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#237642 by Rapscallion
29 Aug 2005, 03:10
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Something of a first for me, despite making the LHR-SFO run many times: was going back the day before, but decided to volunteer to be bounced due to oversell. That has happened before, but I've never won. This time, I did - as did eighteen others. The check-in woman mentioned in passing that the day before had been even worse, and some people had been involuntarily denied boarding: a combination of school holidays, BA's woes and a couple of really big events in SF (Cisco had seemingly imported half its non-US staff) was stretching things.

So before the flight report, the bounce report. If you agree at check-in, your ticket and baggage is marked with a red VO sticker - and then life continues as before. I had no particular reason to be back in London on Saturday morning, so an extra day in SF seemed a very light price to pay for 'a free economy return anywhere on the Virgin network'. Boy, was I wrong (more on that later).

I got through SFO security - and this was the only time I regretting volunteering. Shoes, belts (belts!), laptop and jacket off, and my carry-on luggage was sent through the X-Ray three times, swabbed, checked by hand and then X-ray'd again. Took half an hour of sheer misery: it turned out that the item that had confused them was a replica Byzantium icon of St George giving the dragon a good kebabbing.. All that gold leaf. And if I won my bounce, I'd have to do it all again.

After that, it was a straight line to the bar beyond A8 - where, as per, a killer Bloody Mary (made with half a pint of voddy) repaired my good spirits and prepared me for the flight.

But it was not to be. After a lot of chaos at A8, myself and the other 18 volunteers were called to the podium, given our tickets back and told to go back to check-in to pick up our bags and our 'package'. Ooh! I was a bit surprised at how easy it was leave airside - we just walked through a set of doors. No security at all.

The package turned out to be a chit for fifteen dollars' worth of food (no booze - I couldn't buy an eight dollar burger and a four dollar beer) and a long wait for a shuttle. We then got a voucher describing our allowances - 25 dollars for dinner, 15 dollars for breakfast and 117 dollars for accomodation at the Holiday Inn on Columbia. It was all a bit messy, as nobody in the process seemed to know what paperwork to expect or what to hand over where. I did make sure I got a window seat booked at this point, as I suspected that I wouldn't be able to change it online later (which turned out to be true, as we had no e-ticket or reference number).

The evening was fun. I ended up buying far too much jewelry from a designer boutique for my intended (hence the complete failure of this as a cheap extra day) and investigating some very scuzzy bars indeed. And thence back to the airport the next day (Holiday Inn food is... best avoided), where I was a bit worried about turning up without my visa counterfoil (taken the day before - was I legally in the US or not?) or any form of official ticketing. But the security guy on the queue said 'Oh. YOU again.' and waved me through. Then came the Magic Ticket, which was _not_ (as advertised) a free return to anywhere, as Oz was specifically excluded. Bah. And they got me to sign it without giving me any time to read the conditions, which makes me think they knew... still, no matter.

SFO security was completely different. Still had to do the whole belt/shoes thing, but went through in a trice with friendly, joking staff. And then I had a Groundhog Day Bloody Mary, and this time got on the flight.

There's not much to say about life in 53A: no room for a fat 'un, V-Port splendid as always, even with the dodgy controller and imap not working half the time, food much better than six months ago (Key Lime pie rather good, beef/mash/broccoli tasted fine, but no cheese for the biscuits. Hm), decent view out of the window except for approach to London because we flew the westerly approach and I was on the wrong side of the aircraft, no ice-cream... Cabin crew were pleasant but working too hard to do much more than the basics, while the FO was one of the verbose variety who enjoyed giving all the details of the route over the PA. I don't mind that, but it came after the IFE had been going for about half an hour and so most people would be stuck into their films. The seat was OK: I ignored the amenity pack and used my own headphones, and I've now done the trip often enough that I just slip into a Zen state of semi-consciousness without being aware of time passing.

The aircraft itself - didn't get the registration, alas - wasn't too well, The APU had packed up before take-off, so we had a lot of extra faffing at both ends of the flight. This was worse after landing, as we apparently needed some ground support to plug in before we could exit the plane (one engine running until then), and as this came on top of a 20 minute wait for a gate on the ground plus the usual Heathrow taxyathon it meant we spent a very long time not moving but with seatbelts on. I also noticed during the flight that the lighting/ventilation panels above my head were grubby and the lights were covered in quite deep fine grey dust. Nobody had given them so much as a wipe over with a damp cloth for at least a month, which I didn't take as a good sign. Also, after landing there was a swarm of yellowjackets crawling over one of the engines - so I guess something else had gone a bit haywire during the flight.

