The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story?

[JohnK]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

A few things about this:
1) Virgin Atlantic is a different company
2) The flight from SIN-SYD was on SQ, which doesn't have a PE
3) They were paid compensation - the issue they had was understanding the amount in the context of EU legislation.

Yes I realise that it is a different airline but I was simply trying to highlight that most airlines have an issue with offering compensation when they downgrade a passenger. This should be an automatic process initiated by the airline not the customer.

Without reading through that whole thread again from memory the person eventually received compensation, which was inadequate, after many emails and phone calls.

 

[VirginiaF]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

At least that pax did eventually receive compensation. I suspect that the originating flight was subject to EU laws (the airline is irrelveant), which seem to be much more consumer friendly. Last year, my partner was downgraded at LAX by QF after arriving from DFW with only about 30 minutes transit time. Any compensation, sorry email, bottle of water or a smile? Nup. Nada. Maybe I should have written to Alan.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

At least that pax did eventually receive compensation. I suspect that the originating flight was subject to EU laws (the airline is irrelveant), which seem to be much more consumer friendly. Last year, my partner was downgraded at LAX by QF after arriving from DFW with only about 30 minutes transit time. Any compensation, sorry email, bottle of water or a smile? Nup. Nada. Maybe I should have written to Alan.

Any reason your partner didn't get AA in DFW to check them in DFW/LAX/SYD? Even if they were separate bookings this could be done unless the connection at LAX was under the minimum connecting time.

By the time they got to the boarding gate I imagine the flight would have almost been closed. Did they still travel on that same flight albeit in Y or were they put on a later QF flight?

 

[pauly7]

MY REAL QUESTION IS: Why hasn't anyone else exposed this previously. Surely I am not the ONLY PE flyer here?

Sorry Robs, you most probably are! It's generally not a highly regarded product here on AFF, and is considered over priced as well.

Has been a real flop for DJ hence why they are getting rid of it.

I agree with your point that the seat is the main reason you are booking and the level of compensation offered (or not in your case!) stinks....

But again they are managing it this way because it is the cheapest and easiest way for them to do so...

 

[JohnK]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

Last year, my partner was downgraded at LAX by QF after arriving from DFW with only about 30 minutes transit time. Any compensation, sorry email, bottle of water or a smile? Nup. Nada. Maybe I should have written to Alan.

No feedback sent to QF asking for compensation?

 

[anat0l]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

The difference in the Cash and points cost for this route is significant:

• Blue Saver: 6900 points & $239 or 30600 and

• Premium Y:6900 & $998 or 139900

• Difference: $759 or 109300 points

Frankly looking at that, I'd rather go jump in the lake than redeem for Y+. What a joke.

QF J may be 2x the fare when paid in cash compared to DJ Y+, but it certainly doesn't cost that much in points (unless you are unlucky not to find a cheap J ASA and have to pay a "full priced" (read: rip-off) J ASA).

 

[MelbMan]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

Wow what a read! My VB hard luck story is coming back with them from Sydney or Brisbane and the bloody plane had no airconditioning in the middle Feb 2010. We were packed in like sardines. There wasn't a spare seat on the bloody plane, you could hardly move. They might have offered us free TV as compo, possibly some water.

Arriving home I found my wallet with a few hundred dollars in it missing.... left on the plane. Calling customer service for that is like flying a paper plane out the window. Like a lot of 2011 customer service if they don't call you there is no pro-active CS.

I've always thought VB were a bit better than most. But speaking generally a lot of airlines have taken any glamour or romance out of flying. The better ones remaining? IMHO Malaysian, Singapore, Qantas international and some BA flights.

Flying has never been cheaper. But how an airline like Tiger domestic expects to last the way they treat their clients at checkin and with the onboard messages (If you take anything from this plane we will prosecute you).

