Virgin PR team gets one over on BA

http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg&region=2&m_id=_rmms~dn&w_id=9473&news_id=2009114

Virgin flies 35 Stone man to London after BA refuse to let him fly.

I say well done to Virgin Atlantic ^)

Playing PR with a mans life is not to be applauded. It wasn't just BA that refused to fly him, other airlines said no as well, as did the cruise ship company.if this man had taken ill on the flight it could have been a far different story.

Have to agree with Paul. BA took a lot of stick for this, and carrying this gent is clearly something that really worried them - otherwise, why take the stick? Also, as Paul rightly said, many other carriers refused. Gambling with someone's health for a cheap PR hit is very, very childish, and very, very foolish.

Pretty sure it wasn't a PR gimmick.

Reports say that BA flew the guy over in first place.

He wouldn't fit the new UC suites :')

His health had declined considerably since his outbound flight and he had gained quite a lot of his weight whilst bring treated in the USA.Even his national carrier AF didn't fly him. This was a prime case where an air ambulance would gave been more appriate

I wondered who ate all the pies.

The one thing that puzzles me is where the guy would have sat ?
I'm a big bloke myself so someone double the size of me is certainly going to struggle to sit in any cabin ,any ideas anyone ?

[Darren Wheeler]

The one thing that puzzles me is where the guy would have sat ?
I'm a big bloke myself so someone double the size of me is certainly going to struggle to sit in any cabin ,any ideas anyone ?

Light load, row of seats remove?

Other article says arrived at 9am so I'm guessing was on the VS2 which was a 747 (ironically, G-VBIG). Remove maybe one of the 2x seats from the rear. I'd imagine the IFE is block connectors. Weight is the same as 3 'average' passengers.

Apart from the health issue, nothing really major logistics-wise.

A couple of extra seats for him or his insurance to pay for then

VS2 which was a 747 (ironically, G-VBIG).

Sorry - That has just cracked me up. Great research y)

Now stranded in UK as Eurostar gave refused to transport him.


http://news.sky.com/story/1170989/too-f ... m-eurostar

That's interesting he still had to the cheek to complain that the flight was uncomfortable despite him and his family been flown for free.

Feel sorry for him actually.

just to clarify, I was not applauding the PR team, I was applauding Virgin for doing something to help this person. He was stranded.

But when I read how he complained about the flight.... v(

most of us pay to be that uncomfortable! )

Anyway due to his size he would have been uncomfortable in any airline seat so I guess this is more of a reflection on him than Virgin. BA have still came off looking worse by abandoning him. At least the train company in London helped him with overnight accommodation and arranged transport by sea.

If I were to guess I would say he was on the VS46..

The articles do all specify JFK as the departure point and the 46 does get in at about 9am.

I also think I saw him in the JFK departures hall... can't be certain as I was tunnel visioned straight to the CH and I think it cruel to stop and stare. Might also explain the slight delay we had in boarding.

From the sky news article:

"That was very kind of them, but I was very uncomfortable," he said.

"I have a lot of problems with the skin on my thighs and the seat was small."

Whilst it is good that he is showing some gratitude, I have to ask how expansive he expected the seat to be with him in it.. I had a wonderful flight, the crew were brilliant and I was pretty much unconscious for most of it, thanks for the slight delay I got another glass of whiskey in the CH

Good on VS. It is a shame that BA or any of the other carriers could not accommodate him, but there has to be a line in the sand for such things. There is more than one person's safety to consider after all.

Hope he finds his way home in short order 8D