VS016 MCO -LGW economy 4/5/11

Having had a wonderful flight out 2 weeks earlier (VS027 PE) I was braced for a jam packed flight back in economy. Using the downtown Disney bag drop facility (brilliant service) one of the team told me the flight was over-booked and they'd need 4 passengers to drop out with a flight back to MCR the same day (and connecting flights to LGW) and 4 complimentary tickets to any other virgin destination.

We are starting to plan a trip to hong kong and Bali in 12/11 so after a quick huddle we decided to offer ourselves up. Clearly there are no g'tees and we turned up at the airport and waited until check in closed and I was told that our seats would be needed. Feeling pretty happy I went to get the family and returned to be told that there'd been a mistake and the seats wouldn't be needed - despite there being a chap at the desk pretty irate about being told he couldn't get back to LGW and would have to go to MCR....

We all felt a bit deflated and our mood wasn't helped by the equipment on board - Hotlips - all of our seat back screens wouldn't lock and instead were in the angled position- no problem for an adult but the kids had to sit on their ruck sacks to see the screen clearly- a number of other people seemed go have the same problem as well as screens freezing, seat reclining problems and the leg room compromised by the video box. CC were great but I wonder if they are embarrassed at having such old equipment.

Anyway enough moaning, flight departed and arrived on time which was great and a wonderful holiday........just need to start saving for those flights to hong kong that, for 5 minutes, I thought I'd got lucky with!

Would be interested to know if anyone has any other experiences with over-booking?

Would be interested to know if anyone has any other experiences with over-booking?

We've done the full gamut over the years...

1. Volunteered and not needed (good job as the children were not happy about the idea of being home a day late).
2. Volunteered and not needed but when getting on the flight passed by a family of four getting off in tears (from the children) and anger (from the dad) as they'd been told they weren't needed and then were.
3. Volunteered and not needed but given upgrade to PE as thanks for volunteering
4. Volunteered and needed so put on flight 2 hours later to EWR instead of JFK with red select vouchers in hand, which then led to love of summers in the caribbean.

All of the above were on flights either to LA or NYC...

Paul

I can recall in a fairly TR a v-flyer volunteered to offload at LGW as the EU compensation for the family (2 adults, 2 children) paid for a huge chunk of their holiday and they reported that VS looked after them really well - money vouchers handed over straight away and hotels arranged as the family were collecting the cash and they were pt on the next days flight.

Hi Robb

I was at MCO putting Miss Sunshine on to that flight 8D

I hadn't been able to check her in on line and when we arrived at MCO it was rather chaotic but luckily I waved my silver card and was allowed to take her to the bag drop line which consisited of one person unlike the snaking queue to the Y check in desks y)

Her seat had been given away but I used the concerned mummy card and managed to secure her an exit row seat oo) There were people all around going mad that they had been moved etc

At least your post explains the situation to me....so thank you.

I have another 3 weeks in paradise until I face the bun fight of MCO :w

Sunshine 8D

Hi Robb

I have another 3 weeks in paradise until I face the bun fight of MCO :w

Sunshine 8D

Good luck Sunshine!

PS family are trying to persuade me to buy a villa after we had such a great time at the reunion resort and given prices are so low..........would mean many more 'bun fights' for these flights though!

Villa prices are good but I speak from experience that the running costs, taxes etc are only going up, not down...just like the flight prices :0 n(

However I have never regretted buying and owning a little piece of paradise

Sunshine 8D

Not me but the parents were off loaded once. They were flying HKG-LHR with completed OLCI. Arrived at HKG airport and was asked if they were willing to take the next flight as there were too many passengers from SYD. They said yes but had to hang around the check-in area until they were confirmed they were off loaded. The wait for the confirmation was long and they didn't know they were staying or going.

In the end they were off loaded and were sent to an airport hotel for an overnight stay and given 2 Virgin select vouchers. They took the next morning Qantas flight back to LHR. They used the vouchers for another HKG flight absolutely free with no tax to pay.

Hi Robb

I have another 3 weeks in paradise until I face the bun fight of MCO :w

Sunshine 8D

Good luck Sunshine!

PS family are trying to persuade me to buy a villa after we had such a great time at the reunion resort and given prices are so low..........would mean many more 'bun fights' for these flights though!

if you do consider buying out here PLEASE ask and do lots of research. the people you see at shows offering a 'slice of the dream' sell at crazy prices with lots of bells and trimmings. buying privately is easy and can save you thousands. we bought a brand new foreclosed home from a bank and paid less than £70000 !! adding a pool was a further 18 grand.

as Sunshine says take into account many other charges
Insurance
flood insurance
taxes (vary widely)
HOA fees
CDD fees
power
water
phone and internet
management company

can all mount up.

However if you have some spare cash now is a GREAT time to buy , do look at various areas as prices can flutuate.

if you need any questions answered happy to help

and finally ... a declaration of 'interest' ...the business I have out here buys and sells homes . just so no one thinks I have ulterior motives v(

Thanks for the offer Flabound-robb