Virgin Atlantic nightmare for disabled traveller

baza52

FlameCloud wrote: »

Given you never asked, how do you know?

Obviously i dont know. I never said i did either....

We had made VA well aware of the disability and did everything that we should have done months before the flight.
Why should we have disclosed personal info to all and sundry onboard. Thats the whole point of speaking confidentially to a doctor when you call them to request the seats.

It was VA's responsibility to ensure she had a suitable seat.

Nordictat2

Well as sad as it is...it's a lesson learned, Baza. You just have to make sure (for next time) things are sorted and try if possible to get it in writing!

PolishBigSpender

baza52 wrote: »

We had made VA well aware of the disability and did everything that we should have done months before the flight.
Why should we have disclosed personal info to all and sundry onboard. Thats the whole point of speaking confidentially to a doctor when you call them to request the seats.

It was VA's responsibility to ensure she had a suitable seat.

It's also your responsibility to take responsibility and alert the Cabin Crew to give them a chance to fix the situation. You didn't bother to do that, and a discreet word in the attendants ear upon boarding may have sorted the problem out for you.

Communication breakdowns happen, but if you don't give people a chance to sort it, how are they supposed to do it?

Anyway, as I understand it - the seat was actually provided for the disabled person.

baza52

how do you mean the seat was provided for the disabled person?

You seem to missing the fact that they are bound by law to provide suitable seating for a disabled person and also to sit their carer next to them. we had done everything that VA required us to do before travelling.

Try reading the law before you put the blame on us.

baza52

Nordictat2 wrote: »

Well as sad as it is...it's a lesson learned, Baza. You just have to make sure (for next time) things are sorted and try if possible to get it in writing!

As we were first allocated bulkheads the day before the flight and also had the same bulkhead seats coming home i think its safe to say that Virgin HAD recieved the call or they would not have moved us from our original seats.

Nordictat2

I understand that but all I'm saying is next time ASK for it in writing..in cases such as the one you experienced..it's proff for THEM that they need to keep their word..etc.

There is nothing that can be done now but next time...and don't mind PBS...he/she doesn't always know when to zip it lol.

PolishBigSpender

baza52 wrote: »

how do you mean the seat was provided for the disabled person?

You seem to missing the fact that they are bound by law to provide suitable seating for a disabled person and also to sit their carer next to them. we had done everything that VA required us to do before travelling.

You still don't seem to understand that you could've asked Virgin Atlantic to sort it out upon embarking. In fact, if you had done so and were refused - you might very well have had a case.

Try reading the law before you put the blame on us.

See, now you're quoting laws - yet you didn't give them a chance to sort it out without all this fuss.

baza52

If you and your partner were on that flight and a flight attendant had asked if you would mind sitting apart so a couple could sit together, baring in mind that one seat had no IFE would you have moved without question?

be honest in your reply.

dmg24

baza52 wrote: »

If you and your partner were on that flight and a flight attendant had asked if you would mind sitting apart so a couple could sit together, baring in mind that one seat had no IFE would you have moved without question?

be honest in your reply.

It is not a case of asking, in situations like this it is a case of the FA telling somebody to move. As others have already noted, they have every right to do this.

I understand that the situation is frustrating, but there was a breakdown in communication, and you could have done more to remedy this by having a discrete word with a crew member.

PolishBigSpender

baza52 wrote: »

If you and your partner were on that flight and a flight attendant had asked if you would mind sitting apart so a couple could sit together, baring in mind that one seat had no IFE would you have moved without question?

be honest in your reply.

As dmg24 so wonderfully put it, it's not a request - it's an order. On a flight to the US, with their paranoid mindset - refusal could quite easily see you led off the plane in handcuffs for failing to obey an order.

I imagine in the first instance, people would be asked politely if they would mind moving seats. If no-one agreed, then I suspect someone would be told to move for operational reasons - and if they failed to comply, then they would be on very shaky ground. The lack of IFE doesn't come into it - Virgin state somewhere in their T&C's that IFE isn't guaranteed.

Are you seriously suggesting that you would disobey an order from a flight attendant on a flight to the US?

Ultimately, if you have a disability, you also have an obligation to help other people understand and accomodate your disability. Many of the problems caused with disabled people (be it in work or recreational environments) are caused by the disabled person themselves not willing to meet people halfway. If Virgin Atlantic had been rude to you on board after you informed them of the problem, then you would have every right to raise hell. But you didn't even ask!