No IFE...

Just arrived home from LAX (VS008) and no IFE was working. We were handed a 'sorry' card just before we got on, which was puzzling, as it was for a flight delay - and the flight was on time. However, staff on board explained it was because the IFE wasn't working - it hadn't been working on the way from LHR and engineers had been working on it since landing. Seems it had been decided to fly without entertainment rather than cancel the flight (would they have cancelled the flight because of this? I'd doubt it!) Then transpired that we'd been given the wrong forms and the right ones were issued - these say that compensation of either £20 (against a Virgin holiday) or 4000 miles is up for grabs. Seems a bit mean to me - I remember a previous flight, where just my system wasn't working, and I'm sure I got either 10k or 15k miles... would I be mis-remembering? Has anyone else had this happen?

Sorry to hear you had a whole flight without IFE, that's unfortunate. It's often stated but worth repeating that IFE does not form part of the contract so VS has no obligation to offer anything for a non-working system. In this case it seems from what you're saying that VS knew and attempted a fix, but that was not possible in time for the flight, I am sure for some it was a long flight ...

I've noticed that VS has gotten much more co-ordinated about issues such as delays and IFE problems, and is actively handing out forms for some compensation in advance. This happened to me at EWR a few weeks ago when the VS2 departed at 2 am and not 930 pm. We were given a standard delayed flight miles claim form, I thought the staff handled it well, and the standard forms offer a process and conformity lacking previously when this was at the whim of crews.

So in summary, no I don't think there's much you can do, I'd accept the miles and also accept that problems happen, though hopefully not to often to you.

I'm not really complaining - I know these things happen, but at least I was in UC so I had some hope of sleeping. I kept thinking how much longer a flight it would have been if I'd had no IFE AND been cramped in a tiny space.

Mind you, the guy in the seat in front of me - he didn't STOP complaining and being demanding...

I wonder if the goodwill gesture is higher when you're eastbound on a day flight but lower on a westbound night flight..?

I know I would miss the IFE an awful lot more on a day flight (obviously!)

Its probably not that though.

I've actually been on 2 BA flights where my IFE has broken down - both in economy to the US. On one of these flights that CC just threw a bag of vodka miniatures and cokes at me ): (I pretended to be offended) and on the other I think I was given 10,000 BA miles. I'm still not too clear on whether there is an official policy (on VS or BA...)

I wonder if the goodwill gesture is higher when you're eastbound on a day flight but lower on a westbound night flight..?

The IFE letters are the same on both day and night flights.

I kept thinking how much longer a flight it would have been if I'd had no IFE AND been cramped in a tiny space.

Mind you, the guy in the seat in front of me - he didn't STOP complaining and being demanding...

I quite agree and thank the inventor of the iPad continually - what I really miss is the map, I have an insane need to know where I am at all times!

As for the man in front ... UGH !

these say that compensation of either £20 (against a Virgin holiday) or 4000 miles is up for grabs. Seems a bit mean to me - I remember a previous flight, where just my system wasn't working, and I'm sure I got either 10k or 15k miles... would I be mis-remembering? Has anyone else had this happen?

That is the standard compensation for such a problem; it was what we got a couple of years ago. y) I hope you saved your boarding card! ):

We flew LHR-JFK with no IFE and were given the same letter and took the 4000 miles, for me i didn't mind as there wasn't anything i wanted to watch anyway and the archos was fully loaded !

Mind you nice to see they actually have a policy over what to do when the IFE does completely break down, and have the forms ready. Mind you the flip side is that it obviously happens so often they had to have something ready ?

They can afford to throw 10K miles at one or two people per flight if it's the odd unit on the blink, but if they're compensating the whole plane - even 4K each adds up to a lot of miles!

As others have said, at least it's on the eastbound so sleep can relieve the boredom.

these say that compensation of either £20 (against a Virgin holiday) or 4000 miles is up for grabs. Seems a bit mean to me - I remember a previous flight, where just my system wasn't working, and I'm sure I got either 10k or 15k miles... would I be mis-remembering? Has anyone else had this happen?

That is the standard compensation for such a problem; it was what we got a couple of years ago. y) I hope you saved your boarding card! ):

Yep, have saved them!

Mind you, the guy in the seat in front of me - he didn't STOP complaining and being demanding...

I quite agree and thank the inventor of the iPad continually - what I really miss is the map, I have an insane need to know where I am at all times!

As for the man in front ... UGH !

I did think about getting out my ipad and playing crazy birds lol. Agree though, what I did miss most was the map, I don't wear a watch so had no idea how long we'd been in the air and could only keep asking himself the time or gauge how close we were to landing by the breakfast timing

Guy in front though - he was just something else..... is it a law that there must be one on each flight?!

And now jetlag hits... and work this morning... when all I'm itching to do is plan the next trip. Anyone know of a good villa to rent in central/atlantic coast of Florida for end April???

cat -can help with a villa on the Gulf coast if that appeals

On our way back from Orlando last year, we specifically requested 23 HJK on a config 1 747 at checkin.

Virgin often only allocate these seats if the flight is full as they have no IFE. It often means on a nightflight, they will happilly seat a couple in H and K with no one in J if you ask - even on a mostly full flight.

We had our iPad, and even a private saftey demo (everything in 30 secs) and lots of sleep. Only downside was no map!

cat -can help with a villa on the Gulf coast if that appeals

That's very kind, Is it Rotonda area? Much as we both love it around there, we feel we need to explore elsewhere...

Thanks to Mrs Bear and Treelo for your emails, I have replied but my mails bounced! Just to thank you both, and to say we are looking to rent outside the Orlando area..

The Ipad is an esential bit of kit on any flight...I never use IFE except for...wait for it...THE MAP!!

[Darren Wheeler]

and of course, paying close attention to the in-flight safety video.

Was surprised and delighted to get said compensation miles added to my account yesterday - not 4k as stated but 8k! Well happy

Must be honest, as a non-sleeper on a plane, I rely on the IFE to keep me amused. As we are on a LGW B744 (PE) I am getting this horrible feeling that I may just have to put the overhead light on and read my book.

That is not a problem as I am an avid reader but I never seem to remember what I have read during a flight and invariably have to go back and read it again later! ii)

Like most of the others here, as long as I can get the map on my little screen, I will be well happy.

Disappointing to hear you had to live without IFE on your last flight. I guess it's a drawback with flying on a slightly older bird.

Tangent: Any schedule on when the 744s will begin to be retired? Is that when the 787/A350s join?

[honey lamb]

Disappointing to hear you had to live without IFE on your last flight. I guess it's a drawback with flying on a slightly older bird.

The LGW 747s are in fact younger than the LHR ones with the exception of G-VWOW and G-VROC. It's just that the IFE did not get retro-fitted the suites were installed

cat -can help with a villa on the Gulf coast if that appeals

That's very kind, Is it Rotonda area? Much as we both love it around there, we feel we need to explore elsewhere...

sorry -only just seen this. yes they are all around Rotonda.

not a great ATlantic coast lover myself

cat -can help with a villa on the Gulf coast if that appeals

That's very kind, Is it Rotonda area? Much as we both love it around there, we feel we need to explore elsewhere...

sorry -only just seen this. yes they are all around Rotonda.

not a great ATlantic coast lover myself

S'ok fla and thanks for the thought anyway. I sometimes miss posts too!