VS cancel more MCO flights

Looked at my future bookings today and nothing on screen at the VS website and also an error returned on expert-flyer. Put a call into VS and guess what. They have cancelled my VS49/50 combo for June next year and have moved me onto VS15/16 and had not told me. Further to that my seat allocations have all gone again, and again they had split Mrs B and I. Mrs B in 6K and I am in 10A.

VS really need to get their act together when this happens.

Paul

[Nottingham Nick]

I totally agree, Paul.

It is strange that they seem to be treating MCO pax this way. Yet when our SFO flight had its departure time changed by just a few minutes they were on the phone to tell us, even though it was still months away. [:I]

Nick

I wonder if two years of severe hurricanes are having an effect on bookings.

David.

Originally posted by David
I wonder if two years of severe hurricanes are having an effect on bookings.

David.

Not sure on that score - When I flew on Saturday November the 5th there was not a spare seat on any of the 3 Orlando flights departing from Gatwick.

I don't know if the VS 49/50 combo is as popular, on our return in October the entire of the B-zone PE was empty.

Originally posted by ade99
I don't know if the VS 49/50 combo is as popular, on our return in October the entire of the B-zone PE was empty.

As was the entire B - Zone PE on VS 028 on the 15th of November.

If they can't sell the seats why advertise the flight? I know that's a catch 22 situation, but these canx of MCO flights is becoming a regular occurrance. It happened to me last year, it is especially galling when as Paul says you have specific seats requested! I echo NIck's comments about VS' treatment of MCO pax. They really should get their act together!

If you booked with a travel agent then its up to them to inform you that they flights have changed!

If you booked with Virgin Holidays then I am sure they will contact you probably a little nearer the time??

Virgin Atlantic would contact the agents only unless you booked the flights direct with the reservations in the UK.

I think your wrong to say they are treating Orlando passengers badly.

At least your getting on a flight the same day and they are not putting you on another airline or making you fly on a different day.

Originally posted by ade99
I don't know if the VS 49/50 combo is as popular, on our return in October the entire of the B-zone PE was empty.

I like the VS049 since it lets me get up a bit later!

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
It is strange that they seem to be treating MCO pax this way. Yet when our SFO flight had its departure time changed by just a few minutes they were on the phone to tell us, even though it was still months away

Actually, they didn't phone me about that. The flight disappeared from my bookings on the website and I had to ring Flying Club to get it put back on.

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by declansmith

I think your wrong to say they are treating Orlando passengers badly.

At least your getting on a flight the same day and they are not putting you on another airline or making you fly on a different day.

Sorry, Declan. I have to disagree with you here. Whilst I accept what you say about it not being the responsibility of VS to inform pax unless they booked direct. I think that dismissing concerns with 'at least you are getting your flights on the same day' misses the point completely.

Most MCO pax are not frequent (i.e. weekly / monthly) fliers. With a few notable exceptions, their flights will be a big thing to them. The timings of the departure and arrival will have been carefully selected to match other arrangements, and to cancel their booking and seat reservations without informing them, is a sure fire way to lose repeat business.

Add to that the growing number of people who read about this type of treatment here, and on boards like DIBB, and are put off booking with VS - Then you have the potential to lose a LOT of revenue to other carriers.

A lot of MCO pax already feel (rightly or wrongly) like second class citizens - No VPort - no Clubhouse at MCO - etc, etc. This will only add to that feeling.

Nick

[fozzyo]

I agree with Nick here.

I would expect to be informed, no matter which class I was flying in. In Economy getting the same seats wouldn't really be expected as I would imagine that a lot would already be taken, would like to think they would try and keep seats together though.

Paul is flying Upper Class here, they only have 16 suites so surely when a flight is cancelled like this a member of staff could be tasked with ensuring all UC pax are sat together and where possible in the same seats, and then if they have details from a direct booking are contacted. Or even if not a direct booking but are a FC member then contacted through their preferred FC preferrence. That is the level of service I expect when paying for their premium cabin.

Mat xxx

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick

A lot of MCO pax already feel (rightly or wrongly) like second class citizens - No VPort - no Clubhouse at MCO - etc, etc. This will only add to that feeling.

Nick

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David.

Originally posted by fozzyo
That is the level of service I expect when paying for their premium cabin.

Ah, but it's so obvious from Declan's reply that we should just "put up and shut up" like the SLF that we are... even if we're in the front of the bus, we should eat our bangers and mash and be thankful...

(Okay, bad Mike, baiting the staffers, but that's how Declan comes across in his posts - that we should be thankful for VS, and that VS can do no wrong. It's good to see loyalty, but it's bordering on the defensive/apologistic.)

Mike

I agree with Nick. We were taking our first UCS trip last Aug/sept and had originally booked 27/28. I only found out about the canx of these 2 flights when I checked to see how full the UCS cabin was going to be and that was only 2 weeks before we flew! Our travel agent did not know anything about it until we mentioned it and they got in touch with VH! Needless to say like Paul we did not get the seats we had originally requested[}:)] Not a good impression for a new UCS pax is it[n]

me and my family were treated like poo on our 8th of Nov flight out of MAN to MCO in the PE bubble.

If any staffers are interested read my TR, a huge dissapointment for me and my family whom I had "bigged up" VA to for over a year.

Lucky for VA that the return trip was covered by two very nice ladies
who were brillient.

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick

Originally posted by declansmith

I think your wrong to say they are treating Orlando passengers badly.

At least your getting on a flight the same day and they are not putting you on another airline or making you fly on a different day.

Sorry, Declan. I have to disagree with you here. Whilst I accept what you say about it not being the responsibility of VS to inform pax unless they booked direct.

And I have booked direct with VS in the UK!

I have actually sent them a letter in the past about the difference in service between the LGW and LHR of which I have had a reply which basically said they strive to offer the same level of service...

But my point is, as most have correctly picked up on, I booked a specific flight for my requirements, if I had wanted the VS15 or VS27 I would have booked it, so if they cancel and change my booking they should tell me, AND they should make every effort to seat travellers from the same party together.

Schedule changes, operational changes etc are to be expected, poor service when this happens is not.

Paul

Originally posted by p17blo
And I have booked direct with VS in the UK!

You need to take this one to VS then. You're an AU card holder, and you're also booked in J. You're right to expect to be treated better than that.

Have you contacted the Premier Team to discuss - i.e. find out when your VS49/50 were canxed, work out what the timelag would have been if you hadn't found out sooner? Have you been able to sort your seat allocations?

I'd be interested to hear what they say, as it really shouldn't be such a lottery when we book an airline ticket.

In fact, if you're really unhappy about it, you can say that the proposed schedule change is inconvenient, and VS have to give you your money back - and EU Pax Rights say so, as they canxed your originally booked flights. Of course, that doesn't get you to Orlando, but it makes your point and no matter how small, goes some way to hitting VS where it hurts most, in their pockets.

Mike