Snow in UK 4th/5th Feb

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I'm hoping for some thoughts please.

I'm stuck in Tokyo with my girlfriend as VS901 has been cancelled. I received text message confirmation last night which was helpful but the call centre staff were less so. After about an hour on the phone we were placed on Monday's flight instead, no chance of getting back today (half empty BA flight leaves Narita at same time but won't put us on that). We weren't offered any accommodation, only when we pressed them did they offer to re-imburse us for up to a 3-star hotel and 'reasonable' food and drink expenditure. We are flying in Upper Class.

I don't want to rant, we're both just disappointed with Virgin. Yes there are worse places to be stuck but we both miss work on Monday, they haven't offered to put us on another carrier and they haven't helped on accommodation.

Our flight out had just 100 passengers and only 17 in Upper. Our flight back looked even quieter. Cancelling the flight might seem a sensible business decision on their part but it leaves a very sour taste for passengers affected and therefore brings a hidden cost of lost loyalty/bad word of mouth. My experiences with BA when things have gone wrong is far better.

Does anyone have experience of what 'reasonable' expenses are? If there a set limit on hotel costs? If we stay in a 4-star hotel can we still claim partial re-Imbursement?

Thanks

A very disappointing attitude from VS v( v( . The cancelling of flights was requested by BAA so I would think that VS cancelled some of the lower loads, however, when you are inconvenienced like this you expect a more proactive approach v( v(

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I'm hoping for some thoughts please.

I'm stuck in Tokyo with my girlfriend as VS901 has been cancelled. I received text message confirmation last night which was helpful but the call centre staff were less so. After about an hour on the phone we were placed on Monday's flight instead, no chance of getting back today (half empty BA flight leaves Narita at same time but won't put us on that). We weren't offered any accommodation, only when we pressed them did they offer to re-imburse us for up to a 3-star hotel and 'reasonable' food and drink expenditure. We are flying in Upper Class.

I don't want to rant, we're both just disappointed with Virgin. Yes there are worse places to be stuck but we both miss work on Monday, they haven't offered to put us on another carrier and they haven't helped on accommodation.

Our flight out had just 100 passengers and only 17 in Upper. Our flight back looked even quieter. Cancelling the flight might seem a sensible business decision on their part but it leaves a very sour taste for passengers affected and therefore brings a hidden cost of lost loyalty/bad word of mouth. My experiences with BA when things have gone wrong is far better.

Does anyone have experience of what 'reasonable' expenses are? If there a set limit on hotel costs? If we stay in a 4-star hotel can we still claim partial re-Imbursement?

Thanks

I was in the same position last Jan when VS cancelled my flight back from JFK due to the weather (I too was in UC). The Premier team rang me just as I was heading back to the hotel to check out and told me the flight had been pulled and that I'd been re- booked for the following day. When I asked about accomodation they said they would only allow me reimbursement for a 3 star property (which I had to sort out myself) and about £15 for breakfast and £20 for dinner. I just sent the hotel invoice and the receipts to VS which they paid without question.
I also recently flew to NRT - the flight had a total of 80 onboard with only 11 of us in UC (3 being in my party) :0 so I think the consensus of the lighter loaded flights being cancellled to consolidate (and save money) is probably right .
DL

well if anyone can get on a plane to either MCO or MIA the forecast for superbowl sunday is 80+



ps whats snow ??????????

Heathrow should have all the snow removed and operations returned to normal by March 1st. I have zero faith after last the cluster last Christmas.

I feel your pain, everyone. Fiance currently stuck in Milan, scheduled on VS011 for Wednesday, I'll be impressed if BAA/VS can pull this one off.

How naughty of VS.. I thought the policy was that if you're stuck in an "away from home" situation, they would give you either tickets to another airline to get you back or hotels + food reimburstment if no flights available. Tut tut...

well if anyone can get on a plane to either MCO or MIA the forecast for superbowl sunday is 80+



ps whats snow ??????????

): ): ): That is just pure evil ): ): ):

Only 5 weeks until we come over to FL

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I'm hoping for some thoughts please.

I'm stuck in Tokyo with my girlfriend as VS901 has been cancelled. I received text message confirmation last night which was helpful but the call centre staff were less so. After about an hour on the phone we were placed on Monday's flight instead, no chance of getting back today (half empty BA flight leaves Narita at same time but won't put us on that). We weren't offered any accommodation, only when we pressed them did they offer to re-imburse us for up to a 3-star hotel and 'reasonable' food and drink expenditure. We are flying in Upper Class.

