Virgin Holidays - NOT HAPPY!

[Rick Walmsley]

Hi all,

Booked a fly drive with Virgin about a year and a half ago flying from Manchester direct to MCO. Depart MCR 1025 arrive MCO 1450. Could have got the package cheaper by going non direct with other airlines, but as this trip is that "trip of a lifetime" and I have two children in tow I didn't want the hassle.

Guess what - received a letter from Virgin (via the travelstore) that they now want me to depart MCR 1000 arrive Newark!!!! 1230 then have a nice 4 hour wait before departing Newark at 1615 and arriving MCO 1903. I also have to leave earlier at the end of the Holiday.

This has messed my plans and bookings up not only for day of arrival but also date of departure so

I AM NOT HAPPY AT ALL.

Have not had a chance to speak with Virgin or travel store as yet as the number they have left is office hours only.

Would appreciate any comments /advice etc with anyone who has experienced similar problems



Rick

 

[Hilary]

Ouch!

When do you travel? Is it soon or a long way off yet? Have Virgin given any operational reason for the switch?

I think you'll probably have to wait until you can contact someone during office hours to get an answer as, even if someone here has had a similar experience, every situation is different.

I've only ever flown direct, but there are plenty of other posters who have no problem with stopping off (it does give you a chance to stretch your legs ), so I'm sure you'll have a great trip anyway.

 

[GO2209]

VS75 out of Manchester? I have flown this many times, hoped to do so again in Sept/Oct. I am not prepared to pay direct costs for an indirect flight! When is your depature date?

 

[Rick Walmsley]

Hi all

That mad that I got up at 4am because I couldn't sleep!

Original flight was VSO75 departing Manchester Friday 1st August 1025 am.

Anybody out there also on this Flight? and if so have you had any problems.

Rick

 

[ColUK]

Just checked on the Virgin Atlantic site and no seats are available for the 1st. You will probably find they will say no direct flight is now available from Manchester that day so indirect is the only way. A couple of options could be
1. negociate a hefty rebate for the now in direct flight
2. move the dates of the holiday 1 day earlier or later

 

[Rick Walmsley]

Hi all

Just an update for you all- Dont hold your breath.

Spoke to the Virgin Travelstore this am and was dealt with in a polite and friendly manner. Didn't get any answers though!!. To be fair I'm sure it wasn't this persons fault. The bottom line is that I have to Email the "customer care dept" with my complaint and they will get back to me.

I hold my breath.

As a result of some phone calls and "digging" it appears that flight VS075 still exists. It is departing at the stated time and place and is full. It appears though that they have overbooked this flight by

400 people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hence the need for me and all these people to travel by Continental.

I wonder how this has happened?????? surely not a monetary consideration by the airline to screw people for as much money as possible.

Like I would really have booked with Virgin if I had known that was going to happen.

Surely just an oversight by the airline I mean it must be fairly easy to overbook a whole plane full of people.

Sorry getting sarcastic in my old age.

Have some other info that I'm keeping up my sleeve

Will update soonest

Rick

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

400 people? Now that's what I call oversold!

Can't you just say "no, I want to travel on the plane that I originally booked". Can they force you to take a bump from the Virgin flight to the Continental flight? Unless they offer you a considerable incentive to change I'd hold tight and refuse to change.

Regards

Rob

 

[onlyholly]

Hi Rick

Sorry to hear about your flight change, but nothing surprises me with Virgin anymore. We have flown with them for years to Orlando and just returned from South Africa with them. They have gradually gone down hill in recent years and we've decided never to fly with them again. They overcharge compared to other airlines, they've cut back on inflight goodies (kids packs), their staff are rude and can't be bothered etc. etc.

Regarding your change at Newark, do you arrive at Newark and depart from Newark or do you have to travel across town to another New York airport. Just a thought as I've seen a similar flight to yours where you have very little time to get to the departing airport.

Holly

 

[codge90]

Ask if they would treat their boss Richard Branson the same. Then ask for at least £1000 in compensation and threaten them with BBC WatchDog or the Daily Mail (say you are a journalist)

The more noise you make, the more likely they will act.