All that aside, it was a decent enough trip. The staff were professional yet human, the food acceptable and in 22 hours (including the flight over the week before) I got nowhere near exhausting the IFE. Can you ask for more on a Y? I think not.

R
#310056 by slinky09
29 Aug 2005, 08:06
Thanks for a really interesting and informative report. Anyone else noticed similar crush for seats during the BA crisis?
#310061 by Nottingham Nick
29 Aug 2005, 09:30
A very interesting TR , Rapscallion. Thanks.

When we volunteered for VO at EWR last year, they asked us not to go airside until a decision had been made. This makes a lot more sense and would have saved all of your TSA woes.

Loads out out SFO have been very high since the BA 'problems' but I don't think our flight was full last week.

Just out of interest.. apart from excluding Oz, are there any other restrictions on your free trip, and were you offered a quantity of FC points as an alternative (40K)?


Nick
#310063 by NYCFlyer
29 Aug 2005, 09:34
Originally posted by Rapscallion
Then came the Magic Ticket, which was _not_ (as advertised) a free return to anywhere, as Oz was specifically excluded. Bah. And they got me to sign it without giving me any time to read the conditions, which makes me think they knew... still, no matter.


What was the problem with the Magic Ticket?

I was voluntarily 'bumped' a couple of years a go and the whilst the voucher was already ticked for the free return on the VS network, I then noticed that I could have been worth 50,000 FC miles. On return to the UK I contacted FC who said it was fine to convert to miles and with a little help from Amex I soon had my first proper UC experience (J2000 [:(]).

Graham
#310100 by Rapscallion
29 Aug 2005, 17:02
Originally posted by Nottingham Nick


When we volunteered for VO at EWR last year, they asked us not to go airside until a decision had been made. This makes a lot more sense and would have saved all of your TSA woes.



I wonder whether the long delays through security might make that more difficult. At least with everyone airside the plane could be boarded immediately the final pax list was known.


Just out of interest.. apart from excluding Oz, are there any other restrictions on your free trip, and were you offered a quantity of FC points as an alternative (40K)?



The trip has to be taken within 18 months, can only be used on a Virgin flight (no partners or code-sharers) with no changes of aircraft, can be transferred to another person 'subject to the absolute discretion of Virgin' but once the reservation's made it's non-transferable. Reservations and changes are subject to the availability of complimentary seats, and no FC miles are earned.

The ticket can be exchanged for 50k FC miles, again within 18 months: you tick the appropriate box and send it off to Flying Club.

Seems reasonable enough!


Nick



R
#310102 by mitchja
29 Aug 2005, 17:20
Excellent TR thanks Rapscallion.

I would go for the 50K miles without any doubt what so ever rather than a free Y flight....though I've never been bumped on VS yet.

Regards
#310112 by buns
29 Aug 2005, 18:34
Rapscallion

Thanks for an interesting TR - showing the 'ins and outs' of what happens when a VO is invoked[y][y]

Looks very much like you were left to your own devices[:(]

I too would opt for the miles[;)]

all the best

buns
#310134 by mike-smashing
29 Aug 2005, 23:22
Oooh. One of the lesser-spotted Y-cabin trip reports!

Originally posted by Rapscallion
The aircraft itself - didn't get the registration, alas - wasn't too well, The APU had packed up before take-off, so we had a lot of extra faffing at both ends of the flight.


Oooh, yack. At least a working APU isn't on the MEL for a 744, like it is for an ETOPS trip on the 777 (or any other twin).

Had a flight on a UA 744 where only one of the two APU generators was working (the 744 is such a power hungry beast, it has two generators hanging off the APU gearbox), so we were in darkness until they started up the first engine (the working generator being used for more essential stuff like the flight instruments, etc), but at least the air-conditioning worked while on the gate.

I also noticed during the flight that the lighting/ventilation panels above my head were grubby and the lights were covered in quite deep fine grey dust. Nobody had given them so much as a wipe over with a damp cloth for at least a month, which I didn't take as a good sign.


