News on Virgin flights from Manchester

[kazzie]

In the travel papers today it said 'Virgin Atlantic has announced that its 2002 programme between Manchester and Orlando will be operated on a lease arrangement by Air Atlanta using a chartered aircraft and crew.This is an inferior service and suggests a lack of commitment towards the manchester-Orlando service.'

Has anyone experienced this change?

I for one wouldn't be very happy about it

...........Karen..........

 

[WDWfan uk]

...... hmmmmmmm, thanks for this Karen, although it's probably unwelcome news for those using Manchester. Wasn't it last year when Virgin had to use a different airline from Manchester due to the planes being utilised for the Delhi route........ or was that the year before ?

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Shirley,

It was two years ago and we had upgraded to pe. We did get a full refund on the upgrade eventually but it was the oldest smelliest plane you had ever seen !!

Guess where we are going from in July ... and we had upgraded again !!

I think a phone call to virgin is in order.

David

 

[lisag1]

Well if it's not a Virgin plane I'll got mad!!! I paid full wack this year because of October half term just because it was a Virgin flight from Manchester I could've gone ATA for less. I'll be giving them a call tomorrow aswell.

Keeping fingers crossed......

Lisa

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

just spoke to Virgin Holidays .....doesn't look good,going to try virgin atlantic next

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!



Guess what ?.... It's true. Just got of the phone to the flying club and was told that Virgin are using an Air Atlanta plane, with Air Atlanta crew but in full "Virgin Livery".

This starts 10th July thro to Oct. Don't know what to do, after the last time i feel like changing it to Gatwick, but it means a shuttle( with all the extra luggage problems on the way back ) and possibly an overnight stay, where as Manchester is just 3 1/4 hours down the road.

I feel another refund coming on.


David

 

[The Murfs]

Air Atlanta!!!!!

Just an update on Air Atlanta. I have e-mailed Virgin tonight, hoping to get an answer soon. We will be extremely upset if this is the case.

P S Anybody flown with Air Atlanta before, do we still get seat back tv's etc. I very much doubt.

Will keep you updated when we hear back from Virgin.

Bye for now

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Murfs,

Post must have crossed in the night. Will be interesting to hear what they tell you.

David

 

[caroley]

I'm going to get on to them tomorrow. I pay more for Virgin because of the quality of the flights. I really don't want to get fobbed off with a different airline. I'm fed up of the Manchester flights being the poor relation to the London flights.
If they continue to show

a lack of commitment towards the manchester-Orlando service.'

then I'll have to show a lack of commitment to them. Plenty more airlines to choose from

 

[kazzie]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,but better you know now than when you turn up at the airport when theres nothing you can do about it Which as this information isn't public knowledge its probably what they had in mind

Can you let me know how you get on?

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

but better you know now than when you turn up at the airport when theres nothing you can do about it

Kazzie, this is exactly what happened to us in 2000. We were being brought from the hotel by the minibus driver who told us "there's your plane, the one with the green tail" and who I thought had got us muddled up wit Air Pakistan !!

It then went from bad to much worse ...

David

 

[lisag1]

Hi all,

Just been on to VA and she informed me that it was an Air Atlanta plane with full Virgin crew and livery. I asked whether it will have full seat back TV's and she said yes. It will be exactly the same as the old Virgin planes......

Lisa

 

[lisag1]

Just seen this on the Air Atlanta Icelandic website......

Air Atlanta to take on four aircraft from Virgin Atlantic

Air Atlanta has dry-leased four 747-200 aircraft from Virgin Atlantic. The Aircraft with registration G-VSSS, G-VRUM, G-VCAT and G-VBEE will all be assigned Icelandic registrations TF-ATW, TF-ATV, TF-ATK and TF-ATN respectively. Two of the aircraft are ex Cathay Pacific aircraft powered by RB211-524-D4 engines and will be operating for Garuda Indonesia in the upcoming hajj. The 456-seat aircraft are configured in three classes with 12 first class, 32 business class and 412 economy seats. The other two aircraft are ex Air New Zeeland aircraft powered by RB211-524-D4 engines. One will operate hajj for Air Algerie while the other will replace TF-ATS on the Nigeria Airways contract. Both aircraft will remain in the original seating configuration with 28 first class, 36 business class and 358 economy seats.

