VS028 MCO-LGW 21 AUG 12 (Premium Economy)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

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We endured the whole flight with no meals available for my 2 children even though I booked them on the phone with Virgin Atlantic direct. They did not even have any spare meals in economy to say we were annoyed is an understatement I am still waiting to hear back for customer relations

Errrr ok, a thorough TR for the index.....

Were they offered no meal whatsoever??

If you are saying that you flew in PE with Virigin for 8 hours, and your children (what ages) were ofered absolutely no food, then that is appalling and you'd get a lot of sympathy here if you were to post some additional details.

However, surely the crew tried to find something for them?

Sorry there were not very many details but this was my 1st time and was not sure where to post. we flew PE from gatwict to MCO on 31st july on way out my 15 year old did not get any food as all the meals had mushroom in them which I pointed out to the stewardess who said OH yes I never noticed that before. on the return 21st august vs028 from MCO neother of my children aged 8 and 15 had a meal,luckily because of the poor service outbound I made some rolls. when the stewardess told me there was no spare food not even in economy I said ok I have made some rolls then she said "Thats why your a mother" I have complained to Virgin but got a letteralmost calling me a liar and giving me 4000 miles I am quite disgusted at the reply but do not know what to do from here any ideas?

Damn pubguv, that is terrible and actually verging on questionable.. legal wise - will see what answers follow.

Is your child allergic to mushrooms? Personally I dislike them, but the argument could be made from the VS standpoint that the mushrooms can be picked off if it is a matter of taste and if a matter of allergy, were they informed?

Why no meal on the return? Were there not enough PE meals loaded or are you referring to kids meals? The question that then raises is did you refuse anything but a kids meal?? and did you book the kids meal in the first place - is there even a kids meal? lol - sorry about my stupidity if there isn't a seperate kids meal and I am babbling again..

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to clarify.

Did you order Chidrens meals via Manage My Booking? If you did, but then did not get them it's pretty poor In those circumstances you would have thought the CC would go out of their way to find the children something to eat that was non mushroomy since it was their mistake to rectify. It seems exceedingly bad luck that you had the same problem on both the outbound and inbound legs.

Or is it more the case that you had expected the children to be okay eating 'off the adult menu' but it turned out that they didn't like the look of any of the options and you were disappointed that the crew weren't able to offer any alternatives?

Yes I did pre order my childrens meals online and personally on the telephone and tes my children are a bit fussy but the fact is the last thing the CC said to me was No madam we will not let your children go all that way with nothing to eat, but she never returned with anything else to offer me. It should not matter if they are fussy or not I requested those meals and even when I checked in online in orlando it said 2 childrens meals requested

So they were offered something but they didn't like it? It's a bit bad they didn't return but then did you enquire when afore mentioned hostie didn't return with promised food? I find it hard to believe when challenged they couldn't find something even if it was a tub of Pringles (worst case scenario)

Very annoying that your special meals weren't loaded on one flight but its an extraordinary coincidence and really unbelievable that they made the same mistake on the return leg as well.

So they were offered something but they didn't like it? It's a bit bad they didn't return but then did you enquire when afore mentioned hostie didn't return with promised food? I find it hard to believe when challenged they couldn't find something even if it was a tub of Pringles (worst case scenario)

Indeed- I have in the past seen the crew getting Jacket Pot's out of their crew cart or at worse passing on bread rolls, deserts, salads from left over meals (though imagine that is some health and safety no, no these days!).

Very annoying that your special meals weren't loaded on one flight but its an extraordinary coincidence and really unbelievable that they made the same mistake on the return leg as well.

I struggle on that front also. I also cant work out how if the OP booked them online and again on the phone (guessing second time was confirmation they were booked) there would be an issue not once but twice.

OP: I do sympathise with you although feel that there is equally nothing wrong with picking mushrooms out of a meal on the outbound.

That sounds very poor but with the meal requests through the manage my booking they are just that requests and the responsibility is with the food supplier and they can not guarantee that the request will be met.

I had this before with Virgin as I have a nut allergy and requested a nut friendly meal.

This had been met on a previous occasion (my first ever flight with virgin) but on the second occasion of flying with them it turned out that the meal wasn't loaded one way only. Therefore I did not have any meal as there was nothing that the crew would allow me to have although I stated that it was ok as I had had these previously and do not contain nuts but had to grin and bear it.

I did write to virgin and they advised me that the meal is only a request and they put the orders in and that it is down to the supplier to deliver but they can not guarantee that it will be loaded and it is the passengers responsibility to ensure that they bring food on board with them if they are not willing to eat the ordinary meals that are on board.

Make of that what you will but yeah sounds like they are on their food side not 100% accommodating of special assistance meals but at the same time they can only take the steps to order these when knowing the information but what the supplier delivers may be something different.

[buns]

Benchmark

Thanks for the very helpful insight

Your approach to this issue is a reminder to us all the meal requests are simply that

buns