Virgin delayed 4 and 1/2 hours

[wicket2005]

It's been blooming well cancelled!!

Totally and utterly gutted! It is one of our favs at the moment. I am off to find out more.

 

[UKDEB]

If a major airline (why would they, or why havent they??) went from Sanford, it would physically not be able to cope.

Whilst I find your devotion to Virgin a tad disturbing at times, Obi , I rarely disagree with your assertions. I'm not so sure about this one, though. Someone reported here recently that Virgin had been canvessing opinion on precisely such a change and it would actually be difficult to believe that they don't periodically look into its feasability - they must be constantly looking at any and all means of cutting costs. In fact, they'd be acting irresponsibily towards their shareholders if they didn't. As much as I struggle to imagine how it would work, I feel a certain level of disquiet about it. Maybe you could work some sort of Jedi mind trick on them.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Whilst I find your devotion to Virgin a tad disturbing at times, Obi , I rarely disagree with your assertions. I'm not so sure about this one, though. Someone reported here recently that Virgin had been canvessing opinion on precisely such a change and it would actually be difficult to believe that they don't periodically look into its feasability - they must be constantly looking at any and all means of cutting costs. In fact, they'd be acting irresponsibily towards their shareholders if they didn't. As much as I struggle to imagine how it would work, I feel a certain level of disquiet about it. Maybe you could work some sort of Jedi mind trick on them.

ROFLMAO! I will critiscise tham if I feel they are wrong though. (Upper Class food springs to mind, not fit for purpose (I would have said Economy, but I don't want to get flamed again! ))

I think they are looking at expanding the places to fly from in Europe, and the space at MCO is getting tighter. If the Scots flights take off that places another plane into Orlando.
It might be that when they go to the A380 (If) they will have the smaller aircraft flying from the regional airports and into Sanford.
My concern is that at the moment, a single runway is always a bottleneck, and having an extra 350 plus passengers arriving would collapse the infrastructure as it is now.
Now if the airport said to Virgin "We will build you your own terminal and give you priority take off slots" that might swing it.
But I think that was what the survey was about, to guage the passengers thoughts.
I do have in the back of my mind, a time ago that at one time Virgin did fly some flights into Sanford???

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Totally and utterly gutted! It is one of our favs at the moment. I am off to find out more.

The final episode has juts left it hanging in the air, not a good final episode at all!!

 

[wicket2005]

The final episode has juts left it hanging in the air, not a good final episode at all!!

What a nightmare. Read on one of the forums that the company may make a special wind up episode, not that that is much consolation. I hate getting hooked and then be denied an ending.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

What a nightmare. Read on one of the forums that the company may make a special wind up episode, not that that is much consolation. I hate getting hooked and then be denied an ending.

I know what you mean, I was looking forward to seeing how they got out of it and now..nothing!

Like many American shows which failed because of the ratings war :-(
Current list of cancelled shows:
US/Canada shows cancelled/ended 2006-2007: [updates via ]
All of Us (CW)
Andy Barker, P.I. (NBC)
Armed & Famous (CBS) 3 eps unaired
Big Day (ABC) 1 ep unaired
The Black Donnellys (NBC) 7 eps unaired
Campus Ladies (Oxygen)
The Class (CBS)
Close to Home (CBS)
Crossing Jordan (NBC)
Day Break (ABC) 7 eps unaired
Deadwood (HBO)
Drive (FOX) 2 unaired eps may air Jul 4
Falcon Beach (Global)
George Lopez (ABC)
Gilmore Girls (CW)
Grease: You're the One That I Want! (NBC)
The Great American Dream Vote (ABC) 3 eps unaired
Happy Hour (FOX) 2 eps unaired
Help Me Help You (ABC) 4 eps unaired
Identity (NBC)
In Case of Emergency (ABC) 1 ep unaired
Jericho (CBS)
Justice (FOX) 1 ep unaired
Kidnapped (NBC) 8 eps unaired
The King of Queens (CBS)
Knights of Prosperity (ABC) 4 eps unaired
The Megan Mullally Show (synd)
Nanny 911 (Fox) 2 eps unaired
The Nine (ABC) 6 eps unaired
The O.C. (Fox)
Raines (NBC)
The Real Wedding Crashers (NBC) 3 eps unaired
Reba (CW)
The Rich List (FOX)
Rome (HBO)
Runaway (CW) 3 eps unaired
7th Heaven (CW)
Show Me the Money (ABC) 2 eps unaired
Six Degrees (ABC) 5 eps unaired
Smith (CBS) 5 eps unaired
Standoff (FOX) 8 unaired eps, may resume Jun 8
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC) finale Jun 28?
Thank God You're Here (NBC)
3 Lbs (CBS) 5 eps unaired
Three Moons Over Milford (ABC Family)
Trading Spouses (FOX)
20 Good Years (NBC) 9 eps unaired
Vanished (FOX) 4 eps unaired
Veronica Mars (CW)
The War at Home (FOX)
The Wedding Bells (FOX) 2 eps unaired
What About Brian (ABC)
The Winner (FOX)

