OK-officially through with the rob-dogs at Virgin...

[2Tiggies]

We are trying them for the first time this year. I wanted a one way flight from MCO to MAN,
VA wanted $1,499pp
I booked TC for just over £200pp.

I've seen VA economy seats at over £3k per person. Who pays that?!

In fairness I have seen this with other airlines too but spot them easily with VA every year. Maybe it's a shock tactic designed to make you believe that their £1k per person seats are bargain. I mean that's a 65% discount right?

 

[Kath2003]

We wound up buying a package for a (non-Orlando) holiday this year - it was cheaper than DIY which I was astonished by. VH wanted £10,000 more than we wound up paying (keep in mind that this is just two adults!) - same hotel, same dates and duration - because they insisted we could only fly back UC with them - we checked online, in store and on the phone! We went to many other travel agents who instantly got us seats in economy on the same VA flights, or we could have booked DIY through VA ourselves and got the economy seats. I know VA and VH are different companies but you'd think they'd try and help each other out

Haven't flown with VA for a long time so we will see what they "offer" for such a hefty premium today. So far their USP seems to be that they will serve hot chocolate on night flights... Yeah, not really going to swing it for us...

 

[2Tiggies]

So far their USP seems to be that they will serve hot chocolate on night flights... Yeah, not really going to swing it for us...

Well perhaps you get to take the cup home They used to use the icecream during the movies as a major selling point. I take it you don't get that if you now get hot chocolate

 

[Kath2003]

Well perhaps you get to take the cup home They used to use the icecream during the movies as a major selling point. I take it you don't get that if you now get hot chocolate

Well if you got BOTH then that would definitely justify paying double the cost of any other airline

I'd rather have the ice cream.

I also noted that they make a huge deal out of the fact that they clear away your "main" meal before dessert. That seems both unnecessary and annoying, IMO...

 

[Lucys dad]

Some of the VH prices for WDW are genuinely laugh out loud crazy. I am amazed they still have a customer base.

VA are still my preferred choice of airline to Florida but I have to say, the last few years they are really trying my patience and I would not be surprised if I boot them in to touch sooner rather than later.

Branson's amiable hippy, man of the people and all round good guy persona is quite funny really.

 

[Little Flower]

We've always used Thomas Cook and think they're fab, I'd definately recommend them. They always seem to have the best prices and the flights are great. We're flying out of Manchester this September for the first time as it was the cheapest option. The VH prices we've seen are far far too high, for essentially the same product we get from TC

 

[DLPDreams]

We are trying them for the first time this year. I wanted a one way flight from MCO to MAN,
VA wanted $1,499pp
I booked TC for just over £200pp.

I would love to hear what you think of them on your return Wayne. I do think some of the charters are starting to give Virgin a run for their money tbh. With the likes of Norwegian and Aer Lingus now too, Virgin need to reinvent a USP I think!

Branson's amiable hippy, man of the people and all round good guy persona is quite funny really.

This is part of what bothers me about them. Don't want to rant about it, but the whole squeaky clean, British image, just doesn't ring true - I don't mean him in particular, it's the whole Virgin package really.

 

[wendy_uk]

It was only yesterday Thomson contacted me about upgrading our seats for £40 per person, I said to the person on the phone I would need to speak to DH first as that adds another £160 to our booking. When I rung back the following morning that £40 was only to pre book our seats together and there was no upgrade......Very misleading customer service I feel. We will arrive at the airport early and considering we are all adults it wont matter if we cant sit together......Thomson you are becoming like budget airlines....paying for seating together.

 

[2Tiggies]

I would love to hear what you think of them on your return Wayne. I do think some of the charters are starting to give Virgin a run for their money tbh. With the likes of Norwegian and Aer Lingus now too, Virgin need to reinvent a USP I think!

Not everyone wants to fly charter though and the scheduled airlines will always have a fan base. Charters tend to fly on certain days or limit the length of stay quite often. Their baggage allowance is also not that great. I do look every yea but by the time I add on a transfer from sanford, extra baggage, food on flights it hasn't worked out any cheaper. Don't get me wrong, they have their appeal and are a great deal for many people but they offer a slightly different service so in some respects they cater for a different market.

VA do have some good specials. I've just never seen anything suitable for us but you see folk posting on here about good deals they get in the sales so there are good offers to be found. American Airlines has always come up horrendously expensive for me but this year they were the best price and I haven't seen anything touch it competitively yet. You have to keep all options open once you've eliminated the services that don't appeal to you, if you want the best chance of good prices.

This is part of what bothers me about them. Don't want to rant about it, but the whole squeaky clean, British image, just doesn't ring true - I don't mean him in particular, it's the whole Virgin package really.

British and Squeaky Clean just don't seem to fit in the same sentence lol

 

[wayneg]

Not everyone wants to fly charter though and the scheduled airlines will always have a fan base. Charters tend to fly on certain days or limit the length of stay quite often. Their baggage allowance is also not that great. I do look every yea but by the time I add on a transfer from sanford, extra baggage, food on flights it hasn't worked out any cheaper. Don't get me wrong, they have their appeal and are a great deal for many people but they offer a slightly different service so in some respects they cater for a different market.

They are closing the gap though. TC now fly into MCO & give 23kg of luggage. I have no idea what the inflight experience will be like but I don't care, I can live without food & tv 9 hours.

 

[igk]

We booked our holiday on 7th December with VH, but because they did not book our flights with VA until 29th December, we will have to stump up £100 to sit together. I am officially THROUGH with Virgin, I didn't mind paying a bit more for the customer service but as Branson appears to have been taking lessons from that other rob-dog Michael O'Leary and the service is now non-existent we are done!
So who does everyone else book with? We live in Derbyshire so would prefer Manchester flights-come on tell me whose good?

Hmm if this happened to me I would be making a complaint to Virgin Customer Services - it's not your fault they didn't bother to book the flights until after the rules changed after all. It may well state in the T&Cs that you have no rights in this case but even so if you complain to the right people they may well compensate you. I would be very tenacious...

 

[Disney Frenhines]

The problem for me is that I don't drive over there, so adding the cost of transfers from Sanford would negate any savings, besides Thomson refuse to allow solo travellers to book a Disney vacation online and the TA in store for Thomson was equally unhelpful, so I wouldn't go with them anyway. I booked the DME for the first time this trip, looking forward to seeing how it goes.

 

[pickers1982]

Hmm if this happened to me I would be making a complaint to Virgin Customer Services - it's not your fault they didn't bother to book the flights until after the rules changed after all. It may well state in the T&Cs that you have no rights in this case but even so if you complain to the right people they may well compensate you. I would be very tenacious...

I can't even get a reply out of virgins complaints department!