Virgin Australia positive move.
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Devonport Tasmania Australia
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Virgin Australia positive move.
Well good people, Virgin domestic seems to have done themselves a really big favour in the last month.
They have migrated into the Sabre reservations system and as a leech on the bum of the industry myself, I can advise that it is a huge step into acceptability. This also means they are freely available in all othe major GDS operations like Amadeus and galileo etc.
Simply, what it means is that an Agent can get an accurate comparison between VA and QF over competitive routes where JQ offers comparitive fares that are accurate as a Russian watch movement due to their "offline" status in the GDS. Ticket issuance takes seconds as does accountin functions.
One can now make a VA booking in 10% of the time it takes on the suckful web engine, allocate regular seats without cost and be guaranteed of the quoted fare providing the booking is finalised within the system "hang time" which is usually 5 minutes or so.
Group negotiated commission (low though it is) can be claimed at source. One downside there is the fare levels haven't been thought out very well as almost all accounting systems have to be modified by a single cent when the BSP report comes in as they round up/down randomly.
I made a booking today for a lady LST SYD BNK with her cat as well. I was amazed over 2 calls to get Australian call centre staff both times, have them recognise the SSR AVIH entry indicating animal for hold and be swiftly put through to the dude who could ensure the puss was booked on and space was available.
This may seem trivial and admin is free to delete it if deemed proper to do so, but to me it indicates that VA has grown up. The other Agents in town I have spoken to are all saying just how much easier it is to offer Virgin to the point of ignoring Jetstar and not even offering them if the quote the GDS provides is within $20-30. The Jetstar GDS quote is seldom accurate and opening their website and fighting your way through to get a price is as much fun as pulling hair out of your nose.
So - good move Virgin Australia and be aware that you have made yourself 200% more saleable than Jetstar.
Maybe this may sink into the heads at JQ, but I have my doubts.
The day will come - the hard way I feel.
Thanks for indulging this. Asd a critic of LCCs in general for years, I thought it only fair that if I found a massive positive I should be balanced and award praise where due.
Best all
EWL
They have migrated into the Sabre reservations system and as a leech on the bum of the industry myself, I can advise that it is a huge step into acceptability. This also means they are freely available in all othe major GDS operations like Amadeus and galileo etc.
Simply, what it means is that an Agent can get an accurate comparison between VA and QF over competitive routes where JQ offers comparitive fares that are accurate as a Russian watch movement due to their "offline" status in the GDS. Ticket issuance takes seconds as does accountin functions.
One can now make a VA booking in 10% of the time it takes on the suckful web engine, allocate regular seats without cost and be guaranteed of the quoted fare providing the booking is finalised within the system "hang time" which is usually 5 minutes or so.
Group negotiated commission (low though it is) can be claimed at source. One downside there is the fare levels haven't been thought out very well as almost all accounting systems have to be modified by a single cent when the BSP report comes in as they round up/down randomly.
I made a booking today for a lady LST SYD BNK with her cat as well. I was amazed over 2 calls to get Australian call centre staff both times, have them recognise the SSR AVIH entry indicating animal for hold and be swiftly put through to the dude who could ensure the puss was booked on and space was available.
This may seem trivial and admin is free to delete it if deemed proper to do so, but to me it indicates that VA has grown up. The other Agents in town I have spoken to are all saying just how much easier it is to offer Virgin to the point of ignoring Jetstar and not even offering them if the quote the GDS provides is within $20-30. The Jetstar GDS quote is seldom accurate and opening their website and fighting your way through to get a price is as much fun as pulling hair out of your nose.
So - good move Virgin Australia and be aware that you have made yourself 200% more saleable than Jetstar.
Maybe this may sink into the heads at JQ, but I have my doubts.
The day will come - the hard way I feel.
Thanks for indulging this. Asd a critic of LCCs in general for years, I thought it only fair that if I found a massive positive I should be balanced and award praise where due.
Best all
EWL
When you live....
It's a shame their forward facing website still sucks so badly.
1. can't input FF details at front page any more
2. log in to FF page, ask to make a booking, get sent to VA page to enter FF details, then get presented with a list of trips in $$$ only. Only way to make a points booking is via Points+Pay option (not what I wanted)
3. can't add FF number of spouse to a booking (in firefox at least) without page going strange and unusable
4. for flights which are not direct (even the direct ones) - doesn't display the total flight time inclduing connections so I can figure out which one to take.