 

[wicket2005]

There are 3 series in that list I just started to watch. I just wish they wouldn't bother or at least say we are dropping it, you have to round it up quickly.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

There are 3 series in that list I just started to watch. I just wish they wouldn't bother or at least say we are dropping it, you have to round it up quickly.

This is why i now Download the series as many times we do not get the final series as the Tv companies don't bother.

I was just getting into Veronica Mars as well. (tasty lead actress!!!)
Deadwood, unusual and interesting, In case of Emergancy was coming on well,

PS Mods, sorry, going well off topic now!

 

[UKDEB]

PS Mods, sorry, going well off topic now!

No worries, Obi - I was getting a bit bored with the original one anyway.

 

[martina857]

Well, interesting view Martina.
Your main unhappyness seems to be that you were late in taking off and you base your major concern on that.
Well, you only need to look at all the airlines and none of them have a 100% on time take off level. 4.5 hours was a long wait but unusual. 1-2 hours can be the norm dependant upon a lot of things at an airport as large as Gatwick.

First choice, only choice from Gatwick is a Thursday take off, against daily flights from virgin, BA and the others. So if you want to fly any other day forget it with them. Easy to be on time with a single flight per week, but even they have their off flights, they are only showing 88% on a single flight to Sanford per week.

The level of servie I have found with my many flights, both personal and on buisness is second to none, much, much better than the American airlines who pale in comparison to Virgin. You mention Continental, I am a One Pass member with them and they are OK, but not to the standard of Virgin, plus they codeshere many flights on VS metal!

This age nonsense, is precisley that, nonsense. the aircraft are not old, the Gatwick/Manchester 7474's are the youngest in the fleet of 747's, besides with aircraft it is the amount of takeoffs and landings that count, not the birthdate.
They are younger aircraft than Britsh airways and American and Continental. They have the youngest fleet compared to any of the scheduled airlines.
The prices are comparible to BA and other scheduled airlines, and I, checking many times a year, find them to be always cheaper than American airlines, the ONLY time I have found cheaper American airlines prices was once with Continental on a code share with Virgin!
The other reason prices are higher is I would imagine, that when you want to fly so do many other people and the cheaper prices have gone. If not they would not be the largest European airline flying into Florida daily.

Seating width and pitch. FCA do not make theirs available to the public, so difficult to say what their is actually.
American: Width 17.2" Pitch 32"
Continental W 17.9" P 32"
Delta: W 18" P 31-32"
Northwest W 17.2 P 31-32"
British airways W 17.5" P 31.0"
Virgin W 17.5" P32"

so again, not narrowl seats compared to the other airlines are they?

The economy service is probably their worst area, and they themselves know it needs to be worked upon and thats what they are in the process of doing. The gatwick aircraft will have new seating and economy service in 2008 after the buisness routes at heathrow are done in this year.

