Getting a straight answer on forced seat changes

[theevilmuppet]

Hi all,

I recently spent a weekend in Queensland with two friends, flying MEL-OOL and then (funnily enough) OOL-MEL. About 30 days prior to departure, I called the GCC to make sure the three of us were seated in 3A, 3B and 3C for both legs.

Upon checking in at the lounge, we had all been moved out of row 3 and into 4E, 4F and 7C. Neither lounge, gate nor flight staff could offer any explanation or alternatives to the arrangements that had been made.

Of course, Virgin Australia are supplying the generic statements around "safety and operational requirements" and refusing to give anything approximating a straight answer about why this change was made.

Am I being overly optimistic in expecting a straight answer from Virgin? Failing that, is it unreasonable to expect that recognition of the airline's conduct actually occur?

 

[mannej]

Seat changes do occur. I don't think an airline will provide a response as to why apart from the generic operational reasons.

As such I'd move on and put it down to experience as annoying as it is.

 

[Denali]

So was there people sitting in row 3? Maybe Bronwyn couldn't find a chopper that day?

The only time Ive had staff try to bump me from my prized seat was because there were staff on the flight who were "better trained in emergencies" than I was so they tried to bump me to make way for non working staff.

Only problem with that was the 2 minor children they were trying to put into a exit row with their mum and kick me to the back of the plane - I refused to give them my boarding pass and I reminded them of their own rules about minors in exit rows. It got a bit tense.

 

[theevilmuppet]

So was there people sitting in row 3? Maybe Bronwyn couldn't find a chopper that day?

Row 3 was completely full.

 

[EUROPA]

I would think you were bumped for staff or a member of 'the club'...

 

[robd]

Did you select row 3 during the booking process? I'm interested to know, if you had already booked row 3 for yourself and travelling companions, why you felt the need to phone 30 days prior to travel too?

 

[theevilmuppet]

I would think you were bumped for staff or a member of 'the club'...

Potentially, and I don't see exactly what's so difficult about Virgin actually making a statement to that effect if such is indeed the case.

 

[theevilmuppet]

Did you select row 3 during the booking process? I'm interested to know, if you had already booked row 3 for yourself and travelling companions, why you felt the need to phone 30 days prior to travel too?

I did for the fare myself and one of my companions was booked on. The third member of our party was on a different booking, hence the need to call.

 

[robd]

I did for the fare myself and one of my companions was booked on. The third member of our party was on a different booking, hence the need to call.

That makes sense. Understand that the separate ticket was not seated with you, but it still begs the question as to why you were booted from row 3?

 

[dfcatch]

I (and SWMBO) were bumped from 25AB on a QF 767 (whatever the front row was), and placed in random separate rows.

No explanation other than the service desk girl muttering under her breath about a CL. I firmly suggested that if I get bumped - it should be up not down. I also suggested that WTF did they not just put the CL in J and give us our seats back

Apparently the service desk girl like that kind of common sense and promptly called the CL host to advise of the change. Win-Win.

To the OP - lodge a customer care complaint.

 

[theevilmuppet]

To the OP - lodge a customer care complaint.

That's what I've done. The response was basically "for operational and safety reasons, we sometimes perform changes" followed by "we've referred your case for internal review".

I've already responded requesting that I be given a specific reason for the change and that the waste of customer time, lack of communication and unwillingness to accommodate a request made well in advance be justifiable treatment of a Velocity Platinum member.

 

[dfcatch]

That's what I've done. The response was basically "for operational and safety reasons, we sometimes perform changes" followed by "we've referred your case for internal review".

I've already responded requesting that I be given a specific reason for the change and that the waste of customer time, lack of communication and unwillingness to accommodate a request made well in advance be justifiable treatment of a Velocity Platinum member.

C'mon Virgin Australia - surely you can get someone to actually respond to the OP rather than the first year social media intern??

Here - let me help you out (this one's on the house):

"Dear Sir,

I was very sorry to learn of your disappointing Virgin Australia experience upon your unexpected seat change and separation from your traveling companions.
We value our Velocity Frequent Flyers and this experience was most certainly not up to the standard that aim to provide.

Whilst seating can never be guaranteed due to operational and safety reasons, we do provide and offer Preferred Seat Selection as a Status Benefit. Accordingly our Frequent Flyers have a reasonable expectation that seat selections won't change and we have clearly failed in this instance.

