Am I wrong to be angry with virgin?

[I love walmart]

You should definitely complain. This could have been handled much better. It wasn’t just an uncomfortable flight for you but a potentially unsafe one too. How would you have gotten out in a hurry if needed?
If I was in your shoes on the day I would have felt very uncomfortable pushing the point with cabin crew. I’d have been paranoid that someone would film me and it be touted around on social media as “mean people don’t want to sit next to disabled man” or similar!
Out of interest, was he travelling solo?

[Minnie18]

Originally Posted by THE WIZARD

I would definitely write/email or Preferably FB/Twitter Virgin not complaining but pointing out the situation & asking what could/should their staff do in such a situation like this in future.
I would personally have informed the staff at the time that you had a slight bladder problem & needed the toilet every hour to feel comfortable during the long flight & avoid a nasty accident - no one should be bullied in a situation where you are actually advised to get up & move about in order to avoid the possibility of DVT !

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I agree with The Wizard, I think you should bring it to Virgin's attention as lessons need to be learned from your experience. I think you should send your feedback higher up than the compliaints team.

[pav438]

Originally Posted by I love walmart

You should definitely complain. This could have been handled much better. It wasn’t just an uncomfortable flight for you but a potentially unsafe one too. How would you have gotten out in a hurry if needed?
If I was in your shoes on the day I would have felt very uncomfortable pushing the point with cabin crew. I’d have been paranoid that someone would film me and it be touted around on social media as “mean people don’t want to sit next to disabled man” or similar!
Out of interest, was he travelling solo?

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This is exactly how we felt ,we were put in a situation that we would have been the mean bullies but it was exactly the opposite.

[RachaelC]

Did you speak to the cabin crew about it except at boarding?

There is no way I would have climbed over someone to get to my seat in the first place.

How did you find out he had been moved?

He couldn’t have taken the window seat as the crew wouldn’t have been able to move him safely and in an emergency he’s basically being condemned to not being able to get off the plane, which is also the reason he should have been on a central aisle for your safety too.

I would definitely write to Virgin about it, but this kind of thing needed to have been dealt with at the time to be resolved satisfactorily

[coggie]

I can tell you from experience that it's not easy getting someone who needs 100% help to get in their seat and to get them in any one other than the aisle seat is almost impossible but I think he showed little respect for you by taking the tablet and telling you not to drink.

For me there are three issues for you
1) what could you do in an emergency
2) You are meant to move about on a long haul flight to prevent the possibility of DVT
3) You are being prevented by keeping yourself hydrated ( again something recommneded) as you can't get to the toilet

[Omega1]

Originally Posted by I love walmart

You should definitely complain. This could have been handled much better. It wasn’t just an uncomfortable flight for you but a potentially unsafe one too. How would you have gotten out in a hurry if needed?
If I was in your shoes on the day I would have felt very uncomfortable pushing the point with cabin crew. I’d have been paranoid that someone would film me and it be touted around on social media as “mean people don’t want to sit next to disabled man” or similar!
Out of interest, was he travelling solo?

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There are discreet ways of addressing the issue with cabin crew ie a quiet, but assertive, word in the galley, putting the ball firmly in their court. Passenger in the aisle seat doesn’t have the mobility to move and I don’t have the mobility to climb over (nor do I want to). To put it another way, I wouldn’t own the problem.

[pav438]

Originally Posted by Omega1

There are discreet ways of addressing the issue with cabin crew ie a quiet, but assertive, word in the galley, putting the ball firmly in their court. Passenger in the aisle seat doesn’t have the mobility to move and I don’t have the mobility to climb over (nor do I want to). To put it another way, I wouldn’t own the problem.

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As I said before I tried to do this but was told they don’t have time to move him they would miss there time slot as they were boarding they did not help one bit the worst crew ever had on a flight .

[Chrissie H]

This man should never have been allowed to book, or be moved to a seat which puts another passengers safety at risk. He should have had an aisle seat in the central bank.

[EssexSue]

I actually could not have climbed over him!
The bulkhead seats are for disabled passengers and they get priority over travel cots so I'm sure that's where he should have been.
Definitely complain you did nothing wrong and that crew will hopefully get some retraining because none of us want to find ourselves being looked after by them.

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by pav438

As I said before I tried to do this but was told they don’t have time to move him they would miss there time slot as they were boarding they did not help one bit the worst crew ever had on a flight .

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Once in the air, they would certainly resolve this if you became a polite, courteous charming ... pain in their collective backsides.
As I said earlier, I would demand at least 5 toilet visits (and normally I take one at most). The staff would take whatever measures are necessary in order to avoid disruption and more work than the absolute minimum. The thought of having to quarantine your urine soaked seat for the next flight and the resultant disruption would weigh heavily on their decision making. In addition, you could always take them aside (after disrupting rude man) and in the utmost confidence inform them that you have a serious bladder problem that demands very regular toilet visits. They would blanch at the thought of regularly waking up and upsetting mr selfish and assisting in getting him out of his seat every hour or so.
You can in effect demonstrate deviously that your needs are greater than his! It is never nice to be manipulative, but sometimes situations render it necessary. I would have made that guys flight an utter and total nightmare.