Bumped both ways

So just checked in for my flight home to LGW from BGI to find they've changed the plane and I've been moved from upstairs exit seat on a 747 to 60k on an a340. Ok these things happen BUT I was also bumped from my exit seat on the way out due to a jump seat problem and split from my partner and promised an upgrade by the crew on my return.Have spoken to VS and there are no upgrade or extra legroom seats available. I am FUMING. Any suggestions? Just an email on my return to Crawley towers seems the only option right now

Unfortunate.

If I’ve read it right you were moved in both cases from one economy seat to another? That’s different to being downgraded (the usual meaning of being bumped). In which case there is no statutory reimbursement due to you just a customer service gesture.

If you paid for the exit row seats then that should be refunded.

I’m wondering why if there was a problem with the jump seat on the way out which I presume meant the CC due to sit in it needed to be sat in your exit row seat for landing and take off you couldn’t sit in it for the rest of the flight and only moving for landing and take off.


Whilst the crew on the outbound likely meant well they were in no position to promise you anything like an upgrade on the return leg. I wonder if the CSM formally logged the issue so VS have a record of it. Obviously they wouldn’t have been aware of an equipment swap which then threw everything out of whack.

So your only course of action is a post flight email to VS in measured terms expressing your dissatisfaction with the various seat swap issues and then see what they offer you. You are very much in the area of a customer service jesture rather than anything under EU261 downgrade provisions.

tonty is spot on.

I fear VS are asking for trouble by branding Economy as three separate products, as it raises people’s expectations. Someone forced to move from an exit or ELR seat branded Delight might, justifiably, perceive it as a downgrade to Classic and expect to be compensated accordingly.

The reality, however, is that it’s just a move from one Economy seat to another so there’s no right to compensation. The best the OP can hope for is a customer service gesture because, ultimately, the T&Cs make it clear your seat can always be changed for operational reasons which these very clearly were, however frustrating it may be.

We were told we couldnt use the exit seat on the way out at all as crew need to sit there in the case of severe turbulence.

I know there is nothing that can be done but it is is extremely frustrating on an overnight flight back to find you have moved from an exit seat with great legroom and the ability to move about without disturbing others, to a standard economy seat. Regardless of what the crew were supposed to do on the way out, they did take our return flight details 3 times and say they would sort out an upgrade. My OH flew home last weekend and was not given one despite there still being PE and UC seats available on the morning of the flight. Overall very unimpressed. I dont want a load of points I just want the seat type I booked and paid for! That now appears to be something vs cannot provide

That is incredibly frustrating and likely to out you off VS for life!

I've never heard the exit row/turbulence thing before.

A 747 has 30 exit seats, an a346 just 8.

If you read the terms and conditions when you book your seats then you'll see a number of reasons why you could be moved.

The crew are in no position to authorise an upgrade on a future flight considering they would have no idea of the loads on your next flight.

Virgin charge a premium.to sit in the upper deck so you could possibly ask for a refund of that fee since you have been moved.


Exit seats are not classed as Economy Delight.

A 747 has 30 exit seats, an a346 just 8.



The crew are in no position to authorise an upgrade on a future flight considering they would have no idea of the loads on your next flight.

A shame no one told the crew that. Or do you think they didn't actually make that promise?

I guess it’s conceivable that FSMs can offer space available upgrades as a service recovery measure, but definitely not guaranteed ones.

To make matters worse the return was then delayed 7 hours, half the toilets were out of use and someone nearby didn't smell too fresh, just glad to be back!

Hopefully the €600 compensation will help a bit (assuming it wasn’t a weather/ATC delay).

I guess it’s conceivable that FSMs can offer space available upgrades as a service recovery measure, but definitely not guaranteed ones.

I believe they are permitted to upgrade to PE without much fuss, but an upgrade to Upper must be fully justifiable that it was the right thing!

Understandable given the price differential!

I guess it’s conceivable that FSMs can offer space available upgrades as a service recovery measure, but definitely not guaranteed ones.

I believe they are permitted to upgrade to PE without much fuss, but an upgrade to Upper must be fully justifiable that it was the right thing!

Understandable given the price differential!

I believe both require a full justification.

I was kind of moved from PE to Upper once, after the Upper service had finished. I was discreetly invited to occupy 9G (the only remaining seat) and have left over UC meal at the bar with some cocktails. It was on PVG >LHR and once it got to seatbelts for landing I went back to PE.

This was following some rather appalling service from the ground staff, which spilled over to onboard during boarding which is how the FSM knew what happened. Required me to fill in the "Why we did badly" form and a write up from the FSM after the flight.

Extremely rare but appreciated at the time and certainly calmed me down.

But there’s a big difference between an FSM upgrading you there and then on their own flight, if there’s space and they feel it’s justified, and offering an upgrade on a future flight.

As I said above, I’d have thought the best they could do - assuming they’re allowed - is offer a space available upgrade. Unless they have access to the VS booking system via their iPads, which I doubt, there’s no way an FSM would be able to guarantee an upgrade on a future flight.

The same thing happened to me on both my LGW-BGI and then BGI-LGW as this was 30 Wedding anniversary trip i was more than upset, that was the last time i flew Virgin