Complaint to Virgin

I would just like to sing the praise of Virgin Atlantic Customer Service team, especially a lady called Elaine Woods. In the new year I booked 3 flights from Manchester to Orlando. I have been tracking flight prices for over a year and felt that Virgin would give me the best deal, (not a lot of choice if you want to fly direct from Manchester). When I tried to book, there was no offer available for Miles + Money. I rang Virgin and asked why? The chap I spoke to explained that the dates I had selected were a busy time of year(November?) and the flights would not be discounted. So I went ahead and booked them at £331. Two weeks later I checked again and the Miles + Money offer was in the January sale at £299! I was furious and rang Virgin to complain. I spoke to Elaine and explained how dissatisfied I was that I had been misdirected. She advised me to put the complaint in an email to the customer services department.
This week Elain rang me back and explained that she had been instructed to cancel my original flights and re book them at the Miles + Money offer of £299. At no extra cost to me. She did all this for me over the phone and re booked the seating allocation we had booked on the previous flights too. She is such a nice lady, very appologetic and sincere and very good at her job. So praise where praise is due and well done Virgin Atlantic and Elaine Woods. [msnsmile2]

Diane.

It really nice when a 'Customers Services' dept do their job properly instead of fobbing you off until you get fed up and go away.

It certainly cheered me up![msnsmile2]

well done to Elaine and Virgin!![clap][clap][clap]

It's always nice to hear of good customer service, we often only hear the downside!

Well done Elaine. It just shows that if you are persistant and have clear evidence that somebody has not told the truth you can have things changed in your favour!!!

Well done to Elaine and Virgin.

We also had cause to complain to them last year and everything was sorted out quickly and in a satisfactory manner, so a big thumbs up to them.

[msnsmile]

I do complain if I feel I have had bad service, but on the flip side I will also write a compliment letter if I think some one has gone the extra mile for me too. Having worked with the public for many years now I now how it feels to get positive feed back.

[msnsmile]

It makes a change to hear a posative for Virgin, well done to Virgin.

Good for you Diane!!!!!!!!

Excellent news, well done for finding somebody who cares!

Diane, this is such good news and it so nice to hear some positive feedback for a change.

This lady obviously did her job very well and I am not sure all her co workers would have been so attentive.

You may have already done this but it would be worth putting this in writing to Virgin, this kind of feedback would then go on this ladies file and would help if she went for any kind of promotion etc[clap][clap][clap]

So well done Virgin and well done Diane[clap][clap][clap][clap]

i did as what is suggested by mach2 and got a very lovely letter back, thanking me for taking the time and trouble to let them know and that they did appreciate people doing this
maybe you should do the same?

I sent an email back to Virgin the same day singing her praises - great minds obviously think alike [msnwink][msnsmile2][msnwink]

Diane.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Madabouttigger
I sent an email back to Virgin the same day singing her praises - great minds obviously think alike [msnwink][msnsmile2][msnwink]

Diane.
[/quote]

Great Diane!! She will get a copy of it and she will be really pleased no doubt[clap][clap][clap]

well done Diane, it is always good for the people upstairs knowing they have some very valuable
members of staff to whom they can rely on and know they will do their jobs properly!!

It is great news that you were treated well by Virgin and gives me a little hope.

I travelled back on Friday with them - my 8th late flight in the past 12 months. This time I missed my connecting flight to Plymouth. They told me at Orlando they would sort out the next available flight when I got to Gatwick. No such luck. I have ended up paying for another single ticket.

I have sent a letter to Customer Services yesterday, so maybe there is hope that I may get a refund for my single ticket!!

It is always good news to hear that people do their job correctly. so often on here we here of the opposite.

Great news! Virgin was getting bad press for a while.
This has certainly helped them.

I too had to complain about Virgin last November after our flight was cancelled and we'd already waited 7 hours in the airport before being told this.
I was so upset as without this flight I would have missed my connection the following day for our onward journey. Virgin had arranged for everyone to be transferred to a local hotel until the following day but this obviously was no good to ourselves.
The guy at the Customer helpdesk eventually got us on another flight from another airport later that night, arranged a taxi to take us there and also a hotel in New York before connecting on. He also arranged for us to be upgraded to premium!!
...now thats what I call a very nice man[msnsmile2][msnsmile2]

Sandra - If I was you I would put in a complaint. I was told that there policy is that bad news travells faster than good news so they want to keep there customers happy. It worked for me! Let us know how you go on.

Diane

Sharon

Who is this man? He sounds just what I needed!!!

Diane

I have sent an e-mail on Sunday - after sitting waiting on the telephone for 25 minutes for a human being who then told me that she was not Customer Services! This was the number I have on the back of my Flying Club Card!

I got an acknowledgement in seconds, but it is now almost Wed. and I am waiting - not very patiently - simmering and just about to go on the boil!!

Will update if any news.

Sandra

Sandra, my complaint took over a month before I got a reply so just hang on in there. Hope its worth the wait.

