V-Flyer

Told 40 or more including me bumped from this flight which is already a change from being VS029. Seems a lot and I wonder what it's all about. Any clues anywhere?

Can we have a bit more info like who told you there would be bumping and if there is that 40+ pax would be bumped etc

Could be that it's changed from a LGW 744 to a LHR 744 with a lot less Y seats?

If you want to travel on that day ask to transfer to BA 2155 which leaves at 11.30

A friend recently returned from Antigua and said that on the outbound flight around 22nd Jan, she was bumped from PE to EC along with about 14 others due to a change of aircraft from a LGW 747 to a LHR 747. Could be a similar situation?

This is very commen. VA did try this with me from UC to PE on a barbados flight so just tranfured to BA club world not UC but much better than PE

ken54 wrote:This is very commen. VA did try this with me from UC to PE on a barbados flight so just tranfured to BA club world not UC but much better than PE

When a Barbados flight was combined into our St Lucia flight last summer a number of the people in UC from the Barbados flight had been upgraded from PE.

It is very rare that VA upgrade people without any form of payment, but it is quite common in the other direction.

Again, as my prev reply went missing.
Virgin phoned to bump me, said 40 similar calls to make. Thanks all; most helpful. We were PE, and options were to go Econ VS previous day, or BA Econ on booked day. Chose latter. Would have paid all exes incl hotels/car/parking. Got Green GBP250 voucher for flights/hols/250k miles and GBP20 to spend on way back. Green is voluntary but this wasn't at all.
Afgain thanks, BGI, Ken, etc.

Do you get the difference in ticket price refunded?

BobnGina wrote:Again, as my prev reply went missing.
Virgin phoned to bump me, said 40 similar calls to make. Thanks all; most helpful. We were PE, and options were to go Econ VS previous day, or BA Econ on booked day. Chose latter. Would have paid all exes incl hotels/car/parking. Got Green GBP250 voucher for flights/hols/250k miles and GBP20 to spend on way back. Green is voluntary but this wasn't at all.
Afgain thanks, BGI, Ken, etc.

250,000 miles? Really? That seems an awful lot, did you mean 25k which is the standard Y bumping miles amount given?

ken54 wrote:It is very rare that VA upgrade people without any form of payment, but it is quite common in the other direction.

Not really, there are many occasions with VS have to op-up people. Of course they try and limit it, offer alternatives or sell upgrades where possible, but it is much more common than you would think.

Neil thanks for info but i must speak as i find and i have never found that to be the case

BobnGina wrote:Again, as my prev reply went missing.
Virgin phoned to bump me, said 40 similar calls to make. Thanks all; most helpful. We were PE, and options were to go Econ VS previous day, or BA Econ on booked day. Chose latter. Would have paid all exes incl hotels/car/parking. Got Green GBP250 voucher for flights/hols/250k miles and GBP20 to spend on way back. Green is voluntary but this wasn't at all.
Afgain thanks, BGI, Ken, etc.

If you were involuntarily downgraded the law in place should mean that VS will refund you 75% of the price of the ticket (for flights over 3500km). Secondly VS should reimburse you within seven days.

Did the person who called you inform you of your rights? If they didn't then VS is at fault there too.

If VS is failing to do any of this then it's a real indictment - it's why the laws were created.

ken54 wrote:It is very rare that VA upgrade people without any form of payment, but it is quite common in the other direction.

Clause 1 of Article 10 of EU261/2004 clearly states that if an airline bumps a pax up then they cannot request any supplementary payment (even for taxes)

However bumping is very different to offering upgrades for sale (miles or cash) at check-in when the airline is quite entitled to ask for some form of payment.

slinky09 wrote:

BobnGina wrote:Again, as my prev reply went missing.
Virgin phoned to bump me, said 40 similar calls to make. Thanks all; most helpful. We were PE, and options were to go Econ VS previous day, or BA Econ on booked day. Chose latter. Would have paid all exes incl hotels/car/parking. Got Green GBP250 voucher for flights/hols/250k miles and GBP20 to spend on way back. Green is voluntary but this wasn't at all.
Afgain thanks, BGI, Ken, etc.

If you were involuntarily downgraded the law in place should mean that VS will refund you 75% of the price of the ticket (for flights over 3500km). Secondly VS should reimburse you within seven days.

Did the person who called you inform you of your rights? If they didn't then VS is at fault there too.

If VS is failing to do any of this then it's a real indictment - it's why the laws were created.

Slinky09 is there somewhere I can find such laws just so I know where I stand if this happens to me ?

Kabuta007 wrote:Slinky09 is there somewhere I can find such laws just so I know where I stand if this happens to me ?

If you have a smart phone (Apple, Android or BB) then there's a very good App called 'Your Rights' created by the EU itself, and has all the information.

FWIW when we got bumped from a LAX-LHR flight (due to overbooking) they gave us both a return flight to anywhere exc Sydney and a night in a hotel with all meals paid for - that was on the same day, literally 30 mins before we were about to board though........ worth asking

SteveAndBarbara wrote:FWIW when we got bumped from a LAX-LHR flight (due to overbooking) they gave us both a return flight to anywhere exc Sydney and a night in a hotel with all meals paid for - that was on the same day, literally 30 mins before we were about to board though........ worth asking

That is the standard involuntary offloading compensation and is often referred to as the red select voucher.

From what they have said, the OP has been offered the green select voucher which is for voluntary offloading, which while it really wasn't, as they were giving alternative options for the same day travel, it technically is.

Cheers for the info slinky09 y)

Everyone, thank you. When I come back, I will be writing to them. Sorry my finger slipped! As you say, it was 25k miles that the green voucher could be changed into. And yes they say they will refund difference between PE & E.
Regards

The EU regulations are that for a downgrade (which this is), you are entitled to a refund equating to 75% of the returnfare. I can't see how VS could dispute that if challenged.