Kicking myself

[Disney Frenhines]

I had an open ticket with VA and then decided to opt for a refund because they only flights to Orlando were indirect and they said that you wouldn't get a refund of the difference if the flight was cheaper. Less than a week later they announce flights from LHR to MCO, but, the prices are nuts, £2500 being the cheapest. I get the feeling this is to discourage anyone who doesn't have an open ticket because they said open tickets could be rebooked and you wouldn't pay anymore than your original ticket. So, instead I'm waiting on a refund that may not happen before Christmas. Feel a bit cross with my lack of patience and now I'm not going to rush into cancelling my Disney hotel and park tickets, just in case something happens there. If it doesn't, nothing lost.
Still, always BA or the indirect flight if Donnie opens up the borders in time.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I had an open ticket with VA and then decided to opt for a refund because they only flights to Orlando were indirect and they said that you wouldn't get a refund of the difference if the flight was cheaper. Less than a week later they announce flights from LHR to MCO, but, the prices are nuts, £2500 being the cheapest. I get the feeling this is to discourage anyone who doesn't have an open ticket because they said open tickets could be rebooked and you wouldn't pay anymore than your original ticket. So, instead I'm waiting on a refund that may not happen before Christmas. Feel a bit cross with my lack of patience and now I'm not going to rush into cancelling my Disney hotel and park tickets, just in case something happens there. If it doesn't, nothing lost.
Still, always BA or the indirect flight if Donnie opens up the borders in time.

They are all playing silly s. BA gave me a choice of a travel voucher or rebooking. They cancelled so I was entitled to a refund, but I checked what they were offering if I rebooked and it was only indirect flights which took 15 to 20 hours; no direct flights were offered at all. So I asked for a refund using Twitter, received the cash and Avios points within 24 hours and then rebooked direct flights that I wanted. I ended up paying about £100 more than my original ticket but I felt much more in control.
Don’t kick yourself. I think that you made the right choice!

 

[Disney Frenhines]

BA are offering direct flights for my dates that are a fair comparison with VA indirect. I've never flown with BA, are they any good? A change might do some good.
A big plus with BA is that they do a discount for the Defence Discount scheme that you can do online, unlike VA who expect you to phone up to claim it, which I hate. It's only 10% on the fares after taxes, but, that is £13 that'll pay for a nice meal at Disney.

 

[LunaMini]

BA are offering direct flights for my dates that are a fair comparison with VA indirect. I've never flown with BA, are they any good? A change might do some good.
A big plus with BA is that they do a discount for the Defence Discount scheme that you can do online, unlike VA who expect you to phone up to claim it, which I hate. It's only 10% on the fares after taxes, but, that is £13 that'll pay for a nice meal at Disney.

we flew with BA last year (first time long haul, so nothing to compare it to) We found it slightly frustrating that selecting your seats was an additional charge (we didn’t want to be split up!) We chose the twin seats at the back of the plane, which were a premium as we didn’t want to be worrying about anyone else. These were moved on one of our journeys and they didn’t inform us and also wouldn’t blank out the addition seat in the row of 3 we were allocated, we weren’t able to make a refund claim on the seat price until after we’d flown.
The only other issue we had was the breakfast on the return journey. Who in their right mind wants a sour cream cheese and spinach croissant for breakfast?! (I love croissants and cream cheese, but this was disgusting )

We decided after that flight that we would try virgin next time as we’d heard so many good things about them. It remains to be seen if we’ll get to compare in September

 

[WelshMorgan92]

I'd recommend BA.. I'd even recommend Norwegian if they have flights operating.
I do love flying with VA but their lack of customer support has really turned me off of them.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

I know someone who flew with Norwegian and rated them highly.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

we flew with BA last year (first time long haul, so nothing to compare it to) We found it slightly frustrating that selecting your seats was an additional charge (we didn’t want to be split up!) We chose the twin seats at the back of the plane, which were a premium as we didn’t want to be worrying about anyone else. These were moved on one of our journeys and they didn’t inform us and also wouldn’t blank out the addition seat in the row of 3 we were allocated, we weren’t able to make a refund claim on the seat price until after we’d flown.
The only other issue we had was the breakfast on the return journey. Who in their right mind wants a sour cream cheese and spinach croissant for breakfast?! (I love croissants and cream cheese, but this was disgusting )

We decided after that flight that we would try virgin next time as we’d heard so many good things about them. It remains to be seen if we’ll get to compare in September

Virgin also charge for seat selection if you flight Economy classic or delight, but, it's not anything like as expensive as BA, £90 for an exit seat!?! I paid £49 for the exit seat with Virgin, £59 for it in the bubble. Virgin can be slow with responses to customer services issues, but, they've been very fair with it when they have responded, I had an issue at check in a few years ago, it was their mistake and it was slightly embarrassing to me as it made me look like an idiot, I complained and got credited 8000 miles as compensation, which I was happy with as I actually didn't complain for compo, just to vent. And last year I cancelled a booking not realising that I would lose the money for the exit seats (my fault for not reading the small print) but, when I explained that if I had been told of this when I cancelled I would have rescheduled instead and not lost that money, over £100, Virgin actually refunded it to me when they didn't have to.
To be honest, I've had good experiences with VA 99% of the time and I think I'd rather stick with what I am happy with even if it is an indirect flight. I could happily do 4 hours at JFK, especially if it meant avoiding immigration at OIA.

