I am changing my original post and taking back my previous statement, see below.
After steaming about the first phone call for an hour, I called VX back. Was on hold waiting for a Supervisor for over an hour. Supervisor finally came on saying she was working the issue. I told her that I was willing to compromise and just wanted two seats together especially for the transcon leg. She took my phone number and said she would call back. Sure enough, within 10 minutes she called back. ^^^^ :):):) I didn't get my original seats; but got 2A 2C for both flights. I'm making the story a little short. But, they did, after a lot of frustration on my part, and I'm sure on theirs, at least got us two seats together.
Row 1 definitely did not have a FAM on our flights!!!!
I take back my previous statement about staying with the legacy carriers.
I WILL FLY VX AGAIN!!!!
Just make note about there is a potential of not having checked baggage arriving with you if you transfer at SFO. Outbound leg one bag didn't make it and Return leg one bag didn't make it. I know this happens with the other carriers as well. Both times, the bag showed up on the next flight. Wasn't too much of an inconvenience. Certainly not a reason to jump ship.
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Made reservation in F class beginning of August. Reserved seats 1A 1C for flight from LAS - SFO - IAD. VX deleted my seats and then sold them to someone and it somehow became my problem, not theirs. I now have 2A 2C LAS - SFO and 2A 1F SFO - IAD. I am not a happy camper with VX. My previous recommendation to jump from the legacy carrier to VX is now reversed. I now recommend that everyone stay with the legacy carriers. After this flight, I am not flying VX again.
They told me that seats are not guaranteed. So, I said it was okay for them to take away my reserved seats and give them to someone else?
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Banks_CA
Nov 9, 07, 12:11 pm
I have a sympathy for both ot you here. You booked and expected, however I remember reading that the Virgin website was under attack from the outset by hackers,so maybe the booking got lost.
At least your still in First and didn't get bumped backwards. I'd write this off as a one time SNAFU and hope for better service next time.
One mistake is bad luck, continual is reason for change....
AZ Travels the World
Nov 9, 07, 12:43 pm
retsef, it's probably of little consolation, as I can imagine how frustrated you are, but after reading your post, I checked my own upcoming reservation for two of us, LAX-JFK in First. Our seat assignments were gone as well.
Fortunately, with a call to VX, I was able to get them restored. So, thank you for posting your experience here, or I likely would have also figured this out too late to do anything about it.
BEAV
Nov 9, 07, 2:42 pm
They told me that seats are not guaranteed. So, I said it was okay for them to take away my reserved seats and give them to someone else?
Could you provide a little more detail as to why VX wasn't willing to reseat you in 1A/1C once they determined you were assigned these seats prior to the people currently holding them?
nermaljcat
Nov 9, 07, 3:51 pm
Did you receive any compensation? It was probably a system error (possibly hacker...), but IMO they should take responsibility regardless and show their customer focus.
I'm still looking forward to my SFO->JFK in a couple weeks (economy - exit row). I've been looking for a Virgin T-Shirt to wear
BEAV
Nov 9, 07, 4:38 pm
Did you receive any compensation? It was probably a system error (possibly hacker...), but IMO they should take responsibility regardless and show their customer focus.
That's why I'm curious to learn more about retsef's situation because it's the complete opposite I experienced from a customer service standpoint.
Any inflight amenity including seat assignments are not guaranteed by any airline.
Eastbay1K
Nov 9, 07, 9:15 pm
I would be shocked if this was not a computer glitch/error - something that was an unintentional release of your seats (but not of your confirmed F reservation). If this was the only burp in the VX experience, and they "made right by you" for the inconvenience, I don't think that it is a huge deal. If they have a chronically-unstable system that is never going to be able to save a seat, that is another story. Sometimes when an airline has an aircraft swap in advance (yes, even when the plane is the same model with the same seatmap), seat assignments can get screwy. I'm not making any excuses for them, but I doubt anyone called up VX (or went to a ticket counter) and said "I want to buy 2 F tickets. I will only sit in seats 1A and 1C. If you don't make them available, I'll never fly you and take my $ elsewhere. That did not happen. If you were in row 2, I'd say that they could have a FAM scheduled for the flight and would violate the sanctity of our national security if they told you anything other than "oh, sorry."
gooseman13
Nov 10, 07, 11:17 am
Agreed, one of the most frustrating things is if you have FAMs that make a reservation. The airline is required to seat them in whatever exact seats they request, even if somebody is already assigned. And of course, the airline can't say "I'm sorry we have FAMs onboard which is why we had to switch your seats," they just have to pretend they screwed up your seating assignment.
mmartin4600
Nov 10, 07, 3:24 pm
Agreed, one of the most frustrating things is if you have FAMs that make a reservation. The airline is required to seat them in whatever exact seats they request, even if somebody is already assigned. And of course, the airline can't say "I'm sorry we have FAMs onboard which is why we had to switch your seats," they just have to pretend they screwed up your seating assignment.
Is Virgin America an American flag carrier?
Eastbay1K
Nov 10, 07, 3:52 pm
Is Virgin America an American flag carrier? As a FAM I've flown almost every American flag carrier there is, but Virgin America does not ring a bell. If it is foreign owned, US FAM's do not fly on it.
:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
tom911
Nov 10, 07, 3:59 pm
Is Virgin America an American flag carrier?
