Safest airline to book with right now

[Donaldfan]

Originally Posted by duchy

I’m really happy I chose to book our BA flights on a codeshare with AA , we’ve never had to wait as we would have done with BA direct to change flights, after the first flight change all the other rebookings have come with no change fee and we’ve just paid the fare difference (started with a hand baggage only fare then switched to economy out and premium economy back for £60 extra) even when I changed it again to flying back from Vegas instead of Orlando we had the full flexibility to change and it was done with the minimum of fuss .
I’m honestly baffled why anyone would be booking a new booking with Virgin currently looking on how they have treated people in the last year.

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It's down to brand loyalty.

[jenna288]

Well i've joined the BA club! Booked flights and car hire today and only had to pay 350 deposit - Despite having a stop in PHL , i'm happy to have my booking with them.. Thanks everyone!

[silver_age]

Originally Posted by duchy

I’m honestly baffled why anyone would be booking a new booking with Virgin currently looking on how they have treated people in the last year.

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I’ve booked with Virgin for next year but only because they were dirt cheap in their sale. Upper Class direct to Orlando for £900 each was worth the risk I thought. It’s all on credit card and they are supposed to have their act together now and be processing refunds within 14 days of cancellation (as they were always legally required to do of course).

This may be the way they have to go if they want to win back some of the customers their poor service earlier in the year has frightened off.

[shelle]

Originally Posted by jenna288

Thank you so much everyone. This is defintely helping me! We are looking at october 2021. We were initially with Klm through expedia and have had an absolute nightmare dealing with Expedia. I haven't had many dealings with KLM themselves but just know that I dont want to book through a third party again.

I have a couple of prices KLM quoted 2300 for 4 passengers and 2 checked bags - the flight from MAN to MCO is direct and with 1 stop on the way home. I have reservations with this flight as it is operated by VA so im not sure where i would stand if VA would go bust. KLM assure me they would be responsible with sorting a new flight but i'm just feeling wary but that's maybe just how i'm feeling at the moment.

I have a price from BA at 2086 and that's with no checked bags (i'll have to add them at the airport i think) and thats with 1 stop on the way there in PHL and 1 stop on the way home. The good thing with this one is that I do need car hire so can just pay a deposit of 350 which defintely appeals given the hassle i've just experienced.

DH is desperate for a direct flight (at least on the way there) but I've been the one to battle it out with expedia for the refund so feel like i don't want that stress again so i'm leanng towards the BA one based on that and the many comments i've read here.

What do you think? Both flights will more than likely cost the same with bags, but one is direct and 1 i don't need to pay upfront.

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We have booked AA via PHL through BA for May. When you add the car it becomes a package and you get 1 checked bag per person included.

We figure the extra time on the way there is worth it not to stand in MCO immigration

Edit: Should have carried on reading...I see you've now booked. Happy planning!

[Donaldfan]

Originally Posted by shelle

We have booked AA via PHL through BA for May. When you add the car it becomes a package and you get 1 checked bag per person included.

We figure the extra time on the way there is worth it not to stand in MCO immigration

Edit: Should have carried on reading...I see you've now booked. Happy planning!

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I flew into MCO in 2018 and 2019 and was through immigration in 10 minutes on each occasion.

[duchy]

Originally Posted by Donaldfan

It's down to brand loyalty.

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I don’t think so, I was averaging three transatlantic trips a year (obviously not just Orlando) so used a variety of carriers . None are perfect but you got to know their strengths and weaknesses.
Most Virgin devotees tend not to have flown with other carriers and just stuck with them . Not sure I’d still be devoted after a bad experience when the competition treated their customers better.

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by duchy

I don’t think so, I was averaging three transatlantic trips a year (obviously not just Orlando) so used a variety of carriers . None are perfect but you got to know their strengths and weaknesses.
Most Virgin devotees tend not to have flown with other carriers and just stuck with them . Not sure I’d still be devoted after a bad experience when the competition treated their customers better.

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My nearest realistic long haul airport is LHR at 5 hours drive. Gatwick is around 6hrs15, traffic permitting. With this in mind, departure point is pretty irrelevant and I can take my pick of most operators flying out of the main U.K. airport.

I would have been perceived in my earlier excursions as ‘brand loyal’ to Virgin Atlantic. I believed (without any experience of the competition), that Virgin Atl were the premium carrier and that I therefore must pay a slightly higher price.
That slightly higher price became much higher and I began looking elsewhere. I found that my loyalty was misplaced and that several other carriers were at least as good, but without the sickly schmaltz, in flight games, pointless announcements and general irritation that goes with being in a Virgin Aircraft. I never got to ‘fly like a rock star’ either. Imho Virgins product is not superior to that of anybody else, but cunningly disguised in candy and wrapping paper, complete with a big bow. I am always hopefully courteous and in turn, expect courtesy in return.. nothing more. The strident defenders of this brand remind me of those of generations past who used to spout with great smugness.. ‘If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going’ whilst armed with no facts whatever to support their assertion on either aviation technology or safety.

