Virgin America is testing a new website that it hopes will greatly improve the booking process for travelers. After looking at how flyers were using its website to search and book flights, the airline sought to completely reinvent the web experience.
“We took a fresh look. We wanted to not even think about it as an airline site, but as an ecommerce site,” Luanne Calvert, Virgin’s chief marketing officer, told Mashable.
site here: https://beta.virginamerica.com/
The site’s design focuses on simplicity — seeking to create a more intuitive booking experience — as well as speed, on which Calvert said it already delivers. After booking a ticket on Virgin’s new website in under four minutes, one user called the customer-support line just to compliment the company, according to Calvert.
Virgin America began testing the website with members of Elevate, the airline’s reward program, and select partners.
Although the website is easy to use, an intense focus on simplicity produces some confusion. Flights are listed by current routes, and travelers unfamiliar with Virgin America may find it difficult to check if a destination is available. Calvert said that the site’s slow rollout means there is still room for change.
“Our rollout plan was to do a slow rollout and incorporate feedback as we went,” she said.
The airline also aims to provide a consistent experience across devices, creating the first responsive U.S. airline website.
Virgin’s printable boarding pass has also been redesigned to fit perfectly on an 8.5- by 11-inch piece of paper, and made a Vine to show off the design:
