Fuming with Virgin Atlantic/Delta

[MinniMouse]

I booked economy seats for our holiday next summer through Virgin Atlantic, flights with Delta. Edinburgh via JFK to Tampa.

4 days after booking, I upgraded to comfort plus on Delta website for the transatlantic legs at a cost of just under £70pp each way.

A few weeks later I received an email from Virgin Atlantic, with a time change. This email still showed we were in the comfort plus seats so all is well, or so I thought.

I logged on to my booking on Saturday and notice we have been bumped back into main cabin.

Several phone calls to both Virgin Atlantic, and Delta UK (in France), and Delta USA we are no further forward.

Virgin Atlantic told me last night that the only way to resolve was for Delta to put a refund through for the extra we paid, then we can go back on to the Delta website and upgrade again. So, I log back on this morning but can't upgrade!

Another phonecall to Delta in USA to be told that I can only upgrade through VA!

I know there are complaint forms, which I have filled out but wondering if anyone on here would have any further advice or had anything similar happen. At the moment there are plenty comfort plus seats available on both legs.

I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall :angry:

[I love walmart]

I had a minor issue with a virgin booking that used a deltas flight. Phoning them was a nightmare, they both keep saying you need to speak to the other! In the end I found Deltas Facebook page and sent them a private message with details of the problem. They were very quick to respond and offer help. As it happens my particular problem was down to a glitch in the system and it resolved itself before I got the lady at Delta involved. So I can’t say wether they get results, only that I was impressed with their initial response and their apparent concern

[dreamadream]

TBH we recently flew delta comfort plus and felt it was a total waste of money. Other than choosing extra leg room seats there was absolutely no difference between comfort plus and economy. Wish we had saved the money and used it for more fun things once we were stateside!

[toonarmani]

We had issues with Virgin/Delta codeshare on an internal US flight .. Delta split 4 of us across about 20 rows in the plane (youngest was 6 at the time) .. said as they are over 5 they can sit on their own!

Managed to sort it on the plane as a kind family gave up a row of 3 for my wife and girls, but Delta didn't care either at the desk or on the plane itself.

Same was going to happen on the return until I managed to sort it at the desk and got 2x2's.

I've avoided Delta since.

[chmurf]

Originally Posted by MinniMouse

At the moment there are plenty comfort plus seats available on both legs.

See more...

it's not as simple as that.

when you book a codeshare, you're bound by rules that may not have affected you, had you booked with the operating airline.

for example, booking a Lufthansa operated flight through a United codeshare will not allow the passenger to prebook their seats, even when they pay for them. It's just not allowed.

you might (or might not) be in the same situation.

if your flight was ticketed by Virgin ( flight number start with VS and eticket number start with 932 ) Virgin has the hand on your reservation. You're bound by the codeshare rules that may (or may not) allow you to upgrade to PE (or comfort+ for the Delta flight). If the fare or codeshare rules stipulate that you cannot upgrade, then you cannot upgrade, even if there are seats available, and even if you're paying for the seats upgrade.


if your flight was ticketed by Delta (flight number starts with DL and eticket number starts with 006 ) then IF your fare rules allow you to upgrade, you should be able to do so. And the issue should be dealt with by delta

what can be quite hard to understand is that it's not because a passenger bought an Economy ticket that they are entitled to upgrade to Premium Economy.
some fares (usually the cheapest one) will not allow you to do so.
some airlines only offer upgrades a few weeks in advance, and send email invites to passengers, by fare or FF status order
some will only allow upgrades for the flights they ticket, and not to codeshares.

Your flight may no longer be upgradeable (or was not in the first place and initial upgrade was a glitch)

only the airline might answer (re: brick wall)

[Noddy22]

Shame them into resolving the matter through social media on Facebook and Twitter. You’ll get a quicker result.
It may sound really petty but I’ve found from personal experience that it works

[tspill]

Originally Posted by chmurf

it's not as simple as that.

when you book a codeshare, you're bound by rules that may not have affected you, had you booked with the operating airline.

for example, booking a Lufthansa operated flight through a United codeshare will not allow the passenger to prebook their seats, even when they pay for them. It's just not allowed.

you might (or might not) be in the same situation.

