V-Flyer

Well after 2 very wet weeks in Orlando it was time to go home. Quite the worse weather we have ever had in 25 years travelling to Florida. We had rain every day with local flash flooding and serious flooding on the east coast. Locals were saying it was wetter than August and the rainy season was supposed to have ended. Also very humid and meant we had to modify our plans quite a lot.

Anyway, checked in online the day before without any problem. Checked the status of the incoming 15 and saw it was on time. When our flight finally showed up on the system delayed from 19.35 until 01.00 Called Virgin and after 20 min wait told yes delay due to illness, one of the pilots. Replacement pilot coming up from Miami but he needed minimum rest period before he could fly. Also advised you should have a text message with info. Switched on my phone and there it was 5hr 30 delay. So we had some time to kill.

Had to be out of the house by 10 so we went to DTD check in to get rid of the luggage. No more info there just given boarding cards with a 12.10 time for boarding. Also given two $15 vouchers for airport refreshments. Went for a wander around the village but started to pour with rain so went for a coffee and a free chocolate square sample (you know where). Made that last as long as possible then during a lull in the rain went to Dennys for brunch. Decided to catch a movie at AMC 24 which got rid of another 2 hours. Around 17.00 we decide to top off the petrol in the car and have an early dinner at the Olive garden near the Florida Mall. Finally got to the airport at 19.00.

Had a wander then through security with no line whatsoever Really quiet in the area beyond the shuttle. Only one other flight, BA, going at 21.00 and then it was just the 431 souls for 15 left. We were not really very hungry but we managed to use most of the voucher value in Starbucks and CIBO. Settled down by gate 81 at around 22.00 and around midnight the VS people stared showing up. Did not get the usual scrum around the gate and we go to our seats around 12.15. Drinks offered and announcements about flight time 7hrs 26 . Everyone on board and we pushed back at 12.45. So weary by now just wanted to sleep. Declined dinner at 02.45 and dozed our way through the next 4 hours. Woken with breakfast offer, declined and had our usual cereal pot and a muffin. Arrived at gatwick 13.30 local. Delay leaving plane due to medical emergency onboard. Paramedics and ambulance on the tarmac. Through immigration fairly quickly but a delay with the luggage. Pleased to see the smiling faces of our son and his wife there to take us home. Home by 16.00.

Forgot to mention, handed leaflets when boarding in Orlando giving details of compensation miles on offer (3750 for adult PE). Been back a week now so thought I would email customer relations about the delays on both our flights. Reply within two days apologies plus an extra 5000 miles each. Not the best trip but at least we were given plenty of notice so we could minimise our airport time. As we did not have any food on board did not know how to rate it so chose average.

Not the best trip for you, sorry to hear of the delays. No food because you didn't want any or was there no food to be had?

Hope your break was enjoyable otherwise, even with the rain.

Onboard food was available but because of the late time did not really want to be eating in the middle of the night.

Thank you for your TR. I'm so sorry you had such bad weather on holiday, followed with the delayed flight you are probably in need of another holiday now.

Already booked to go back next Sept, glutton for punishment! Nearly did not post this report, all sounds awful but thought fellow v-flyers might want to see how Virgin look after their passengers. I thought they did well and have no real cause for complaint. Bit cheeky emailing customer services but we use the 15-16 flights a lot and they do seem to inherit delays out of Gatwick on a regular basis. Anyway, thanks for reading and also the replies. Have a good one.

Thanks for the return TR, when I went to Vegas the 15 was delayed by 2hours that day.
Well done on emailing CS at least you got more miles.

Sorry to hear about the rain and the delay, but I'm glad that you were looked after by VS, and extra miles are always welcome Thanks for the TR.

Oh dear, a long delay after all that rain !

Thank you for the TR. Hope the next September trip is "awesome"!! ( I'm still in the so called Sunshine State ).

What a sorry time you had, rotten weather and such a long delay. Not sure I would have coped as well as you. Good to know that VS looked after you. This is our last day in SW
Florida, weather has improved but we could see when we arrived how much rain there had been.

Shame you had such wet weather, better a rainy day in Florida that a sunny day at work.

Really interesting TR - thanks.

Pleased that VS tried to inform pax & compensate them. You must have been so weary by the time you got home.

Hope the pilot is ok.

R-P

The email from CS said that the pilot had to be 'hospitalised' so not something too trivial. Thanks for all the replies.

Glad you got compensated coming home. Pity about the rain while you were there seems unusual and hopefully a one off.

So can you still claim for compensation under the EU regs even if you got the miles or does that not count as its from a US airport?

Thanks for the TR. From what I have read eu rules should be applicable. €600 per passenger in this case. As the pilot was ill even though this is not nice and I wish him / her a speedy recovery this boils down to staffing and falls within the airlines control.

allymc316 wrote: As the pilot was ill even though this is not nice and I wish him / her a speedy recovery this boils down to staffing and falls within the airlines control.

All flights have a staffing quota depending on the length of flight, the number of passengers and the cabin. Generally speaking, the cabin crew can operate if one person fails to make it and a standby cannot be called in because in many instances, airlines have cabin crew just above the quota for such an eventuality.

With pilots however, it is different. The length of the flight and the required rest periods dictate the number of pilots on board. If a pilot calls in sick from a home base it is relatively easy to bring someone in from standby but if a pilot is taken ill away from that base it becomes more complicated. It really is not feasible to have an extra pilot on board every aircraft "just in case" and so airlines must juggle around as best they can. In this instance the pilot came from Miami but had to have a rest period before he could fly. Fair enough. Lorry and long-distance bus drivers can ably drive so long before they must rest and the same applies to pilots. No doubt his transfer to MCO had consequences for the Miami flight - or if he had just arrived from LHR, consequences on his down-time in MIA. Airlines do the best they can in the circumstances but occasionally, as in this instance it does create delays.

Decided to give the EU compensation a punt to see what happens. Very easy to use the forms on the VS website. Supposed to be a 14 day window for an official receipt then up to 10 weeks for full response which may or may not include a cheque. Will update when I know.

When my pilot went sick in Gatwick and I picked up a 24 hr delay VS paid up my £500 without any hassle- despite some on here saying it was not a reason for EU compensation. Good luck in getting it.