VS036 - broken and in need of new parts

Again, fair points.

Didn't mean to suggest Virgin keep all spares at all airports. That clearly is not economically viable. It was more a generic question as to why the part had to come from Florida? I just assumed that a part for a door (assuming commonality with Boeing parts) could come from a more local source.

Also, the part had not left Miami before it took off from Antigua.

atkinson: I don't appreciate your tone. You can disagree with me all you want, but you can still be civil about it.

I have clearly corrected myself and said that I want both compensation, and also to make the point and complain to the airline so it is about both, NOT just monetary gain as you insinuate.

Everyone else has provided very helpful answers to my questions, so thank you for that.

Bottom line, you don't have to agree with me, but at the same time nor I with you.

Good day, and I hope on your flight to Barbados in a couple of months, you do not have the same delays I did, but if you, just grit your teeth and be British about it.......

well said Andyr357

My claim for compensation for the same flight is also now with Virgin.

In the RAF we don't keep spares around the world, mind you being stuck in Florida for 7 days with a U/S aircraft is never a hardship.

In the RAF we don't keep spares around the world, mind you being stuck in Florida for 7 days with a U/S aircraft is never a hardship.

8D

[honey lamb]

In the RAF we don't keep spares around the world, mind you being stuck in Florida for 7 days with a U/S aircraft is never a hardship.

Equally, my brother was in the RAF and he had to fly a sick plane back to the UK in stages from Penang. He arrived at our home in the UK at something like 2am and woke us by the simple expedient of throwing stones at my window! I can still see his grin as he looked up at my astonished face

There are two issues of debate running in this thread, compensation culture and spare part logistics.
Airlines must abide by rules that are in place to cover inconvenience to passangers in an event like this --- all businesses from airlines to coffee houses have an ideal model but when things go wrong it is part of the service that you try your best [sometimes at a huge loss] to make things right --- its all part of the service, and keeps loyalty to the brand.

Spare parts --- The logistics of keeping even a small amount of spare parts dotted around the world is impossible, all airline spare parts must be identifiable and source tracable [Years ago after middle east high-jackings and desert bombings of planes, items from these craft started to appear in the supply chain] additionally "copy" parts do exist--- spare parts are more expensive, so the sum of thousands of spare parts per destination or hub would soon be dearer than a complete airplane. Any suggestion to keep the more "common" spare parts is also misinformed, any part that was deamed to require frequent replacement would be looked at and upgraded not dotted around the world for the next time it needs replacing.

Depending what side of the fence you are sitting on, it may appear unfortunate that Virgin have to pay compensation, but rules are rules and as Slinky said, airlines have been getting away with it for years.

Atkinson - why should we grit our teeth, be british and accept poor service, the Americans complain and get cheaper and better quality service. We British have put up with it far to long and its about time we started to complain to get the service we pay for.

Atkinson - why should we grit our teeth, be british and accept poor service, the Americans complain and get cheaper and better quality service. We British have put up with it far to long and its about time we started to complain to get the service we pay for.

Have you flown with an American carrier lately? Plastic cups in biz class, scheduled carriers charging for alcoholic drinks, food that makes virgins Y offering look like gourmet first class food. Flight attendants that started with the wright brothers and have the enthusiasm has a dog being given a bath...

[quote="Flight attendants that started with the wright brothers and have the enthusiasm has a dog being given a bath..."[/quote]

I don't think age should be brought in to it. I've had some great flights with DL and some of their crew were on the more mature side and were fantastic.

I love delays, all part of the Caribbean experience isn't it?