Virgin delayed 4 and 1/2 hours

[PoppyAnna]

I am aware of the cost of purchasing/leasing/running a transatlantic aircraft and that you can't have spares "floating" around.
I have to beg the question if this has been going on for so long and VA will lose previously loyal customers over this, is there not a break in one of VA's routes to slot in an aircraft to help ease these delays?
Or: Can they not lease an aircraft to slot in?

I should be getting on the 027 this time next week, I'd like it sorted.

Obi, I'm sure you'll be able to answer this.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I am aware of the cost of purchasing/leasing/running a transatlantic aircraft and that you can't have spares "floating" around.
I have to beg the question if this has been going on for so long and VA will lose previously loyal customers over this, is there not a break in one of VA's routes to slot in an aircraft to help ease these delays?
Or: Can they not lease an aircraft to slot in?

I should be getting on the 027 this time next week, I'd like it sorted.

Obi, I'm sure you'll be able to answer this.

I think our posts passed each other
The VS 027 is not late apart from twice this month. One day all flights were daeayed (12th April 16:20 t/o) and that had a knock on effect for a couple of days. VS 027 actually took off early on 4th april.

 

[stal]

im on the VS015 from gatwick on june 5th. i too have been checking the flight times regularly and seems that flight is ALWAYS delayed. hope it gets better before june!

 

[lexie32]

im on the VS015 from gatwick on june 5th. i too have been checking the flight times regularly and seems that flight is ALWAYS delayed. hope it gets better before june!

We're on the VSO15 on Thursday we are now placing bets on our delay time!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Looking at the flight routings, the problem is the VS44 coming in from las vegas. that is late and because that aircraft then (in the main) does the VS15 route it puts that one back.

 

[stal]

What do you think the reason for the VS44 being late all the time is then?!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

What do you think the reason for the VS44 being late all the time is then?!

A very good question Stal.

Its been leaving 3 hours on average late every day this month.
I don't know the answer to that one.

The good news is that VS27 took off ok today and VS 15 is boarding at this moment

 

[Pootle]

What do you think the reason for the VS44 being late all the time is then?!

I flew on the VS15 yesterday morning (Saturday) and the reason they gave for the inbound Las Vegas flight delay was a 'medical emergency diversion'.

We touched down at MCO at 7.30 pm and we were out of the airport and with hire car keys in hand shortly after 8.30 pm - probably our fastest ever out of MCO. Our bags were off early (we flew PE) and no waits anywhere as a result.

Great seats and delightful staff, so the irritation over 3 hour delay soon faded

 

[stal]

wow, looks like the VS15 is due to land at MCO 5 minutes early today!!!

 

[martina857]

I flew on the VS15 yesterday morning (Saturday) and the reason they gave for the inbound Las Vegas flight delay was a 'medical emergency diversion'.

We touched down at MCO at 7.30 pm and we were out of the airport and with hire car keys in hand shortly after 8.30 pm - probably our fastest ever out of MCO. Our bags were off early (we flew PE) and no waits anywhere as a result.

Great seats and delightful staff, so the irritation over 3 hour delay soon faded

Strange, thats the same excuse that we got on Thursday, whats the odds on that happening 2 days out of 3 !

As for the seats I disagree, I think the charters are just as good as the Virgin seats, if you want really good seats and plenty of room fly with Continental or First Choice, I cannot believe people pay top dollar for Virgin I really can't, obviously marketing and branding play a big part.
M

 

[UKDEB]

Never again, first and last without doubt, I read these boards regularly and thought there must be something special about them with the way they are praised here, we I can tell you now, Continental, US airways, American, First choice, Brittania and Monarch are MILES better !

