While it may not help much, Virgin have provided some updated information on their website -
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/pa ... /index.jspThe following bit may be of the most interest:
PLEASE NOTE if you have already been re booked on a flight due to leave in the next 5 days i.e. up to and including Monday 26 April 2010 do not call us to be rebooked again to an earlier flightwhich suggests a call would be worth your while, if you have been given a later date.
Full text below:
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VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PASSENGERS FROM CANCELLED FLIGHTS WHO ARE WAITING TO RETURN HOME
Now that UK Airspace has reopened and planes are flying again all our energy is focussed on our recovery plan to bring people back home. Because so many people are stranded all over the world there are simply not enough aeroplanes or crew to accommodate them all quickly, we are however planning to operate special repatriation flights over the next few days.
Seats on these special repatriation flights, along with any space that we do have on our normal scheduled flights, is being allocated to stranded passengers on a strict priority basis. Rest assured we are also endeavouring to secure seats on other carriers over the next few days where possible
Who will get away first?
We have established a boarding priority policy based upon our legal and contractual obligations along with passenger welfare needs as follows:
Priority 1
On normal scheduled services the passengers who were originally booked on these scheduled flights
Any spare capacity on scheduled services and space on special repatriation flights will then be allocated as follows:
Priority 2
Passengers whose needs have been assessed by our passenger health professionals as being a medical emergency, followed by passengers who had a special assistance request noted in their booking prior to their departure from the UK.
Priority 3
School groups and those that have been sleeping in the airport.
Priority 4
Passengers who have been delayed the longest i.e. 14/15 April first followed by 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th and 21st April 2010 respectively.
Why we can't prioritise the people who have been stranded for the longest time?
We understand why our passengers may feel upset about this situation however as much as we would prefer to fly the passengers who have been delayed the longest on the first available flight we cannot "bump off" passengers with confirmed bookings in order to accommodate stranded passengers as this will perpetuate the issue. In addition we are bound by strict legal and contractual requirements governing Denied Boarding situations.
How we will contact stranded passengers to advise you of your new flight details?
Our airport staff (and where appropriate Virgin Holidays staff) have kept a list of all passengers who have already been in contact with them. Passengers on this list will be contacted locally and advised if they have been allocated a seat on a special repatriation flight or a scheduled service leaving in the next few days.
If you have not already made contact with either a local Virgin Holidays representative or a Virgin Atlantic staff member and given them your contact details
Please give us your details by e mail to
[email protected]With the following details
Your booking reference number
(It will be a 6 character with a mixture of numbers and letters e.g. BJVC1X)
Or
Your 7 digit Virgin Holidays Reference number
Full names of all the passengers in your party
Your ORIGINAL date of departure
Your ORIGINAL flight number
Your current contact details
E mail
Mobile phone number
Land line i.e. hotel or other temporary accommodation
You must provide us with at least one of these contact options, preferably two.
Address of temporary accommodation
Alternatively you can telephone us with the above details on
0844 209 2771
If you are calling from outside the UK +44844 209 2771
This number is for the use of stranded passengers only. We respectfully ask other callers NOT to block these lines if you are not one of these passengers
PLEASE NOTE if you have already been re booked on a flight due to leave in the next 5 days i.e. up to and including Monday 26 April 2010 do not call us to be rebooked again to an earlier flight, if we do not contact you it means we cannot accommodate you on flights leaving any earlier than the one you are already booked on.
You will receive an automated acknowledgment to your e mail. We will not however send any further reply. Our local people will contact you if we can get you away on an earlier flight or a special repatriation flight, we will also use the information you provide us with to plan our repatriation service more effectively.