I'm sorry that I am unable to provide a precise explanation as to what happened in your particular circumstance but I can assure you that we are conducting internal inquiries to try and understand what went wrong.

I'm sorry again that we have let you down on this occasion and I hope that you'll give us another chance to accommodate you in your preferred seats."

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've already responded requesting that I be given a specific reason for the change

I don't think seat allocations are ever guaranteed, so you may also get the response.....
"Dear customer, we already gave you the specific answer. You were moved for operational reasons. Have a nice day".

It's certainly annoying, but in my experience, it does not happen very often and they've got it covered in the T&Cs for when it does. I don't like your chances of them giving anything more specific than what they already have.

 

[jpk]

Pretty disappointing, not just that it happened but as dfcatch showed, the reply could have been a lot better too and just compounds the ill feeling. My personal guess is someone at VA bumped you so they could put their friends/family there - shades of the LCC attitude still exist in some pockets unfortunately.

 

[theevilmuppet]

I don't think seat allocations are ever guaranteed, so you may also get the response.....
"Dear customer, we already gave you the specific answer. You were moved for operational reasons. Have a nice day".

That's actually not a specific answer though (I completely understand your point though). To be particular, the response I received made a general statement about a few reasons why this can sometimes happen - that is exactly the opposite to specific.

Operational reasons covers everything from aircraft substitution, weight redistribution, passengers requiring specific seating due to certain medical conditions and so on - any of those is more specific than just "operational reasons".

If the reason for the move is as some members are suggesting (to accommodate staff or friends of staff), then the reason is completely different to the very poor statements given. Compounding disregard with blatant lies isn't a great way to treat paying customers.

 

[Deewhy]

I had a similar experience in April from OOL. Selected and confirmed row three for 4 pax. Get to airport and been shoved down the back. Check in agent says "oh we have our sponsored football team on the plane". And me says "and?"... Response was "we have our sponsored football team on the plane, sorry sir". Couldn't believe that this was the answer they think was acceptable. I assume it was the GC suns. I didn't continue the discussion as I could see it was useless. Anyway, I get on the plane and see 1 of them in row three (all in orange) and the rest taken by what at looked like normal pax. Very unhappy.

 

[drivatruk]

Pretty disappointing, not just that it happened but as dfcatch showed, the reply could have been a lot better too and just compounds the ill feeling. My personal guess is someone at VA bumped you so they could put their friends/family there - shades of the LCC attitude still exist in some pockets unfortunately.

I have travelled as a friend of a Virgin employee and was entitled to a staff fare as they can allow 4 friends on their travel list for discounted fares. There is a strict stipulation that anyone on staff travel cannot be seated forward of row 16. I doubt an employee risk losing these entitlements to sit someone up the front.

 

[theevilmuppet]

I had a similar experience in April from OOL. Selected and confirmed row three for 4 pax. Get to airport and been shoved down the back. Check in agent says "oh we have our sponsored football team on the plane". And me says "and?"... Response was "we have our sponsored football team on the plane, sorry sir". Couldn't believe that this was the answer they think was acceptable. I assume it was the GC suns. I didn't continue the discussion as I could see it was useless. Anyway, I get on the plane and see 1 of them in row three (all in orange) and the rest taken by what at looked like normal pax. Very unhappy.

How on earth does that make sense? VA pay the team sponsorship funds (that they only have due to paying customers such as yourself) and bump you to the back?

That's very poor treatment on the airline's part.

 

[theevilmuppet]

I have travelled as a friend of a Virgin employee and was entitled to a staff fare as they can allow 4 friends on their travel list for discounted fares. There is a strict stipulation that anyone on staff travel cannot be seated forward of row 16. I doubt an employee risk losing these entitlements to sit someone up the front.

Most excellent information. Thank you drivatruk!

Even though those are the rules that are in place, unless they're structurally enforced by systems and process people will ignore them in all likelihood.

Do you happen to recall which fare class you were ticketed for when you flew under this arrangement?

 

[drivatruk]

No sorry i don't remember. Its effectively standby as i got clearance to board 5 mins before departing Fiji. I hated Fiji and was keen to get out but was told the plane was full and i would have to wait until the next day. I was so happy someone didn't show... I do recall the checkin staff telling me the system wouldn't let them allocate a seat forward of row 16.