Diane.

Thanks Diane. I really need a reply within the next 2 weeks as my insurance may help out as long as I get a letter from Virgin stating how late we were and what caused the delay. I will be pestering them early next week.

Sandra

I'm sure if you ring them they will help you out - if you go to the Virgin Website the phone numbers for complaints is listed, let us know how you go on.

Good luck

Diane.

We had cause to complain to Virgin after poor service last December. We did get an answer to our complaint but it was a gerneric reply that did not answer our complaint. I had another moan and eventually received a letter saying they are having computer problems and have a back log and hope to clear everything by the end of March. Two days later I received a letter apologising for the delay a correct reply and 5,000 air miles. Just hope when we go back to Miami in April we have a better flight.

I wish Virgin trains were as good... figure this one if you will.

every day for 7 years I have travelled via Train (virgin trains) from Rugby to Watford junction... and then returned in the evening at around 5.00pm... about 12 months ago Virgin Stopped the return service... but continued to drop me off in the morning... !!

My normal trip would take around 45 minutes from Rugby... the alternatives are Travel into London to catch a train out which then comes passed the point I started at an hour ago (and PAY EXTRA for this privilige of travelling into London) or catch the SilverLink train which goes half the speed of Virgin, goes via Northampton and takes around 1 hour 15 minutes more... so that 2 hours in total ... beyond me...

Suffice to say I had to move stations and travel from Nuneaton, pay extra for this service, and I am forced to catch the ONE and only train home at 16.35pm... thank goodness for flexible employers...

... but for Virgin Trains... what a disorganised, customer unfriendly bunch...

reply from Virgin today;

Dear Diane,

Thank you for your recent email, and I apologise for the delayed response.

Customer care is among our highest priorities, and we expect all staff to be courteous and efficient at all times. That said, it really is a pleasure to receive a message such as yours, it makes all the hard work needed to maintain a high standard of service worthwhile.

I will ensure that your email is forwarded to Elaine and her manager.

Thank you again for taking the time to email us.

We hope to welcome you on board again in the near future.

Kind regards

Natalie Moseley
Contact Centre Customer Service Team

thats a nice letter Diane, it must make them feel good!

Oh Lisa youve taken off your hat! Do you only put it on if you are going on holiday?[msnwink][msnwink][msnsmile2]

What a lovely woman, I wish she was dealing with my case.
Sent a complaint on 2/12/2005 about our Nov 2005 flight.
Received aknowledgement same day.
Contacted customer services again on 5/1/2006 asking why we had not received a reply to our complaint of 2/12/2005, no reply at all.
Sent in a compilation of all e-mails on 5/2/2006 and received the following on 10/2/2006

Dear sir, thank you for taking the time to contact us.
Your e-mail has been forwarded on to our team of customer relations executives, who will reply to you within 28 days.
In the meantime we would like to thank you for your patience.!!
Ihave tried to speak to the director of customer services, but have been told, yes i am in the system and someone will reply to me shortly. We fly with virgin twice a year and have done for years now.
So much for customer loyalty Mr Branston. <blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Madabouttigger
I would just like to sing the praise of Virgin Atlantic Customer Service team, especially a lady called Elaine Woods. In the new year I booked 3 flights from Manchester to Orlando. I have been tracking flight prices for over a year and felt that Virgin would give me the best deal, (not a lot of choice if you want to fly direct from Manchester). When I tried to book, there was no offer available for Miles + Money. I rang Virgin and asked why? The chap I spoke to explained that the dates I had selected were a busy time of year(November?) and the flights would not be discounted. So I went ahead and booked them at £331. Two weeks later I checked again and the Miles + Money offer was in the January sale at £299! I was furious and rang Virgin to complain. I spoke to Elaine and explained how dissatisfied I was that I had been misdirected. She advised me to put the complaint in an email to the customer services department.
This week Elain rang me back and explained that she had been instructed to cancel my original flights and re book them at the Miles + Money offer of £299. At no extra cost to me. She did all this for me over the phone and re booked the seating allocation we had booked on the previous flights too. She is such a nice lady, very appologetic and sincere and very good at her job. So praise where praise is due and well done Virgin Atlantic and Elaine Woods. [msnsmile2]

Diane.
[/quote]

Dianne,

I've worked in Customer Relations for many years. Don't bother trying to raise the CR director, you won't get him or her.

Concentrate your focus on what you do and how you do it, Then, if you have a reasonable case, sue them in the small claims court.

[quote]Originally posted by Macka
Dianne,

I've worked in Customer Relations for many years. Don't bother trying to raise the CR director, you won't get him or her.

Concentrate your focus on what you do and how you do it, Then, if you have a reasonable case, sue them in the small claims court.
[/quot

Thanks for that Macca but I think this advice is for Hamish not me.

Diane

Hi All

Update - still waiting for reply. I am disgusted with their so called Customer Service!

Sandra