I booked return flights LHR-ATL-ORD way back in November during a mystery sale.
It didn't seem to be openly advertised, but Head for Points picked it up - £1096 rtn in Upper/DL First.
Booked, hotel arranged and I am happy. Here's my itinerary:
12 APR LHR - ATL 1150/1620 VS 115
12 APR ATL - ORD 1910/2017 VS 4572
17 APR ORD - ATL 1645/1944 VS 3291
17 APR ATL - ORD 2040/1000 VS 116
Jump forward two days and I have the mad idea of booking my friend on the same flight.
Alas, the VS website doesn't work properly and in fact, doesn't even show any flights via Atlanta to Chicago.
But, DL does. So I book my friend on the following flights:
12 APR LHR - ATL 1150/1620 DL4356 Operated by VS as VS115
12 APR ALT - ORD 1910/2017 DL 2112
17 APR ORD - ATL 1645/1944 DL 1410
17 APR ATL - LHR 2040/1000 DL 4357 Operated by VS as VS 116
This flight is double the cost of mine, but we are on the same flight, we have adjacent seats reserved throughout, what could possibly go wrong?
Well, lots of things, so I call Virgin and Delta to ensure that our bookings are cross-referenced and they know we are travelling together... both airlines reassure me that they can see both bookings linked.
So, one evening innocently checking my booking, I notice that my flight from ATL to ORD has been rescheduled.
My flight is now
11 APR LHR - ATL 1150/1620 VS 115
11 APR ATL - ORD 2030/2335 DL1812
After a 35-minute phone call (30 minutes on hold) they persuade DL to put me back on the original flight.
VS explain that DL want the earlier flight for higher revenue passengers.
A week later, I am back on the late arrival in Chicago.
Another 40-minute phone call (35 minutes on hold) and I am back on the original flight.
I am a little nervous that it's not a VS flight number but what's the worst that can happen?
DL reject Virgins attempts to get me back on the original flight, as the wrong fare class has been booked.
Now remember, this is not be requesting something special, other than to be on the flight I originally booked, which is still on sale on the Delta website.
I contact VS on Twitter who tell me to call VS. Again, I am on hold and actually have to hang up.
Perhaps DL can help?
Yes, they can, and in fact, sort both flights for me.
We are now back on the same flight, traveling together, and it just took contacting DL on Facebook messenger.
Peace reigns supreme.
Until DL decide to schedule change my friend's flight home.
It is now:
17 APR ORD - JFK 1825/2144 DL 3631
17 APR JFK - LHR 2230/1040 DL 403
So we are now on different flights.
Now, I call DL and explain the situation.
They wring their hands and say sorry, there's nothing we can do, we don't have permission to book people on the VS 116. Despite my friend originally being booked and ticketed on this flight.
I call VS and explain the situation.
They wring their hands and say sorry, there's nothing we can do, we don't have permission to book people on the DL 403. Which I don't really want anyway.
So here we are, two bookings, originally on identical flights, ruined and we can't travel home together.
So, in some respects, kudos to DL for sorting out my friend's flight (in the worst way ever), as all the had to do was move us on to an earlier flight from Atlanta to Chicago.
Incidentally, apart from me logging in to my booking, I have had no pro-active communication at all from VS about schedule changes impacting my flight Here's what my booking looks like, on the Virgin website:
12 APR ATL-ORD 1910/2017 DL 2112 Flight 1 of 6
12 APR ATL-ORD 1910/2017 DL 2112 Flight 2 of 6
12 APR LHR - ATL 1100/1530 VS 115 Flight 3 of 6
17 APR ORD - ATL 1600/1902 DL1612 Flight 4 of 6
17 APR ORD - ATL 1645/1944 DL 1410 Flight 5 of 6
17 APR ATL - LHR 1925/0845 VS 116 Flight 6 of 6
What a mess, eh?
I have booked Las Vegas in July in BA First, because VS doesn't fly on Mondays.
For my next trip to Boston, in June time, I may as well stick to BA for that too.
