Virgin America Elevate - VA: Great at the airport but horrible phone support

I was booking a one way flight from SFO to SNA and Virgin wasn't much more than United, so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and booked it for a flight two days later. About nine hours before my 6:30 am flight I went to check in online and discovered it had been changed to 5:20 pm, which would cause me to miss the reason I was going in the first place.

There were seats available on a flight to LAX departing at the same time so I called assuming the change wouldn't be a problem. I was told that I wasn't allowed to change airports, but she could refund my current ticket ($49... I know it was cheap... but everyone was when I booked) without penalty and I could purchase a new ticket (around $150). I explained that this wasn't acceptable and that if I had known just a day earlier I could have booked a different flight for less than $50. The agent's reply was an incredibly snotty "I know that. I'm sure everyone would have." It took 45 minutes on the phone and multiple demands to speak with a supervisor before they "found room" on a flight that would get me to SNA about three hours later than originally scheduled. Their original reason for denying that change was that there were no main cabin seats available, but I ended up upgrading to MCS anyways.

I was hoping I'd find a new favorite airline and I must say the service at the airport and on the plane was fantastic, but being treated like I was the one wanting to change my flight while attempting to work with them to solve a major schedule change turned me off to Virgin... probably for good. Is this somewhat typical or did I just draw the bad agent?

Sorry, I'm trying to understand your story and something seems a bit off.

You booked a flight two days in advance, and your planned departure time was 6:30AM but that flight was changed to 5:30PM? That doesn't make any sense.

Regarding the phone agent - they are generally considered to be good, and as is the case in every call center in America, you'll get a bad apple every now and again. Always say "thank you" hang up and call back if you don't feel you're getting the help you need.

But I really don't understand a flight time being moved by almost 12 hours. That one has me going ???

yeah, an almost 12 hour flight change does sound a little improbable. i'm tempted to ask if you checked to make sure YOU didn't book the wrong time.

in any case, regular procedure is....if they do change their schedule after you've booked they will reaccommodate you to an earlier or later flight that IS available, or refund your fare back without a fee if nothing works. it's way outside the norm to change the cities to do so. since it's a voluntary change on your part to change the originally booked cities, you'll normally have pay to do that.

in this case, it sounds like they did bend some rules for you. and at this time of year, it's not unusual at all for main cabin seats to be sold out. agent attitude aside (i've found that's the exception rather than the rule), sounds like you got what you wanted.

I checked over the past month, and the 6:30am flight has left on time every day (other than Sundays, when it doesn't operate). There is definitely more to this story.

The flight was June 12th. My original scheduled flight was from SFO-SNA at 6:30 am and it was changed to a 5:20 pm flight. I thought it was pretty improbable too when I logged in and noticed different times, but I'd checked a few hours prior and I definitely booked the 6:30 flight.

I understand airport changes aren't the norm (and apparently don't happen), but I was just trying to find a solution being that they weren't offering anything else. In the end I did almost get what I wanted... except I had to fight for it and was an hour late getting where I needed to be.

I am tempted to give them another shot one of these days though... the planes are amazing. It's just a little nerve wracking when my first and only reservation with them was changed by nearly twelve hours and they didn't want to do anything about it.

VX 800 did not operate on June 12th, that's the 6:30AM departure that leaves at 6:30am normally. Perhaps your flight was cancelled (not rescheduled) and you were rebooked on flight 810 the 5:10pm departure instead? Certainly, with all airlines, flight cancellations can happen due to any number of factors. That would explain why the flight was for sale 2 days before departure but then not operated as scheduled.

I truly don't believe this was a flight "rescheduling" scenario - especially given the flight number did not operate that day.

VX 800 did not operate on June 12th, that's the 6:30AM departure that leaves at 6:30am normally. Perhaps your flight was cancelled (not rescheduled) and you were rebooked on flight 810 the 5:10pm departure instead? Certainly, with all airlines, flight cancellations can happen due to any number of factors. That would explain why the flight was for sale 2 days before departure but then not operated as scheduled.

I truly don't believe this was a flight "rescheduling" scenario - especially given the flight number did not operate that day.

I didn't mean to say the flight itself was rescheduled. The 6:30 am flight was canceled and was switched to a much later flight. The problem was that I didn't find out until I went on their website and saw a different time that would get me to my destination twelve hours late, and the only solution I was initially offered was to pay more to take a VA flight that wouldn't have cost me more had I booked it in the first place.

This isn't the first story of "VX kind of hosed me on a cancellation, and it was hard to get what I needed out of customer care" I've heard (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-america-elevate/964330-flight-cancelled-20-hour-notice-va.html) in this forum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-america-elevate/957492-plane-change-bumped-compensation.html). I think they may need to smooth out some rough edges on how they deal with these scenarios.

The flight was June 12th. My original scheduled flight was from SFO-SNA at 6:30 am and it was changed to a 5:20 pm flight. I thought it was pretty improbable too when I logged in and noticed different times, but I'd checked a few hours prior and I definitely booked the 6:30 flight.


That explains why my search of the past month didn't turn it up.

It seems weirdly improbable but check out 409 from JFK - LAX today (July 24). They just informed passengers of this delay so there may be more info coming, but it does look like it happens.

Anyone know what's going on with that flight?

It seems weirdly improbable but check out 409 from JFK - LAX today (July 24). They just informed passengers of this delay so there may be more info coming, but it does look like it happens.

