Virgin Altantic Diversion Arrangements

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

A friend travelled Virgin Atlantic LHR-LOS Upper Class last week. Due to heavy Harmattan haze it was diverted to Accra.
He said when they disembarked all the passengers' passports were confiscated, the crew got in a bus and left, and there was nobody to deal with an entire A340 load of people.
They were taken away in small busloads to various hotels, but there was no co-ordination or information, they were just left to their own devices. It took hours to find hotels for them all, during which no refreshments were provided nor any sort of help.
When they returned to the airport the following morning their passports could not be found. Eventually someone turned up with all of them in a brown paper bag !!
I'm surprised that an airline on a regular service doesn't have anything in place for a diversion that could happen often at this time of year ?
Any Virgin people care to elaborate ?

[Leezyjet]

As VS does not fly into ACC, so therefore has no staff of their own based there they have to rely on the services of a handling agent or the airport authorities to provide the services on Virgins behalf. As there is no service to ACC, and diversions are extremely rare then the handling agent will have had very little experience of the Virgin product and the way VS does things and wants things done.


The only contact Virgin would have with ACC is by telephone or telex to let the handling agent know of their requirements, and for them to suddenly be faced with 300 passengers that they were not expecting, to then have to find hotel rooms for at short notice is no mean feat even in a developed country. Don't forget too that they still have to deal with all their other regular flights/passengers as well and would not have extra staff available to just drop everything and sort out another 300 or so passengers from an unfamilier airline.

What happened to the passports is hardly Virigns fault either, they cannot be held responsible for what the immigration authorities choose to do with the passports. My guess is they kept them to try and ensure that everyone returned to the airport the next day rather than disappearing without trace. If only UK immigration would do that too !!.

:)

[AFA]

NEO,

Just to add to LeezyJet`s points. I know it`s frustrating to see the crew whizz away to a hotel before you`ve even collected your bags and are still unsure where you`re staying. However bear in mind that this is most likely the same crew that will be operating the next sector and the quicker they can get to the hotel and recieve their minimum legal rest the quicker they can get back to the airport and get you to your destination.
I`m sure you knew this but it is often a point raised by pax on a diversion and also not realised is that we wouldn`t really be any help in a strange airfield anyway.
Having said that i understand it must all have been a very difficult experience for your friend.