VS001 LHR-EWR 30 MAR 13 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

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Well, after months of no flying with VS after a horrid and stressful time with them on the VS400 before Christmas (I've bored you to death about that one before ) it was time for me to take my fiancee off to EWR, for a few days in NYC before going off to SFO to get married.

A miles redemption ticket, with 12A and 12K requested, and had been checking for months, almost daily, to make sure they hadn't changed.

Come the fateful day on 29 March, go to OLCI. Only to find that I have been checked into 12K (so far so good) - but the future Mrs is in 24A. Twelve rows, one cabin and the width of the aircraft apart. Oh great.

Ring VS. Get the usual flannel about 'operational aircraft change' (that wasn't true, I'm in the industry and had this checked out), followed by 'mother with baby needed the bassinet' (is there one at 12A? Don't think so!) followed by 'we just don't know' - but - and I quote - 'you're on, aren't you? Is it a big deal?'

Well, yes it is. Sorry, in the grand scheme of the universe, it is trivial, but this was a very special trip, and I didn't want to be apart from my fiancee, who is less used to traveling.

Posted on FB. Got ignored - apart from loads of people weighing in on my side. Then I get a stock, patronising answer from one of the new FB people. Got my blood pressure still higher.

Get in the limo at 11am on the Saturday - half way to LHR and get a text, warning me of a six hour delay. These things happen, but you might imagine, I now am stressed, annoyed with VS (why couldn't I have been told earlier so I could stay at home longer?) and have an unhappy other half....

Ring the Support Team (the number of the text). Put on hold for thirty minutes, then cut off. And again. And again. Now getting close to the airport. Finally get hold of someone who - incredibly - even though he sounds junior says he will see what he can do. Ten minutes later, I'm on the 45 - which is delayed, but is actually leaving 15 minutes BEFORE the 1 should have been. Wrong airport, so I get charged $150 for a limo that I can't use, and it is too late to cancel, and have about £90 of phone charges (0844 from a mobile?). But at least we're going and may even get seats together. Requested 12A and 12K at the Wing. Told they were inoperative. End up in 4A and 4K. Not bad.

Private channel slow - not the airline's fault, seemed to be loads of people who made no effort to get ready for the checks (remove belts, watches, etc) until they were asked.

Clubhouse as usual great, very quiet, but couple ahead of us were not allowed to buy access. Odd?

On board, not greeted by name (not expected to be, they seem to have given up on this one). Seats 12A and 12K (the inoperative, unserviceable ones) occupied. If they'd gone, why not tell me the truth??

Food was OK - had better, had worse.

All comments on FB now being ignored again - back on the 20th March, I accused them of ignoring me, and got told this is an email:

Gold cardholders and/or Upper Class passengers generally receive a response from our executive office within 7 to 10 days, if not earlier. All forms of contact are answered. I am, therefore, at a loss to understand why you would be ignored.

To which I asked them a civil question, which more than 10 days later has not been replied to. My comments on the stressful time I had on the VS1 have so far been ignored.

I am now convinced that this company's so called customer services are going to cost all the crew in this company their jobs. From the airport to JFK, no worries, and gradually I got less stressed. But CS do a magnificent job of talking in standard platitudes, not listening, not answering and not caring. All of the above on a quite expensive phone number.

This really was the last chance saloon for VS as far as I am concerned. The last three flights have been just pure hell, until I got to the airport, and now I've had enough. Two miles burn trips left, gold card cut in two and posted back to them. And the company travel budget going to T5.

A shame. They were good, and in the air in the main they still are. But customer disservices? A disgrace.

Wow sarastro, thought you vowed never to use them again

I find all your experiences truly bizarre. Clearly something working against ya

Onto the flight... inoperative seats may have been inoperative at the time but fixed in time for takeoff, happens all the time.
- Downgrading the fiancée without notification is not usual, for any airline, given the clear compensation guidelines set out - I would look into getting a bit of money back for inconvenience sake if I were you.
- Buying access to the CH is always at the discretion of the gate keepers, clearly the couple in front didn't measure up
- Got to love a bit of comedy at the metal detecters.. some people seem to act like they have never travelled before and were born without common sense. Others are just overly excited or perhaps a little plastered/strung out from stress to function properly Either way, amusing for the outside observer.
- Who was the inflexible limo company used? Would like to know as to avoid them in future.

Something else has been bugging me, why not use the 0800 number for AU holders, or wait until arriving at the airport to play musical chairs with the flights? Sorry for asking, just looking to learn from your experiences as whenever I have schedule changes I call the freephone number or arrive at the airport in plenty of time to deal with people face to face.

Cheers for posting the TR

Crikey ,where do we start to dissect this TR ? Unbelievable answer to the seats issue ,is it a big deal ,um well I would have thought so VS ,did they honestly expect you to be happy with it !

Thanks both - just to clarify, we were still both in Upper, just a long way apart... 24 is in the rear UC cabin, 12 right in the nose.

This was the last chance I was giving these guys to give me a decent experience - a miles ticket for both of us. I've still got 250k left, and will burn these off.

I've actually questioned whether I'm getting something wrong to deserve this sort of treatment. I'm normally complimented on my calmness and good manners - especially when flying - since I'm in the industry as well, and I know what sort of cr@p staff have to deal with. But I just seem to get lousy service from these guys which just ruins trips and causes stress - especially in this scenario where all I wanted was to sit with the person I am about to marry.

