gee thanks alot virgin

[eeyoreangel1]

We received a letter from virgin yesterday and couldn't really believe what we were reading. We are frequent virgin club members and have been for a number of years, but not any more! According to virgin we haven't been with them for over 4 years so we are no longer members of the frequent virgin club but we have been to florida with virgin in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006 but to qualify for the new club you have to book 2 holidays in a 4 year period with a total spend of £6,000 but there is now way we can afford that. Now we feel we will go to florida with another UK based carrier any ideas who's best to go with? has anyone else received the same letter?

Sorry about the rant but we are so angry at virgin, there customer service seems to stink , we have always travelled to Florida and California with virgin but not any more

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

First of all, you are talking about Virgin holidays? NOT Virgin atlantic. they are seperate companies under a Virgin holding umberella.

They seem to have screwed up with the new Frequent virgin Club that is run by VH.
Many people have had the letter/email telling them this.
Its down to the new FVC rules are that you have had to take a holiday with them in the past four years.
For some reason Computer says no to many who have actually taken holidays with them in that period.
Just ring them up.

£6,000 div by two holidays is only £3,000 and div by four holidays is only £1,500 per holiday. If you are paying more than that, then booking your flights and hotel seperate makes more sense anyway.

Not sure what you get with the FVC. With a Virgin Atlantic Flying Club card you get a 10% discount anyway.

 

[Claire L]

I am still waiting for our letter but to be honest the FVC was losing its edge with all the 10% discounts that were being offered, they had to do something to change the 'perks'. But it does seem a little harsh on all those existing members, maybe they could of kept them as members with a note that if the new criteria is not kept up then membership would cease after a certain time period??

Claire

 

[Claire L]

Not sure what you get with the FVC. With a Virgin Atlantic Flying Club card you get a 10% discount anyway.

Wonder how long that will stay?

Claire

 

[Netty]

I received this letter yesterday as well!

 

[wifey]

Oh Eeyoreangel1 !! That's just not good customer service they cannot seem to get lots of things correct at the moment. If I were you I would be writing them a letter explaining how often your family has travelled with them over the last few years and how disgusted you are with this treatment obviously someone at Virgin is an idiot, even I can see in your post that you went last year in fact you had 2 trips in 3 years so I'm not sure why they seem to think you have not been for over 4 years .
Do you still have your invoices from the last 2 trips?? If you do you have evidence that you had those trips photocopy them and send them with the letter to the relevant dept at Virgin. They might admit they were wrong

 

[Shazzie B]

Virgin really seems to be letting Customer Service levels drop. I had problems last year with them, previous 3 trips they were excellent. Friends who reccommended Virgin to us for 'Florida' trips have also had numerous problems with them this year.

We are using Travel City Direct this year-as I'd had positive feedback from a work colleague, so far their Customer Service has been excellent. Saved about £800 (for 4 of us) compared to Virgin for the same 'package'.

Down-side at the moment seem to be Sanford Airport not Orlando which will mean a longer drive-however been advised that you normally clear customs & baggage re-claim quicker. Also no twiglight check-in which we found useful.

We decided we were willing to 'give them a go' for £800 saving, but not comfortable 'reccommending' them yet until we've been through the whole holiday experience.

Any-one experienced a 'Travel City Direct Holiday'-how do they compare to Virgin?

 

[Alibaba]

Hiya Shazzie B
We have been to Florida twice, first time with virgin, who were great (this was Nov 04), and the second time like with yourselves we went with TCD (Jan 07) and i couldn't fault them at all, Sanford i found was a nice airport compared to the hustle and bustle of Orlando International. Also we have booked with them again for Oct 08, for 6 adults, 2 children and 1 infant in a 4 bed exec villa with pool heating they quoted us £4639, and flying exact same date same villa etc with Virgin would've been £6450, in my opinion that speaks for itself. I honestly found the only difference with Virgin and TCD was with Virgin you got TV's in the back of the seats and and the little travel bag thing, i think i would rather save £800 in your case and £1800 in mine,don't you? Hope this puts your mind at rest a bit, i know from other threads this is an age old debate, and alot of people do prefer Virgin, which is fair enough, i suppose it is like comparing Asda's Gold Blend t bags to PG Tips.
(hope that makes sense)
Ali

 

[Dimplenose]

We've had the letter too. Their data is wrong with us as well. It really does make me not want to use them again. It wasn't just the discount that mattered, but the feeling that we were "special" to Virgin - that they cared about our custom. I've automatically booked with Virgin for all of our 3 trips to Florida because I felt safe with them. I'll certainly be looking at other companies next time we go.

Libby

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Dimplenose,
you should anyway. todays society is designed to play one company off another. there is no such thing as loyalty anywhere anymore.
You could get exactly the same flight the same hotel and same car hire by looking at other travel agents or even doing it yourself.

 

[Dimplenose]

Dimplenose,
you should anyway. todays society is designed to play one company off another. there is no such thing as loyalty anywhere anymore.
You could get exactly the same flight the same hotel and same car hire by looking at other travel agents or even doing it yourself.

You're absolutely right, Virgin have lost themselves an "automatic customer" by sending me that letter - but I'll probably be better off for it.

(I must admit I misread their conditions as each holiday needing to cost £6000 - I thought it was a bit steep!)

Libby

 

[Girlsontour]

I haven't received a letter yet - no doubt 4 will arrive tomorrow

 

[shazmart]

I received that letter last week, and to be honest we hadn't booked a holiday with Virgin Holidays since 2002 (but had the previous 11 years!).

We have just booked a holiday with them for July 08, so I e-mailed them to say I was concerned that I would not receive my 10% off even though it had already been deducted from the invoice. I got a reply the next day to say that my membership has been re-instated.

So it's worth an e-mail or phone.

 

[taqlbotsteve]

We had the same letter a few days ago, the misses was livid as we have travelled with them to florida 4 times in the last 5 years and its always a big group of at least 8 and up to 15 one year so they have had their monies worth, the lady on the phone said "no problem thanks for pointing their error out and our new membership (renewed) will be in the post very soon", though i do think cost next trip will be an issue as virgin class children upto 11 and my son is 12 next year so will have to shop around,
cheers steve

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

I think with FV's new perks you can either choose the 10% discount, or get a free airport hotel, airport parking & rental car upgrade.

Those of you who are worried about losing the 10% - just join Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club. You still get 10% off VA flights, VH package holidays, and attraction tickets!

 

[jen_uk]

I had that letter last week as well, Ive booked 3 holidays to Florida in less than 3 years with them so its wrong for me as well. I rang them and I got put through to their Indian call centre where a lady told me that someone from Virgin would be phoning customers to check whether they still apply. I don't think she understood me and was trying to palm me off!