Confusion over Gatwick

Extract from a twitter conversation yesterday that I came across ...

Flights will continue at Gatwick - https://ibb.co/dW6BdNz

What confusion? VS are not currently operating from Gatwick, but will return at some point in the future... And no-one knows when that might be.

I think what's missing are the words "at some point in the future". I think it's just a poorly worded post.

The twitter thread was in relation to flights in August 2020 full thread here

https://twitter.com/StirkBen/status/1266697796356366336

Virgin show me as on VS27/28 in September LGW-MCO return on 747 with specific Premium seats booked. this is fiction on both VA and on Travel-Plus for clients who booked on VA but added hotel and car and thus are *managed by VH*
They have blocked any form of communication. They do not respond re potential change of dates etc. They expect me to make a c. £4K final payment in June. It's a complete joke. I have asked my credit card for a Section 75 refund of the deposit and second payment made using miles.
Checking flight and routings online they are planning to offer rather than the lies on bookings they are pretending are unchanged - and everything is in a lower travel grade on Delta ex-LHR via JFK or Atlanta taking 13.5H instead of 9H. It is as if VH are making plans for life without VA and taking the p*ss out of all of us.
what part of different airline, different plane, different class of travel, different flight No, different route, change of aircraft en route, does not constitute *cancellation by airline*...?

Hey

It was a bit tricky to understand your post - are you saying you don't want to go on your September holiday because you're not going to be flying on a 747 any more? Or do you mean you're choosing not to go out of principle due to Virign Holidays/Virgin Atlantic (not entirely sure from your post who your booking is with?) being poor at communication during this time?

Why on earth do you think that you're going to be routed via Atlanta or New York on Delta? I think you're making an incorrect assumption.

Granted, Virgin Atlantic have been very poor at communicating throughout the crisis, and I'm personally impacted to the tune of ~£5k, but based on public information all you know is that the 747's have been retired. *Nobody* really knows for sure whether Virgin Atlantic or any other airline will be flying by September. You just have to go on the information that you have which is that at the current time they still expect to fly you from London to Orlando. Again, given public information it seems likely that this would be from Heathrow rather than Gatwick, but until you're informed otherwise why get in a pickle about it?

As far as I can see from what you've posted, there is no "cancellation by airline" as you've called it. Currently you still have a booking on a flight they still intend to operate albeit on a different aircraft type and with the possibility of going from a different London airport. Not sure where you got the idea of "different airline, different plane, different class of travel, different flight No, different route, change of aircraft en route" if you haven't been able to speak to them?

Anyway, it sounds as if you're talking about Virgin Holidays as you mention a final payment. Do you *want* to go on the holiday? If so, logic would dictate that you make the final payment and see what pans out? Your consumer rights will protect you if the holiday does end up getting cancelled. I'm not sure that a S75 claim would apply yet in this instance because there has been no 'failure' on the travel agent's part (yet)?

How long have you tried holding on the phone to them for? I know it's far from ideal but I have friends who have got through to Virgin Holidays after about an hour of holding this week. If you're really keen to speak to them, I think you might just need to persevere?

I agree with the previous post, at this stage your holiday is planned to go ahead, so your balance is due. If it does get cancelled, you will get your money back even if VS does go bust as you are ATOL protected.

How likely is it go ahead? No one can say. If it does it will probably be from Heathrow. I would book a cheap Premier Inn on the Bath Road the night before unless you are close. Get a flex room for a couple of pounds more.

We are due to go to Hawaii in September, but it isn't a package, so it was all paid for months ago. Some of it is refundable, but some of it isn't, so you are in a better position than me.

If you cancel now, you will probably lose your deposit. My wife was in a similar position to you, as she and several friends were going to Croatia this month. They had to pay in full and get refunded - crazy but that's the way it works.

Best of luck - you either will go on holiday, or get your money back.

Let's hope the US is open by then and it is all as moot point.

Assuming that Orlando will still be a safe place to visit, after the last 10 weeks that we've all been through, if my holiday had been rerouted, on a different plane that I had originally thought it might be and was gonna take a while longer to get there, I would still be queuing up to check in and start my journey. (quarantine or not when I come home)

YMMV

David.

I think we’re all going to have to get used to the idea that, when air travel finally gets going again, it won’t be like it used to be.

Be it aircraft substitutions, itinerary changes, health screening at airports, having to wear masks and/or gloves, social distancing in check-in, security and boarding queues or reduced F&B services in lounges and on board, the new normal will take some getting used to and may - in the short term at least - make flying a considerably less pleasurable experience.

Tend to agree with David, I'd be paying full desposit on a CC -> thus protected by CC and atol. -> and looking forward to holiday - I'm so desperate for a holiday right now (with 2 already being cancelled SINCE Mar) that we're even going to be going to the family caravan as soon as thats allowable under UK quarentine rules (which will be by July they seem to expect). I would expect it to fly from Heathrow on a newer plane on your holiday in Sept , and to be honest having seen the videos from the reopening of Las Vegas last night would expect a full holiday with a ton of fun in Orlando. The parks will be quiet and you'll get temperature checked, but having seen what Vegas was doing last night, and what is planned in Orlando I'd be happy going. If Mr Trump doesn't let you in, or the FCO still has advice against US by September I would be highly surprised. The Disney machine will reopen - the holiday will likely happen, and all will likely be a very nice holiday. What I personally woudlnt' be doing is cancelling deposit/trip as that is more likely to lose money. Me and Wife are considering a late booking to Orlando probably next month when we hear of what happens with first trips from July onwards on park reopening. (I know both myself and David have a timeshare in MCO, we'll probbaly be making 2 trips in 2020-2021 in my personal plans, and we personally need to go prior to next April to avoid losing use of a week of our points (the week we should have taken this April)). Orlando and Disney will be reopening, and in plenty of time. Universal/Seaworld opened this week I believe. VS/VH won't obviously be flying to Orlando until Trump/FCO change guidance, and it's safe for holidaymakers -> the risk of them being sued is very high otherwise. I expect personally that to happen early-> mid July.,

Ref: Quarentine on return, both myself and our family ahve been informed we're working form home until Christmas at least right now, so a 14 day quarentine on return ulitmately changes nothing for us.

If you are cancelling because of other covid related items such as losing job etc or just not wanting to go, I would obviously not be paying up -> that is a good reason to cancel, but you probably will lose deposit in such a case.