 

[LunaMini]

Virgin also charge for seat selection if you flight Economy classic or delight, but, it's not anything like as expensive as BA, £90 for an exit seat!?!

Our Virgin economy fair for this September included a seat selection free of charge, we paid £30 each per way to go in the bubble though. If we’d have picked a seat in the normal cabin then it would have been included.
Our plane and airport have now been changed, although our seats still remain as the ones we’d selected in the bubble and the only others I can select currently are exit row at £79 each per way

I also forgot to mention the air stewardess chomping her gum through the safety demonstration and the fact there there was no entertainment system the whole trip back (this was the whole plane!) nothing was communicated to passengers and when somebody asked what was going on they we’re greeted with a curt “she‘s doing her best!)

I guess it’s safe to say we weren’t impressed. That said if it was a choice between BA and not going I would take BA.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

Wowsers! I remember one VA flight where some of the seats had an issue with IFE and passengers were asked if they would exchange seats with those with no IFE for a refund of £30 each, this was over 10 years ago, so that was a tidy amount. I was happy to move, but, my daughter insisted on the IFE

 

[LunaMini]

Wowsers! I remember one VA flight where some of the seats had an issue with IFE and passengers were asked if they would exchange seats with those with no IFE for a refund of £30 each, this was over 10 years ago, so that was a tidy amount. I was happy to move, but, my daughter insisted on the IFE

Thankfully being an overnight flight it wasn't too bad and I did have my ipad as a backup for watching things/playing games. I just found there couldn't care a less attitude shocking.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I view all transatlantic flights as a form of torture, whichever airline I choose. I find BA more amenable and willing to communicate and sort out issues. Also, they have refunded two booking I had within 24 hours, just using Twitter, so no lengthy holds. They are also competitively priced. I also like KLM.

 

[ARTibbs94]

Virgin also charge for seat selection if you flight Economy classic or delight, but, it's not anything like as expensive as BA, £90 for an exit seat!?! I paid £49 for the exit seat with Virgin, £59 for it in the bubble. Virgin can be slow with responses to customer services issues, but, they've been very fair with it when they have responded, I had an issue at check in a few years ago, it was their mistake and it was slightly embarrassing to me as it made me look like an idiot, I complained and got credited 8000 miles as compensation, which I was happy with as I actually didn't complain for compo, just to vent. And last year I cancelled a booking not realising that I would lose the money for the exit seats (my fault for not reading the small print) but, when I explained that if I had been told of this when I cancelled I would have rescheduled instead and not lost that money, over £100, Virgin actually refunded it to me when they didn't have to.
To be honest, I've had good experiences with VA 99% of the time and I think I'd rather stick with what I am happy with even if it is an indirect flight. I could happily do 4 hours at JFK, especially if it meant avoiding immigration at OIA.

Virgin don't charge for seat selection, ONLY if you are in Economy Light, I worked for them as a customer service agent until march. Economy Classic, Delight. Premium Economy & Upper Class all include seat selection.

I was due to travel with BA in august in Club World Buisness Class, was pretty upset to find out that British Airways charge for seat selection even in buisness class (£74pp per flight, an extra £300 on a return flight that had already cost upwards of 1400 each).

 

[Disney Frenhines]

Virgin don't charge for seat selection, ONLY if you are in Economy Light, I worked for them as a customer service agent until march. Economy Classic, Delight. Premium Economy & Upper Class all include seat selection.

They do for exit seats. I always book an exit seat because I have long legs and 4 hours is my max for normal seats. I haven't had a regular seat in 14 years, so I just presumed the charge was for all seats.

 

[ARTibbs94]

Virgin don't charge for seat selection, ONLY if you are in Economy Light, I worked for them as a customer service agent until march. Economy Classic, Delight. Premium Economy & Upper Class all include seat selection.

They do for exit seats. I always book an exit seat because I have long legs and 4 hours is my max for normal seats. I haven't had a regular seat in 14 years, so I just presumed the charge was for all seats.

Apologies, yes there is a payable premium for exit rows, I should have specified!

 

[Disney Frenhines]

No need to apologise, I hadn't said anything about exit seats.