I have had enough.... [Offloaded after Flight not called in VA lounge]

[Deleted member 29185]

Is it really that hard to relax until the scheduled boarding time?

No, not at all.

It's the gap between scheduled boarding time and actual boarding time that's not relaxing. Of course going to the gate at scheduled boarding time is an option, but given the large number of delays (I've had delays in excess of 1 hour), the option to wait in the lounge until they're actually boarding is preferable. They have the mechanism to do that, but that mechanism has a few bent spokes.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Though you can't count on the scheduled boarding time being right either. I recently had a QF flight ex SYD which started boarding 10 minutes before the scheduled boarding time; pushed back 10 minutes before the published departure time, and actually became airborne at the advertised push-back time! We also arrived into BNE more than 20 minutes early!

 

[JohnK]

Is it really that hard to relax until the scheduled boarding time?

Scheduled boarding time does not mean much to me as most of my flights are delayed. I am constantly checking departure boards for updates if there are no announcements.

Not sure how you can relax unless you make the decision you are going to be the gate at scheduled boarding time regardless of delays.

 

[lukenet]

Could you just not ask at the service desk if your flight it ready at the scheduled departure time if you are concerned. It generally saves a walk out to the gate and arriving too early.

 

[lovestotravel]

Scheduled boarding time does not mean much to me as most of my flights are delayed. I am constantly checking departure boards for updates if there are no announcements.

Not sure how you can relax unless you make the decision you are going to be the gate at scheduled boarding time regardless of delays.

Agree - You can't relax if a flight is delayed and the screens are inaccurate and you can't rely on a board call.

Constantly checking the screens/worrying about your flight and leaving your seat every 5 mins is not enjoyable

 

[markis10]

Agree - You can't relax if a flight is delayed and the screens are inaccurate and you can't rely on a board call.

Constantly checking the screens/worrying about your flight and leaving your seat every 5 mins is not enjoyable

You could always use a service like worldmate and enjoy your beers in the quest to be last on board, I use it but like to be first on board.

 

[burmans]

No, not at all.

It's the gap between scheduled boarding time and actual boarding time that's not relaxing. Of course going to the gate at scheduled boarding time is an option, but given the large number of delays (I've had delays in excess of 1 hour), the option to wait in the lounge until they're actually boarding is preferable. They have the mechanism to do that, but that mechanism has a few bent spokes.

Totally agree, if the scheduled boarding time was reliable this would be a good idea but all too often it isn't. I've had a few flights where I would have shuffled backwards and forwards between the longe and gate half a dozen time if I'd followed his advice.!

Am really note sure why we accept this level of non-service as acceptable. Yes, I agree withe the mantra "the customer is reponsible", but onlt because I have learnt too often the airlines are unreliable. Have seen Medheads comments on a few forums

- we need to go to the gate because we can't rely on the boards
- you should ring up the airline beforehand on a reward flight to check they really have you on that flight, not only that but
- you should check the actually have a ticket # against your booking
- oh and, sometime they drop off so you should keep on checking every week or so

Well I do most of these but frankly I don't think it's right, why don't we start telling airlines that we have a simple expectation, that things will actually work and do what they are suposed to do without us having to check every 5 minutes that they know what they are doing.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Agree - You can't relax if a flight is delayed and the screens are inaccurate and you can't rely on a board call.

There's a lot of AND's in that IF statement

Constantly checking the screens/worrying about your flight and leaving your seat every 5 mins is not enjoyable

So leave it just once then go to the gate. Is it really that difficult? This is a lot like that entire notion that when you go to an airport you HAVE to go to the lounge. Now you MUST relax?

 

[anat0l]

Am really note sure why we accept this level of non-service as acceptable. Yes, I agree withe the mantra "the customer is reponsible", but onlt because I have learnt too often the airlines are unreliable.

I don't think there are many here who are actually saying that the non-service by the airlines (Virgin in this case may be) are saying this is acceptable. I don't think there is an admission here that this is acceptable. Disavowing responsibility completely to the airlines, however, irrespective of the relative reliability of said airlines, is still not the best thing to do because we recognise there are some uncertainties or drops in the service (even a "good" service standard has blips in it), so you do what you have to in order to save your own sanity.

