Virgin Atlantic

[ciderman]

My daughter, son in law and grandson are flying from Boston to Heathrow next Monday night with Virgin. They booked premium economy for the baggage allowance (grandson going to university in UK). Today she had an email to say that they had been put down in economy and scattered all over the cabin. Ok, she will get her refund, BUT, will she have to pay for bags free in premium and how can an airline get away with this? Anybody had it happen to them and what is the best way to kick up a stink? I expect this of Ryanair but Virgin?

[TimGriff6]

Ask Virgin’s local office to put them on the next days flight and give them a voucher for the inconvenience?

[PAXboy]

Never heard of this. Have they accidentally got booked on a flight by partner (and 49% owner) Delta? they do not have PE. Check the flight nmber and then the timetables. Whatever the reason BIG compensation for being moved from a premium cabin. start shouting and don't be 'English'!!

[lomapaseo]

Are not bags in economy also free?

[TimGriff6]

One bag free in economy, two bags free in Premium

[ciderman]

One bag free in economy, two bags free in Premium

They might refund the difference in fare and charge for bags. Apparently since my daughter booked, prices on this flight have rocketed. Richard Branson plumbing the morality depths and following Mike O'Leary's lead.

[PAXboy]

Nothing to do with Branson. As mentioned, VAA now 49% owned by Delta. All changes in the last 18/22 months down to them. Keep shouting. I have had to.
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[TimGriff6]

So what happened when they got to the airport? Difference in fares is difficult to check now but if Virgin do it on today's prices, you could be on a winner.

[PAXboy]

Looked further: Branson out of day-to-day operations for more than a decade. The sale to Delta completed 2013. Currently, another 31% being sold to KLM/AF. Effectively, VS now part of SkyTeam.

[RevMan2]

As far as I can see, this is no different to an involuntary downgrade at the airport. In that scenario, they're required to honour the 2pc baggage allowance. Just front up with the ticketed allowance and let them sort it out.
This is also relevant (Source CAA)

Under EU law, you have certain rights if you are downgraded. To be covered by these rules, your flight must be either:

departing from an EU airport and operated by any airline
or
arriving at an EU airport and operated by an EU airline

If you are downgraded, your airline must reimburse you within seven days. The amount you receive is calculated as a percentage of what you paid for your ticket, and depends on the length of your flight:

For short-haul flights of less than 1,500km, you will receive 30% of the price of the flight.
For medium-haul flights of 1,500km – 3,500km, or flights within the EU of more than 1,500km, you will receive 50% of the price of the flight.
For long haul flights of more than 3,500km, you will receive 75% of the price of the flight.
It is likely you will only receive a refund for the portion of your journey that was downgraded.For instance, if you booked a return ticket for £1,000, but were only downgraded on the return leg, your reimbursement may be calculated as a percentage of £500.

So it's 75% of half the ticket price for the BOS-LON leg

[rog747]

As far as I can see, this is no different to an involuntary downgrade at the airport. In that scenario, they're required to honour the 2pc baggage allowance. Just front up with the ticketed allowance and let them sort it out.
This is also relevant (Source CAA)

Under EU law, you have certain rights if you are downgraded. To be covered by these rules, your flight must be either:

departing from an EU airport and operated by any airline
or
arriving at an EU airport and operated by an EU airline

If you are downgraded, your airline must reimburse you within seven days. The amount you receive is calculated as a percentage of what you paid for your ticket, and depends on the length of your flight:

For short-haul flights of less than 1,500km, you will receive 30% of the price of the flight.
For medium-haul flights of 1,500km – 3,500km, or flights within the EU of more than 1,500km, you will receive 50% of the price of the flight.
For long haul flights of more than 3,500km, you will receive 75% of the price of the flight.
It is likely you will only receive a refund for the portion of your journey that was downgraded.For instance, if you booked a return ticket for £1,000, but were only downgraded on the return leg, your reimbursement may be calculated as a percentage of £500.

So it's 75% of half the ticket price for the BOS-LON leg




All quite so and correct - however the downgrade was advised to the OP family several days beforehand by email and not at the airport at check-in -
Do believe different and even better scales of compensation apply here?

[RevMan2]

There's no reference in the EU regs concerning advanced notice for downgrades (there is for cancellations: 14 days prior to departure). I'd say that a 75% refund ($1200 per pax, resulting in a flight cost of $400...) is as good as OP will get, otherwise it's lawyers on both sides and everyone loses. Would be interesting to establish how the airport experience went....

[TCAS FAN]

Mrs TCAS and I are scheduled to fly to BGI next month and with great relief see that the A330-200 (aka the Berlin Bomber) has been replaced by a 330-300. After seeing a recent post on Trip Advisor which showed in graphic detail the atrocious state of the Upper Class cabin and toilet, and of course the lack of a bar, we were beginning to regret our decision to fly with VS. Thankfully we are not now going going to have to suffer it.

Can anyone throw some light on what has happened to the -200's, are they going to be refurbished and kept in the fleet? Presumably they were brought in to cover the shortfall caused by -300's having to substitute for 789's. Given the fact that presumably RR are at least subsiding the leases, how could VS get it so wrong put them into service with the Upper Class cabin in such a state?

[DaveReidUK]

Can anyone throw some light on what has happened to the -200's, are they going to be refurbished and kept in the fleet?

As of today, three of the four are still busy. The fourth positioned to BHX a week or so ago, not sure what the planes are for that one.

[Mr @ Spotty M]

Yes and Yes for four years.

[rog747]

TCAS FAN
The four ex LTU A330-200's are all having a £10m refresh/refurb with roll out due from November (so it was announced back in June)
All three cabins - upper class, premium economy and economy - are set to be refreshed and the new look will be rolled out on services from November.
The upper and economy cabins on the aircraft will see the biggest changes while the premium cabin will have more subtle upgrades.

The new Upper looks great...nicer than the herringbone.
https://www.aircraftinteriorsinternational.com/news/airline-news/virgin-a330-200.html

Maybe the complaint refers to the immediate entry into service before any enhancements?
The issue Virgin Atlantic faced with its newly acquired planes is that they were obviously decked out with Air Berlin/LTU cabin designs and not Virgin Atlantic's signature style.