Want a Free Virgin Ticket (Virgin Atlantic)

Member Name: richardandkaye

Product:	Virgin Atlantic
Date:	06/07/02 (1049 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free tickets, free food, free hotel

Disadvantages: late getting home

My Wife , two sons and I have just returned from Los Angeles flying with Virgin Atlantic.

We took flight VS0023 outbound andnVS0024 inbound but this works just aswell with VS0007 outbound and VS0008 inbound.

Just as with British Airways , Virgin Atlantic make it a policy to overbook their flights. The reason being is that some people have open tickets so they may or may not take up their seat that day.

Airlines have traditionally overbooked by 10/15%.

The big key reason why this is working so well is September 11th.

Many Airlines reduced the number of flights to the likes of Los Angeles - e.g. both Virgin and British Airways dropped one flight a day. Doesn't sound much but we are talking about 500/700 seats a day just from those two airlines.

However , transatlantic travel is now picking up again but not to sufficient levels to put the thrid flight back on. As such , flights are becoming more overbooked.

This becomes particularly so at the weekends , Friday , Saturday and Sunday.

When we were returning on Friday 14th June on VS0024 the flight was overbooked. The Airlines need to find people to take delays i.e. to stay another day.

Most people take great offence to this "We have paid to fly on this plane so we will".

What they don't know is the compensation available.

BA used to be money - I don't know what they currently do.

Virgin give you a Free Flight , put you up in a Hotel overnight and free Food.

Ignoring my youngest son who is only 1 , we received three Free Flights (which can be used anytime for 18 Months to anywhere that Virgin Atlantic Travel).

What did we do , we volunteered thus saving Virgin the hassle of having to force someone not to fly. This makes their job easy and they love you for it.

Our bags were taken off us , they checked us in as normal and said they would let us know 1 hour before tak
e off if they needed our seats which they did.

Off we went to the Hotel and we received $180 food vouchers to cover Dinner , Breakfast and Lunch (excellent). We sat by the Pool in the morning and went for a short walk early afternoon before taking the courtesy bus back to the Airport.

We arrived back at the Airport at 5.00 pm on Saturday 15th June and even though it was about 4 hours before the flight was due to take off , it was obvious that the Flight was overbooked again.

We grabbed a Virgin Rep said we will Volunteer to be delayed again if this would help.

They said great , straight to front of queue , didn't even check us in this time because the flight was so overbooked - gaves us another three Free Tickets and sent us back to the Hotel.

We were back by the Pool for 6.00 pm.

Another $180 of food vouchers and another day in the sun.

Back to the Airport on Sunday 16th June another massive queue and looking for further Volunteers. Unfortunateley , we had to get back to work so let other people take these delays.

Simply by being polite and effectively helping Virgin out we got 6 Free Virgin Atlantic flights.

Three we have used to go again near Christmas and the other three will be for next summer.

Sit down and work out how much that would save you.

So when you get to the Airport , ask if the plane is overbooked and if so , do they need Volunteers. At worste you get on the plane and best you get a Free night in a Hotel , food vouchers and Free Flight tickets.

Easy isn't it !!!

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