Just as potholes in the road are unacceptable, and no one can be criticised for harassing the relevant transport department to have these potholes fixed. Does that mean that you keep driving on the road with potholes as if there were no potholes there? Of course not, and you'll hurt yourself in the process (and sure you could sue the transport department for your injuries, but...). The fact that you need to drive more carefully and consume more time due to potholes on the road is not an admission that you bear full responsibility for the situation.

 

[lovestotravel]

There's a lot of AND's in that IF statement

So leave it just once then go to the gate. Is it really that difficult? This is a lot like that entire notion that when you go to an airport you HAVE to go to the lounge. Now you MUST relax?

Well yes if the trifecta happens then it's annoying

I don't like being around the gate area for any longer than needed

I prefer to walk straight from the lounge and onto the plane, as do most people I assume

 

[JohnK]

Could you just not ask at the service desk if your flight it ready at the scheduled departure time if you are concerned. It generally saves a walk out to the gate and arriving too early.

That is definitely possible but at times there are 2-3 people waiting and my belongings will be out of sight a little too long.

I dont understand some of the comments and expectations. A lounge is not the end all and be all of commuting but I have no desire to wait at the gate while the delay gets longer and longer. I would prefer to wait in the lounge and be at the gate just in time to be the last person to board.

And all that is required is departure boards to be up to date. Not a lot to ask or expect to be delivered....

 

[SeatBackForward]

Well yes if the trifecta happens then it's annoying

I don't like being around the gate area for any longer than needed

I prefer to walk straight from the lounge and onto the plane, as do most people I assume

I think the perspectives on AFF skew that assumption - I'd be certain most people catching planes wont be going the lounge at all, however, thats not to say they'll all be at the gate. They may be loitering around in a cafe, in a shop or simple wandering around seeing what all this flying fuss is about.

However, my point from earlier on this thread remains, the % of people who make the flight, would be significantly larger than those who fail to board across the board. DEspite whatever encumberances there are to finding out when the plane is boarding.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I dont understand some of the comments and expectations. A lounge is not the end all and be all of commuting but I have no desire to wait at the gate while the delay gets longer and longer. I would prefer to wait in the lounge and be at the gate just in time to be the last person to board.

I certainly didn't expect you to be in the risk seeking category.

 

[lovestotravel]

I think the perspectives on AFF skew that assumption - I'd be certain most people catching planes wont be going the lounge at all, however, thats not to say they'll all be at the gate. They may be loitering around in a cafe, in a shop or simple wandering around seeing what all this flying fuss is about.

The majority are sitting around the gate area, with the other large % of them sitting in the lounge

 

[SeatBackForward]

The majority are sitting around the gate area, with the other large % of them sitting in the lounge

Exactly, so the majority are NOT relying on screens, terminals, or announcements, but have taken the initiative to ensure they don't miss their flight.

Does sitting in a lounge absolve us of this? If you go to a lounge, its still your responsbility to get to your flight on time, and if you miss your flight because you didn't read the screen, the screen was in another lanugage, the announcements came too fast, in some absurd accent, or because you had too much sauce in your system, then you are using the "dog ate my homework" excuse because the majority of passengers for that flight had no issue being there at the time required.

 

[JohnK]

I certainly didn't expect you to be in the risk seeking category.

Risk?

No risk involved if departure boards are up to date and timely announcements made. Not too much to expect....

 

[SeatBackForward]

Risk?

No risk involved if departure boards are up to date and timely announcements made. Not too much to expect....

Its very risky! not only do you want to be one of the last to board, but you are then also expecting the boards and announcements to be accurate to achieve this! Each of them on their own is risky in their own right, but to combine them together is raising the risk to a power, not just multiplying!

 

[serfty]

Its very risky! not only do you want to be one of the last to board, but you are then also expecting the boards and announcements to be accurate to achieve this! Each of them on their own is risky in their own right, but to combine them together is raising the risk to a power, not just multiplying!

Given the OP normally checks luggage, it's much less of a risk than you think.

That luggage facet makes the event more surprising, surely a gate agent would check for lounge eligible failed to board PAX before having ground staff digging into the cargo hatches ...

 

[SeatBackForward]

Given the OP normally checks luggage, it's much less of a risk than you think.

That luggage facet makes the event more surprising, surely a gate agent would check for lounge eligible failed to board PAX before having ground staff digging into the cargo hatches ...

But......Do lounges scan BP's as you leave the lounge??? The risk remains, lower yes, but not that much lower.

 

[The Rok]

Personally I think there is more to this story! Airlines don't offload pax & luggage in the space of 5 or 10 minutes.