Anyone know what's going on with that flight?

Here's VX's Official Posting on Facebook regarding this flight:

Virgin America experienced a maintenance issue on Flight 409 from jfk-lax. We had initially hoped to address the issue at the gate, but as the situation required additional attention - the decision was made to cancel the flight. In the interim period, guests at the gate were informed of delay and offered meal vouchers while we worked with the Maintenance crews to assess the situation. When the decision was made to cancel, this was immediately communicated to our guests at the gate - and efforts have been made to reaccommodate guests on other airlines and our later flights and arrange hotel if needed at our expense. We have added an additional flight tomorrow AM as well. Guests on this flight will receive a credit file for 100 dollars for First Class guests; 75 dollars for Main Cabin Select guests; and 50 dollars for Main Cabin seats. Our apologies and appreciation for the patience of our guests. We strive to avoid situations like this, but as always the safety and comfort our guests comes first - and the decision to cancel the flight was informed by this.

This isn't the first story of "VX kind of hosed me on a cancellation, and it was hard to get what I needed out of customer care" I've heard (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-america-elevate/964330-flight-cancelled-20-hour-notice-va.html) in this forum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-america-elevate/957492-plane-change-bumped-compensation.html). I think they may need to smooth out some rough edges on how they deal with these scenarios.

It sounds like they don't have any customer "care"! They cancelled a flight and the passenger was willing to be re-accomodated on a flight to a different airport in the same metro area -- and they REFUSED to re-book on that flight?!? That is ridiculous -- absolutely horrible customer service!!

They lost me as a customer earlier this year when I had a poor experience. I was seated in F, and once airborne the cabin crew member discovered the oven was INOP. Thankfully, I had brought some snacks onboard. Prior to landing, I inquired what redress is available for those whose meal service was not provided. The cabin crew member advised I contact VX customer care via the website. I did so, and received a form letter but no compensation.

Rubbish.

They lost me as a customer earlier this year when I had a poor experience. I was seated in F, and once airborne the cabin crew member discovered the oven was INOP. Thankfully, I had brought some snacks onboard. Prior to landing, I inquired what redress is available for those whose meal service was not provided. The cabin crew member advised I contact VX customer care via the website. I did so, and received a form letter but no compensation.

Rubbish.

How long a flight? Seems like a silly thing to leave an airline over for something shorter than a transcon. Even for a transcon it seems a bit silly considering 50% of VX's entrees consist of cold salads (at least they did in December).

It sounds like they don't have any customer "care"! They cancelled a flight and the passenger was willing to be re-accomodated on a flight to a different airport in the same metro area -- and they REFUSED to re-book on that flight?!? That is ridiculous -- absolutely horrible customer service!!

it amazes me sometimes how people seem to equate "good customer service" with having a representative do what they demand. if they do, the company has good customer service. if they don't, they suck.

yes, the agent's job is to do what they can to make the customer happy. BUT, they have to balance that against the guidelines they have to stay within. what you're asking may not be possible.

ever consider that the rules change from airline to airline? not every airline has a fare guarantee. every airline has different rules to change your ticket, and just because one airline would book you on another carrier or route you through another city as part of a reaccommodation, don't think that automatically EVERY airline can do that. they don't all work the same.

it amazes me sometimes how people seem to equate "good customer service" with having a representative do what they demand. if they do, the company has good customer service. if they don't, they suck.

yes, the agent's job is to do what they can to make the customer happy. BUT, they have to balance that against the guidelines they have to stay within. what you're asking may not be possible.

ever consider that the rules change from airline to airline? not every airline has a fare guarantee. every airline has different rules to change your ticket, and just because one airline would book you on another carrier or route you through another city as part of a reaccommodation, don't think that automatically EVERY airline can do that. they don't all work the same.

^^

it amazes me sometimes how people seem to equate "good customer service" with having a representative do what they demand. if they do, the company has good customer service. if they don't, they suck.

yes, the agent's job is to do what they can to make the customer happy. BUT, they have to balance that against the guidelines they have to stay within. what you're asking may not be possible.

ever consider that the rules change from airline to airline? not every airline has a fare guarantee. every airline has different rules to change your ticket, and just because one airline would book you on another carrier or route you through another city as part of a reaccommodation, don't think that automatically EVERY airline can do that. they don't all work the same.

This is true, but giving a customer a choice between a twelve-hour delay (that turns their trip into a trip-in-vain) and a refund (and leaving the customer high and dry on getting to their destination) is hardly going to make anyone happy and singing the praises of how awesome their Virgin America experience was, hmm?

When you add that the customer was not proactively contacted when the cancellation happened... well, it would leave a bad taste in MY mouth, even before I called Customer Care (though I understand that S**t Happens). It would seem to me an airline that was really interested in "good customer service" would say "sure, no problem, let's try to get you there" if a customer in that circumstance asked "well, could you get me to LAX on this flight instead?", instead of making them jump through hoops and argue their case. If policies are preventing that, you need to change customer-unfriendly policies, not make customers think they are asking for a favor to get to SoCal when VX has an mx cancellation (which, I would stress, is THEIR fault- not an "act of God" sort of thing like wx).

I'm still thinking VX is sorting out bumps and hiccups in handling irrops, as I said, given this and some other reports. Hope they can smooth it out and make customers happier (you can't be perfect, nor can you give away the store, but you CAN be customer-friendly. That Facebook posting from 7/24 is much more like it, IMO).