Virgin Atlantic

[Mrs Disney]

I'm kinda freaking out......We're flying with Virgin from Glasgow, 4th April - first time with Virgin.
I'm worried about where my brother will have a seat allocated on the plane - I've already told Virgin on his assistance form that he cannot walk at all - but can transfer. He's a big guy - and last time, the little plane wheelchair wasn't big enough to get him down the aisle.
Do Virgin have specific seats for medical purposes or for disabled travellers?
The Customer Care team have told me they know all his requirements, but I just worry that we'll get to the airport - onto the plane and he can't get to his seat........ :(
This is what happened in 2002 with My Travel - and if it hadn't been for a very kind gentleman in Premier Gold - allowing him to have his seat, he wouldn't have been allowed to fly :confused2

[melspice]

Have you phoned Virgin Special Assistance? I'll just go look for the number!
xxMel

[Mrs Disney]

Mel - yes, several times and e-mailed. All they keep saying is not to worry - they know of all his requirements!! :confused2
I'd just be happier if they told me where he'll be sitting......but they won't till be check in apparently!!!

[melspice]

Can you check in online the night before? It helps apparently, but I've never done it, and we always fly Virgin, and they haven't so far let us down when we get to manchester.Our son is severely autistic, and a big lad, so he needs bulkhead seats.We always tell Special Assistance how difficult things are and they do help. Try not to worry, they will help!

xxMel

[Bovril]

If you look at the seat map under 24 hours to go,it will show if you have been allocated bulkhead seats.Apparantly they won't allocate them before then as they wait to see if there is any infants needing sky cots as they get prority.

I was worried about this last flight,so it was a relief when I logged on the day before to see that special assistance had pre-allocated bulkhead.It was just one less thing to worry about.In the whole the SA team is very good and will do everything in their power to help.It's worth just checking that all the info is on your booking for the return journey whaen you check in as well.

I was told that you can't use the on-line check in as they need to physically see you if you have a medical/mobility request.Not sure how strict they are on this.As I seem to get different answers everytime I speak to someone new.

[mazz]

we have been allocated bulkheads and they have shown on the online check in 24 hours before

i think they say they have to see people at check in sometimes to prevent those without genuine need becoming priority for a bulkhead, if they know you have a blue badge or it's obvious from your specific request that it is a genuine need then i would try not to worry they have a excellent special assistance team

bulkheads are prioritised so a person with a physical disability would be priority above someone who wants one say because they have long legs

a certain number of bulkheads also have the skycot too so these are on request and subject to availability for people travelling with babies, priority is given here to the youngest

[jules372]

Hi,

my 14 yr old son has mobility problems and is a very big lad. Can you tell me if the bulk head seats have the trays in the arm, so that would mean that the arms don't pull up either? If that's the case, I think we'd prefer the regular seats so that at least we'll have a little space when the arms are moved, also I don't think he'd get an arm tray to fit over him properly.

Any advice greatly appreciated.
Julie

[mazz]

yes Julie the trays are in the arms so you have a reduced seat width and the arms are fixed

[Saratoska]

I'm kinda freaking out......We're flying with Virgin from Glasgow, 4th April - first time with Virgin.
I'm worried about where my brother will have a seat allocated on the plane - I've already told Virgin on his assistance form that he cannot walk at all - but can transfer. He's a big guy - and last time, the little plane wheelchair wasn't big enough to get him down the aisle.
Do Virgin have specific seats for medical purposes or for disabled travellers?
The Customer Care team have told me they know all his requirements, but I just worry that we'll get to the airport - onto the plane and he can't get to his seat........ :(
This is what happened in 2002 with My Travel - and if it hadn't been for a very kind gentleman in Premier Gold - allowing him to have his seat, he wouldn't have been allowed to fly :confused2

haven't flown VA but our sons needs a full carry on (can't transfer) and we also fly out of Glasgow. The aisle transfer seats tbh are quite narrow. our son isn't that big and he just fits on it, sorry don't want to alarm you but sometimes is better to know. we have flown now out of Glasgow the past 4 years and i keep thinking it will get better but it doesn't . arriving at America is like night and day.
It is the BAA that is in control over the ailse seat and they are informed by the Airline but remember to say when you check in.

re the plane seat could you not pay for him to get the bigger seat say in Premair.

feel free to pm me if you want any more info re the tranferring etc.

[Saratoska]

Hi,

my 14 yr old son has mobility problems and is a very big lad. Can you tell me if the bulk head seats have the trays in the arm, so that would mean that the arms don't pull up either? If that's the case, I think we'd prefer the regular seats so that at least we'll have a little space when the arms are moved, also I don't think he'd get an arm tray to fit over him properly.

Any advice greatly appreciated.
Julie

we couldnt get the arm tray over our sons lap and with him sitting in his wheelchair cushion it made him sit higher up if that makes sense. I just had to use mine for him it worked fine so don't worry

[jules372]

Thanks for the replies Mazz and Ali, i'll see what seats we're offered when we check in.

cheers
Julie

[Mrs Disney]

Thanks everyone for the replies.........hopefully everything will turn out ok - it's just the not knowing!! And it wouldn't be a Florida holiday without something to stress about in the weeks before!
About the bulkhead seats - my sister is also on that flight - she's travelling with her 7 month old daughter - so she's requested one for the skycot, so that's 4 seats probably allocated elsewhere!
Could it be that my brother could be seated at the bulkhead and the rest of us (me, DH and DS's x2) could be seated somewhere else on the plane?? (hope not though!)

Do Virgin just use the front door of the plane for boarding or front/back/middle doors?

Ali - I'm not worried about his actual plane seat - he'll be fine in that - just those silly chairs they use to move disabled people about the plane!!

[Saratoska]

Thanks everyone for the replies.........hopefully everything will turn out ok - it's just the not knowing!! And it wouldn't be a Florida holiday without something to stress about in the weeks before!
About the bulkhead seats - my sister is also on that flight - she's travelling with her 7 month old daughter - so she's requested one for the skycot, so that's 4 seats probably allocated elsewhere!
Could it be that my brother could be seated at the bulkhead and the rest of us (me, DH and DS's x2) could be seated somewhere else on the plane?? (hope not though!)

Ali - I'm not worried about his actual plane seat - he'll be fine in that - just those silly chairs they use to move disabled people about the plane!!

they don't allow disabled people to sit in the bulkheads seats unless its the non emergency ones so you might want to try and find out where your sister is allocated to be on the safe side.

is it the plane seats as in the one that takes them from their own wheelchair into the plane you mean.

[Daris]

I am flying VA and have mobility problems I was too worried re seating etc, I do not require bulkhead seats they were really good and told me that seats together had been allocated for my family (of 4) and they gave me provisional seat numbers but they did of course say that these may change......