Finally Sanford. Well this has been the cause of many debates on here and that is down to personal choice. My personal choice 9is MCO with all the facilities it has compared to sanford that, when you have a major delay there is nothing to do, or to eat, is a long journey when you have just arrived and the choice of car hire services is poor. It is a reginal airport set up for charter airlines, compared to MCO which is a proper internal/international airport with many routes.
If a major airline (why would they, or why havent they??) went from Sanford, it would physically not be able to cope.

And your view is interesting too Obi, albeit wrong

My main points are that Virgin VS15 and not so often VS27 are becoming increasingly more prone to delays than the other airlines, to my knowledge (and I really do not check timings like you do) since April 12th there has been a +4 hour delay on 15 on at least 6 occasions. Also that the service on the US airlines is better than Virgin both of these are true.

On top of that Virgin customer service stinks ! Thats a fact too for the people that have experienced it, a simple search of these boards will back it up.

As for the planes themselves, well maybe that is open to personal interpretation so in MY view the planes appear old and cramped, you can state the measurements all you like but unfortunately I did not have a tape measure with me when I flew, I just know I found the Virgin 747 uncomfortable compared to say the A380 or the 777 on other more favourable airlines.

Sandford or MCO well there is a dilemma, after 12 hours of travel with small children do I want to be out of the airport in 25 minutes and on the road or do I want to spend up to 2 hours walking for miles carrying children that are exhausted, dropping my bags back on a conveyor after I have waited to pick them up and do it all over again, wait for an age in a car hire queue and looking at your post ... go shopping. For me thats a no-brainer !

As for the prices that really is nonsense, I have been looking today for our Sept trip, American Airlines £395 per person, Virgin £650 per person on my family of 4 I would SAVE £1000 not an insignificant amount of money !

Obi we will have to agree to disagree, you like them I (on my one occasion of using them) did not.

M

 

[angel659]

I loved VA the crew were great. I love the plane food on VA. I will only fly with VA or BA from now on. 777 we flew on to NYC was better aircraft than VA, but the food was vile. I think its each to thier own to be honest. Some people love them and some dont.

 

[UKDEB]

Martina, I'm not taking sides in your disagreement with Obi - it goes without saying that you're perfectly entitled to choose who to fly with regardless of the number of times you've flown with a particular airline. Based on things I've read, I think it's highly unlikely that I'll ever fly with TCD, so I don't necessarily agree with the assertion that your judgement is flawed because you've only had one experience of Virgin.

I don't have a problem with anything which boils down to a simple difference of opinion (such as the Sanford/MCO debate). However, your claim that Obi is talking nonsense about prices needs to be challenged. I've said this on these boards many times before and I'm sure this won't be the last - I have no particular allegiance to Virgin, and I'd happily book with someone else who could offer a comparable product at a cheaper price. However, Virgin comes in cheaper every time and that's why I continue to fly with them. You have to compare like with like. American Airlines doesn't offer direct non-stop flights from the UK to Orlando.

 

[martina857]

Martina, I'm not taking sides in your disagreement with Obi - it goes without saying that you're perfectly entitled to choose who to fly with regardless of the number of times you've flown with a particular airline. Based on things I've read, I think it's highly unlikely that I'll ever fly with TCD, so I don't necessarily agree with the assertion that your judgement is flawed because you've only had one experience of Virgin.

I don't have a problem with anything which boils down to a simple difference of opinion (such as the Sanford/MCO debate). However, your claim that Obi is talking nonsense about prices needs to be challenged. I've said this on these boards many times before and I'm sure this won't be the last - I have no particular allegiance to Virgin, and I'd happily book with someone else who could offer a comparable product at a cheaper price. However, Virgin comes in cheaper every time and that's why I continue to fly with them. You have to compare like with like. American Airlines doesn't offer direct non-stop flights from the UK to Orlando.

