Richard Branson, where are you? Do you even care about the mess your formerly good airline, Virgin Atlantic, has become. Are you so content praise from the Virgin America fanboys that what happens on your flagship carrier matters not, anymore? I guess they’ll learn, as things degrade over there as well. Here’s a little rant from one of your gold card members. You know — the folks you supposedly want to take care of. I ain’t been feeling so taken care of, which makes me fear even more for what’s going on with the non-gold members.
I loved Virgin. Remember, way back in 2006 I even wrote about how I’d pay more to fly with Virgin because:
Virgin also makes me happy since they seem honestly happy to see me, and this is even in the days when I was flying economy as a regular non-gold passenger. BA’s staff feels like they hate working there, and that attitude shows.
Ah, the good old days. Since that time, it’s like you’ve conspired to turn me away. I still find it difficult to use my many frequent flyer miles and seriously begin to wonder if I’ll reach the 2 million miles figure needed to do one of your suborbital flights. No doubt if I do, I’ll be told that there’s only availability for one day in the next 20 years. Enough. Free up some seats. And stop giving me companion tickets that are useless, where I have to buy a ticket as such an absurdly high price that it’s actually cheaper to buy two tickets rather than take “advantage” of the free companion ticket offer.
Have customer service people that can actually do things. My last flight from California, I paid good money — lots of good money — to do upper class on the way back. You know, so I could work and sleep. But it turned out my seat table didn’t work. That meant eating dinner in my lap, then working on my laptop in my lap. Hey, I know it’s a laptop — but if you promise tables, I should get one. And if I don’t, I want a little something more than a small number of miles to make up for the problem. Comp the damn ticket or give me many more miles closer to the cost to the ticket. They cost you nothing, and at least I’ll feel like you really care. Plus, you know, you didn’t deliver what you should have.
I greatly enjoyed my last flight to New York. I’d bought a ticket; my wife was using miles (yes, a rare occasion when there was availability). We arrive at the ticket counter, and we don’t have seats together. I mean, the tickets were booked at the same time. HOW HARD IS IT? Customer service sent me a note afterward apologizing and saying that I might request adjoining seats in the future. But it also notes that these are guaranteed.
Duh. I could have told them that. I’ve routinely arrived at your counter with the whole family, all of whom had tickets booked at the same time, paid in the same way, only to discover you’ve put all four of us in different places. Are you insane? Is it just that you like to make the check-in people do their merry little endless typing?
As this went on with my last trip, I asked if we could just upgrade from premium economy to upper class. I had plenty of miles. Plus, you and I both know Virgin’s dirty little secret. You routinely oversell premium economy and you bump all the gold card holders up. This should have been no problem to do.
Well, it was. My wife could be upgraded since her ticket was already on miles. But me, with an actual paid-for ticket? I could only upgrade if I wanted to pay $2,000 more. I thought that was a bit pricey so said no.
Off we went to the gate, where Virgin’s idea of “priority boarding” means that premium economy and upper class passengers are actively encouraged to shove through the existing line of economy ticket holders. You’ve been doing this for more than two years. It’s rude. It’s uncomfortable, and I won’t do it. So one of the perks of my ticket is useless. Open up another damn line!
More fun at the gate. Bing! My ticket sets off an alarm. Oh look, I’ve been upgraded. You know, bumped from premium economy to upper class exactly as I knew would happen — what was apparently impossible to do at the check-in gate. But my wife’s not bumped, and now it’s too late to upgrade her with miles as it was before. Oh well, see you dear, I’ll just be lounging around in upper class and will check in from time to time.
Yeah, I gave up my ticket. Kind of funny, when I asked the guy in the aisle seat next to her that I wanted if I could trade, before I could even get the words out of my mouth, he said “No!” I replied I was sorry, I just thought he might want to take my upper class seat. Funny how that changed his attitude.
I know, I’m a baby. I’m whining about a bunch of silly sounding things. But I fly with you a lot. I’ve deliberately chosen you over other airlines. And you’re letting me down. Your staff more and more seems to think the airline is there as a private club for them, rather than attending to your passengers. That’s improved a bit in the past few months, but there’s still that attitude. The Heathrow lounge — well, you know that’s to die for. But I can get my haircut and my shoes shined elsewhere.
Here’s a little checklist of things I’d like to see happen:
- Separate boarding lines for priority passengers, guaranteed
- Seat passengers booked at the same time together, guaranteed
- Never make me stand at a check-in desk while someone types for 20 minutes. I know, I know — it’s not just a Virgin thing, but c’mon, along with solving global warming, can’t we get drag-and-drop reservation systems?
