Day-notice flight changes on Virgin Atlantic?
 

Hi,

Been over here in the US for about five years now, and finally going for a little visit back home to see family.

Problem is that I need to do the consulate visit and renew my visa while I'm back too. Unfortunately given the dates they have interviews, it means changing my flight back to the US. I have my interview on Jan 4th, the day before I was due to fly back. They say it takes 5-10 days for the visa to be mailed to me.

Just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar boat? I'm traveling with Virgin Atlantic and I've already had big problems with them just booking my original flight in the first place, so I'm a little hesitant to go calling them right now without doing some research. After my last experience I don't trust their CS guys one bit.

Ideally I want to fly back the day after I get my visa pretty much, so don't really want to push back the flight the full ten days if i can help it. Do Virgin do standbys? I don't mind paying the flight change fee, I just don't want to have to pay it multiple times.

Any help appreciated... :)

Re: Day-notice flight changes on Virgin Atlantic?
 

Does the ticket/eticket say what the rules are for changing the flight?

I haven't flown with Virgin for a while, but friends have and have had no problem. You might just have been unlucky with an agent and if you now just ring again with your confirmation number you'll get someone else and everything will be straightforward.

As for timeframe... my experience is nothing ever comes on time, and I'd rebook the ticket 12 days after the visa is expected back, just so you have a flight home in case the flights are full, then see if you can bring the flight forward only when you get the visa. Assuming your ticket allows that.

Re: Day-notice flight changes on Virgin Atlantic?
 

I've changed a number of tickets with Virgin they usually charge $150, I always call the UK number to sort it not the US one.

Re: Day-notice flight changes on Virgin Atlantic?
 

You might want to try this question on Flyertalk. Alternatively (or as well as) you could always try the tried-and-tested method of phoning Virgin 3 times about this and seeing if each of the agents gives you the same answer (not great if you have high blood pressure though).

Re: Day-notice flight changes on Virgin Atlantic?
 

I have just been in a very similar position, we were flying out on Dec 23 back on Jan 3, our situation changed after we booked which meant a consulte trip for us too. No way could we get our visa back and make the return flight.

At first I was told nothing Virgin could do, followed by an email saying nothing they could do, on the next phone call I was advised to take my flight out and then change my return flight while in England.

I managed after lots of begging and pleading to just change my flights all together. At a cost of $275 per ticket:eek:

Re: Day-notice flight changes on Virgin Atlantic?
 

A lot of this can depend on what fare class you're in. (Each cabin is split up into different "fare classes" by most airlines, and different fare classes can have different restrictions and rules attached to them). It's not always obvious what fare class your ticket is in, but the point here is that the rules that apply to your economy ticket may differ from the rules applied to someone else's economy ticket on that same flight. Rather than try to decypher this yourself the best way should in theory be to call the airline and have them tell you the answer to your question as it applies to you and your particular ticket type. Undortunately you then run the risk of getting a fuckwit - hence my earlier "call 3 times suggestion". Or go to Flyertalk and have some boffin work it out for you.

Re: Day-notice flight changes on Virgin Atlantic?
 

Thanks everyone, useful stuff! Don't feel so green now for when I eventually call. :)

Just threw this up on flyertalk, so thanks for the tip there.

Yeah, ideally I'd love to do that. Just want to avoid paying two sets of change fees.