They're headquartered in Burlingame, right outside SFO.
djk7
Nov 10, 07, 4:05 pm
If you read the various airline forums here, you will see plenty of posts on all of the airlines regarding lost seat assignments, and the fact that no airlines guarantee them. So switch back to the legacies if it makes you feel better, but don't count on never losing your seat assignments. Here are a few threads as a small sample:
Sorry to have bothered you with a simple question. Thanks Tom911.
nermaljcat
Nov 10, 07, 7:35 pm
Agreed, one of the most frustrating things is if you have FAMs that make a reservation. The airline is required to seat them in whatever exact seats they request, even if somebody is already assigned. And of course, the airline can't say "I'm sorry we have FAMs onboard which is why we had to switch your seats," they just have to pretend they screwed up your seating assignment.
Please excuse my ignorance, but does "FAM" stand for "Family and/or Married"??? I couldn't find anything in the FT Glossary... :confused:
bitburgr
Nov 10, 07, 7:40 pm
Please excuse my ignorance, but does "FAM" stand for "Family and/or Married"??? I couldn't find anything in the FT Glossary... :confused:
FAM = Federal Air Marshall
MikeyZBT
Nov 10, 07, 8:12 pm
I've been looking for a Virgin T-Shirt to wear
Why?
retsef
Nov 11, 07, 8:48 am
I have a sympathy for both ot you here. You booked and expected, however I remember reading that the Virgin website was under attack from the outset by hackers,so maybe the booking got lost.
At least your still in First and didn't get bumped backwards. I'd write this off as a one time SNAFU and hope for better service next time.
One mistake is bad luck, continual is reason for change....
VX Virgin America after some time did fix my situation. Definitely a SNAFU and will not now hold it against them. Just definitely a lesson learned. Maybe they will improve your reservation system to allow you to review your reservation and look at seats for a confirmed reservation online.
retsef
Nov 11, 07, 8:50 am
retsef, it's probably of little consolation, as I can imagine how frustrated you are, but after reading your post, I checked my own upcoming reservation for two of us, LAX-JFK in First. Our seat assignments were gone as well.
Fortunately, with a call to VX, I was able to get them restored. So, thank you for posting your experience here, or I likely would have also figured this out too late to do anything about it.
AZ, I am glad that I was able to help. Certainly one of the reasons why these forums exist. The good thing is that VX did eventually get our two seats together.
retsef
Nov 11, 07, 8:57 am
Did you receive any compensation? It was probably a system error (possibly hacker...), but IMO they should take responsibility regardless and show their customer focus.
I'm still looking forward to my SFO->JFK in a couple weeks (economy - exit row). I've been looking for a Virgin T-Shirt to wear
The first time I called, I was offered apologies and $25 credit. I accepted the apologies but not the $25 credit. I wanted our two seats together as when had booked in beggining of August when no other seats had been booked on our flights. I felt that it wasn't right for them to delete our seat assignments, aircraft change, computer glitch, or not, and then allow others to book after us and get seats. Leaving the two of us in separate rows.
I told her that $25 would fairly compensate us for this inconvenience. That's why I steamed for an hour and called back. See my original for follow-up.
retsef
Nov 11, 07, 9:01 am
Could you provide a little more detail as to why VX wasn't willing to reseat you in 1A/1C once they determined you were assigned these seats prior to the people currently holding them?
Was told that they couldn't move people from their seats. I could possibly try at the airport. I even offered to forward my original email from VX confirmiing the seat assignments. They didn't want it, I guess because they knew it was a computer glitch.
They did eventually get us two seats together.
nermaljcat
Nov 11, 07, 10:35 am
w00ps - double post...
BEAV
Nov 11, 07, 4:12 pm
VX Virgin America after some time did fix my situation. Definitely a SNAFU and will not now hold it against them. Just definitely a lesson learned. Maybe they will improve your reservation system to allow you to review your reservation and look at seats for a confirmed reservation online.
You can review your reservation and seat assignments on line. From the home page, go to "travel tools" and then "check-in, travel manager", enter your booking number, name, etc to view your reservation. Excellent way to monitor your seat assignements!
nermaljcat
Nov 11, 07, 4:23 pm
Why?
Why not? :p Fly Virgin wearing a Virgin T-shirt.
Booked the tickets using a Virgin credit card... http://virginmoney.com.au/export/sites/virginmoney/images/layered_credit_cards.jpg
nermaljcat
Nov 11, 07, 4:26 pm
FAM = Federal Air Marshall
Cheers ^
BEAV
Nov 11, 07, 4:28 pm
I decided to follow my own advice from my post two posts up and logged onto VX website to check on my seat assignments in F for a December JFK-SFO flight. Sure enough, the seats I originally booked (1A and 1C) had changed to "seats not assigned". A quick call to VX got me reassigned to those original seats (lucky for me they were still available).
So word to the wise ... monitor your bookings and seat assignments on line!
retsef
Nov 13, 07, 4:27 pm
:I decided to follow my own advice from my post two posts up and logged onto VX website to check on my seat assignments in F for a December JFK-SFO flight. Sure enough, the seats I originally booked (1A and 1C) had changed to "seats not assigned". A quick call to VX got me reassigned to those original seats (lucky for me they were still available).
So word to the wise ... monitor your bookings and seat assignments on line!
I'm glad that my thread and my saga with the seats have helped OP.
One of the many reasons why this site is helpful!!!
MikeyZBT
Nov 15, 07, 3:05 pm
Why not? :p Fly Virgin wearing a Virgin T-shirt. http://virginmoney.com.au/export/sites/virginmoney/images/layered_credit_cards.jpg