The limo company had a rule that they need 12 hours notice to cancel without charge, which seems reasonable. On this occasion it was less than that between finding out we were going to JFK not EWR (and emailing them) and arriving in JFK.

The pieces of my gold card are in my case, they will be posted when I get back to the UK. Any suggestions who to? They just won't talk to me.

I'll probably leave this great site as well - as an ex customer I probably can't add much to you. But thanks for some great help and info in the past

Thanks both - just to clarify, we were still both in Upper, just a long way apart... 24 is in the rear UC cabin, 12 right in the nose.

Ahh a 747, my bad... that is just unhelpful of VS isn't it. Especially given the efforts they are supposed to make to seat people together.... I'd send them a bill for the calls and your time tbh, you may get asked the same questions I asked though, so be ready

The limo company had a rule that they need 12 hours notice to cancel without charge, which seems reasonable.

The company being?? Go through NYC a lot and have always been held to a 2 hour notice period before with a variety of companies.

Won't prattle on at ya any further, just will wish you all the best for the impending nuptials and hope that you find a carrier that is more reliable for ya. Just got to put this all down to experience I guess, does not mean you have to leave V-Flyer though

Good luck with everything

Thanks Joey Limo company was FCLS, booked through limos.com - never used them before, but they are picking us up tomorrow for our transfer back to JFK (for Virgin America to SFO) - will let you know how they are . Oddly, the canx policy on the return is just two hours before pick up on this leg - but I've now received a very odd ema from them that talks about 'no canx charge for the ride from EWR' but that '$150.55 was submitted for payment' from my Amex card... Have to wait for a statement I guess!

As per joey good luck with married life,in a few years you may be wishing for those seat arrangements lol,
If you feel you don't want to use the miles feel free to transfer them to my account !
Seriously though all the best
Blacky

Thanks both, really appreciated. We're just starting to destress after the preflight horrors, and get on with our trip. Have to say, on past history, I'm dreading the trip home on the 10th. I can see us being offloaded or downgraded or having our bags lost

Oh an answer I missed - before you dial an 0800 number from your mobile, check the rate. Even worse than an 0844 number! Why can't they have a simple STD number?

I think I did the patronising answer.

I agree about the 0800 numbers. There's an app for that! And a webpage.
http://www.saynoto0870.com/

Oh that's neat - thanks Sealink! I'll miss this site

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBIKSOlje7Q

you must either be the unluckiest dude around OR on a VS hit list..........

good luck in SFO and with the wedding, mind you if VS were running it you might get the wrong bride at a delayed service !!

you must either be the unluckiest dude around OR on a VS hit list..........

good luck in SFO and with the wedding, mind you if VS were running it you might get the wrong bride at a delayed service !!

Sorry - my intention wasn't to make a stressful situation worse. I get very wound up at the Virgin Facebook page when dozens of other people wade in with their complaints under yours. I think I was trying to be light hearted.

Sealink FAIL

Sarastro

Thank you for the trip report and sorry to hear of all the stress. Getting onto the 45 was a stroke of luck, given the delay that the VS1 suffered!

I must admit my curiosity has been piqued by your user name. I assume you are referring to the Magic Flute? If so, then what beautiful irony -- you can look upon your trials as akin to those of Tamino. And as you land back in the UK one morning in the future, so will light triumph over night, as in the opera...

Apologies to everyone for raising the tone.

Don't sweat it, Sealink. Not even sure which one you are on FB Loved the video link - shucks!

You probably sensed my rising anger on the FB post - after successive calls and getting my head banged on the wall, with an increasing fractious OH and an entire evening that I wanted to spend with her (her first night back from Dubai in months) spent on the phone, I was pretty narky. Stand by the comments though.

You'll notice that I don't even get a mention, apart from the one standard 'automatic' patronising nonsense from one of the new boys!

Flabound - the thought has occurred to me as well. As I said in my original post, I wonder if I am getting something seriously wrong to merit this treatment.

Infamy Infamy....they all got it in for me !!! (I think it was a carry on film !!)

AT240 - guilty as charged. I'm a massive opera fan

Does anyone know who I should send my cut up gold card to, out of interest? Will they care?

For completeness - the limo transfer with FCLS back from central Manhattan to JFK was pretty flawless - arrived on time, clean and bigger car than ordered, friendly driver. Can't say fairer than that!

One thing to be aware of though when booking on line with limos.com - the system doesn't like UK mobile numbers, so whilst the emails come through just fine, I keep getting an email from them about 'SMS fail'...

Now in deep conversations with VS Customer Services. Won't bore you with that, it is becoming a little bizarre...

Won't bore you with that, it is becoming a little bizarre...

Ha, that is my word on the situation with yourself

Please 'bore' me... would like to hear the outcome.

Good news on the return transfers

Won't bore you with that, it is becoming a little bizarre...

Ha, that is my word on the situation with yourself

Please 'bore' me... would like to hear the outcome.

Good news on the return transfers

I too would like to hear.

And me !

OK - after much to and fro with Customer Services, many emails, a donation to my miles was agreed. Not a huge amount of use tbh, but that was really all they were prepared to offer.... and two weeks later, they are STILL not in my account, despite promising that it would done 'immediately'.

I am now sure I'm on their hit list. Why do I get what seems to be a disproportionate amount of problems from these guys? Anyone else have this issue, or should I take it personally?