the length of your trip, meaning you won't see all dates where your chosen class is available.
As (especially) G availability is rare, it makes sense that if you're flexible you'd plan your trip around when G seats are available, but the only way I can see to do this is to do two separate one-way searches, which is annoying.
What if I'm happy to fly back a day or two earlier/later if it means I can get a seat in G? Using the calendar as designed I'm not able to do that, hence the separate one way searches.
As (especially) G availability is rare, it makes sense that if you're flexible you'd plan your trip around when G seats are available, but the only way I can see to do this is to do two separate one-way searches, which is annoying.
What if I'm happy to fly back a day or two earlier/later if it means I can get a seat in G? Using the calendar as designed I'm not able to do that, hence the separate one way searches.
Dec 11, 2016, 3:52 pm
#87
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Location: Los Angeles, New York, Lisbon-Portugal
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Posts: 844
This seems intentional rather than accidental.
The harder it is to find an award seat the less likely one is to book it thus increasing the opportunity for VS to sell the seat.
Steve
Steve
The biggest problem for me with the award availability calendar, even with the "5 week" box checked (as it's basically a reskin of Delta's engine) is that you have to select the dates first, which is predetermining the length of your trip, meaning you won't see all dates where your chosen class is available.
As (especially) G availability is rare, it makes sense that if you're flexible you'd plan your trip around when G seats are available, but the only way I can see to do this is to do two separate one-way searches, which is annoying.
What if I'm happy to fly back a day or two earlier/later if it means I can get a seat in G? Using the calendar as designed I'm not able to do that, hence the separate one way searches.
As (especially) G availability is rare, it makes sense that if you're flexible you'd plan your trip around when G seats are available, but the only way I can see to do this is to do two separate one-way searches, which is annoying.
What if I'm happy to fly back a day or two earlier/later if it means I can get a seat in G? Using the calendar as designed I'm not able to do that, hence the separate one way searches.
Dec 11, 2016, 4:48 pm
#88
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,774
Do not attribute to ingenuity that which can be better attributed to incompetence.
Dec 12, 2016, 6:16 pm
#89
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Dec 27, 2016, 12:58 am
#90
Join Date: Jul 2008
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