To clear a few things up...
First of all, I can assure you that everything I said is true. Yes, you are right to say that you don't know if this actually happened, but then again you are just stating the obvious in that we could say the same about everything on this site!
I did not put this posting on here to direct any body to the virginaircrewlies site - the site is absolutley nothing to do with me, although I have been in contact with the author of that site with a view to having my experience placed on there for others to read.
kbf1, I find your logic very questionable. How does the fact that I have only just signed up for this site mean that I have any less credibility than you? I don't know you and you don't know me so you are not in a position to judge. You will notice in my original posting that I have not voiced any opinion of Virgin- I am leaving that for the reader to decide. Contrast this to the virginaircrewlies site. If that site was just mere 'ranting' the why did Virgin try to close it down?
As I stated in the original posting, the incident was subject to an investigation at Virgin, and I can scan and send anybody a copy of the reply I received if that would make you feel better.
Why would I lie about something like this? As stated in another posting, which appears to have been removed, if I had committed an offence serious enough to bar me from an aircraft, why were the police or airport security not called? Why was I not arrested?
With regards to my only putting over one side of the story, I am afraid that this is all I can do as Virgin refused point blank to divulge details of what I had supposedly done to who! I still do not know exactly what went on inside that aircraft (as I never even got on it) and have only been able to rely on word from friends as to what actually was said to make the captain act in such a non-professional way.
Virgin cleverly dodged all responsibilty for the incident and, in a reply more appropriate to a politician, they gave a load of waffle in the letter concluding that they were ''...satisfied that everything was done that could have been done to diffuse the situation''. They did not apologise for the rudeness of the groundstaff (or the embarrassment that was caused in front of all the boarding passengers); or for the captain's decision prefering merely to say that they hoped that the experience ''...had not tarred my opinion of Virgin..''.
As an air traffic controller, I have no right to bring my private life into my workplace, and the same should be said for aircrew. The actions of the crew that day were totally unprofessional. My ex was able to refuse to serve me on board this aircraft. If I went into work and said that I would no longer be willing to provide an air traffic service to Virgin aircraft, I am sure that I would lose my job! I don't do this of course because I am paid to help get EVERYBODY from A to B - not just the people I choose.
I am not a sad individual, but I do find it incredibly irritating that Virgin is portrayed as being so bloody marvellous in the press, when the reality is that they are fine until something GOES WRONG and then you're on your own mate!
[This message has been edited by atcomatic (edited 21 November 2000).]