Virgin Atlantic is taking the kind deed of one passenger to spread some holiday cheer throughout their system over the next several days. A couple of weeks ago a heartwarming Facebook post went viral. It was written by a Virgin Atlantic flight attendant about what she witnessed on a flight. Essentially a man gave his…
Continue reading: Virgin Atlantic Upgrading Oldest Passenger On Every Flight
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
So nice to see an airline doing the right thing just because (though I’m sure the free publicity didn’t hurt).
Literally would never happen on a US airline - you’d be more likely to see Jack get dragged off the flight and have the cops called on him. And that staff giving free upgrades would get fired.
I imagine this is subject to availability? Might be on the wrong here, but with this being high-peak season, isn't the likelihood of there being a free business class seat very low?
"You should of seen her face..." aaarrrggghhhh I think I'm going to start a support group for people who have not had the benefit of English teachers in their lives.
@ Ben -- When I first a picture about this kind act (the middle one above), my immediate question was "When did Bill Cosby get released from prison?"
@Gene, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I am dying over here, literally DYING! I never saw the resemblance until now!
Why would elderly have priority over me is just plain ridiculous. I'm top tier with Virgin Atlantic and find this atrocious.
@John is a proof that all the status in the world can't really buy you class...
@LongWayAround Haha I agree! It's the season of giving and some sad, probably lonely people are still 'me me me'. You really can't buy class. This is a great gesture by Virgin Atlantic.
I think this is great especially for elderly travelling alone. If travelling with family, it might be tricky. I've travelled with my grandmother in the past (she's in her 90s) and I know she wouldn't take the upgrade even if we insisted on it as she prefers to sit next to someone she knows.
Good for VS for doing this. Several years ago I recall travelling during the holiday season and before boarding they had a small carol singing competition and whoever won got an upgrade to upper class. Pretty cool and certainly made a lot of people get into the holiday mood.
@Ben Holz
It's peak season for leisure travel with people traveling home for the holidays, not business travel. I've flown LAX-LHR in between Christmas and New Years multiple times, and business class is generally not very full.
US airlines employees only upgrade their family members. I never seen so many family and friends flying for free on business class in US airlines.
@John,
Bah humbug, my friend. I'm going to assume you're a work of fiction too.
To decide it the Asian airline way, both will get upgraded.
To decide it the EU airline way, the tie breaker is probably the check in time.
To decide it the US airline way, the tie breaker is probably the higher fare class.
I'm imagining all of the pre-boards chatting and comparing birthdays beforehand.
@John: Top "tier" or not, you're not that important to Virgin if you're not buying business class tickets in the first place. They won't miss you if you switch loyalty. Sorry to have to break the news to you on Xmas Eve, but your holiday spirit sucks anyways so not a huge deal I guess.
You and most other Americans probably didn’t get the reference why she said I’d like her to be called Vera it’s because Jack and Vera were a famous couple on the UK’s longest running soap opera Coronation Street https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vera_Duckworth
You’d love Coronation Street Lucky, it’s fabulously trashy
I understand John may be joking, but wow man... this shows exactly what is wrong with our societies today. These are the monsters we’re creating. If it’s not good for/benefits me, it’s not good
@ktc
I've swapped seat dozens of time in the states. Never got arrested or thrown out.
It's paranoid freaks like this that makes America worse.
Anyone who swap seat is suspicious.
Anyone disobeying FA will get a David Dao.
Anyone wearing a turban is a terrorist.
Anyone speaking anything but English is trying to blow up the plane.
Anyone who isn't white seems to say the word bomb in every sentence.
Surprisingly a paranoid country like this still have mass school shooting every year. It's not the guns. It's all the paranoid freaks.
Never saw any mass shooting in USA carried out by a person wearing a turban firing AR-15. All school shooting seems to be carried out by a native English speaker. Better stay home, USA is too dangerous.
Basically, Virgin has just killed loyalty and gives the middle finger to their Gold members.
Nice one Richard.
Whether it is a serious post or not - everyone is criticizing John. But how many people reading this would give up their paid or points or upgrades business class seat and go sit in economy? Not too many I'd imagine.
But I do think Jack is rather cute. If I had to sit in economy, I wouldn't mind being next to him.
Ben, it's Christmas season and Christmas cheer, not generic "holiday". I mean come on it's Christmas Eve today!!!!
Anyway, have a Merry Christmas!!
For the love of all that is holy....some of you people are so sad and angry and pathetic...
Common f'ing sense would tell you they wouldn't ask anyone to GIVE UP their upgraded seat. They simply will upgrade the oldest passenger to an EMPTY business class seat.
So f'ing paranoid that someone will take something from you...or worse...that you will miss an opportunity to feel superior to someone else.
You don't have to be an ugly, petty, paranoid person ALL THE TIME...let it go periodically...holiday season and all that...
To the people complaining that they are gold and should get afree upgrade should know that's not how VS does upgrades.
Your status is only part of it. Flight history and fare bucket also plays a part - in fact a greater part in deciding who gets the upgrade.
Fly Upper and drop to PE for a flight isn't going to get you an upgrade. But be a regular PE flyer then you will be higher in the queue because VS would hope to convert you to flying Upper more in the future. Why treat someone who already pays for the higher cabin most of the time?
And that's not even taking into account that VS does not offer free upgrades to elites just because there are empty seats
Its VSs seat and they can do what the heck they want with it.
And BA essentially operates the same system but with slightly different criteria.
Passenger does a lovely thing and airline decides to follow the example and do the same (but only where there is space) yet this is still a bad thing to some of you?
BTW I bet this Rose would have moved over to let this Jack share her door with her!
Violet being offered this wonderful experience is simply lovely!
Jack belittling her experience by rubbishing business class harping on about “inequality” was unnecessary.
Merry Christmas x
Awesome idea! Kudos to Jack for initiating such a great deed. And to VS for taking it up!
@GogoBear
Blood well said! Everyone be generous, kind and giving, for a wee bit, think the positive of giving your elders some comfort and respect. Thank you to Jack, his family and Virgin Airlines for reminding all that being kind is worth more than gold.