It didn't seem to be openly advertised, but Head for Points picked it up - £1096 rtn in Upper/DL First.
Booked, hotel arranged and I am happy. Here's my itinerary:
12 APR LHR - ATL 1150/1620 VS 115
12 APR ATL - ORD 1910/2017 VS 4572
17 APR ORD - ATL 1645/1944 VS 3291
17 APR ATL - ORD 2040/1000 VS 116
Jump forward two days and I have the mad idea of booking my friend on the same flight.
Alas, the VS website doesn't work properly and in fact, doesn't even show any flights via Atlanta to Chicago.
But, DL does. So I book my friend on the following flights:
12 APR LHR - ATL 1150/1620 DL4356 Operated by VS as VS115
12 APR ALT - ORD 1910/2017 DL 2112
17 APR ORD - ATL 1645/1944 DL 1410
17 APR ATL - LHR 2040/1000 DL 4357 Operated by VS as VS 116
This flight is double the cost of mine, but we are on the same flight, we have adjacent seats reserved throughout, what could possibly go wrong?
Well, lots of things, so I call Virgin and Delta to ensure that our bookings are cross-referenced and they know we are travelling together... both airlines reassure me that they can see both bookings linked.
So, one evening innocently checking my booking, I notice that my flight from ATL to ORD has been rescheduled.
My flight is now
11 APR LHR - ATL 1150/1620 VS 115
11 APR ATL - ORD 2030/2335 DL1812
After a 35-minute phone call (30 minutes on hold) they persuade DL to put me back on the original flight.
VS explain that DL want the earlier flight for higher revenue passengers.
A week later, I am back on the late arrival in Chicago.
Another 40-minute phone call (35 minutes on hold) and I am back on the original flight.
I am a little nervous that it's not a VS flight number but what's the worst that can happen?
DL reject Virgins attempts to get me back on the original flight, as the wrong fare class has been booked.
Now remember, this is not be requesting something special, other than to be on the flight I originally booked, which is still on sale on the Delta website.
I contact VS on Twitter who tell me to call VS. Again, I am on hold and actually have to hang up.
Perhaps DL can help?
Yes, they can, and in fact, sort both flights for me.
We are now back on the same flight, traveling together, and it just took contacting DL on Facebook messenger.
Peace reigns supreme.
Until DL decide to schedule change my friend's flight home.
It is now:
17 APR ORD - JFK 1825/2144 DL 3631
17 APR JFK - LHR 2230/1040 DL 403
So we are now on different flights.
Now, I call DL and explain the situation.
They wring their hands and say sorry, there's nothing we can do, we don't have permission to book people on the VS 116. Despite my friend originally being booked and ticketed on this flight.
I call VS and explain the situation.
They wring their hands and say sorry, there's nothing we can do, we don't have permission to book people on the DL 403. Which I don't really want anyway.
So here we are, two bookings, originally on identical flights, ruined and we can't travel home together.
So, in some respects, kudos to DL for sorting out my friend's flight (in the worst way ever), as all the had to do was move us on to an earlier flight from Atlanta to Chicago.
Incidentally, apart from me logging in to my booking, I have had no pro-active communication at all from VS about schedule changes impacting my flight Here's what my booking looks like, on the Virgin website:
12 APR ATL-ORD 1910/2017 DL 2112 Flight 1 of 6
12 APR ATL-ORD 1910/2017 DL 2112 Flight 2 of 6
12 APR LHR - ATL 1100/1530 VS 115 Flight 3 of 6
17 APR ORD - ATL 1600/1902 DL1612 Flight 4 of 6
17 APR ORD - ATL 1645/1944 DL 1410 Flight 5 of 6
17 APR ATL - LHR 1925/0845 VS 116 Flight 6 of 6
What a mess, eh?
I have booked Las Vegas in July in BA First, because VS doesn't fly on Mondays.
For my next trip to Boston, in June time, I may as well stick to BA for that too.
Yes sorry I did misread your comment. It's just you posted back straight after what Marshy wrote and it seemed you was commenting on what she wrote 
