Useless VA website
#1
Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,153
Useless VA website
Am I the only one getting frustrated every time I want to log into VA website to, make a new booking, modify a current one, or to check award availability?
I have to log in for each different thing, contrary to assuming that once you're logged in, you're in!
- Log in at the top and it will open a pop up page for logging into Velocity (but WHY?!).
- Once you're supposedly logged in, click my account/my bookings, it opens a new tab, again asking for logging in again.
- After logging in again, when trying to change a booking, it keeps saying this booking cannot be modified online.

- FINE. You want to cancel a booking? Nope you can't cancel it online. None can be cancelled online. Gotta call the friendly staff and waste 30 minutes waiting because even though someone might answer the call off the bat (after entering the Velocity details), they will transfer you to someone who will be able to help.
(Why have staff take phone calls if they can't help in the first place!).
This website (and airline) used to work before the transition to Sabre. It used to be functional and pleasant. Now, it's annoying. To the point of making it the most irritable online experience. As if VA dumped their IT staff and got a bunch who have no idea whatsoever about usability or testing. They seem to have no idea about humans wanting to self manage their travel either.
This might be OK if they're still in transition, but it's been almost 9 month since they moved to Sabre and it's still not proper.
By contrast, the QF website and despite its recent change to more-tablet-friendly-less-user-friendly format, still runs like clockwork.
VA should be reading this.
I have to log in for each different thing, contrary to assuming that once you're logged in, you're in!
- Log in at the top and it will open a pop up page for logging into Velocity (but WHY?!).
- Once you're supposedly logged in, click my account/my bookings, it opens a new tab, again asking for logging in again.
- After logging in again, when trying to change a booking, it keeps saying this booking cannot be modified online.
- FINE. You want to cancel a booking? Nope you can't cancel it online. None can be cancelled online. Gotta call the friendly staff and waste 30 minutes waiting because even though someone might answer the call off the bat (after entering the Velocity details), they will transfer you to someone who will be able to help.
(Why have staff take phone calls if they can't help in the first place!).This website (and airline) used to work before the transition to Sabre. It used to be functional and pleasant. Now, it's annoying. To the point of making it the most irritable online experience. As if VA dumped their IT staff and got a bunch who have no idea whatsoever about usability or testing. They seem to have no idea about humans wanting to self manage their travel either.
This might be OK if they're still in transition, but it's been almost 9 month since they moved to Sabre and it's still not proper.
By contrast, the QF website and despite its recent change to more-tablet-friendly-less-user-friendly format, still runs like clockwork.
VA should be reading this.
#2
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: NSW, Australia
Programs: VA Platinum, UA Gold, Qantas Silver
Posts: 20
Agreed. Except for the 30 minute wait time on the phone, I've been getting through straight away. That might be a Platinum thing but it really shouldn't come to calling on the phone in the first place.
#5


Join Date: May 2009
Location: Melbourne
Programs: VA Plat, QF Gold, Hyatt & Hilton Diamond.
Posts: 119
The longest waiting time I've been on the plat line was 14 minutes. The website is slowly getting there. It's been 9 months since they migrated to sabre and they still can't seem to get the website working.
Last edited by Prospero; Sep 9, 2013 at 12:11 am Reason: remove off-topic content from post
#6
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: VA Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Ambassador
Posts: 3,644
Agreed, website sucks!
Its a shame really as they are quite a good airline to fly.
I am sick of logging in over and over. I am also not impressed that I cant even really see the costing screen properly when I am making a booking, its cut off partially (maybe my tiny notebook is to blame for that).
And what is going on with VA flights SYD to LAX? There are months of NO availability for mid next year ....like really? Do we need to go book with another carrier. I thought it was a bug, but I have been checking back on and off for over a week. Now I find some availability, but nothing is ex SYD, you have to fly MEL LAX IAD etc. What the??
Dont get me started on the fact that you cant seem to do split class bookings...ie Prem Econ one way and Business or Y on return etc and same with the ridiculous points and pay options. Simply maddening.
I hope they get some decent IT staff to fix the issues.
Its a shame really as they are quite a good airline to fly.I am sick of logging in over and over. I am also not impressed that I cant even really see the costing screen properly when I am making a booking, its cut off partially (maybe my tiny notebook is to blame for that).
And what is going on with VA flights SYD to LAX? There are months of NO availability for mid next year ....like really? Do we need to go book with another carrier. I thought it was a bug, but I have been checking back on and off for over a week. Now I find some availability, but nothing is ex SYD, you have to fly MEL LAX IAD etc. What the??
Dont get me started on the fact that you cant seem to do split class bookings...ie Prem Econ one way and Business or Y on return etc and same with the ridiculous points and pay options. Simply maddening.
I hope they get some decent IT staff to fix the issues.
#7
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 4
And what is going on with VA flights SYD to LAX? There are months of NO availability for mid next year ....like really? Do we need to go book with another carrier. I thought it was a bug, but I have been checking back on and off for over a week. Now I find some availability, but nothing is ex SYD, you have to fly MEL LAX IAD etc. What the??
#8
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: VA Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Ambassador
Posts: 3,644

I gave up in the end and decided not to book with them for international at this stage.
Still having to log in too many times to use their website, so that part is NOT fixed
.
#9
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: OOL Australia
Programs: QFF (Gold), Skywards, Rapid Rewards,United, Velocity, Hilton Silver
Posts: 2,440





