Will we ever get back home?

[milquetoast1]

Still stuck in the USA. Hundreds of us told to go to the airport yesterday and wait for spare seats, which in the end you could count on the fingers of one hand. Many tears.

 

Now been told by Virgin that existing flight ticket holders take priority over those that had their flights cancelled a week ago. This seems intrinsically unfair, and simply the default position when the odd flight is cancelled not 5 day's worth.

 

We're not too bad compared to some, but even my wife and kids were in tears last night. So was the Virgin rep who now realises that she has to squeeze 1000's of passengers into a handful of seats for many days to come. Virgin didn't stop taking bookings until a couple of days ago, which has exaggerated the problem.

 

I feel desperately sorry for the couple in our hotel desperately hoping to get back for their wedding on Saturday, with the reception booked and everything. Somebody with a ticket dated today, travelling to the UK for a bit of sightseeing will take priority over them it will seem.

 

Oh well, back to the airport today. I predict a riot.

[HeadingNorth]

Smoeone made the point on an earlier thread, that those - like you - who should have flown days ago have already had their contracts broken by Virgin, through no fault of the company. Those due to fly tomorrow, Virgin has no valid reason for breaking their contracts with.

 

Apparently this is why the people due to fly tomorrow will take precedence over the ones that have been delayed.

[milquetoast1]

Smoeone made the point on an earlier thread, that those - like you - who should have flown days ago have already had their contracts broken by Virgin, through no fault of the company. Those due to fly tomorrow, Virgin has no valid reason for breaking their contracts with.

 

Apparently this is why the people due to fly tomorrow will take precedence over the ones that have been delayed.

 

Thanks HN. I'm aware of the legalities of the situation, but this will not prevent the mob from seeing this as unfair. I expect some ugly scenes later.

 

My main complaint is more about communication, which I accept must have been very difficult in the circumstances, and the fact that Virgin continued to take bookings for some time.

 

Here is the priority direct from Virgin's site from just a few hours ago:

 

Priority 1

On normal scheduled services the passengers who were originally booked on these scheduled flights

 

Priority 2

Passengers whose needs have been assessed by our passenger health professionals as being a medical emergency, followed by passengers who had a special assistance request noted in their booking prior to their departure from the UK.

 

Priority 3

School groups and those that have been sleeping in the airport.

 

Priority 4

Passengers who have been delayed the longest i.e. 14/15 April first followed by 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th and 21st April 2010 respectively.

 

Specific instructions were given to travellers, in CAPS and bold, not to travel to airports. Additional promises were given to Virgin Holiday customers that their reps would sort out their flights back and they should not attempt to book flights themselves, or go to the airport.

 

What we saw yesterday was all the seats going to people that had gone to the airport, as in Priority 3, and against the original instructions. Even ahead of people whose original flight was cancelled some 3/4 days earlier.

 

I'm quite relaxed about our situation, but the couple desperate to get back for their wedding on Saturday have done everything their rep has told them to do, and now it seems they would have had a better chance had they ignored the advice and gone and slept at the airport as their instincts told them to. I really feel for them.

[DragonofAna]

Apart from the expense involved by the holiday companies - is there some other reason extra flights cannot be laid on? I know nothing about these things so this is a genuine question. I am not stupid enough to think airlines have dozens of reserve aircraft just waiting for an emergency to arise, but would have thought there be something that could be done to bring people home.