- Make it easier to use mileage awards — like open up more seats to at least match what BA offers
- Companion ticket offers should be good for any class of ticket. Otherwise, they’re just a con
- Don’t make me have to ask four times for a Diet Coke. It’s like routine. We don’t all drink wine with dinner. But kudos on finally serving Diet Coke on occasion rather than that awful Virgin Cola
- When something goes wrong, empower your staff to provide a fix rather than an excuse. I’m not asking for unreasonable things. But when we all know there are going to be bumps, just let them do it.
Oh, and the next time you lose my snowboard, I don’t know — act like you’re really sorry about it and maybe make it up in some way. But it was nice to get it back after three days, I suppose.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I hear you Danny. I have similar issues with United when travelling with my family (wife + 3 kids). I’ve taken to booking flights specifically that have the seats together when I book. It’s just too stressful getting to the airport and hoping they will be helpful. By the way, I couldn’t help but chuckle that Google was showing Branson’s smiling face in an ad for Virgin Money right next to your post. I may use that as my go-to example of AdSense targeting being hit or miss.
I dread to hear your first experience of Terminal 5 Danny! Everytime I’ve flown BA since they’ve had their new touch-screen VOD system it has been broken for some, if not ALL of the flight. I complain everytime through the Executive Club and everytime I get 25k miles for my trouble. I’d prefer it all to work and not to have any hassle, but there’s no way I’ll let them get away with it. Also a return business ticket from Seattle costs about £2k but from London it’s £3k – how do they work that out? They must be worried Northwest are will be competing soon on a direct flight…
Danny
Virgin are so, so frustrating. I certainly don’t think you’re whining or a baby – you’re entitled to expect consistent, good service for the large sums of money you pay and Virgin are, well, just average to horrible sometimes. Often they give the impression that they simply do not care.
A few weeks ago, my wife flew to the USA with her mother, who is in her 80s and needs a wheelchair. At Gatwick, the check-in staff tried to put them upstairs, until many protests pointing out that people in wheelchairs have trouble with stairs brought some relief.
At the US airport they were first of all ignored by the Virgin staff when trying to get help to get off the plane, then misdirected and finally just greeted with a wave of indifference. We’ve been on the phone today to request some help for the return journey and basically they couldn’t care less.
If that’s the interest they have in caring for partially blind, infirm people – how much do they care about anyone else?
A sad commentary on how much the reality differs from the glitzy and clever marketing. And confirmation of the decline from previously high standards.
Finally, a question; which airline gives you the best service? It’s worth publicising.
Intersting story. I only ever used Virign once, London to Tokyo return in Economy and it was a HUGE disappointment, as they are always hyped as being different/better than, say, BA.
Quite the contratry actually.
Food took AGES to be served, a totally chaotic service and not very friendly, certainly not efficient.
On the way back, I asked if they happend to have an emergency exit seat to stretch my legs and was informed I could PURCHASE one by paying extra. Well, nobody is going to deny cash-strapped airlines a way of making extra revenue, but well, first time I ever came across that. I declined, boarded and actually found an empty bulkhead seat with noone even next to me – so no need to pay!
Needless to say, service was once again poor. Virgin tries to have a “trendy” and special image… they give you a smelly plastic bag with socks and a toothbrush and show a rather “funky” (read: stupid) safety video at the start, but, sorry guys, that’s not enough to differentiate you!!!
Never again. I’d choose BA Economy anytime and of course JAL or ANA on Tokyo routes!
Yes! Virgin has lost it. They could not care any less about the customer. I buy 2 tickets(premium economy) on Sat. On Tuesday they send me a sales notice saying tickets are now $400 less per ticket. I call them-can’t speak to a human being-so I e-mail them. Their response. That’s too bad. That’s what you get for booking in advance. What did I get? Taken by Virgin. They won’t refund my money, give me a refund or even apply the $800 to a credit on my next flight.
I was very happy to switch my flight to BA. They had the lower price. Virgin had my money. They couldn’t care less about the customer. They don’t get it. Their brand is worthless without customers. They think by issuing meaningless miles they are going to maintain customers. I don’t think so. There credibility is gone. This customer is gone.
I’m really glad I looked at this page as I was considering spending a considerable amount with VIRGIN to travel recently. There are several dream destinations that I would like to visit as a once in a lifetime holiday. Thank goodness I have read this because if Virgin cannot even look after its loyal customers, then what will it care about little old me and my one off flight.
Time to check out the competition I think. Thanks for taking the time to leave your info, it’s invaluable.
Together the power of the people will decide what they want, and it won’t be these big greedy companies that no longer care about the people that are keeping them going. I have just cancelled my Virgin Media account too, and now even more happy about this after seeing so many bad comments about them. Couldn’t have been sooner!
I’ve had enough of the consistently poor customer service, being mis-informed on several ocassions (conflicting information from different people). Wrongly charged.
I used to look up to Ricahrd Branson, but now he may as well be a piece of dirt on my shoe.