I only normally go West to the States on long haul and rarely both in to and out of Orlando .. or even Florida, always coach class. I have found that I much prefer the offerings of Norwegian, Delta, AA and even United. I am trying BA long haul for the first time next year.

Virgin would now be a busted flush in any case and even if I had never flown with anybody else.
1. They are contemptuous of both law and loyal customers. I believe that customer service and upholding the law is key to being classed as a premium product.
2. They are, IMHO still underfunded to survive past Easter as things stand.

Brand loyalty? I now have some for both BA and Delta for the exemplary way that they managed my refunds for March and August of 2020... and for United as they were equally good in refunding my internal flights after I cancelled the greater whole with BA & AA.

That brand loyalty is only good until they let me down.

[duchy]

Very well summed up .
I used to be a huge advocate of Virgin in the days they were genuinely a better economy product and genuinely innovative in the late 80s and early nineties , nowadays unless they are substantially cheaper they aren’t even a consideration.
They are the only carrier I’ve ever seen a flight attendant pull a “mean girl” act upon a passenger . Glowers and snide comments about her to the other FAs within her earshot throughout the flight. No idea what triggered it as the woman seemed inoffensive but it was the most unprofessional thing I’d ever seen and after previous service failures was the final straw for me.
(I don’t regard delays as service failures as tech issues can happen with anyone , I’d still happily fly Norwegian ,even when the grandkids flight home after our Florida wedding cancelled at hours notice and when advised waiting a few days for a direct flight wasn’t an option got them rebooked on indirects flying eight hours later than the original flight and ponied up for all expenses as well as EU261 without any issue at all.)
Delta , America and United as well as BA I’d happily fly with . They may not always get it 100% right but I’ve never felt they didn’t try to, Virgin to me just don’t care (not just based on the current situation with flights).
Brand loyalty is all very well but not blind loyalty.

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

I would have been perceived in my earlier excursions as ‘brand loyal’ to Virgin Atlantic. I believed (without any experience of the competition), that Virgin Atl were the premium carrier and that I therefore must pay a slightly higher price.
That slightly higher price became much higher and I began looking elsewhere. I found that my loyalty was misplaced and that several other carriers were at least as good, but without the sickly schmaltz, in flight games, pointless announcements and general irritation that goes with being in a Virgin Aircraft. I never got to ‘fly like a rock star’ either. Imho Virgins product is not superior to that of anybody else, but cunningly disguised in candy and wrapping paper, complete with a big bow. I am always hopefully courteous and in turn, expect courtesy in return.. nothing more. The strident defenders of this brand remind me of those of generations past who used to spout with great smugness.. ‘If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going’ whilst armed with no facts whatever to support their assertion on either aviation technology or safety.

I only normally go West to the States on long haul and rarely both in to and out of Orlando .. or even Florida, always coach class. I have found that I much prefer the offerings of Norwegian, Delta, AA and even United. I am trying BA long haul for the first time next year.

Virgin would now be a busted flush in any case and even if I had never flown with anybody else.
1. They are contemptuous of both law and loyal customers. I believe that customer service and upholding the law is key to being classed as a premium product.
2. They are, IMHO still underfunded to survive past Easter as things stand.

Brand loyalty? I now have some for both BA and Delta for the exemplary way that they managed my refunds for March and August of 2020... and for United as they were equally good in refunding my internal flights after I cancelled the greater whole with BA & AA.

That brand loyalty is only good until they let me down.

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[Donaldfan]

Originally Posted by duchy

I don’t think so, I was averaging three transatlantic trips a year (obviously not just Orlando) so used a variety of carriers . None are perfect but you got to know their strengths and weaknesses.
Most Virgin devotees tend not to have flown with other carriers and just stuck with them . Not sure I’d still be devoted after a bad experience when the competition treated their customers better.

See more...

It is down to brand loyalty. A lot of people think Virgin are wonderful regardless of how awful the service is. I've seen it on here and other sites I go on.

[Dazed]

Originally Posted by jenna288

Well i've joined the BA club! Booked flights and car hire today and only had to pay 350 deposit - Despite having a stop in PHL , i'm happy to have my booking with them.. Thanks everyone!

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We have flown BA into PHL many times now and it’s become my first choice for a stop ever. It’s so quick and easy at Philly!