I could never bring myself to pay the sort of fares or justify travelling the class the OP does. But he may have deeper pockets or travel a lot more. But if I was the airline I'd be looking after him a whole lot better than this.
And as someone who travels up the back we should be thankful that some of these up the front passengers are putting some fat on the airlines bottom line.

 

[VirginiaF]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

Any reason your partner didn't get AA in DFW to check them in DFW/LAX/SYD? Even if they were separate bookings this could be done unless the connection at LAX was under the minimum connecting time.

By the time they got to the boarding gate I imagine the flight would have almost been closed. Did they still travel on that same flight albeit in Y or were they put on a later QF flight?

We did try to check in at the AC at DFW. Strangely, my check in worked, but my partner's didn't (despite our bookings on all legs being linked). They must have known that the MCT at LAX was tight too. They advised my partner to go straight to the QF check in counter in the LAX transit lounge. On getting there what we witnessed was a scramble akin to the opening of David Jones Boxing Day sale. I half closed my eyes and channeled the last helicopter departing the US Embassy, Saigon, 1975.

There was an elderly woman there (well into her seventies, and - with no disrespect to the elderly - looked like it was way past her bed time - this was Friday night 10:00) who was the only person trying to get too many people on to an A380 with the last boarding bus departing in 30 minutes with limited space. Nothing resembling a queue existed at all. She was also trying to communicate over two (yes, two) land lines. She sent us upstairs to where the QF counter was supposed to be. We made our way upstairs only to find a number of counters - all forlornly closed with no one about but a few non QF pax assuring us that none of the counters had anyone there.

Without any other choice we went back to the aged woman who was an obvious secondee from AA. With only (literally) seconds before the bus departing she told us that my partner had to take a voluntary downgrade or stay overnight and claim the seating class on the equivalent flight the next day. As it turned out my partner ended up sitting with some American pax who said that QF was offering pax on our flight USD400 and free over night at an hotel to off load! Whether or not there is any credence in those claims, I can't say. Neverhteless, I strongly suspect that this was a case of over selling - similar to the discussion topic.

Oh well, next time, I'll take my barrister with me to read the fine print in every situation that we encounter, probably only to discover that the airline can do whatever it pleases anyway (well except, perhaps, where bound by EU laws). I'm not a complainer. I just think that it was strange that one of our seats suddenly became unavailable. Maybe someone from the CL was a late starter. We sent the obligatory email to claim the difference in fares, and have not had a reply (12 months have passed now). Nevertheless, we still fly QF. Says something for customer resilience, doesn't it?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

We did try to check in at the AC at DFW. Strangely, my check in worked, but my partner's didn't (despite our bookings on all legs being linked). They must have known that the MCT at LAX was tight too. They advised my partner to go straight to the QF check in counter in the LAX transit lounge. On getting there what we witnessed was a scramble akin to the opening of David Jones Boxing Day sale. I half closed my eyes and channeled the last helicopter departing the US Embassy, Saigon, 1975.

I realise hindsight is always 20/20 however for next time you could always try OLCI that way if it only checked one of you in you've still got 24 hours prior to departure for any hiccups to be rectified. Definitely allow plenty of transit time at LAX or fly SFO/SYD instead which is heaps easier.

Were your bags checked in DFW/LAX/SYD or only to LAX? Re MCT it can be tight but still legal so if they hadn't through checked bags the system would have refused to do it recognising you were under the MCT.

My guess is that the flight was oversold in J and when you were both checked in at DFW it issued you a boarding pass but put your partner on standby due to insufficient availability.

Did you have actual seat numbers pre-allocated in J or were you just linked together. If most people had seats allocated the people who get bumped will be those who don't yet have seat edits - like musical chairs.

I would still follow up QF re the refund to which you are entitled to.

 

[VirginiaF]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

I realise hindsight is always 20/20 however for next time you could always try OLCI that way if it only checked one of you in you've still got 24 hours prior to departure for any hiccups to be rectified. Definitely allow plenty of transit time at LAX or fly SFO/SYD instead which is heaps easier.