You are right Deb, indirect flights do not suit everyone but the end result is the same and if a family on a budget can save £1000 thats a lot of spending $'s. If on top of that you are getting better customer service.....
On the flip side to that I have been going to Florida/USA 3 or 4 times a year since 1992, I am a tightwad and always look for the cheapest flight, my indirects and directs run at approx 70% direct 30% indirect, this was our first Virgin flight because it was the first time I have found them to be cheaper than BA or the charters, we actively tried to go with Virgin time after time but always found them dearer. So I suppose your comment also depends upon other factors that I am not aware of. I should also point out that I am fairly sure I have never paid more than £350 per person for economy. There is a downside to switching airlines all the time though with not building up any one reward system.

American do fly into Miami though and thats a nice flight if you do a stopover down there.

I have nothing against Obi by the way, as far as I am concerned we are just having a grown up conversation, I admire his passion for them, he has obviously had good experiences and is happy, I on the other hand am not.

All of the experiences of the seasoned travellers on here are invaluable to people looking for tips, when they see this thread they will have a balanced view.

Oh and Obi, FYI Virgin are the 2nd worst airline at Gatwick for punctuality, beaten only by LOT Polish to last place ;-)

M

 

[tashasmum]

As for the planes themselves, well maybe that is open to personal interpretation so in MY view the planes appear old and cramped, you can state the measurements all you like but unfortunately I did not have a tape measure with me when I flew, I just know I found the Virgin 747 uncomfortable compared to say the A380 or the 777 on other more favourable airlines.


M

I might be shot down in flames here but I didn't know the A380 had flown any commerical flights as yet

 

[UKDEB]

My point wasn't about whether or not indirect flights suit everyone, nor was I doubting that you may able to save money by booking with an airline other than Virgin. My only concern, ironically, was that those looking for tips or a balanced view might read your uncompromising judgement that Obi's comments on pricing were "nonsense" and take that on face value. If you're going to make such adamant statements, they need to be qualified. That a direct, non-stop flight is more expensive than an indirect one is hardly surprising. Your remark suggests that the Virgin flights you've looked at are uncompetitive and overpriced and that simply isn't true. Tell me that I can get BA flights on the same dates for 2/3 of the price of Virgin and I'll start sitting up and taking notice. Then you are genuinely comparing like with like.

 

[stal]

Just a quick update. it seems the planes been getting in at around 6.30pm for the past few days now... a few days ago it was in around 9.30pm

 

[Claire L]

I might be shot down in flames here but I didn't know the A380 had flown any commerical flights as yet

Yup you are right on that one, due to the lengthy delays alot of airlines are cancelling, lowering or postponing their orders.

Claire

 

[martina857]

My apologies, I had just been reading about the A380, it should read A330

M

 

[martina857]

My point wasn't about whether or not indirect flights suit everyone, nor was I doubting that you may able to save money by booking with an airline other than Virgin. My only concern, ironically, was that those looking for tips or a balanced view might read your uncompromising judgement that Obi's comments on pricing were "nonsense" and take that on face value. If you're going to make such adamant statements, they need to be qualified. That a direct, non-stop flight is more expensive than an indirect one is hardly surprising. Your remark suggests that the Virgin flights you've looked at are uncompetitive and overpriced and that simply isn't true. Tell me that I can get BA flights on the same dates for 2/3 of the price of Virgin and I'll start sitting up and taking notice. Then you are genuinely comparing like with like.

And MY point is that in 15 years of looking for THE best price every time I go out this year was the first year that Virgin have been the least expensive, hence I used them. Had I have known then what I know now I would have booked indirect at nearly half the price, had a 2 hour stopover and still been there before the Virgin flight AND experienced better customer service to boot.

No BA are similarly priced right now, you are correct but this is not always the case though and I will be sure to point out to you when the time comes. However if you want like for like, First Choice flying into Sandford are £379 for my dates in September compared to £650 for Virgin, actually this is not a fair comparison because FC have superior seat pitch in economy of 33", superior entertainment and the added advantage of flying into the better airport oh and no delays. The only disadvantage as Obi says is the once per week flight from Gatwick, but as a punter so long as I get on that one I can cope with that ! I stand by my comments.

M

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

We've flown Virgin 3 times in the past and never had any problems whatsoever.
We was happy with the service they provided and the calls we have made with them recently.