Virgin America Postpones L.A. to Orlando Route!

[Magix]

Anyone else caught out by the decision by Virgin America airlines to postpone the start of their new Los Angeles to Orlando route? I had reservations for myself, my best friend and his 8 year-old son to fly to WDW on Aug 19, but I've just received an email today from VA stating that due to an unexpected delay in receiving their new aircraft for the route, they won't be starting it until sometime in the 4th quarter of 2010! They're issuing a full refund and offered an utterly generous 20% discount off other VA routes Aug 19-Nov 17. Gee, that's great. But, how does it help me find another flight to Orlando?!!?

Closest I can find in price is going to be $100 more expensive total. But, the flight times and stopovers are nasty. We had a great, non-stop with VA. Looks like we'll rebook with American Airlines for a non-stop and add in baggage fees, so my friend and I will each be paying about $160 more than we'd planned. Whatever!!!!

I understand weird things can happen, but how could Virgin America have offered these flights for sale without a firm delivery date for planes? I mean, if they'd said the aircraft manufacturer couldn't deliver because of a natural disaster or something, I could totally understand. But, just to say "unexpected delays"?!!? What's that mean? You opened up flights for booking without a firm understanding of plane delivery dates? What the hey???

I had a terrific flight with Virgin America to Boston last year. But, I doubt if I'll ever book with them again, after this mess. A 20% discount, my rear. Thanks for the help, VA!!!!

 

[Cruise]

I understand weird things can happen, but how could Virgin America have offered these flights for sale without a firm delivery date for planes? I mean, if they'd said the aircraft manufacturer couldn't deliver because of a natural disaster or something, I could totally understand. But, just to say "unexpected delays"?!!? What's that mean? You opened up flights for booking without a firm understanding of plane delivery dates? What the hey???

I had a terrific flight with Virgin America to Boston last year. But, I doubt if I'll ever book with them again, after this mess. A 20% discount, my rear. Thanks for the help, VA!!!!

I'm not sure what else you can expect VA to do. Yeah, there are delays sometimes. And "unexpected delays" are just that... unexpected. I'm sure the CEO of VA is none too happy to have this happen either and I'm sure he's looking into legal measures against the manufacturer. But have you ever had a mechanic tell you that your car will be fixed in two days and it ends up taking two weeks?

I'm sure VA had what they thought was a firm delivery date for their aircraft. There's no way they "gambled" on them being done in time. They know that the bad press and bad customer satisfaction it too great a factor to gamble on it. Doesn't mean they can go down to the manufacturer and demand a plane be delivered if it isn't ready to fly.

 

[Magix]

How about offering those effected a code to book at a deep discount when the route does become available? How about giving a reason for the delivery delays? How about making it look like there really were delays and giving a more specific estimate of when routes might start, instead of making it sound like "unexpected delays" is just an excuse for changing your mind about adding that route? I surely hope I read a news article in the next couple days about VA suing Boeing or Airbus or some other manufacturer, or I'm really going to have to presume that this is bs.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well, Virgin America - any airline, actually - brings in more revenue from actual flights than from giving 100% refunds for flights they can't offer because they don't have the equipment. Since you're extremely concerned over how this could happen, you would most likely get the best response by calling Virgin America. Not their reservation line, but go to the website and find direct contact information for the main/executive office, or purchasing, or some similar department.

Most likely they can't give passengers a more specific start date for the route on May 6 because the manufacturer can't give THEM a specific delivery date yet.

 

[minniecarousel]

eek! That's why I can't see my Oct 10 - Oct 19 flights! I haven't received an E-mail yet to tell me that my flights have been cancelled. It's still 5 months away, so I'll give them some time. (Oct is in that "4th quarter" time frame.)

 

[cccdisney]

I am planning on booking my flights with VA for our late November trip. They haven't released our dates yet (Nov 18-27) - I hope they start flying to Orlando before then!

 

[bumbershoot]

Closest I can find in price is going to be $100 more expensive total. But, the flight times and stopovers are nasty. We had a great, non-stop with VA. Looks like we'll rebook with American Airlines for a non-stop and add in baggage fees, so my friend and I will each be paying about $160 more than we'd planned. Whatever!!!!

You were always going to have baggage fees. I believe it's $20 for even the first bag!


VA seems like the most open, honest airline, to me. I'm sure they didn't plan this. I'm sure they are not happy about it! IMO they are the best airline out there, one that I happily pay baggage fees for, so this hiccup isn't going to prevent me from booking with them.

 

[wdwfan16]

Anyone else caught out by the decision by Virgin America airlines to postpone the start of their new Los Angeles to Orlando route? I had reservations for myself, my best friend and his 8 year-old son to fly to WDW on Aug 19, but I've just received an email today from VA stating that due to an unexpected delay in receiving their new aircraft for the route, they won't be starting it until sometime in the 4th quarter of 2010! They're issuing a full refund and offered an utterly generous 20% discount off other VA routes Aug 19-Nov 17. Gee, that's great. But, how does it help me find another flight to Orlando?!!?

Closest I can find in price is going to be $100 more expensive total. But, the flight times and stopovers are nasty. We had a great, non-stop with VA. Looks like we'll rebook with American Airlines for a non-stop and add in baggage fees, so my friend and I will each be paying about $160 more than we'd planned. Whatever!!!!

I understand weird things can happen, but how could Virgin America have offered these flights for sale without a firm delivery date for planes? I mean, if they'd said the aircraft manufacturer couldn't deliver because of a natural disaster or something, I could totally understand. But, just to say "unexpected delays"?!!? What's that mean? You opened up flights for booking without a firm understanding of plane delivery dates? What the hey???

I had a terrific flight with Virgin America to Boston last year. But, I doubt if I'll ever book with them again, after this mess. A 20% discount, my rear. Thanks for the help, VA!!!!

If they don't have a plane they cannot fly.

Why not do a connecting flight with VA and sue the 20% discount?

 

[Magix]

I've rebooked with American Airlines. Taking a look around the internet yesterday, there were no stories about airplane delivery delays. I did find a website of folks who talk about airlines/airplanes who had a thread about this situation and they were theorizing that Virgin America simply hadn't had enough bookings to make the route profitable at this point. Online stories indicate that VA might restart the route in October, but nothing is firm. Some theories are that they will start in Oct with hopes of getting more holiday travelers to book, some theories are that they will scrap the route altogether. Wonder if they'll have enough planes for their new Toronto route, which I don't believe has yet been canceled?

I understand that many of you believe the story Virgin America has put out there. I'd like to believe it... I just don't. I tend to think that Boeing and Airbus and other airplane manufacturers have a pretty good handle on when they can get planes out the door.