Indirect flights advice please x

[buzz for boys]

Ok I know ive not actually florida for england yet but we are looking at when we can get back here

There is no way we can afford virgin prices and to be honest after the flight out here I would have to have a massive incentive to make me fly virgin again !!
So we looking at indirect for October next year !!
I have a couple of questions though -
1) Luggage - do you collect luggage at connecting airport and then give it them back or does it go staright from one plane to another ? if the later does that make it more likely you lose your luggage ??
2) Special assistance - We always have special assistance from Virgin do you get the same assistance on a indirect flight ??

At the moment the 2 carriers that have caught our eye are American Airlines and contiental - any reviews on economy in either carrier would be appreciated !!
Thanks guys x x

 

[wayneg]

Going out you collect you luggage then drop again usually within a few yards of collection, never found this a hassle. Coming back you don't see it til you get to your final destination.
Been doing indirect for years, over 15 times, only 2 problems with luggage, once our luggage was missing but it had been sent on an earlier plane so sat there at missing luggage, just wasted about 30 mins at the belt for no reason. Other time was arrival back at Heathow this Easter, due to ash cloud we were changed to a crazy journey MCO~ATL~CDG~LHR with a 6 hour wait in CDG, back in Heathrow luggage missing, had to wait about 2 hours for it to arrive from CDG. I guess with the problems airports had over that period they did well.

Can't help with special assistance.

I would use cheapest carrier, never had a problem with any.

 

[dixonsontour]

We are going indirect with DD who will be 5 on US airways Oct 2011.

Last 3 trips with her have been on virgin but before that we always used to go indirect.

On the US airways booking page there was a section to choose what assistance you needed eg wheelchair or meet and assist. also booked DD a kids meal.

Big advantage of indirect is you clear customs in first US city so your connection time is put to good use.

Most important thing is good flight times. The times from manchester on continental and US were good- I was looking at these. It only puts a couple of hours on the journey - we saved £1000 booking with US airways not Virgin.

To compare - we fly out 11.15, virgin 1.45.
we arrive 6.30, virgin 5.55

Way back we fly 5pm, virgin 7pm.
we land 8.45, virgin 8.10.

Virgin want £2476.17 for our dates in ecomony - 2a and 1 child - silly money imo.

 

[buzz for boys]

Thanks both !!
Wayne great info on luggage and connection time we are looking at will be 2 1/2 hours so plenty of time !! Thank you x

Dixonsontour - We have 4 kids and indirect has always been a no no for us but Virgin really was appaling this time round and I dont see why we should pay the premuim price when we are not getting a premuim service from them !!

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi Louise

Hope you are still having a great time!

I can't help with reviews, but booked Continental for next year. It was a few hundred pounds cheaper than VA and with VA I would have had to get domestic connections plus overnight at a hotel so although not cheap compared to indirect last year, it saved me a packet. The economy luggage allowance is the same as on all scheduled carriers to the US with the option to prepay luggage. To be totally honest, I had done my homework before we went away in October and pretty much decided to go with CO if the prices were right for a few reasons, primarily:

Our 2009 experience with VA (and added to that the VA flights this year )
and
I have come to the conclusion that if indirect means a shorter longhaul flight, it makes the trip more bearable
and
Clearing customs before MCO is very appealing

If VA had been able to offer a better price than CO I would probably have taken it, but the quotes were silly - to the point that it was almost entertaining price hunting on their website. I do think you have to look before dismissing an option though, unless you are completely against using an airline again. Sometimes you just happen to be online at the right time and snag a great deal, even if it is a pricing error and you deny yourself that opportunity by not looking.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay!

 

[Zeebs]

I looked up prices recently with virgin and it was cheaper to fly to Australia than it was to go to Orlando..... How is that possible.

We are going with Virgin most probably on our next trip (with miles + money) but we will fly to Miami and then drive up.

We are staying off site so we will have a car anyway.

Kirsten

 

[2Tiggies]

I looked up prices recently with virgin and it was cheaper to fly to Australia than it was to go to Orlando..... How is that possible.

It's possible

There are deals to be had with VA. It just depends if you happen to want to fly on the correct days from the right airports and happen to be online at the right time to spot the offers. They have had some M&M flights which were pretty decent recently too. It was no good for me. I did look into it, but no M&M for my dates and nothing from my local airport which meant connection. The night before I booked with CO, I had just checked again with VA just in case and economy seats came up at £3000 odd .... EACH I closed the page, cleared my cookies and tried again - same thing I put it dow to a website glitch (hopefully) but even up to that point, running dummy bookings ahead of my dates, quotes were coming up a good £300+ extra per person, plus connecting flights and overnight at hotel. But as I said earlier, you do have to check every option as good deals do come up.