Virgin seat allocation fail - IMO

[Happy Dude]

Just flew BNE-MEL with the wife and two infants in 24A and 24B. Check-in was a rush so forgot to ask the rep to consider blocking 24C. On board, poor dude in 24C very graciously contended with two squirmy infants. Our 6mo spilt water on him and tried to gum his shirt and our nearly-2yo puked all over the wife - twice. The thing is, there were plenty of rows with the middle seat unoccupied. I'm not wanting special treatment because of the kids or trying to deprive a dude of his aisle seat, but why wouldn't the check-in folk recognise that he would be in a row with two infants and make adjustments accordingly? The flight was far from full so plenty of options. I'm sure that given a choice, dude would have chosen a middle seat in a row without infants. I would have.

 

[opusman]

Why is this Virgin's fault and not the parents?

My sister often travels with her toddler and as far as I know he's never puked on any other passengers.

 

[erkpod]

If I was said dude, I'd want to move ASAP.

 

[straitman]

Just flew BNE-MEL with the wife and two infants in 24A and 24B. Check-in was a rush so forgot to ask the rep to consider blocking 24C. On board, poor dude in 24C very graciously contended with two squirmy infants. Our 6mo spilt water on him and tried to gum his shirt and our nearly-2yo puked all over the wife - twice. The thing is, there were plenty of rows with the middle seat unoccupied. I'm not wanting special treatment because of the kids or trying to deprive a dude of his aisle seat, but why wouldn't the check-in folk recognise that he would be in a row with two infants and make adjustments accordingly? The flight was far from full so plenty of options. I'm sure that given a choice, dude would have chosen a middle seat in a row without infants. I would have.

You said checkin was a rush. Why? Were you running late?

You were just 2/4 of maybe 1000 people that agent checked in that day. Maybe the agent is actually human and overlooked your situation. Maybe the man actually picked his seat himself after your seats were allocated. Maybe he should have moved during the flight. Maybe any one of a whole bunch of things.

From the info provided I cannot see how this is a fail on the part of VA.

 

[Ian Craigen]

Why would you want A & B? Surely C D would be a whole lot easier with two infants.

No failure on Virgin. U got the seat you wanted, 24C should have asked the crew if he could move.

 

[VRC]

I suggest in future you book A and C or D and F increasing the possibility of having a spare seat.

 

[Intra]

If you were rushed, I'm sure the check-in crew were rushed somewhat too...

Your jumping to conclusions too soon; I can't see how check-in staff would note that 24A/B had two adults & children on a quick glance.

 

[bass_ke]

As someone who travels with an infant quite often I'd say that if you want an empty seat guaranteed buy the extra seat.

I have had a lot of luck getting an empty seat by getting to the airport with a bit of time to spare and asking the lounge angels politely if it'd be possible to have a spare seat beside us.

The only time they weren't able to do so at check in,the CSM moved the lady beside us to PE on an AKL - OOL leg. We weren't too fazed with someone beside us but it was an appreciated gesture!

 

[Lowjhg]

This might be an isolated incident, but the incident last evening left me less than happy to say the least.

Checked Expertflyer during boarding, 16 AC was taken and 16 DF wasn't taken. Probably someone wanted to get cozy with me at 16C. Got onto plane, 16DF remained empty.

What got me furious was the service. I was apparently skipped service. Didnt want to cause commotion by being a DYKWIA. Interestingly enough the NB beside me had much better service than me. Getting off the aircraft the FA just looked away from me :O

My experience might be an isolated case, but gave me a sore taste and makes me wonder if all the loyalty i give to VA is worth it. (i know im drifting OT)

 

[jaspon]

If they happened to miss you, why didn't you just use your call bell for some attention.

 

[Happy Dude]

Why is this Virgin's fault and not the parents?

My sister often travels with her toddler and as far as I know he's never puked on any other passengers.

I shall be contacting the editor of "Big Whoop" magazine regarding this incredible mother/toddler relationship.

 

[opusman]

Maybe you'd be better off writing to a parenting advice magazine!

 

[mannej]

I shall be contacting the editor of "Big Whoop" magazine regarding this incredible mother/toddler relationship.

If you are looking for people to side with you on this one, posts like that aren't the best way to go about it, really people could have been saying the same about the OP.

 

[Happy Dude]

As someone who travels with an infant quite often I'd say that if you want an empty seat guaranteed buy the extra seat.

I have had a lot of luck getting an empty seat by getting to the airport with a bit of time to spare and asking the lounge angels politely if it'd be possible to have a spare seat beside us.

The only time they weren't able to do so at check in,the CSM moved the lady beside us to PE on an AKL - OOL leg. We weren't too fazed with someone beside us but it was an appreciated gesture!

We usually do ask. We've also had some luck doing the window/aisle thing but then we tend to fly at off peak times and pick seats down the back so we don't hold up disembarking. As far as I can recall, it's only the second time in about 30 flights (QF or VA) that we've NOT been given a spare seat when requested at check-in. The first time we had a seat buddy we had been moved to row 4 for some reason and the plane was chockers.

Anyhoo, the reality is that although the spare seat is great, particularly as the wife is breastfeeding, I don't expect a spare seat nor do I care if there's someone beside us. Given that they could have, either on board or at check-in, I would have expected VA to do more to make the poor bugger beside us comfortable. Not doing so represents a failure - especially considering the hosties came running with more sick bags after the first round of puking. As I said, he was particularly gracious....but mysteriously anchored to the aisle seat. If I were him I would have done a runner.

 

[eastwest101]

....I would have expected VA to do more to make the poor bugger beside us comfortable. Not doing so represents a failure - especially considering the hosties came running with more sick bags after the first round of puking. As I said, he was particularly gracious....but mysteriously anchored to the aisle seat. If I were him I would have done a runner.

Yes - as you say - most people would have done a runner anywhere else - even if after take-off and asking the VA cabin crew first. Maybe he has been in a similar situation himself or extremely gracious or maybe just no other spare seats available if it was a full flight....

 

[Happy Dude]

If you are looking for people to side with you on this one, posts like that aren't the best way to go about it, really people could have been saying the same about the OP.

As the OP, I felt opusman's post (and now subsequent post) attacking my parenting skills were, and remain, irrelevant. But it is the anonymous internet so he's a champion!

 

[mannej]

As the OP, I felt opusman's post (and now subsequent post) attacking my parenting skills were, and remain, irrelevant. But it is the anonymous internet so he's a champion!

Your response is stooping just as low - I for one find it an interesting topic as I am about to embark on the quest of traveling with a child under 2, but I don't think that response helped...

 

[knasty]

I have found Jetstar to be quite proactive at check-in with blocking an adjacent seat, subject to loading. On the flipside I've found Virgin to be more proactive once onboard, often offering to move the 'surrounded' individual to a more comfortable position. On a recent flight a lady across the aisle from me gently complained that she was surrounded by 5 children (which was sort of true, 3 of them being mine in the vicinity) and the crew moved her to business before departure! Maybe she was a DYKWIA.

 

[suze2000]

How do you gently complain about being surrounded by children? Maybe it's me and my big mouth, but how do you do that without coming off rude/coughy or demanding?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I would have thought that VA would not allow a couple with two lap infants to sit in the same block of 3 seats unless they blocked off a seat for the simple reason that there is there is generally only one spare oxygen mask in each row of three seats (4 masks) so if there are 5 as in your case & a decompression incident somebody misses out.