Thanks VA Staff

[arbo]

On Wednesday I was flying MEL to OOL at 5:00 in the afternoon.
I had finished my meetings and was back to the airport at 1:00. I thought I had a direct flight to OOL. I asked at the desk for an earlier flight and in trying to make the changes the check in staff saw that I actually had a connecting flight through SYD and a non flexi fare.

After a bit of mucking around the check in agent grabbed a passing supervisor and he told me that as no flexi fare and only SG he couldn't do anything for me, but after a few minutes of playing with the keyboard they put a change through for a direct flight to OOL.

Much better getting in the OOL late afternoon rather than late at night.

Thanks VA

 

[Simo]

On Wednesday I was flying MEL to OOL at 5:00 in the afternoon.
I had finished my meetings and was back to the airport at 1:00. I thought I had a direct flight to OOL. I asked at the desk for an earlier flight and in trying to make the changes the check in staff saw that I actually had a connecting flight through SYD and a non flexi fare.

After a bit of mucking around the check in agent grabbed a passing supervisor and he told me that as no flexi fare and only SG he couldn't do anything for me, but after a few minutes of playing with the keyboard they put a change through for a direct flight to OOL.

Much better getting in the OOL late afternoon rather than late at night.

Thanks VA

I am glad VA helped you out.

 

[mickeyc747]

On Wednesday I was flying MEL to OOL at 5:00 in the afternoon.
I had finished my meetings and was back to the airport at 1:00. I thought I had a direct flight to OOL. I asked at the desk for an earlier flight and in trying to make the changes the check in staff saw that I actually had a connecting flight through SYD and a non flexi fare.

After a bit of mucking around the check in agent grabbed a passing supervisor and he told me that as no flexi fare and only SG he couldn't do anything for me, but after a few minutes of playing with the keyboard they put a change through for a direct flight to OOL.

Much better getting in the OOL late afternoon rather than late at night.

Thanks VA

That's great to hear I was on a flexi WP and tried to do the opposite to get home earlier and it was mission impossible. ( not MEL staff but the Platinum call centre)

 

[bass_ke]

Awesome to hear!

I've always found VA ground staff to be much more flexible that the call centre, the lounge angels have often helped me out with seating arrangements when check in has said they can't do it.

 

[bullerdude]

That's great to hear I was on a flexi WP and tried to do the opposite to get home earlier and it was mission impossible. ( not MEL staff but the Platinum call centre)

The Platinum call centre has become increasingly less helpful and less flexible over the last year...

Most of the time now they don't know the rules and aren't allowed to be more flexible for Plat members when compared to regular member.

The last incident for me was when they wanted to charge me ~120 to change a saver flight - in the end is only cost me ~50 to cancel the flight and use the credit to rebook a new flight. I was quite frustrated to be honest that they couldn't just do that for me... all the did in the end was waste my time.

As best I can tell my father gets much better service with the Qantas call centre.

 

[esquire]

Great news - I tried a similar thing once (earlier direct flight) (not MEL lounge) and got 'the computer says no' but you can ring the call centre - which I did and yes I could for a significant fee -and that was a flexi ticket! That was about a year ago so maybe they have more options available now in the lounges.

Although it does pose the question about inconsistency and expectations in the future. It also makes the flexi fares even less value for money than they are now

 

[arbo]

Although it does pose the question about inconsistency and expectations in the future. It also makes the flexi fares even less value for money than they are now

I've usually not had any issue with trying to get any changes through with VA. I've got a similar flight this week with QF and will be looking to get back early, but I know they won't come to the party whereas VA never seems to find it a problem. Too often they win hands down for customer service these days.