VA Flights from Florida - Latest Information

[South Roma]

We have been in Florida for the past 12 days and have just got back to our rental home from Orlando International. Parking was really easy in garage C and we were the only two passengers on the shuttle to and from the terminal, which was very quiet.

We are booked on the VS 27 to Gatwick next Saturday. Given the very limited details available on the VA website (and the request that only those travelling within the next 72 hours should contact VA) we decided to go to MCO to see if we could get any updated information about VA flights for the coming week(s).

At VA’s check in area at MCO, two very helpful VA staff – Richard, monitoring the check in queues and Alandra at the PE desk – told me that VA personnel had just been in contact, on a conference call, with VHQ in Crawley. At present they had no information about repatriation flights for UK nationals currently stuck in the USA; and a decision from the US government was awaited. Despite the flights from Tuesday (17 March) onwards still showing as operating on the VA website, currently there are no flights at all scheduled for the coming weeks. That was the situation earlier this afternoon, but may well have changed by the time I post this.

Tonight’s flights are still on and passengers were checking in as usual. However, there were no spare seats available. A number of people were trying to get tickets for tomorrow’s flights (the last scheduled before the ban comes into effect) with limited success. A family with a little two-year old, and a lady from Ireland with a companion in a wheel chair, were among a number of passengers who had arrived on last night’s VS 27, and were trying to get tickets for their return as soon as possible. One of the passengers said that they had contacted the FCO (presumably) the British Consulate in Miami and, as expected, had been told that they should make their own return arrangements.

If anyone has any more up-to-date information, perhaps they would kindly add to this thread.

Kind regards,

John

[fraser301]

Spoke to Virgin earlier and they were hopeful flight VS76 on 17 however she indicated they could not guarantee this

Sorry that is not much help to other dibbers our view we arrive on DME and hope for the best

[South Roma]

Hi Everyone,

A quick update.

Just got back from a very quiet OIA. Plenty of spaces in parking garage C and we were again the only two passengers on the shuttle to and from the terminal.

We arrived at the VA check in/bag drop desks at around 1345 hrs and there was a crowd of about thirty queuing at the eight PE/UC desks opposite. It took just over an hour before we reached the front of the line, where we were called over to be greeted by the extremely helpful Kathleen. Another twenty minutes or so saw us finally fixed up with a couple of seats on tomorrow’s (Tuesday) VS 28. Naturally disappointed at having to cut our stay short by four days, but somewhat relieved to have, at least, fixed our flight home

It takes quite a while for each booking to be rearranged/confirmed and involves several telephone calls. The VA staff were marvellous. All working very hard and from time to time almost all of the eight desks were manned.

While we were queuing I had the opportunity to chat with Arian, another very helpful member of the VA staff, who told me that today’s (Monday) flights were all fully booked, but they were taking bookings for tomorrow, when there are expected to be three flights, the two scheduled for Gatwick and Manchester, and another non-scheduled later Gatwick flight (probably around 2100 hrs) VS 50. At the time, there was also expected to be at least one flight, to Gatwick, on Wednesday and possibly others. Beyond that, there was no further information.

From what I could tell, just about all those queuing ahead of us were able to get on flights over the next two days. Clearly, the situation is developing day to day. VA flights for the rest of the week were not known at the time we were there, but it does seem very likely that anyone wishing to bring forward their departure dates, and who have been unable to contact VA by telephone, should go along to OIA and speak with the VA team there. I was advised that it was a good idea to get there around 1245. The desk opens at 1315 and I was told there was a queue already developing by the time they opened up today.

I’m afraid I don’t know the situation with any other airlines, but I
would imagine they are all working along similar lines.

Hope this is helpful for any of you still out in Florida at the moment. I will try and elicit any more up-to-date information when we are at OIA tomorrow, and post it as soon as I can. In the meantime, if anyone has any updates or anything they can add which might be useful, would they please post it here. Thanks.

Kind regards,

John

[South Roma]

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for the delay in posting this, but I am now back home in the UK and this is the first opportunity I have had. By now, there may well be more up-to-date information, but here goes with what I have.