if your flight was ticketed by Virgin ( flight number start with VS and eticket number start with 932 ) Virgin has the hand on your reservation. You're bound by the codeshare rules that may (or may not) allow you to upgrade to PE (or comfort+ for the Delta flight). If the fare or codeshare rules stipulate that you cannot upgrade, then you cannot upgrade, even if there are seats available, and even if you're paying for the seats upgrade.


if your flight was ticketed by Delta (flight number starts with DL and eticket number starts with 006 ) then IF your fare rules allow you to upgrade, you should be able to do so. And the issue should be dealt with by delta

what can be quite hard to understand is that it's not because a passenger bought an Economy ticket that they are entitled to upgrade to Premium Economy.
some fares (usually the cheapest one) will not allow you to do so.
some airlines only offer upgrades a few weeks in advance, and send email invites to passengers, by fare or FF status order
some will only allow upgrades for the flights they ticket, and not to codeshares.

Your flight may no longer be upgradeable (or was not in the first place and initial upgrade was a glitch)

only the airline might answer (re: brick wall)

See more...

This is the real pain of code shares. We had a lot of check in hassle earlier this month. We had indirect home - one leg with Finnair but operated by American. The American Airlines staff were utterly useless - passing us from pillar to post.

Lesson to me - book direct with the airline and no code shares where possible.

[Warkman58]

Originally Posted by tspill

This is the real pain of code shares. We had a lot of check in hassle earlier this month. We had indirect home - one leg with Finnair but operated by American. The American Airlines staff were utterly useless - passing us from pillar to post.

Lesson to me - book direct with the airline and no code shares where possible.

See more...

Sorry, but codeshares do work. Having one bad issue should not put you off doing it again

[MinniMouse]

Originally Posted by chmurf

it's not as simple as that.

when you book a codeshare, you're bound by rules that may not have affected you, had you booked with the operating airline.

for example, booking a Lufthansa operated flight through a United codeshare will not allow the passenger to prebook their seats, even when they pay for them. It's just not allowed.

you might (or might not) be in the same situation.

if your flight was ticketed by Virgin ( flight number start with VS and eticket number start with 932 ) Virgin has the hand on your reservation. You're bound by the codeshare rules that may (or may not) allow you to upgrade to PE (or comfort+ for the Delta flight). If the fare or codeshare rules stipulate that you cannot upgrade, then you cannot upgrade, even if there are seats available, and even if you're paying for the seats upgrade.


if your flight was ticketed by Delta (flight number starts with DL and eticket number starts with 006 ) then IF your fare rules allow you to upgrade, you should be able to do so. And the issue should be dealt with by delta

what can be quite hard to understand is that it's not because a passenger bought an Economy ticket that they are entitled to upgrade to Premium Economy.
some fares (usually the cheapest one) will not allow you to do so.
some airlines only offer upgrades a few weeks in advance, and send email invites to passengers, by fare or FF status order
some will only allow upgrades for the flights they ticket, and not to codeshares.

Your flight may no longer be upgradeable (or was not in the first place and initial upgrade was a glitch)

only the airline might answer (re: brick wall)

See more...

I was able to upgrade online, on Delta website. I paid for this, was given seats in comfort plus. A month down the line and have been booted out of them. Strangely enough no notification, no refund :angry: I have been passed from piller to post, Delta to Virgin, Virgin to Delta and back now at Virgin. I have been blatantly lied to by both Delta and Virgin staff. The last one being told by a guy from Virgin Atlantic (UK call centre) last night that a refund was being issued and I could definitely go on to Delta website 10 mins afterwards and rebook comfort plus seats.

I'm actually considering cancelling, if I can free of charge (they changed the flight times so may be able to), and book elsewhere. TBH I'm not surprised at the shoddy customer service from Delta. They are linked with Air France and they are terrible too. Never had issues (or if we have they have been sorted/dealt with in the appropriate manner) with any other carriers, and that includes Jet2!

Virgin Atlantic even say once you are booked, to go to Delta website to choose your seats!

[tspill]

Originally Posted by Warkman58

Sorry, but codeshares do work. Having one bad issue should not put you off doing it again

See more...

Yes they do work. I have used them many many times. But when they go wrong they are a pain. Same as booking via third parties.
For me I now try to book everything direct with the supplier - flights, hotels etc.
I want reduced hassle with holidays.