I'd be really fed up about that sort of delay, too, but you're making a judgement based on one experience. Of course, you're quite entitled to do that, but the collective opinion you read here is based on literally thousands of flights, so you are going to get a more balanced view. I think that's all it is, though - I can't agree with your claim that Virgin are somehow exalted on these boards. There are a few Virgin devotees here, for sure, but there are equally as many Virgin detractors (and you'll now be joining their ranks ). The rest of us, I'd say, sit firmly in between. To me, it's a means to an end. We fly Virgin because, having done so many times, we now routinely get cheaper fares than with any other airline. For example, we've had to pay £516 for economy seats this August which really hurts as we normally don't pay much more for PE, but all the other airlines (schedule and charter) were in excess of £800. I don't consider Virgin to be anything special, but I've never read anything which convinces me it's worth trying another option (at least not on the Orlando route) because every other airline seems to polarise opinions in the same way.

 

[richard_andmel]

We LOVE Virgin. We fly them whenever possible. That said, it does seem in the last year or so that delays have become such an expected practice with them, that they are now their norm. I don't mind being delayed up to an hour when flying out of a busy airport but they often seem to have much longer delays. Something between them and the airports obviously needs to be fixed.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We always go with Virgin , thef act they flydirect to MCO from Manchester we will continue to use them.
There have been delays but mostly for reasons outside their control, weather or late passengers etc

I do feel their customer service levels have dropped and they seem (in my experience anyway) to make regular errors on invoices when booking direct with them.
Moving to a call centre also has meant in some ways the quality of service and level of knowledge isn't as good, or is inconsistent depending on who you speak to.

 

[poggs]

I have flown virgin every november for the past five years, for the simple reason that they are always the cheapest when I book eleven months out. As you get nearer they get expensive, but if you book early, virgin are dirt cheap. 3 of us are flying from mancheater to orlando on 26th november for £791 all in! Also as I stay in DVC on site, then I dont need TCD's manditory car and they are too dear.

 

[Pootle]

Strange, thats the same excuse that we got on Thursday, whats the odds on that happening 2 days out of 3 !

As for the seats I disagree, I think the charters are just as good as the Virgin seats, if you want really good seats and plenty of room fly with Continental or First Choice, I cannot believe people pay top dollar for Virgin I really can't, obviously marketing and branding play a big part.
M

Ouch, I feel your pain! I'm not a great Virgin supporter as it happens. I used to fly with them quite a bit in the early nineties when they advertised a generous 34" pitch in economy - now long gone of course. I cross the Atlantic 3 or 4 times a year and it's BA usually, but if I'm flying economy then I choose an American carrier so I don't have to endure sitting in a row of 3.

My comment about good seats was to do with the fact that we were issued bulkhead PE seats (81 AC) and had loads of room (and we are tall). Had I been in the centre section where they had less leg room, I would not be at all impressed.

I was surprised that you had been given the same reason for delay I had wondered why the almost-on-time VS16 had not been used as the VS15 on Saturday. Fewer full fare paying business passengers on the MCO route maybe?

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I had wondered why the almost-on-time VS16 had not been used as the VS15 on Saturday. Fewer full fare paying business passengers on the MCO route maybe?

G-VROS came in as VS 16 and went out as the Las Vegas flight VS43.
Sunday it came back from Las Vegas as VS44 and went out as VS015.

 

[stal]

just for the record for the VS15

yesterday it arrived 20 minutes late

today its scheduled to arrive 6 minutes early

 

[stal]

other two just for the record

-28th arrived about 45 minutes late
-29th arrived about 15 mintes early

 

[jen_uk]

Never again, first and last without doubt, I read these boards regularly and thought there must be something special about them with the way they are praised here, we I can tell you now, Continental, US airways, American, First choice, Brittania and Monarch are MILES better !

A very angry Marti

I have always flown with Virgin to Orlando because with the discounts we get they are only about £75 more expensive and sometimes have been cheaper! I disagree that those other airlines are better, I have flown with Brittania, First Choice and Monarch and all of those flights were either very average or worse! I think that the customer service at Virgin has gotten worse but I still think they are a great airline to fly with. The baggage allowance is great, yes it has gotten smaller but its still bigger than most and the things like DTD check in etc are brilliant.

 

[stal]

31st april - 10 minutes late
1st may - 19 minutes early
2nd may - 6 minutes early

seems like things are looking up for the VS15 now?!