Good run along the 417 to OIA yesterday afternoon. Traffic fairly light, until we got to the rental car return where it was very busy. Processed through fairly quickly thanks to a very efficient Armando, who signed us off with no problems.

We made it to the VA bag drop/check in where it was quite chaotic and a rather flustered Richie eventually processed us fairly well. I think VAs system was playing up because we had a problem with our TSA precheck, which was subsequently sorted. Unlike the problem with the baggage belt which had cases stacking up.

Boarding for our flight, VS 28, began around 1815 and we took off a few minutes late, making up the time and getting us into LGW about on schedule at around 0700.

VS 76 appeared to be boarding about the same time as us, and I was told by a VA rep that, as expected, both flights were full. There was another, unscheduled, VA flight later yesterday evening, VS 50, I was told in to Gatwick.

Regarding further flights in the next few days, there was still much confusion. Several airport staff said that they had been told that Tuesday was the last day for flights to the UK, but I wasn’t convinced. I tried to check with the VA staff who told me there was definitely at least one flight on Wednesday, but they didn’t know the situation after that.

However, the VA website is presently showing that both the VS 28 (MCO/LGW) and the VS 76 (MCO/MAN) are flying today (Wednesday), also Thursday and Friday, so if anyone can confirm this or has any other useful information please post as soon as possible.

General feeling among most people I spoke with was to try and get a flight back to UK as soon as possible, just in case.

Cabin crew on our flight performed superbly and thoroughly professionally although those I spoke with were clearly very disturbed about their uncertain future.

Best wishes,

John

[fraser301]

We were on VS76 to Manchester today and although there the flight was fully booked there were about 20 no shows. Spoke to one of the staff who explained from Manchester there would be one further flight from Manchester and that would be it.

[SimonV]

As far as we've been told (by the communications director at Orlando Airport), there are no more direct flights from MCO to the UK for the foreseeable future. There are only 13 US airports currently open for international inbound flights, with Miami the only one in Florida. These flights are only for US residents to get back to the USA, but it's possible (and I stress possible) for UK visitors to still be able to fly out of one of those 13 airports. If you are still in the US and looking to get back to the UK, you should certainly contact your airline immediately.

[SimonV]

We have literally JUST heard that there WILL be 2 more Virgin repatriation flights this weekend. This from the Airport PR staff:

"Virgin Atlantic obtained approval to operate two more outbound relief flights to assist in getting passengers out of the area. One flight will depart tonight at 8:05 p.m. and flies to London. Another is scheduled for Saturday, March 21."

[South Roma]

Hi Everyone,

Just in case anyone still out in Florida (or away from the UK) and waiting to get home isn’t aware of the ‘Contact details registration form’ on the Virgin Atlantic website here are the details and a link to the website page:

If your flight has been cancelled and you are away from home, It's really important that you register your contact details with us, using the form at the bottom of this page.

flywith.virginatlantic/g..om-home.html

Best wishes,

John

[Missin_Disney]

We landed this morning on VS50 from MCO last night into LGW

Some passengers then had to catch a bus from LGW to Manchester

One of the crew said that this was the last passenger flight from Florida, only a few cargo flights to follow (seems a bit odd to do cargo only)

With regards to the ‘Away from Home’ form, we filled it out twice giving phone and email details for contact. On Friday evening we get a call from the Virgin duty manager at MCO asking us if we were going to be taking the flight we had been allocated... WHAT FLIGHT I replied? Received no email from Virgin and was on the phone to them that morning to be told we haven’t got you booked on anything ‘just sit tight we will be in touch’

We were bumped onto yesterday’s flight and when i asked what email address they had for me to confirm the reply was... ’doesn't look like we have one for you’!

Feel very lucky to be home

[SimonV]

Yes, it does seem there is a fair amount of confusion right now, and things are still changing by the hour. The very latest we have heard, directly from the airport, is that there will still be 2 more UK rescue flights this week, on Tuesday (Mar 24) and Friday (Mar 27). Anyone still in Orlando needing a flight back to the UK is advised to contact Virgin soonest.