 

[Matts Mom UK]

Hi everyone,

Like one or two of you, we ended up on an Air Atlanta plane in August 2000. Also didn't know until we arrived at Manchester check-in. It was the worst plane i've ever flown on-no seat back TV's, very grubby, staff who didn't want to be on the plane-some Virgin -some Air Atlanta. Manchester flights seem to be getting a raw deal these days!!!!!


Janice

 

[Sue F UK]

I got so excited when I first saw this post as I thought that Virgin were going to extend their flights through the winter. I should have known - no such luck!!

We flew with Virgin from Manchester last year and ended up having to book through Continental as Virgin share some of their flights with them. Flew out on a Virgin plane and back through Newark with Continental as Virgin had stopped going to Manchester by then. They re-routed us through Gatwick on the way out as the plane wasn't full - of course they didn't tell us this until check-in. The Virgin plane was quite grotty whereas the Continental plane was lovely.

We too had paid a higher price to fly Virgin direct and ended up all over the place !! Sorry, but from now on I'm flying from Manchester through the American airlines. Their standards of service and their planes are much better and the fares cheaper. You do have to change planes in America but you go through customs in the first airport which takes away some of the time and stress once you arrive in Orlando. I just wish that one of these airlines would start a direct service to Orlando and solve all our problems.

Sorry to waffle on.......

 

[Mazzy]

Well this is just another step down for Virgin in my estimation of them

What is it about Manchester? They can't even provide flights all year round, now they are messing with the aircraft? It really is not good enough. Customers flying from Manchester pay exactly the same as those flying from London but get a second class service.

We are flying with them in December, but from Gatwick, as they don't fly from Manchester in the Winter.

For our next trip I am seriously thinking of using BA, as they include cut-price connecting flights from Manchester to Gatwick in their prices and their base prices are cheaper too. As Virgin no longer have the captioned videos for the deaf, there is really no incentive for me to go with them anymore.

Poor show Virgin, you are on the slippery slope in my opinion.

 

[Welshie]

I have spoken to Virgin Atlantic this morning.They confrmed that it would be an Air Atlanta plane starting in May from Manchester.Yes it would be in Virgin livery with Virgin attendants but an Air Atlanta pilot.They said that there were complaints about the standard of the aircraft used in 2000 but that this time it would be of a comparable standard to Virgin aircraft (seatback TVs,same food,films etc).I was concerned as I am flying Club Orlando at the end of May - again the response was that the 'upstairs' seats would be comparable.
I spoke to V Atlantic Head Office - lets hope they stick to this promise or I'll definitely be complaining!!!

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Welshie,

We're going club orlando too, I just hope it's not as bad as the last time. I was told last night that the Air Atlanta plane is not starting until July so you maybe be ok, but it looks like every time someone phones they are getting differnet stories.

David

 

[The Murfs]

No reply as yet from virgin. (e-mail sent last night as soon as I read the thread) Went into travel agents this morning who rang virgin and confirmed. We will be flying Air Atlanta in virgin colours (as if this makes any difference) we will still get seat back tv, backpacks for the kids etc but the staff will be Air Atlanta, trained by virgin. The plane is a 747-200. Hopefully our allocated seats will still stand (4 in the middle) I did feel better for hearing this but having read the previous threads about dirty planes etc. still a little peeved.

Will let you know as soon as virgin reply to my e-mail.

Bye for now

 

[yorkshiregirl]

We have spoken to virgin and they are saying the same thing about livery, facilities etc.
I said I was not bothered what they wore if we were assured of the same or better as when we booked. I asked for a written assurance from virgin that there would be the same facilities etc and she said I could have one. I will wait to see if one arrives! Our travel agents did not know anything about it and have promised to get back to us. My husband is considering cancelling but I am worried about losing deposits. What does everyone else feel?