Need help- Virgin have changed my seats and allocated me away from my kids after I paid to sit together

[Fcukedupflight]

This is going to be a long one to get in all details, but here’s a short version- Virgin changed my flights, lost my seat bookings and have sat me away from my children and are now saying they can’t do anything about it.

long version- I booked my flights months ago, travelling as a single parent with two ‘disabled’ children (one is ASD with a physical disability and complex additional needs, one is deaf and adhd). I paid to upgrade to premium economy and paid to book our seats so we were next to eachother.
a few months ago Virgin text to say they’d changed my flight. I checked and it was only by an hour so no issues. Then today I had a thought and checked, yep, they’ve moved our seat allocations and we are all separate and middle seats.
so today I’ve spent 3.5 hours on the phone and gotten no where. Virgin say that it’s a delta flight so they can’t change the seats. Delta say I would have to downgrade to economy (I’ve said no problem, not ideal but I’ll it) but to do that I have to get Virgin to make the change. Virgin say they can’t and I need to ask delta to call them? I have cried, I’ve asked to speak to a manager (and got put on hold and then disconnected ). I’ve offered to pay to upgrade. No one can help me. They just keep blaming eachother and saying they can’t do anything.

I don’t think we can do the flight, my kids fly well and are used to travelling, but they’re very stranger conscious and won’t manage hours in the middle of random people. Also my daughter is only 7, she needs to be near me for safeguarding. I don’t know what to do. Does anyone have any experience of this happening? I feel like our dream trip has been ruined, I just don’t see how they’ll manage the flight.

any Virgin experts who can help me out? I’ve called (a lot!), emailed and tried their chat which no one ever responded to. Due to fly in two weeks

Where are you? There is (or was) a Virgin travel agent in the Trafford Centre if near that part of the world. Not sure if they’d be able to help, particularly as the flight is with Delta.

As is often said on here though, ‘next to’ can mean across an aisle or directly in front or behind your row. What aircraft are you flying on? I’ve never seen 3 seats in premium, it’s normally 2-4-2.

I guess you could try making contact by email or social media if you’re not getting anywhere on the phone. Have you contacted the accessibility office for either airline?

I have tried email, and chat and even Facebook as well as the phone. Nothing is working at the moment. I’m googling stores to go into but the closest one is over an hour away. I registered my kids as having the disabilities when I booked and even spoke to someone from their team who told me they’d be sat next to me

@WaneyEdge its a Boeing 737 and the seats are 3-3

Can you put something on their X (Twitter) page? That often gets results...

Have you tried Twitter? A strong statement in a public domain often helps, even if it’s a general ‘can anyone help’ plea, tagging them and Delta

If both of your kids are under 12 you’ll be sat together. I used to work for virgin and they have a policy.

Ah, when we last flew with them it was a 777. I’d do as others suggested and try Twitter/X.

Focus on contacting Delta because they are doing the seat allocation.

It’s an arm reach policy, the same as any other airline.

For the first time I had a similar issue with Virgin. My children are adults but I had booked premium economy and chose our seats (didn’t have to pay extra). Then got notification that there had been changes but the flight was same time so didn’t think about it. They had changed the plane and we no longer had our seats and when I looked there weren’t three together. The only option was to book two together and one separate - not a problem as I said all adults. The issue was the only remaining single seat had a £75 surcharge. I very reluctantly paid it and thought it must be extra leg room or something but when we boarded it was just a normal seat!
I can’t believe your issue can’t be escalated to someone who has the power to actually do something. Start writing to the top management.

Phone their special assistance line.

never once have had to pay to sit next to my disabled children on a plane - just phoned special assistance and chosen our seats together for free as a reasonable adjustment

always found special assistance very amenable and helpful.

Yep it’s either in front across or behind. But generally with kids with assisted needs they will sit together

We had this. Almost exactly same scenario. They sorted it at the airport. Don't panic, it will be an airport job though.

But generally is no good.

They can see where they are seated and it isn't together.

I agree with X/twitter but if you are a new account it will be difficult to get noticed

Emailing the CEO can work. Or involving a newspaper/ your MP.

[email protected] is the ceo's email address if that helps.

I can’t believe that when it comes to getting on the plane they will sit disabled children away from their parent. Have you spelt out to them on the phone that you have two disabled children and that they will have to take responsibility for them on the plane if they don’t seat them with you!

Yep. That’s always been my experience but never travelled with virgin or delta.

But if easyJet and Ryanair are willing to it I’m surprised a bigger company isn’t.

Although I’ve also been vilified on airplane seat thread for saying I do this on MN many a time.

I always say that someone else was always more than welcome to be my disabled kids carer for the journey if they wanted. Funnily enough that wasn’t an acceptable solution either 🤔

This is one thread I would like the daily mail to pick up, in the hope it gets you all sat together on the way to your dream holiday. Good luck OP.

But that hasn’t happened, that’s why she’s posting.

That’s what I’m saying they will sort it out when she goes to check in at the airport or the night before when the night planner gets the flight sheet.

Complain about it on twitter. They'll get it sorted for you in no time. Once when I was flying Air Canada, my left leg was badly bitten by fleas and swelled up from the ankle to the knee. I posted about it on twitter and Air Canada instantly reached out to me. Worth a shot.

I agree with the others, the special assistance team who help with arranging things like priority boarding and priority security can also book seats together for families with disabled travelers. They are very understanding and may be able to offer something that the other people you've spoken to haven't thought of. I'd suggest trying the assisted travel team for both virgin and Delta. Good luck!

I'd focus on calling Delta back and explaining your children are underage and disabled and if you are not sitting next to them then strangers will need to care for them. You dont need to explain what the disability is.
Meanwhile contact Virgin in writing and say you paid for seats together and they haven't honoured your booking so they need to resolve this otherwise your disabled kids situation will be escalated to the press.

Then I'd email this to Anna Tims or one of the other press consumer help people.

How awful for you !! I cant believe how unhelpful they are. I wouldn't bother going to a shop or anything. They are unlikely yo have any means of help

Posting for traffic in the hope the right person picks this story up x