Were your bags checked in DFW/LAX/SYD or only to LAX? Re MCT it can be tight but still legal so if they hadn't through checked bags the system would have refused to do it recognising you were under the MCT.

My guess is that the flight was oversold in J and when you were both checked in at DFW it issued you a boarding pass but put your partner on standby due to insufficient availability.

Did you have actual seat numbers pre-allocated in J or were you just linked together. If most people had seats allocated the people who get bumped will be those who don't yet have seat edits - like musical chairs.

I would still follow up QF re the refund to which you are entitled to.

Thanks for your reassuring words, OBB. Your posts are inevitably full of sense and sensibility - a real positive for this community.

IIRC, we did try OLCI the night before departing MCO for DFW, but I think it failed for some reason (probably because of the Mickey Mouse network at DisneyWorld ). We'll give it (follow up with QF) a try and see what happens. Either way, we treat it as an unfortunate incident that we are well over. As I mentioned, we're still QF flyers (SYD-ADL tomorrow).

 

[r0bs]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - THE SEQUEL

Some of you are probably wondering how my saga regarding the experiences I’ve had with ‘rogue’ aircraft which aren’t fitted with PE seats ended....well it’s like this:

1. I did receive some compensation from VB. After my rant on this website I received via email the following response:

“Dear Mr & Mrs Stewart,

Re: Your flight - Brisbaneto Perthon Thursday 14th October 2010

Virgin Blue would like to apologise for not delivering the full Premium Economy experience to you on your flight. We understand that we may not have met your expectations of the product you purchased.

We'd like to offer you a Credit of $808, which you can use toward a future flight booking by calling our Guest Contact Centre on 13 67 89 and quoting your above Reservation Number (withheld). Information regarding the use of this Credit has been included below.

Thank you for your understanding. Please be assured that we are investigating options to rectify this issue in the near future. If you have any questions regarding your booking, please call us on 13 67 89..................

.............Kind Regards
The Team at Virgin Blue”

This doesn’t compensate me for the previous flights where I didn’t receive PE seating or benefits.

2.IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN – FOUR (4) PE FLIGHTS LATER!!!!

Last Friday (29/10/10) I needed to go to Melbourne urgently with my business partner Gerry (who is a Platinum QFF & a Gold QFF for life).

I convinced him to give Virgin a go...... BIG MISTAKE.

We went down on DJ314 – Uneventful, good service – everyone happy.
We came back on DJ351 – ANOTHER ROGUE AIRCRAFT!

AGAIN NO WARNING UNTIL INSIDE THE CABIN (luckily it was only a 2hr flight), NO ENTERTAINMENT. SQUISHY LITTLE 1st ROW SEATS.

I spoke with ‘Franke’ the Cabin Supervisor. A really nice bloke, trying to do a difficult job (particularly as the VB booking system had over 10 pax “double-booked” to the same seats!! (What the hell is going on there VB??)

He was horrified when I told him my story. He confirmed that we are exactly the type of customer Virgin Blue is trying to attract, especially as John Borghetti (The Virgin CEO) was trying to wrestle Business customers from QANTAS.

My business partner, Gerry, explained that this would be the very last time he ever flew with Virgin and that this would NEVER happen with QANTAS.

Franke (who did a marvellous job BTW) was embarrassed for us and told me on the way out the door that he would “fix it” (He had taken our details)

SO, THE STRIKE RATE IS: 4 ROGUE AIRCRAFT FROM 34 PE FLIGHTS..... NOT GOOD ODDS.

You've lost me too VB.

 

[pauly7]

My business partner, Gerry, explained that this would be the very last time he ever flew with Virgin

Hi Robs,

Thanks for the update and I'm sorry it actually got worse especially infront of a business partner, embarrassing! No amount of credit/refund can fix that...

I think there are about 12 rogue 737s out of about 50 or so total 737s in DJ's domestic 737 fleet (someone feel free to correct, going from memory) but that means there are decent odds you will hit one!

