This was a long night as we all kept waking up as family and friends were texting updates all night. I could not get through to Virgin, despite trying absolutely loads of times, they just did not answer their phones (a fact I can prove as my bill was £189 when my phone statement came through!) you just had that annoying looping music playing. Well Em and I left the hotel at around 10am and went to downtown Disney check-in as we just could not find out what was going on.
As soon as we arrived a stroppy guy took our cases and said that he would wait to weigh our suitcases as we could be downgraded to economy. Not a good start – so we waited about 2 mins and were called to the desk, where I had a strange conversation with another stroppy check-in person (SCIP). It went like:
SCIP: Good morning madam, unfortunately we need to move you to another plane and we only have economy available
Me: Is my plane cancelled
SCIP: No, we just don’t know at what time it will be leaving Orlando
Me: That’s not a problem, we will just wait as there’s no way I’m downgrading. If it’s not cancelled, then I really don’t mind waiting a few hours.
SCIP: You cannot do this
Me: But if the plane isn’t cancelled, I don’t see the problem.
SCIP: I need to get my manager
Manager comes out from the office
SCIP: Madam we have absolutely no idea what time your plane will depart Orlando and I suggest you move to the plane we are trying to move you to
At this moment I received a text from my sister saying that neither of the Gatwick – Orlando planes had taken off from Gatwick yet and were not even showing a departure time as it was snowing bad. So basically they were trying to move me to a flight that hadn’t even left London yet.
Me: This plane you want to move me to has not even left London yet, here’s the text and I showed her.
SCIP: I can only apologise as we do not know when either Gatwick plane will depart as we are getting no news, your sister probably knows more than us. The only thing we can do is move you to the Manchester flight which has left Manchester and is running about 30 minutes late. You can stay in Upper as well. But unfortunately we will not be arranging transport for mis-placed passengers.
By this time (about 30 mins) I had given up the will to live and did not argue, I was just pleased that we would be in the UK for Christmas.
After this marathon Em and I decided to have an early lunch at Planet Hollywood, which was not up to much and as it was freezing, we jumped in a cab and went to the airport to sit in the lounge.
Well, what can one say about the lounge at Orlando, it’s basic and is not very good, but we were able to sit in quiet and just read and doze. Have to say that I really do not understand Orlando airport as the shops are rubbish, they could make a fortune out of last minute purchases from tourists just needing to get rid of their last dollars!
When our flight was called, it made me laugh that at least 10 of the people in UC were supposed to be on the Gatwick flight. I felt sorry for the people waiting for the Gatwick flights in the lounge as neither of the Virgin Gatwick flights were showing as arrived, with no ETA listed. So we had made the right choice.
The flight was uneventful, with the food being edible. The flight crew were chatty, telling us all about the snow in the UK, they were generally very nice people who served us all very well. Within an hour I was in my sleep suit and bedding down for the night.
Emily in her pod on Virgin
Emily models the latest line in Virgin sleepwear
As soon as we arrived a stroppy guy took our cases and said that he would wait to weigh our suitcases as we could be downgraded to economy. Not a good start – so we waited about 2 mins and were called to the desk, where I had a strange conversation with another stroppy check-in person (SCIP). It went like:
SCIP: Good morning madam, unfortunately we need to move you to another plane and we only have economy available
Me: Is my plane cancelled
SCIP: No, we just don’t know at what time it will be leaving Orlando
Me: That’s not a problem, we will just wait as there’s no way I’m downgrading. If it’s not cancelled, then I really don’t mind waiting a few hours.
SCIP: You cannot do this
Me: But if the plane isn’t cancelled, I don’t see the problem.
SCIP: I need to get my manager
Manager comes out from the office
SCIP: Madam we have absolutely no idea what time your plane will depart Orlando and I suggest you move to the plane we are trying to move you to
At this moment I received a text from my sister saying that neither of the Gatwick – Orlando planes had taken off from Gatwick yet and were not even showing a departure time as it was snowing bad. So basically they were trying to move me to a flight that hadn’t even left London yet.
Me: This plane you want to move me to has not even left London yet, here’s the text and I showed her.
SCIP: I can only apologise as we do not know when either Gatwick plane will depart as we are getting no news, your sister probably knows more than us. The only thing we can do is move you to the Manchester flight which has left Manchester and is running about 30 minutes late. You can stay in Upper as well. But unfortunately we will not be arranging transport for mis-placed passengers.
By this time (about 30 mins) I had given up the will to live and did not argue, I was just pleased that we would be in the UK for Christmas.
After this marathon Em and I decided to have an early lunch at Planet Hollywood, which was not up to much and as it was freezing, we jumped in a cab and went to the airport to sit in the lounge.
Well, what can one say about the lounge at Orlando, it’s basic and is not very good, but we were able to sit in quiet and just read and doze. Have to say that I really do not understand Orlando airport as the shops are rubbish, they could make a fortune out of last minute purchases from tourists just needing to get rid of their last dollars!
When our flight was called, it made me laugh that at least 10 of the people in UC were supposed to be on the Gatwick flight. I felt sorry for the people waiting for the Gatwick flights in the lounge as neither of the Virgin Gatwick flights were showing as arrived, with no ETA listed. So we had made the right choice.
The flight was uneventful, with the food being edible. The flight crew were chatty, telling us all about the snow in the UK, they were generally very nice people who served us all very well. Within an hour I was in my sleep suit and bedding down for the night.
Emily in her pod on Virgin
Emily models the latest line in Virgin sleepwear
