A Strange Call from Virgin

My mobile rang yesterday, I answered and heard

"This is a free courtesy call from Virgin Atlantic. All of our agents are busy at the moment. Please call back on xxxx xxx xxxx"

(As I was walking around M&S at the time I had no time to note the number)

It was from an 0844 number but that wasn't the number I was asked to ring back on.

Strangest 'courtesy' call I've had ?|

I had a similar call on 10/6/11, 4 days before we were due to fly. It was a Courtesy call masquerading as an invitation to upgrade our tickets to PE for £300 p.p return, which is a good saving on rack rates. I declined anyway, as we had requested row 21 bulkhead seats. As it turned out, our Flights VS073/4 had completely empty PE Cabins for both legs, and the Aircraft was barely 50% full. The number was 08442097390.

Yes I've had the call a few days before my last flight.

However, not had that message. Very unprofessional!!!

It's the Virgin outbound team but unprofessional to ring and ask you to call back because they are too busy!!

I had a similar call on 10/6/11, 4 days before we were due to fly. It was a Courtesy call masquerading as an invitation to upgrade our tickets to PE for £300 p.p return, which is a good saving on rack rates. I declined anyway, as we had requested row 21 bulkhead seats. As it turned out, our Flights VS073/4 had completely empty PE Cabins for both legs, and the Aircraft was barely 50% full. The number was 08442097390.

Yes. That was the number, although, as mentioned it wasn't the number they asked me to call back on.

So I've just called it...

It went straight through to a call agent who was surprised at the 'no agents' available call. "you had 'that message', weird".

It was to have been a courtesy call checking on whether I had done ESTA,knew the check-in options, baggage allowance etc.....


... and that Upper Class upgrades were available at £1300 one way...

(PS original call was a recording)

[mitchja]

It sounds like VS are auto-dialing outbound calls which should connect to an available agent as you answer. As already noted on here, call centers have become very busy all of a sudden so there's clearly no available agents to connect to.

UK companies are now obliged by OFCOM to play a recorded message when this happens to avoid silent call scenarios.