If I were you I'd be asking for a refund and not accepting the DJ credit.

I also think your business partner has made a call you probably should have made earlier

 

[ric_melb]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

Hi Robs,

Thanks for updating us.
On the one hand Virgin have given you more compensation for paying premium and receiving economy. Whether it is enough I'm not sure, but its better than before.
The second point is that you struck a "rogue" aircraft.
It seems the incidence of these in the Virgin fleet is around 20%, so actually the number of rogue aircraft you have experienced is roughly in proportion to what you'd expect.
We know Virgin will eventually resolve this issue with introduction of Business Class,
but it will take time. Also there are various issues that mean you will not be told of lack of Premium Economy in advance.

In the meantime I think you have to tailor your expectations to reality.
You are just beating yourself up on this issue.
Either travel economy on Virgin or Qantas.
Travel Premium Economy on Virgin but understand there is a 1 in 5 chance you wont get it.
Travel Business on Qantas.

Hope your travels are more happy in future.

 

[haydensydney]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

It's actually quite simple and I have little sympathy for you: you went back for more knowing that there are rogue aircraft doing the circuits. If it means so much to you to receive 2 hours of premium service, why didn't you fly J on QF?

I certainly won't be going back for a premium seat on DJ until they introduce their elusive J product. I suggest you do the same to avoid ongoing disappointment.

 

[markis10]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

I think voting with your feet is the right thing to do, as others have said, why knowingly put yourself in the position to be disappointed.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

I agree with the above posts. The odds are pretty high r0bs and not in your favor.
r0bs, you have also stated that you don't want to fly Qantas, why not just "put up with QF J Class" until DJ gets their J Class up and running?


However, you have stated that this was a late booking. I am assuming T-48 hours before you flew this was ticketed. Surely DJ would have known at that stage which plane was on that route and could have informed pax who has purchased PE that the PE product wouldn't be available?

 

[anat0l]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

However, you have stated that this was a late booking. I am assuming T-48 hours before you flew this was ticketed. Surely DJ would have known at that stage which plane was on that route and could have informed pax who has purchased PE that the PE product wouldn't be available?

They would, they should, they don't. Period.

I would say the same about Qantas, when they shuffle around the 763s and 332s on PER CityFlyer, or 763s and 737 series, or 738s and 734s. The last one is a rather annoying situation, considering that 734 hard product (convertible J) is really the same as DJ PE. And unfortunately there's always a chance that the said aircraft can appear on any flight within the golden triangle (i.e. with the possible exception of the Perth CityFlyer, every applicable route has a chance of spawning the 734).

 

[oz_mark]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

They would, they should, they don't. Period.

I would say the same about Qantas, when they shuffle around the 763s and 332s on PER CityFlyer, or 763s and 737 series, or 738s and 734s. The last one is a rather annoying situation, considering that 734 hard product (convertible J) is really the same as DJ PE. And unfortunately there's always a chance that the said aircraft can appear on any flight within the golden triangle (i.e. with the possible exception of the Perth CityFlyer, every applicable route has a chance of spawning the 734).

The 734 is a disturbingly regular aircraft on the ADL-PER CityFlyer.

For a true dummy spit, nothing has surpassed J passengers expecting a skybed equipped A330 to operate an international flight, to discover a 767 parked in the bay when they went to board

 

[anat0l]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

For a true dummy spit, nothing has surpassed J passengers expecting a skybed equipped A330 to operate an international flight, to discover a 767 parked in the bay when they went to board

Yeah that substitution would totally suck. That hurts way more than a 744 substituting for a 388.

 

[christinam]

Re: The great VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY rip off! - Does anyone have a similar story

Robs, I ditto what the others have said; vote with your feet and tell VB to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

They have treated you with total disrespect and to go on allowing them to do so, will only make you the fool.

Give Qantas another go, they have really improved over the last year or two.

Christina