V-Flyer

I was booked with the family on the vs27 on 21/09/05. I checked my booking on-line yesterday and I noticed the outbound flight had vanished. I then call FC to find out to why and was told the flight had been cancelled due to load levels and now we would be on the VS15.

I know its only about an hour difference, but should I not of been contacted re the change? or is it OK to be told at checkin? An extra hour with excited children at the airport can be fun[xx(]

Is this a regular thing at LGW[?]

Am I expecting too much[?]

It is unusual not to be contacted - several people on this forum have been contacted just because a flight was slightly rescheduled!

bit rude not to contact you, and the opposite to VirginWines who pester me every other day[}:)]

On the up side that should mean that more people are flying home than flying out (although does it, as they would still need to fly an empty plane out to fly it back full. Now i'm confused... but assume i'm right) then Orlando will start to empty out of tourists and the rides become clearer.

About your original point this, this type of thing has happened to me frequently, i usually pick up on it before I get the call, but apparently your name does go on a list for you to get a phone call when the agents are not inundated.

Paul

Thats mental! I always imagined that September was still a busy time for MCO, its usually when i choose to go. I didnt think they had any trouble filling those flights

Late september is my preferred time too, but only becuase I know this is when the kids are back and school and me and Uncle Mickey can have some quality time together. Apart from 2nd week in Jan this is apparently the quietest time to visit the area.

Paul

I got a call from the Premier Team to say that VS28 on 18th was cancelled and that I was now booked on the later VS 16 flight. This is OK but I know have to rearrange all my airport transfers, thanks VS!

As a vacation home owner in Florida, I can confirm that September is one of our quietest months of the year, more so than January.

With kids in most countries only just returning to school parents are reluctant to take them out to on holiday.

Matt

PS. This flight change has happened to me in the past along with a slight time reschedule and I've been contacted by VS on both occasions.

Having read this topic I decided to check my booking[:(] 3 weeks to go and I find they have changed us from VS28 to VS16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not that I am too upset as this was the flight we originally wanted but were unable to get UC seats on. What has annoyed we is with just 23 days to go they have changed it and not had the decency to let us know. How do they know what we have planned at this end that might have to be changed due to the later flight[:(!] Not a good show from VA, I don't care what the excuses are there is NO EXCUSE for not informing us![:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!]

Checked my own flights to MCO for September and all is as planned. However, my partner plus 5 others are booked on the VS49/50 for 10 Sep and the booking is not showing on line. Looks like another one bites the dust! Have emailed to find out[:(]

Jilly

I have only just found out about this, of course it's too late to ring VS now so it will have to wait until monday (working tomorrow so unable to ring.)I have sent a stinking email to customer service just now, and I will follow it up with phone calls on Monday. I wouldn't mind but this is the first time we are flying UCS and we cannot get the same seats on the re-arranged flight.[:(!]

Dave did your new flight show up on line when you tried to look at your original booking?

If so does it show the same reference? I cant get my partners flights to show at all but its not showing this months credit card miles either so there could potentially be another problem.

Jilly

Yeah Jilly I have kept an eye on it for some time - sad I know. I just wanted to see how many pax would be in the UC cabin with us. When I checked on thursday I couldn't access our return flight details. Then when I checked today that's when I hit the roof[:(!] I have always been able to look at the booking using the reference no.

Is it a common occurance for Virgin to cancel/change flights like this? Please say not.

From a personal view this is the first (and I hope the last time) it has happened to me in some 15 yrs of travelling with VS

Hi,
The latest news page on the VA site list the affected flights together with flights to and from EWR some of which are also cancelled.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/pa ... /index.jsp

Mick.

Originally posted by Virgin Newbie
Is it a common occurance for Virgin to cancel/change flights like this? Please say not.

First time its happend to me in 10 Years too! Andy

My theory is (and this is just a theroy so please dont shoot me down;)) is that VS are currently very tight on available A/C especially at LHR at the moment and in the coming months. A few LGW 744's have been hopping over to LHR recently and doing LHR flights so maybe this is why VS are only running 1 MCO flight a day from LGW when loads are lighter [?]