A month? Probably months, or years. VS interior cleaning is nasty. The turnround cleans aren't even the bare minimum, judging by the crap I find in seatpockets (someone else's mouldy used earplugs!) or sticky gunk (remains of chocolate glop desserts, maybe?) on tray tables.

Also, after landing there was a swarm of yellowjackets crawling over one of the engines - so I guess something else had gone a bit haywire during the flight.


The aircraft systems can send health messages back to base during the flight, so that when the aircraft arrives, maintenance can be ready to deal with any issues collected. Probably just needed it's oil levels checking or something like that!

Thanks for the report, it's interesting that the Economy food is getting better marks than Upper!

Cheers,
Mike
#310141 by Rapscallion
30 Aug 2005, 00:22
Originally posted by mike-smashing
Oooh. One of the lesser-spotted Y-cabin trip reports!

The aircraft systems can send health messages back to base during the flight, so that when the aircraft arrives, maintenance can be ready to deal with any issues collected. Probably just needed it's oil levels checking or something like that!

Thanks for the report, it's interesting that the Economy food is getting better marks than Upper!

Cheers,
Mike


Yeah, one of the maintenance crew scrambled up a giant wheeled stepladder to the side of one of the engines, flipped open a panel and poured in three cans of gunk he opened with what looked like a chisel and a sharp tap with his hand. Gloriously low tech, and I seem to remember my old Austin 1100 needed more than that after four hours on the M5. There was also someone poking around inside the cowel, so I guess whatever the engine had been whinging about was more than just low oil, but then I know there are a lot of interdependencies between measured parameters so perhaps it was just a bit of diagnostics.

As for the food: I'd be delighted to do a comparative report on J class fodder, but it's been a long time since I've managed to wangle a left turn on boarding. I don't have very high expectations of in-flight catering in my normal environment and I'm notably omniverous, but this time it was frankly enjoyable compared to much I've had in the past from other carriers (All Day Deli means to me that you'll have had to have starved all day to find it delicious).

One last thing: three of the other bouncees were a couple with a four year old girl. They were over in California on a free flight they'd got for being bounced last year, and couldn't quite believe they'd landed another. 'That's another two thousand quid saved' said the bloke, who was by now a firm fan of Virgin's more generous discounts.

R
#310214 by Jonathan
30 Aug 2005, 19:56
Nice TR Rapscallion,
Good to see a TR with a VDB experience!

I think I'd take the 50K miles though!!
#310255 by Rapscallion
31 Aug 2005, 01:54
Originally posted by Jonathan
Nice TR Rapscallion,
Good to see a TR with a VDB experience!

I think I'd take the 50K miles though!!


Well, I found this place when I was looking for advice on how to make best use of the Magic Ticket (the chitty is definitely going off for the 50K) and I'm delighted to have the chance to submit one of the rare Y reviews (with bonus VDB preface).

There have been times in my life when I've been on the receiving end of corporately mandated J, but they're far in the past and probably further in the future. These days it's scraping a living and grabbing the back of the bus when I can... but I still love it. I'll trade half a day of my life for the thrill of sitting at FL380 and arriving half a planet away any time the opportunity presents itself, even if it means acquiring a flat bum and two glasses of indifferent booze in the process.

Just wish they'd clean the interior! Somebody's eye is off that particular ball, and it don't bode well.

R
#310818 by xenole
04 Sep 2005, 16:58
I'll be flying back from SFO on the 26th Sept, so hopefully things will turn out a bit better for me :) Got one of these tickets with 'voluntary changes restricted' so I probably won't be able to go on a different flight anyway.
#310828 by mike-smashing
04 Sep 2005, 19:36
Originally posted by xenole
Got one of these tickets with 'voluntary changes restricted' so I probably won't be able to go on a different flight anyway.


Ah, whenever it suits the airline (e.g. in an overbooking situation), those endorsements go right out of the window!

I remember showing up somewhat early for a flight (a meeting finished early), and asking if I could take the earlier one. Despite the fact I had a non-changeable ticket, the airline was happy to let me check in for the earlier flight as there was space available, and my ticketed flight was overbooked.

In your case, the VS20 still has plenty of availability.

Cheers,
Mike
Virgin Atlantic

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