 

[Pootle]

I'm not surprised you are annoyed having booked so far in advance. What appalling treatment. Create as much fuss as you can and the best of luck with it.

 

[Rick Walmsley]

Hi all

Have just E-mailed the Travel store with my Complaint.

Will update you when I get a reply.

Thanks for all your help and support.

Rick

 

[WebmasterPenny]

<b>400</b> people! Good god!!!! Isn't that like, <i>twice</i> the amount of people again that one of those planes hold...how on earth do you mess something like that up

I'm with Rob...dig your heels in. I know they reserve the right to change flights and all that, but to change from a direct to an indirect (especially when the original flight still exists) without any form of compensation is unacceptable - talk about bad customer care - how very disappointing of Virgin

 

[pauldents]

I had a booking problem with Virgin in March 2001. I booked a holiday through their website and the next day they come back to me asking for more money! I told them it was not my fault and they should compensate. As a result of not backing down, we received two complementry upgrades to premum economy,10% off their overpriced car insurance, an extra night on the holiday AND the holiday at the original booking price. However, we did not get this without a fight and some good advice off these boards.

Check the T &C's on your booking.

PS we have done the Continental MCO-Newark-LGW and found the plane on the atlantic stretch ( I think a boeing 777) had a lot more leg room and was more modern than 747's Virgin use direct.

The connection in Newark wasn't too bad either.

 

[hudsom]

Travelled with Virgin in '97 and was overbooked on 3 out of four flights. The last flight we were actually in our seats when the stewardess asked us to move as other people who checked in earlier had priority over the seats we were in. We couldn't even sit together on our honeymoon flight. VIRGIN!!! NEVER AGAIN!!

 

[neilybealy]

i've only flown with them once and that was to orlando last year

we were lucky to get bulkhead seats so we had more legroom but my mum and dad were in the window seats and the legroom (or lack of it) for a 9 hour flight was shocking

i went to prague on easyjet a few weeks back and there was the same room on that tiny 737 !!

another thing i noticed on teh virgin flight was the captain left the seats belt signs on half way into the journey for far longer than he needed to - cynical ones amongst us would think this was so that his cabin crew could have a break !

i've not flown long haul with anyone else though so others may also do this

 

[richard3330]

I am with Rob and Penny here - stick firmly - tell them there is no way you will travel on a different flight without a large amount of compensation. Also, I agree with Codge - make some fuss other it and say you will be contacting various programmes and forms of the press.

Richard.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

What a disgraceful way to treat their customers. Whilst we always tend to fly Virgin, we've had a few little hitches over the years and I'm one of those that speak out if I receive poor service . . . and so far have always been treated better because of it.

Tell em what you think, don't back down.

Keep us informed.

 

[UKDEB]

I agree that you shouldn't just accept this as it stands. At the very least, I would want to know on what basis they have decided who will travel on the original flight and who will get bumped. Price paid? Date booked? Names drawn from a hat?

You need the people at Virgin Travelstore to be fighting your corner for you. They are the intermediary between you and Virgin 'policy'. Get them onside - be polite, and don't lose your cool. If you get cross, they'll be less inclined to help - I know I would. Explain that you need to get this sorted out and ask them what they can do to help. They are your agents after all.

I find the 'broken record' technique is often effective. Once you've expressed your concerns, if you don't get the answer you want, just keep saying, 'That's not acceptable'.

Can you be transferred to a direct flight from Gatwick? I would prefer to travel further to a UK airport than to be forced to take an indirect flight.

 

[Rick Walmsley]

Hi all

Just a quick update -still waiting for an acknowlegement from the travelstore re my E-mail.

Will update soonest.

Rick

 

[UKAnnie]

About 5 or 6 years ago my daughter and SIL were travelling back from Florida on an overbooked Virgin flight and were asked if they would volunteer to return to England the next day. Virgin put them up in a fancy airport hotel and gave them two free tickets to anywhere in the world for their inconvenience. A year or so later they used the tickets to fly to Los Angeles.

They were more than happy!

Ann.