trip reports

[Matt]

Lexton,

I notice that your trip with Virgin was from Manchester. Virgin only lease aircraft for the Orlando route, and these are leased from Air Atlanta Icelandic, and yes they are old decrepid planes painted up in Virgin livery.

My niece was VA Cabin Crew for 10 years, and none of the crew like doing the Orlando route (according to her), due to the amount of children and holiday makers on the flight (holiday makers being the biggest complainers of everything all the time).

I fly VA out of LGW all the time, and can honestly say I have never experienced any problems with them in the past 10 or so years. Only problems ever with VA was on an Athens flight once (to which they no longer fly).

Regarding your compensation. As it has taken so long up until now to get something more out of them, I would suggest you be very wary now about your next step. If VA are certain that they did everything possible during your delay 'to the book', then they can at anytime retract any compensation they have already offered. You, will then be left with nothing!

I would suggest you take what has been offered, and next time try flying out of LGW and see if it makes a difference to your Manchester experience.

Well, the above is based on my experiences with similar situations (although not with VA), and notes taken from my Niece when she worked with VA.

Hope it helps in your decision.

Matt

[lexton]

Thanks for all of your replies and suggestions. The comment from Matthew , about the state of the aircraft used on the service from Manchester,obviously Manchester is not high on their list of priorities for decent aircraft out of there.This is the first time hubby and I have ever written a letter of complaint anywhere about anything,hence the reason for asking you all for advice as to where to go from here.It just really annoys us to think that recently a well known rock-star,was arrested after getting off a Virgin Atlantic flight from America ,after her disruptive behaviour and threatening the cabin crew.Sir Richard then offered her free first class tickets for herself and her friends.Whilst we flew sardine-class had a very long delay,losing a day off our holiday,and had a lousy flight home as well,and the only thing we have been offered is having to spend more money with them to get a half price flight,on one of their decrepid planes out of Manchester.Going from Gatwick isn't an option as we live in Merseyside.We don't expect something for nothing ,as I said this is the first time we have written complaining about anything, but it is annoying that we will have to fly with them to make use of the vouchers we were given. Any way one final letter on its way to Virgin,along the lines which Biggus mentioned,watch this space!

[Tracey]

We know how you feel Lexton.

Our flight with US Airways (Saturday)was cancelled resulting in us being re-routed with BA,via Toronto with an overnight stay.
We therefore also arrived a day late (Sunday) and my Dad who was spending our first week with us had flown Delta and arrived on time. He had to get a taxi from Orlando, because the hire car was in our name, and spend the first night and morning alone at our villa.
BA then left our baggage at Heathrow, so we had a night in Toronto with no luggage and our cases finally arrived in Orlando on the WEDNESDAY evening,the final case did not arrive until the Friday morning. Our passes were in our luggage and the fact that we had to keep shopping for our family of 7, it ruined my Dad's week with us.
BA reimbursed us for our expenses for clothing, for the days we were without our luggage but that was it.
US issued us $100.00 travel vouchers each, but the cost of fares from the peolple who will accept them make them a waste of time. We can book cheaper flights with no discount.

[steph_goodrum]

Lexton
Why not see what their response is to your final letter and then if no joy go to one of the National newspapers with the "2 sides of Customer service" depending on your "celebrity status".

[fiona]

Richard Branson wrote to the Sunday Times week stating that he had not given her free tickets and that she returned to the US on a BA flight.

[steph_goodrum]

I suppose that wouldn't have made such a good story would it Fiona so someones obviously made it up?
We''ll let him off that one then shall we?