This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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We booked Economy flights to Dubai in February using miles in anticipation of upgrading using our PE free upgrades from our Virgin Atlantic credit card. After a number of telephone calls the reward flights were finally released for the return journey on 12 May. We gave our credit card details to pay the 80 fuel surcharge on 12 May.
I never received through the new PE e-ticket but wasn't sure if I would get one as I'd not done this before. On the morning of 20 May I called VA, on the phone for a total of 53 minutes, to see if I could get an e-ticket with the correct class of travel, the guy said absolutely no problem I'll email it to you now. It never arrived! At 9pm that night I tried to check in online and got a message saying I had to go to customer services at the airport so I rang VA again, on the phone for another 56 minutes and was told that the reference was blocked as we hadn't paid the 80, advised that our credit card details had been taken 8 days previous and it wasn't our fault that the money hadn't been taken. She continued to say that it was unlikely that the upgrades had gone through and we should expect to travel Economy! To say I wasn't pleased was an understatement!
Anyway, the next day I called at 9am and was told that ticketing would take the money straight away and within 2 hours I'll be able to check in. I went out for lunch as I was expecting a leisurely day on the day we travelled as we'd already be checked in at the point. I got home at 3pm to see that the reference still wasn't working and I then spent a further 47 minutes on the phone to VA to find out why. My whole arguement was that I now had to rush to the airport as I couldn't check in online.
We left home at 3.53pm and VA called at 4.36pm to say we could check in by which time we're stuck in rush hour traffic on the M1 southbound going to Heathrow! Got to the airport after parking at 7.10pm and joined the long queue at the ticketing desk. Just checked in before 8pm where we were told that it takes 14 days for a credit card to be debited as they go into an automated system! Queued through security and had to go straight to the gate. Wasn't happy!
Very pleased with seats 18H & K, never sat in them before.
Dubai is fantastic, this was our first trip and definitely not our last. We stayed at a new hotel called the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi (only open a couple of weeks) on the beach. Has a few teething problems and we weren't entirely happy with our stay. If we'd have paid full price it would be the equivalent of the Madinat or Jumeriah Beach Hotel and after looking at them I would choose those over the Westin.
Return journey was uneventful up until the approach to Heathrow when we were told we'd possibly have to divert to Stansted due to bad weather and the need to refuel but we managed to land ok.
A complaint has gone to VA about the lack of customer services and I'll have to wait the obligatory 28 days for a reply!
Anita