Still - that's probably better for EWL - more chance of people using travel agencies.
UTR
1. can't input FF details at front page any more
2. log in to FF page, ask to make a booking, get sent to VA page to enter FF details, then get presented with a list of trips in $$$ only. Only way to make a points booking is via Points+Pay option (not what I wanted)
3. can't add FF number of spouse to a booking (in firefox at least) without page going strange and unusable
4. for flights which are not direct (even the direct ones) - doesn't display the total flight time inclduing connections so I can figure out which one to take.
Still - that's probably better for EWL - more chance of people using travel agencies.
UTR
Yes a triumph for all Tassie Pussies as they can now rest assured they will no longer travel Jetstar surrounded by dry ice courtesy of EWL
!
Mrs Slocombe would be impressed.
!Mrs Slocombe would be impressed.
Last edited by hoss; 1st Mar 2013 at 19:32.
Well as a corporate "accelerate" client its a DISASTER for me and Virgin.
They went so far to attract corporate clients last year, improving their quality and service, and suddenly everything changed with no notice and no communication.
They simply shut down all corporate logins, with no notice and no instruction on this new wiz bang system.
To make things worse, they didn't answer the phones for the corporate hotline for months after and still aren't, and our bookings off the old system weren't transferred to the new system they were simply invisible.
many tens of hours on the phone to offshore call centres couldn't find anyone in VB who gave a damn about accelerate program clients.
When the airline is operationally going so damn well and killing QF in every respect there, it's really sad to see the big let down and frustration this caused accelerate clients as though corporates just don't matter !!!!!!
They went so far to attract corporate clients last year, improving their quality and service, and suddenly everything changed with no notice and no communication.
They simply shut down all corporate logins, with no notice and no instruction on this new wiz bang system.
To make things worse, they didn't answer the phones for the corporate hotline for months after and still aren't, and our bookings off the old system weren't transferred to the new system they were simply invisible.
many tens of hours on the phone to offshore call centres couldn't find anyone in VB who gave a damn about accelerate program clients.
When the airline is operationally going so damn well and killing QF in every respect there, it's really sad to see the big let down and frustration this caused accelerate clients as though corporates just don't matter !!!!!!
Just a pity the SABRE check in product is absolute rubbish compared to Altea CM - in fact, it is YEARS behind even DCS such as BABS and QUBE or even Air NZ Carina.
Other systems have the same connectivity as you detail, but have airport departure control that is a million years in advance of SABRE Interact.
SABRE Load Manager is apparently worse, it is barely more useful than an Excel spreadsheet.
So, BAD move VA.
Other systems have the same connectivity as you detail, but have airport departure control that is a million years in advance of SABRE Interact.
SABRE Load Manager is apparently worse, it is barely more useful than an Excel spreadsheet.
So, BAD move VA.
Join Date: Jul 2007
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UTR
The points and pay works fine, unlike the bad-Q they do not seem to play funny buggers with you.
If you want to pay the taxes etc and just use the points for the fare, slide the pointer along to that amount and hey presto!
I just did some tickets to the US and back using points. Could not believe how much better it was than far-Q. Could actually book premium both ways for a start and DCT. And less points I think but that is not the issue.
They just need to get the login sorted I agree. I am sure they will......why, because they can, they care and one of the IT implementation team's wife works for me. He will take it onboard for sure. I will tell him you asked for it.
The points and pay works fine, unlike the bad-Q they do not seem to play funny buggers with you.
If you want to pay the taxes etc and just use the points for the fare, slide the pointer along to that amount and hey presto!
I just did some tickets to the US and back using points. Could not believe how much better it was than far-Q. Could actually book premium both ways for a start and DCT. And less points I think but that is not the issue.
They just need to get the login sorted I agree. I am sure they will......why, because they can, they care and one of the IT implementation team's wife works for me. He will take it onboard for sure. I will tell him you asked for it.
When you live....
You bored Jabba? Dragging up posts from 12 months ago. It does work better than before but it's taken a very very long time.
Poor marketing by Virgin though - QF as the market leader offer "FF flights" OR "points plus pay". If VA only offer points plus pay then the punter thinks its not as good a deal as 'over the road'....
Poor marketing by Virgin though - QF as the market leader offer "FF flights" OR "points plus pay". If VA only offer points plus pay then the punter thinks its not as good a deal as 'over the road'....
