Virgin on the ridiculous

[atcomatic]

I had the misfortune to turn up at Miami and find that one of the cabin crew on my flight back to London (VS006 13/1/99)was my ex (we didn't split amicably).

Tried to get on the plane but, in front of all the other passengers at the aircraft door, I was told that my ex had complained about my presence and the captain had refused to let me travel on the aircraft. The ground staff were very rude and were not in the slightest bit interested in the fact that I had to work the next day and that this was why I wasn't using staff travel!

Bearing in mind that: I had no idea my ex was going to be on that flight; I had done nothing wrong; I had no intention of doing anything wrong; I hadn't been drinking; and in any case as an air traffic controller would not want my name in the papers what on earth was the captain thinking of??

I subsequently was told by friends of my ex that the cabin crew had got together to concoct a story that I had threatened my ex in the airport, and that the Captain had believed this! Does this give open season to all cabin crew to make up a story just cos they don't like the look of one of the passengers so that the passenger is offloaded without even knowing why or being able to defend themself? I've heard of air-rage but this is taking it to extremes!

As for Virgin, they lost half the revenue of our tickets to BA (we had the tickets endorsed to them so I could get home in time for work) and when I complained they couldn't give a toss. Despite all the embarrassment they caused me all they could say was 'we hope to see you on board a Virgin aircraft soon' !!! Yeh right!

Maybe the crew of that 747-400 that day would care to comment if they visit this site? It would be nice to know how they feel after the embarrassment this caused Virgin (I had the story in a local newspaper) and the fact that they lost £200 in revenue!

My ex, by the way, was promoted 2 months later.

I dont know wether you've heard of the website http://www.virginaircrewlies.com but its worth a visit if you want to know what Virgin are REALLY like!



[This message has been edited by atcomatic (edited 18 November 2000).]

[cabinboy]

ERRR, next Generation PSGR we are only hearing one side of the story..

[kbf1]

Just to make a couple of points worth considering:

1) I have looked at this site, which has been posted in other forums on the site, and it is little more than "Green Ink" (pure ranting and raving in the worst sense). After reading it, I can honestly say the site is laughable and obviously written by someone with a grudge that verges on psychosis and not worth giving any credibility to whatsoever, even if the stories contained on the site have a basis in truth;

2) The poster has only 2 posts to his/her credit. There is therefore little basis for credibility from the said poster;

3) We have no proof this incident actually took place;

4) I think that the final line of the post speaks volumes. It is intended to get people looking at this forum to visit the linked site.

This is hardly credible.

[Birds2perches]

I had a look at this site. I didn't waste much time on it. On first view, it appears nasty, vendictive and unprofessional. Clearly someone with a grudge as mentioned above. Not wanting to discredit your topic atcomatic, but if this is how you were treated, surely it warrants a thorough investigation by Virgin authorities, not some trashy 'we hate Virgin club' site.

[atcomatic]

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).]

[cabinboy]

Yes Actomatic....I find it funny also how " Next Genergation PSGR's " bold comments suddenly disappeared from this topic when everyone else replied with a different opinion...where are you next generation psgr ?

My advice to you Actomatic is to fly BA. :)

------------------
Trust your captain .... but keep your seatbelt securely fastened.

[Sensible]

atcomatic, you say that this incident occurred on 13/1/99 ? That's 22 months ago if my arithmetic serves me well. Why the silence for so long? Sour grapes usually pass their sell by date way before that!

[atcomatic]

Yes it was last year, but I only just found this forum last week, hence my small number of postings making me un-(or is it in-)credible!

I find it difficult to get rid of sour grapes when I have to control Branson's planes every day I go to work- kind of like rubbing my nose in it...but then I get paid lots of money (not!) to provide a safe, orderly and expeditious flow of traffic to EVERYBODY!

[This message has been edited by atcomatic (edited 22 November 2000).]

[This message has been edited by atcomatic (edited 22 November 2000).]

[Birds2perches]

Atcomatic, sounds like your stewing over a personal issue that happened between you and your ex and perhaps the individual was un-professional enough to take it too far. It sounds like there is a lot more to the story than meets the eye. If I were you, I'd prefer to keep such an incidient private rather than publish it on the net - one year later! True you may have just found the site, but why not let sleeping dogs lie?