I don't want to rant, we're both just disappointed with Virgin. Yes there are worse places to be stuck but we both miss work on Monday, they haven't offered to put us on another carrier and they haven't helped on accommodation.

Our flight out had just 100 passengers and only 17 in Upper. Our flight back looked even quieter. Cancelling the flight might seem a sensible business decision on their part but it leaves a very sour taste for passengers affected and therefore brings a hidden cost of lost loyalty/bad word of mouth. My experiences with BA when things have gone wrong is far better.

Does anyone have experience of what 'reasonable' expenses are? If there a set limit on hotel costs? If we stay in a 4-star hotel can we still claim partial re-Imbursement?

Thanks

I'm not sure why the VS901 flight on Sunday has been cancelled. Surely it's the VS900 going to Narita today that is cancelled, so it should be the Monday VS901 that will be cancelled?

Mondays 901 will be operated by Saturdays 900 I guess.

Well... touch wood things look ok at LHR right now, I'm on board the 9, should hopefully be away on time, plus a fairly short flight time.

It could just be my own experience, but maybe BAA have learned some lessons this time. Of course, the fact it stopped snowing overnight will have made it easier, but I was expecting trouble, and got none...

RC

I never rely on VS to do any work with cancelled flights. I am in Tucson at present, was supposed to return on Saturday VS8. On checking the BBC news for weather update saw BAA news and on VS flight status saw that VS8 was cancelled contacted UK travel agent and rebooked on Sundays VS8 a least an hour before text and email from VS informing of cancellation.

Well... touch wood things look ok at LHR right now, I'm on board the 9, should hopefully be away on time, plus a fairly short flight time.

It could just be my own experience, but maybe BAA have learned some lessons this time. Of course, the fact it stopped snowing overnight will have made it easier, but I was expecting trouble, and got none...

RC

My friend is at LHR awaiting her flight to Germany which has been grounded for hours - shew doesn't quite feel the same way!

Have a great flight y) y)

well if anyone can get on a plane to either MCO or MIA the forecast for superbowl sunday is 80+



ps whats snow ??????????

Why is it your kind information doesn't make me feel any better about being stuck with the white stuff - and so much of it?!

Hi Guys,

I need some urgent advice, if anybody can help ??!!

I am booked on BA 2157 tomorrow to Antigua. It was booked directly through BA.com. BA are offering free date changes to anybody flying tomorrow, however when I try and change the date through my booking it says I can not do it through BA.com, but have to call which is bizarre.

So I have been trying to call since 5pm, and have been getting "lines are busy" statement then it hangs up, not even put on hold.

So I am supposed to be leaving at 10AM tomorrow but there is no way I can make it to the airport.

My question is, if I still can't get through on the phone until after my flight has already departed, will BA still let me change for free do you think?

I really feel quite stuck, and usually if you miss your flight that's it, no refund or change, but I am hoping in these circumstances if I simply can not make contact with BA, will they be lenient?

Any advice is welcome, thank you.

Have sent you a PM

Sorted ! Thank you flyingfox

[Darren Wheeler]

The real scandal here is that yet again despite all the fine words that came out of BAA last year, nothing has really changed. A few flakes of snow and LHR grinds to a halt. According to the Gatwick website, as of 4pm yesterday, they had only had 9, yes NINE, cancellations. Where as Heathrow cancelled some 650 flight.

I think that part of the problem at least it that heathrow is operating so close to its maximum capacity (something like 99.2 % I believe!) that anything that slows down the flow rate (having to clear the runways of snow, reduced visibility increasing separation of aircraft etc.) is going to have an effect as there's just no spare capacity! Many other major international airports have spare runways for times like this.. even Gatwick can switch between its two runways if needed (even though they can only use one at once!)

At least didn't appear to be as bad as the last heavy snowfall in 2010, where for ages there was just no snow clearing going on, certainly helped this time by having so many more snow clearing vehicles!

Admittedly there were reports of long waits for de-icing particularly in the early hours, which I'm sure something could be done about that one (although is it BAA that take care of this or the individual airlines/ground handlers?)

Well done to VS though for reducing the disruption for themselves though, only 5 flights cancelled (must be like 15-20% i'm guessing!) and diversions seemingly avoided by holding their aircraft overseas on Saturday night, could have been much worse!

I

Admittedly there were reports of long waits for de-icing particularly in the early hours, which I'm sure something could be done about that one (although is it BAA that take care of this or the individual airlines/ground handlers?)

Deicing is down to airlines and their ground agents. Difficlty is though that deicing only worls for a short time so if a plane gets stuck in the take-off queue and the deicing has worn off it will have to go and be deiced again.