LHR is currently down 2 A343's at present (1 in for UCS re-fit and the other gone to Virgin Nigeria (with possibly more on their way shortly) and the next new A346 is not due until Nov.

MAN also sees 2 MCO flights a day (Fridays and Saturdays) in Nov along with a BGI flight on Sundays as well

Only my theroy though.......

Regards

If that is the case, then surely it's VA who should shoulder the blame for taking on too much too soon. I's all well and good trying to provide a premium service, but if you havn't got the A/C why start the routes? I am sorry but I hold VA fully responsible for this lash up[:(!] I am one of the PAX inconvenienced[:(!] and I am not a happy camper!

Can anyone let me know the direct line for VH as I wish to make my feelings direct to Crawley rather than some remote[:(!] call centre (had enough dealings with them thank-you very much[:(][:(])
The interesting thing is that we were originally booked on VS16 but when I upgraded to UCS they said there was no space so we had to go on VS28. Now they have cancelled 28 and surprise surprise there is space on 16!
edited 1003 just heard from my agent they recieved the re-arrangement details this morning! No reasons or apologies though.

Just to update - I have now found out that my partners booking on the VS49/VS50 has been changed to VS15/16. VA did not inform us - I found out by emailing them having checking the availability tool(flight not showing) and they have explained it as a schedule change with no apology.

Agree that this is poor customer service to say the least.

jilly

Poor customer service it is! that combined with the a less than useful call-centre does not impress[n] I have just written both to VA and VH complaining it will be interesting to see what the replies (if any) bring. If the food is as bad with the new UC menu there will probably be another on the way when we come back.

Poor customer service it is! that combined with the a less than useful call-centre does not impress I have just written both to VA and VH complaining it will be interesting to see what the replies (if any) bring. If the food is as bad with the new UC menu there will probably be another on the way when we come back.

Dave, when you first joined V-Flyer you were vocal in your praise of VS especially with regard to your son. You have been travelling with the airline for 15 years so therefore you must like it. Now, don't get me wrong. VS and VH on the surface seem to have handled the cancellation pretty badly and I can understand your frustration at being told there was no availability on the flight you originally wanted, only to find yourselves on that flight following the cancellation. Seats at different levels are being released at different times depending on loads. We have learned from regular flyers here about reward seats being released in the few days before the flight when there have been none available before that. Last year I wanted a Z fare from SFO but there was none available on the day I wanted to travel so I booked for the following day. A few weeks later Z fares became available on my original date. (Is this what they call yield management?) As I said earlier it could have been handled better and you are right to complain.

What does concern me though is that you appear to have written off the whole flight because of this and also because of the comments about the food. I have been one of the people vociferous about the menus but it has been the poor choice rather than the food itself. This year I have had three return flights with VS and by the time the third flight came I was fed up (if you'll pardon the pun) with the same menu which should have changed some months ago. During that time the cabin crew went out of their way to ensure I had a meal I would like by, for example, giving me main course sizes of starters. As a result I have had some good meals, one great one and one that was absolutely dire (it was cold).

Please don't allow this to spoil your holiday. I know the cancellation has taken the edge off your anticipation of the flight but do try and put it behind you and let the cabin crew look after you and your family as they have done in the past. You may then find that the meal is not so bad after all - especially with a few glasses of champagne - and it is the VS service you have come to expect. I sincerely hope so

It's not that I am down on VA/VH, it's more that I have come to expect such high levels of service over the years that this debacle over the flights (which am sure is down to too many new routes and not enough A/C[:(!]) really does put a damper on it. More so when we are really looking forward to the break. But I will reserve my judgement and my comments for the TR which I am afraid will probably be after we return unless I can get my fingers tapping on my PDA:)

Looking at the timetables on va.com for october a couple of days the flights are due to take about 15 to 20 mins longer. Do you think they might be subbing it for another a/c?

Originally posted by ade99
Looking at the timetables on va.com for october a couple of days the flights are due to take about 15 to 20 mins longer. Do you think they might be subbing it for another a/c?

COULD be seasonal changes in the jetsteam that they account for, OR they could be bunging the 2.5litre (v6) A343 on the route. [B)];)