Anyone got a good contact in customer services?

Hi fellow v-flyers

I need to write a (nice, polite and well crafted) letter to Virgin Atlantic customer services, to someone who might actually read it and be helpful. (the letter is about what to do when my checked suitcase has been tampered with and an item stolen whilst flying with Virgin).

21 days to reply to an email is not up to the job, as my insurance company need some info, and I want to replace the item as it was my gilfriend's christmas present from Tiffany!.

Would be very grateful for the inside track on a name to write to.

Thanks in advance

BN

[Neil]

Welcome to V-Flyer

The best reponse to any customer service issue is usually achieved by writting direct to SRB at the Crawley address. Ok, he will not read it but you usually get a prompt, personal response from one of his 'executive assitants'. The email reply when you eventually get it will be some terrible standard reply that does not answer your issue and usually ends up leaving you more frustrated.

Neil

Why on earth was it in checked luggage ?

I am making an assumption it was purchased overseas and you have returned home to the UK.

As an ex-Insurance Underwriter who specialised in Travel claims, this would be the first thing I would ask.

I would also ask for confirmation that the Duty and VAT was paid, as I suspect you would not have checked your luggage before exiting customs, but would have gone directly to the Something to Declare and paid the Import Duty and VAT, to get home and find it gone.

To answer your Virgin question, I would write to Customer Services in the UK (Crawley) and mark it Recorded Delivery. Notify them that this is an insurance claim and that a speedy reply would be appreciated.

Include details about flight, route, baggage label tags etc.

Mark

Neil - thanks

Mark - Thanks, you assume right, and long story. Carrying on metal objects that have pointy bits on them + US airports = not worth the grief. Difficult to know what to check/carry these days. From a tax/duty point of view, it wasn't that valuable!

[Scrooge]

The only issue I see is that VS are going to point the finger at the airport operator.

Suggest you write as per the advice given. I recently had cause to give feedback, and did get a speedy (7 day) response from SRB's Admin team.