Virgin have cancelled our direct flight!

[Mrs Toolman]

So upset. Don't know what to do. We are flying to Vegas on 27 March with my parents who are in their late 70's. They wanted to see Vegas one more time before their travel insurance gets too expensive. We booked a complete holiday with Virgin. They have just phoned to say our direct flight home on 3 April has been cancelled and we now fly to LA. 2 hour stopover then flight home to Gatwick. It's the one thing my parents didn't want. Hubby been online and there are no window seats left. Can only get 2 and 2 in the middle block of 3! Virgin have offered us £50 each compensation or to cancel! So upset. We now don't get home till 3.30pm and we both have to go to work next day. Just want to cry.

[Moorlandman]

Virgin prefer to cancel flights rather than lower prices to attract customers.

Odd business model

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Mrs Toolman

So upset. Don't know what to do. We are flying to Vegas on 27 March with my parents who are in their late 70's. They wanted to see Vegas one more time before their travel insurance gets too expensive. We booked a complete holiday with Virgin. They have just phoned to say our direct flight home on 3 April has been cancelled and we now fly to LA. 2 hour stopover then flight home to Gatwick. It's the one thing my parents didn't want. Hubby been online and there are no window seats left. Can only get 2 and 2 in the middle block of 3! Virgin have offered us £50 each compensation or to cancel! So upset. We now don't get home till 3.30pm and we both have to go to work next day. Just want to cry.

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I don't blame you for being upset. Could they offer you a direct flight the day before, or after, and could you then work around that?

If the direct flight is no longer operational on the original date, could you ask them to book you onto a different direct flight (eg BA) at no cost to you?

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Moorlandman

Virgin prefer to cancel flights rather than lower prices to attract customers.

Odd business model

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It would be even odder to run the plane at a massive loss. If most of the seats remained unsold they will never fill the plane - regardless of the price - this close to the flight.

It doesn't take away from how disappointing it is for Mrs Toolman, though.

[Mrs Toolman]

Originally Posted by KarenG

I don't blame you for being upset. Could they offer you a direct flight the day before, or after, and could you then work around that?

If the direct flight is no longer operational on the original date, could you ask them to book you onto a different direct flight (eg BA) at no cost to you?

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Apparently there are no direct flights the day before or the day after!? Really don't understand why and the lady I spoke to said she didn't know. I got upset which is when she quoted the small print about airlines being able to change flights!

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Mrs Toolman

Apparently there are no direct flights the day before or the day after!? Really don't understand why and the lady I spoke to said she didn't know. I got upset which is when she quoted the small print about airlines being able to change flights!

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I have no insider knowledge, but looking on VA.com they do seem to have no flights for three days in a row. Could you fly out two days earlier and fly back two days earlier? Just trying to think of some different options for you? Is your hotel on a cancellable or rebook able rate? Could you fly from Manchester instead (on the off chance you leave somewhere between the two airport, unlikely I realise).

[daytonababe]

This is quite common in march for Vegas, we always go in march and we had a flight cancelled a few years back as they stopped flying on a Tuesday direct, it's happened to a friend too. We were lucky though and given flights the day before . ( it was the outbound cancelled ).

I don't know it it's still the case as I don't fly VA now but they did stop flying everyday in March. I can see why though the planes we used to go on were always less than half full so must have flown at a loss. So it's likely there are days with no flights .


Not ideal but my other thought is can you fly home direct from LA I know it means a 4 hr drive from Vegas ( are you having a car I can't remember ) but that might be easier for your parents than the stop over ... I would want compensating though ...

[JudyC]

We are flying direct from Manchester to Vegas on 29th March with Thomas Cook. Have you looked at direct flights with other airlines. You might get good a deal at this later stage. Hope you manage to get sorted.

[Mrs Toolman]

No we booked as a complete holiday through the virgin. Very unlike me as I usually do diy. But it was quite a good deal and my parents were fussing. They wanted it all booked. Virgin really couldn't give me any alternative and we are restricted with our dates due to work now. Plus we have cirque tickets booked for 1 April. Feel completely let down. My poor parents bless them are saying not to worry and they will cope but I'm just so mad.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Mrs Toolman

No we booked as a complete holiday through the virgin. Very unlike me as I usually do diy. But it was quite a good deal and my parents were fussing. They wanted it all booked. Virgin really couldn't give me any alternative and we are restricted with our dates due to work now. Plus we have cirque tickets booked for 1 April. Feel completely let down. My poor parents bless them are saying not to worry and they will cope but I'm just so mad.

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Ah. So you are booked through VH.

Would it be worth just doing a bit of research and seeing what you could by get by booking DIY if you cancelled... ?

Or could VH compensate in other ways: hotel upgrade, resort credits, V Room for free, upgrade to PE on the homeward flight? I'm sure the last is unlikely but worth an ask maybe?