Let’s look to a new generation of entrepeneurs who actually care about their customers, because that’s the way to keep them. It’s really that simple. If you can’t look after your customers properly then downsize and start again. You are too big for your customers! Ever thought of that Virgin, whoever you are!
Very dissappointed. After booking a flight last minute -paying top dollar- I had to cancel. I waited on hold and got discconnected. (twice)
Then of course I sent an email to them hitting reply to their email cancelling. Of course it is a noi reply email, but it will look like one on some devices (goes to junk mail) They now took my money and wont refund.
This of course is an airline that has spent lots of time and a personal call trying to get me to switch from united to their service.
No way will I switch. Spread the word…even as bad as other ailrines are …buy “american people.” This comes from the country that taxed us to death in 1776, then tried to put us to death in the Revolution, then came back in 1812 for the grudge match. Virgin is no National Treasure.
I agree I am a first time flyer and the service is terrible. My husband and I flew Premium Economy from Miami to London. We were treated like cattle. Attendents were rude and did not provide any individual service. Asking for water was like asking them to make me a gourmet meal. For this price we can fly fisrt class on any other airline and get service and seats that recline.
From what I hear- they’ve gotten rid of a lot of their seasoned employees, outsourced their functions to india and brought in the usual bean counters.
I always travel with Virgin LA to London (Upper Class) and agree the service has gone downhill. It seems to be since they crammed the flat bed seats in the staff have totally changed and I do not like the configuration, not at all glamorous.
The last time I flew with them….here we go…..
It took about 5 different agents to book my flight all giving me incorrect information about mile usage, rules availabilty etc. and one lady was dogsitting and yes she was at home and the dog was barking.
My luggage did not make my connecting flight… that’s understandable but there was 2 hours to do it?
On the return flight (Man to LHR LHR TO LA) my name was not in the computer at Manchester, I stood at the BMI (Virgin partner airline) counter for an hour and to top that they had to rebook me on my BMI flight and I had to pay excess baggage anount although I was first class with Virgin. Then, they could not put my bags through to LA as it was now a separate reservation not like the original booking and I had made ‘with Virgin’ I had to pick them up in London.
I had been in an accident and purposely wanted my bags to be checked straight through so I asked if they could have somebody meet me at Heathrow since now I had to cart bags from one terminal to another……nobody turned up.
When I fianlly got on the plane to LA there was a family mom, dad, 2 kids and grandparents. One of the kids a girl about 10 decided she didn’t want to sit with her parents but her grandparents…..well, they slept the whole trip and this little girl ‘Veruca Salt’ did not sit still for 12 hours she banged the back of my seat constantly, lifted the shade up a million times, ran up and down the aisle and took the tray table out 100 times. I complained to the attendant saying that the child is not being watched and should be seated with her parents…she responded by saying ‘You cannot chose who you are put next to” although I had spent a fortune on first class! I will never ever forget that kid!
After this trip I decided I was not going to fly for a while and I haven’t, I remember it used to go so smoothly I mean, going first class felt stress free now I don’t know if it’s worth it. The attendants costantly storm up and down the aisle, you can ‘feel’ their stress and they don’t mind letting you know it Asking them for something, you feel like you are putting them out. I don’t know maybe time to go back to BA?
I totally agree Virgin have totally lost it. I’ve been a loyal customer for 10 years and my next flight (which I did not book) is my last. There so called flying club is a rubbish, there customer service sucks and their so called rewards are nothing more than a sales scam.
I am going to experiment with different airlines now. I know BA have a bad reputation, but I am willing to give them a shot first.
Virgin need to realize that the reason people lovED them was because they offered a better service and they cared about the level of service.
On a recent trip back home to London my pregnant wife was unable to fly due to a bad back home to San Francisco. She had been in bed for a week and was unable to move. After 2x $275 change fees, we were plucking up the courage to leave so she could recover at home. I called Virgin and requested a wheel chair as my wife was unable to walk to the plane.
When we entered T3 a very rude Virgin woman hustled my pregnant wife to one of their crappy checkin machines, while I was trying to navigate a 12 month old and 6 bags. It was clear my wife needed assistance. The woman’s only concern was getting people away from the counters and onto the crappy machines. After I exlained i needed a wheel chair, she told us to checkin using the machine and then get in line at the desk. Lucky my wife could hobble hey!
When we got to the desk we got in line and waited. Eventually we got to the front and were told that we were sent to the wrong place.
After 30 minutes of being in T3 she got a chair and only because some random airport dude helped us out.
Virgin Atlantic you suck and I will be more than happy to never use you again. Good bye and good riddance! You have lost a loyal ex Gold card customer and credit card customer.
My recent and unresolved tale of woe with these idiots is told at http://www.virginatlanicsucks.com.
Quite unbelievable, yet entirely true. They STILL have not replied, one week on.