Minor flight time changes - this is getting annoying

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mitch24

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I don't know if this has happened to anyone else, but it's getting very frustrating...

Last month I got an email from VA letting me know about a change to a flight booking for April 2015 and that I needed to call up for options. I phoned the VA number (waited on hold for approx 10mins) listed on the email and the call taker couldn't see on my booking what the change was. All of a sudden she realises I am VA WP and that I should be talking to the Velocity platinum desk instead.

They put me through to Velocity and the call taker on the phone looks up the booking. She told me she could see what the change was but couldn't tell me because I needed to talk to the platinum desk! I said I was happy to talk to them, but it was their policy that I absolutely had to talk to the platinum desk. They put me through (finally) to the platinum desk, looked up my booking again but the rep couldn't see what the change was. I was getting very frustrated. I was put on hold and after a while they returned to inform me that all that had changed was a flight arrival time had increased by 5mins.

After spending nearly 40mins on the phone, I was told that I would lose 5mins of my time in April next year. I don't get how this should have been so difficult.

Now yesterday, I received an email for a different booking telling me a flight time had changed by 15mins and asking to accept. The link in the email was broken so I couldn't accept. Wary of my experience last time, I didn't bother phoning up to agree. Today, I receive another email (presumably a follow up) asking to agree. The link in that email was broken also! I am getting very frustrated and am not too keen to call up again.

This really shouldn't be so hard!

As a flyer who has primarily been with QF and only recently switched a lot of my flying to VA, I am getting very embarrassed for VA!
 
I too hate these annoying 5 minute schedule changes that absolutely require a call.

Sounds like you just got unlucky with the main VA call centre.

If you call the Velocity number and put your number in when prompted, you should go straight through to the Plat desk. Call should be done in 60 seconds.
 
If you call the Velocity number and put your number in when prompted, you should go straight through to the Plat desk. Call should be done in 60 seconds.

That should be the case when putting it in, shouldn't it? :(
 
On a brighter note, this is an opportunity for you to request a different departure time, or route, or even departure location. Often the airline will accommodate this request free of charge in such circumstances.
 
Not disagreeing that schedule changes like this are annoying, we are lucky here in Aust. In the US the number of changes is so much higher. On a booking for travel 10 months or so in the future, it's not unusual to have at least half a dozen schedule changes before it actually comes time to travel!
 
On a brighter note, this is an opportunity for you to request a different departure time, or route, or even departure location. Often the airline will accommodate this request free of charge in such circumstances.

Extremely unlikely for a 5 minute change.
 
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Called up. Definitely weren't going to change my departure time (even though on a Flexi fare) without incurring a $220 fare increase.
Agreed to the time change instead...
 
I too hate these annoying 5 minute schedule changes that absolutely require a call.
Hmmmmm, I had a ten minute "flight change" email last week, regarding a flight for next week - I didn't have to click anything, nor call anyone!

Virgin Flight Change Notification Email said:
This is just a friendly email to let you know that we have had to make a small adjustment to your flight times as detailed below. Thank you once again for choosing Virgin Australia and we look forward to seeing you on-board soon.
...and further into the email...
Virgin Flight Change Notification Email said:
What do I have to do? Absolutely nothing. However, If you would like an updated itinerary, this can be requested online

So, not sure why others have to call, or click, when I just get "informed":?:
 
For heavens sake. Isn't a txt 24hrs before the flight enough? Who the heck is going to want to change their flight on the basis of a 5min change. Does anyone actually run on that tight a schedule? And if they do, then I'm amazed you fly at all since most flights arrive +-5 mins of scheduled anyway. This sounds incredibly tedious.
 
Had the same - 2 days ago email advice that upcoming trip later this month had the arrival time in NAN had increased by an hour and the return flight from NAN was now leaving an hour later. Clicked the link to accept - link broken. Follow up email received today - link broken

*sigh*
 
Nearly had a disaster happen to us today. My wife was travelling on VA TSV-BNE then on EY BNE-SIN-AUH-DME all on an EY ticket. Rocked up at the airport at about 5:35am for a 6:20am departure & the check in girls informed us that we should have been there 90 minutes before departure for international flights. Okay my bad. Then I said but this is only a domestic leg, she then told us that we're late for a domestic flight as well. Turns out the departure time of the flight is now 6:05am instead. Nobody had informed us of the time change. :confused: Luckily they let my wife on the flight even though the flight had apparently closed. I'm on the same flight in 2 weeks time, at least I know to be there earlier now.
 
Two quick comments:

1. If you have an iPhone/iPad, you can download My Flights App which monitors your booking and advises you of changes to flight details.
2. When I call up, I always just press 3 for the Velocity FF Centre (not 1 for domestic or 2 for international etc.) regardless of what my inquiry is about, and I always get the Platinum desk immediately.

YMMY
 
Two quick comments:

1. If you have an iPhone/iPad, you can download My Flights App which monitors your booking and advises you of changes to flight details ....

It seems that there is a problem with that app at the moment. I had wanted to download the My Flights app, but have not been able to find it in the iTunes store over the past few days. Now I see this on the My Flights website:

My Flights i-tunes.JPG

Download My Flights | My Flights iPhone & iPad App.
 
That's terrible. My flights is my number one go to, to know when I'm travelling. Still perhaps that explains why all my qantas bookings changed one day last week and then changed back the next day.
 
It seems that there is a problem with that app at the moment. I had wanted to download the My Flights app, but have not been able to find it in the iTunes store over the past few days. Now I see this on the My Flights website:

Sorry for the bumsteer then. Completely agree with medhead; it's my go-to app for keeping track of my flights and tracking changes etc. Hopefully it becomes available again soon for others.
 
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