Impossible to book flights on VAustralia.com.au

[Keith009]

Is it just me or is there something wrong with the booking engine on VAustralia's website?

I tried to look up flights, both ex-MEL and ex-SFO, only to get an error message telling me there aren't any flights on the requested dates (when there clearly are). This is for dates in Oct and Nov.

I repeated the searches but was only successful in coaxing out some flight options about once out of every 20 attempts.

I don't think this has been mentioned here before so I hope I'm not missing something very obvious.

I do not have an urgent need to book, but am strongly considering VA PE for future trips across the Pacific. In order to do that I obviously need a functional website. Sabre seems to prefer DL for the domestic connections and so I was trying to see if I could get VX on VAustralia's website.

Help?!

 

[notzac]

I do not have an urgent need to book, but am strongly considering VA PE for future trips across the Pacific. In order to do that I obviously need a functional website. Sabre seems to prefer DL for the domestic connections and so I was trying to see if I could get VX on VAustralia's website.

Help?!

I've noticed wierd stuff like this myself -- can't see anything obvious in the fare rules in EF that suggest they're only valid on certain days of the week, but it's almost like that's the case. The VA website doesn't seem to want to offer interline to DL for LAX-SFO, which might go some way to explaining what you're seeing ... perhaps one of the DJ/VA staff could shed some light on this?

 

[Virgin Australia]

Hi QF009
Can I ask a couple of questions?
- what browser are you doing the search in?
- what dates and specific origin and destination?

thanks

 

[Keith009]

Hi QF009
Can I ask a couple of questions?
- what browser are you doing the search in?
- what dates and specific origin and destination?

thanks

- I am using Mozilla Firefox.
- I searched for a variety of dates through October and November 2011.
- Origin: Melbourne, Destination: San Francisco, and vice versa on the US site

Thanks for the speedy response!

 

[Virgin Australia]

Actually, now that I think about it, Virgin America schedules aren't loaded into our system more than six months out. Obviously this would affect your ability to search for a flight should the dates you are looking at be further out.
Could you check that please?
Thanks

 

[Saab34]

I was on the phone to VX last week and they reckon 2011/2012 schedules will be released sometime over the next week.

 

[Keith009]

Actually, now that I think about it, Virgin America schedules aren't loaded into our system more than six months out. Obviously this would affect your ability to search for a flight should the dates you are looking at be further out.
Could you check that please?
Thanks

I didn't know that VX flights aren't released till 6 months out, rather than the usual T-355/335 days like other airlines. I think you're on to something. Just checked VX flights on Sabre and nothing was loaded for November. I searched your website for MEL-SFO August and September and all seems normal.

Still, shouldn't the website be able to load fare options on the basis of DL domestic connections anyway, rather than a throwing up total blank? Given the fare rules for the fare I'm looking at allow domestic connections on DL, and DL flights are loaded way more than 6 months out.