Virgin Australia unveils all-new iPhone, Android app

By David Flynn, April 9 2018
Virgin Australia unveils all-new iPhone, Android app

Virgin Australia's new smartphone app is rolling out to the Apple iPhone and – for the first time – Google Android app stores tonight, with the airline promising to build on the revamped app with "a rapid roll out of new functionality."

Virgin plans to combine the current Inflight Entertainment app and Flight Specials app into this single app, and while some features of the previous app have been given the chop, Virgin pledges "we will soon re-introduce a better version of this functionality."

So what will you see on your smartphone's screen? Virgin Australia's briefing notes highlight the use of "smart logic to display information relevant to the flight for each passenger".

This evening's soft launch will reveal a completely redesigned app which aims to cover the entire travel experience including check-in for domestic and international flights, accessing domestic boarding passes (which can of course be saved to each platform's digital wallet), checking your Velocity Points balance and status credits and calling up a digital version of your Velocity membership card.

There'll also be push notifications for check-in and boarding and a live update of gate changes.

Upcoming features include "one-touch check-in"; seat maps for managing seat assignment (and purchasing an upgrade from economy to Economy X); tapping into the Inflight Entertainment system via onboard WiFi; flight specials and flight alerts; airport maps and lounge information; and estimated walking time to your flight's departure gate.

Download the new Virgin Australia app from Apple's iTunes App Store or the Google Play store

David

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

11 Dec 2016

Total posts 74

Finally. They're catching up to Qantas as they have been so very far behind for so long. Now Virgin just need to improve the website and everyone will be happy.

Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles

14 Apr 2013

Total posts 325

Its pleasing to see VA investing!

MarkJohnSon Banned
MarkJohnSon Banned

19 Jan 2018

Total posts 87

Having a decent app with a good user experience is mandatory for any consumer facing business.


I will give them some credit when the make the much needed investment in their lounge situation!

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

17 Jun 2015

Total posts 13

Geeze Michelle has a lot of points

18 Jan 2017

Total posts 51

Based on the status credits you would also assume she would be platinum instead of gold.

Maybe we've spotted the first bug already! :-)

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

04 Oct 2016

Total posts 37

I wonder if Michelle knows how to share?

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

08 Aug 2016

Total posts 3

Family Pooling?

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

11 Dec 2016

Total posts 74

Tried finding it a few times earlier this evening but it wasn't there. Now it's live.

Here's the Google store app link if anyone needs it.
 
 
 

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

11 Dec 2016

Total posts 74

In addition, after having a quick look at the app. It's basic, but will do for a start which they I expect they'll work on further to improve.

Certainly not as slick as the Qantas app, but I expect there is a somewhat disparate available software development budget between the two companies.

Negative point is that the booking and searching of flights section just opens your browser to the mobile website (which then also causes you to need to login to your account again) instead of doing it natively in the app.

As I expect this would be one of the core functions users want to use the app for, hopefully it will be integrated into the app in the future.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

17 Aug 2012

Total posts 2199

The Qantas app doesn't allow for searching and booking flights natively either—it just provides a wrapper for the mobile website, but without needing the customer to re-authenticate, which is still the better user experience despite not truly being native to the app.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

30 May 2013

Total posts 381

Another example of Virgin making an improvement but not quite getting there.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

28 Aug 2014

Total posts 213

13:25pm? Hmm..

12 Aug 2014

Total posts 17

It doesn't seem to be able to find and/or add any of my upcoming bookings to the app. Despite the former app's incredible clunkiness, it could at least do that.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

22 Apr 2013

Total posts 143

Definitely an improvement over the old app. Well overdue.


I love that Michelle has >5000 SCs, yet is still only Gold. Nice one Michelle.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

01 Mar 2012

Total posts 177

The way they have developed the APP over the past few months has been quite good with their dev team appearing to have listened to what we wanted as FFs. Over time the added services will hopefully prove useful for everyone.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

06 May 2012

Total posts 178

Unless I'm missing it somehow there is no way to check your points/status credits postings for flights. In the old app you could see your activity in the past weeks but in this you only see a total with no drill through ability. Personally QF app is far ahead of this.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

08 May 2014

Total posts 48

I was invited to Beta test the app about 2 months ago.

I think there were 24 of us involved.
Appears a lot of the feedback we gave has been incorporated.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

03 Jul 2011

Total posts 187

They could have made it a little easier to find in the app store.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

14 Mar 2017

Total posts 152

I've finally used this. Frankly, it's has less features, is less usable, and generally not as good as the old one. I quite liked the old one, tbh.


Disappointing.


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