Anneuk Report post Posted July 17, 2006 Am getting paraniod now... I seem to have a down on anything and everything.... In April we went to Orlando with VA, we spoke several times to the special assistance and were promised fast track check in, fast track through clearance etc etc <I know that quite a few of you on here have had good experiences with Virgin as I did a search and found your comments.... However when we went, we did twilight checkin and they new nothing about dd had no record of my conversations with special assistance <several calls> We ended up not getting any of what we were promised.. fast check in, fast track through security, our seats were even changed so we ended up right next to the galley and all its assocaited bangs and crashes both on the way their and back.... When we checked in at downtown disney, I explained what had happened on the outward flight and was told that all people with real diassabilities got put on the plane first, when I asked what he meant by that he didn't really have an answer..... Our kids didn't even get the back packs because they ran out!!!! It seems they don't know how many kids are going to board... anyway I wrote a letter of compalint in April and finally got a reply today! It basically said their dissability policy was outstanding , although I can only find referances on the website to physical dissabilites such as blindness and wheel chair users, no mention of other dissabilities.... Half my queries weren't even answered and they gave me ?150 in vouchers to use against my next 'full price' holiday! I promptly sent the vouchers back as I don't see why I should spend another ?4k to get the ?150 off just so they can win back my confidence <their words> So again I ask, is it only me that has had bad experience with VA? Anne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bramblebrae Report post Posted July 17, 2006 No sorry not been on a plane for years. I'd be livid though imagine saying their disability policy is outstanding when obviuosly it wasn't. I'd keep writing and want a full explanation that enlight of it being 'outstanding' how did it go so wrong and what where they going to do to make sure it didn't reoccur. As for the 'real' disability line I think I mighta quite lost me cool on that one!! ((((hugs))) When one thing drags you down everthing feels worse - I think the opposite can happen too though I bounce up and down with feelings all the time - never get a nice happy medium - ...plus these things that have happened are all really annoying just on their own combined I'd be finding a nice big open field away from everyone and letting out a big scream (I find it helps) can't find a field though so the neighbours just get their ear drums done in. The all scream out there windows for their kids to come in around here ..really annoys me... so I'm just getting me own back Lorraine Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
col Report post Posted July 18, 2006 EEK, something to remember. Hubby just flew on virgin sunday night to NY, this is his second time with virgin. He's hoping to save up his flying miles so that he can use them for a freebie for the rest of the family. It would be fun for us as we have got 3 children all with "disabilities". So sorry to hear you had a bad time. And thanks for the warning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted July 18, 2006 No, my mum has...a very bad one too. Cannot discuss it on form though and not around till very late today. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tez Report post Posted July 18, 2006 We found that it was very much down to the individuals working on the day. We made all the arrangements, check-in desk called for assistance to fast-track us through security checks and we sat and waited. Eventually a supervisor came, took one look at A who seems perfectly "normal" and asked whether we needed a wheelchair. We told her only if he started to shut down. We were then told that there was nothing she could do and to get onto it. When we eventually managed to get to the plane loading gate, I went for assistance because by this time A was barely capable of standing due to his sensory problems. The gate supervisor went ballistic over what had happened and showed me the instructions quite clearly written upon his computer. He loaded us onto the plane with the cabin crew way before the other disabled passengers, to give A a chance to recover and to get him away from the tannoys that were causing so much trouble. On the return journey from America, we had problems with check-in who made him wait in queue for over an hour and a half. By the time we got to the check-in desk he was in a trance-like state and required a wheel chair. From then on, we couldn't fault their help. VA on form can be brilliant, but get the wrong individual and you have a problem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loulou Report post Posted July 18, 2006 Hi, I flew to Orlando last year with Virgin. We did get "fast tracked" onto the plane, but were "herded" like sheep into a "holding pen" with two other families. One had a girl with an ASD and the other was an adult in a wheelchair. I felt like everyone was watching us, probably thinking, "ooh, what's wrong with THEM?". The other thing that infuriated me was that they let all the business class passengers on before people with disablilites which i think is outrageous. Being held in a pen by tension barriers is not what i call dignified or suitable for a child with an ASD. Kai was getting very fidgety and started growling (he does this when stressed). The other girl with ASD was getting stressed by Kai's growling and kept shouting "shut up!" to him. Fun eh? All that aside, once in Disney we had no problems and were treated with total respect. Loulou x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anneuk Report post Posted July 18, 2006 Hi, I flew to Orlando last year with Virgin. We did get "fast tracked" onto the plane, but were "herded" like sheep into a "holding pen" with two other families. One had a girl with an ASD and the other was an adult in a wheelchair. I felt like everyone was watching us, probably thinking, "ooh, what's wrong with THEM?". The other thing that infuriated me was that they let all the business class passengers on before people with disablilites which i think is outrageous. Being held in a pen by tension barriers is not what i call dignified or suitable for a child with an ASD. Kai was getting very fidgety and started growling (he does this when stressed). The other girl with ASD was getting stressed by Kai's growling and kept shouting "shut up!" to him. Fun eh? All that aside, once in Disney we had no problems and were treated with total respect. Loulou x I agree with the total respect thing in deisney, apart from one woman in Magic Kingdom who was not helpful at all, we spent the rest of the time being treated really well. One day my daughter wouldn't cooperate with the turn styles and the queue was massive behind us, security said, yo have to do it their is a queue, I whispered she had AS and she changed totally went the other side of the turnstyles and ina very matter of fact but not patronizing way she showed her how to do it, and mtioned the guard to take some of the ques to the gate next door. Anne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted July 18, 2006 We,ve flown with VA a number of times and found them to be better than a lot.We flew with BMI last year and had THE most horrendous time ..............they cancelled the flight ................and left over 300 people stuck at Washington Dullas airport.It took us 3 days to find a transfer flight.We spent 3 ###### days in a hotel with no luggage.............and no money.We had to go to the airport every morning and queue to see if we could find a flight to transfer too............with all the othetr 300 passengers............it was hell. We,ve found the best airline for european flights is monarch scheduled............you can pay an extra ?15 and get extra leg room............these are brill...........and we,ve never had a delay with them either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted July 18, 2006 Flew with VA and always been really pleased...although we've never asked for fast track or special services. Flew to america and back several times when the children were little and always had excellent care and service. But as others have said, it's down to individual staff. Recently flew with Thompson fly and have to say it was appalling. First off the inflight food wasn't free, and secondly by the time they got half way down with the trolly they'd ran out of food anyway! On the return flight there was a train strike (flippin Italians) and we missed our flight. There wasn't a single rep in the airport; I couldn't get them on the phone, and basically ended up having to buy another ticket to get home. The fact that I only paid 49 pence for the tickets in the first place was no consolation I hate travelling, god knows why I bother. Hope you can get some joy, but my experience of flight companies you'd save yourself alot of frustration just putting it down to experience. Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
