Virgin Atlantic

In message <4281d3b8$0$2066$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, at 10:43:10 on
Wed, 11 May 2005, S. <someone@somewhere.not> remarked:
>Our check in facilities will close 60 minutes prior to the
>scheduled departure times of our flights. If you fail to complete check in
>procedures by this time you will not be able to travel.

What? Even for First Class? I last flew Virgin out of San Francisco, it
must have been at most five minutes from their check-in desk to the gate
(albeit via security, but it had no queue at the time). One size does
not fit all.
--
Roland Perry

It's not so much a matter of how long it takes you to walk to the airplane,
but how long to it takes to get your bags there, the manifest finalised, and
a myriad other details required for a flight. You'll find that if one size
doesn't fit all, than no sizes fit anyone and you get chaos and horrible
on-time departure rates. Once you leave it up to someone's decision about
whether to let you check in late or not, you lose control of your system and
it breaks down. There's another airline here in the UK which does that
(doesn't control gate shut times) and the results speak for themselves.

Shawn

"Roland Perry" <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote in message
news:PP0Y9sYfBegCFAC0@donald.internetpolicynews.co .uk...
> In message <4281d3b8$0$2066$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, at 10:43:10 on Wed,
> 11 May 2005, S. <someone@somewhere.not> remarked:
>>Our check in facilities will close 60 minutes prior to the
>>scheduled departure times of our flights. If you fail to complete check in
>>procedures by this time you will not be able to travel.
>
> What? Even for First Class? I last flew Virgin out of San Francisco, it
> must have been at most five minutes from their check-in desk to the gate
> (albeit via security, but it had no queue at the time). One size does not
> fit all.
> --
> Roland Perry

In message <ozqge.12871$Jc5.7593@fe1.news.> , at 16:39:48
on Wed, 11 May 2005, ShawnD2112 <wylie2112@> remarked:
>It's not so much a matter of how long it takes you to walk to the airplane,
>but how long to it takes to get your bags there, the manifest finalised, and
>a myriad other details required for a flight.

So Virgin are now admitting that an hour isn't long enough?
--
Roland Perry

Maybe, but considering that it's never just your lone bag that shows up at
the T-60 mark and there are 350 passengers on an average 747. You need to
think about volume, not just the one person who lodged the original post.
Beside, ever seen the baggage system at Heathrow? Yes, sometimes an hour
isn't enough!

Shawn
"Roland Perry" <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote in message
news:z$5XhLsr0jgCFA2R@donald.internetpolicynews.co .uk...
> In message <ozqge.12871$Jc5.7593@fe1.news.> , at 16:39:48
> on Wed, 11 May 2005, ShawnD2112 <wylie2112@> remarked:
>>It's not so much a matter of how long it takes you to walk to the
>>airplane,
>>but how long to it takes to get your bags there, the manifest finalised,
>>and
>>a myriad other details required for a flight.
>
> So Virgin are now admitting that an hour isn't long enough?
> --
> Roland Perry

In message <mqLge.69546$Cq2.16328@fe2.news. >, at
16:23:46 on Thu, 12 May 2005, ShawnD2112 <wylie2112@>
remarked:
>Well, that's an interesting debate. Let's assume that anyone checking in
>late will delay the aircraft (if the risk wasn't high that this would be the
>case, there wouldn't be a one hour limit, or it would be less time).

I don't agree with that assumption. Unless Virgin is especially
incompetent.

--
Roland Perry

You may not. But we had to make some assumptions to demonstrate the point.
At some point before departure, a late passenger will delay a flight. Is
that point 10 minutes before departure? 20? 30? 45? How do you know what
it is and whether Virgin's one hour is legitimate or not?

Shawn
"Roland Perry" <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote in message
news:0sMm1KO$T4gCFAmA@donald.internetpolicynews.co .uk...
> In message <mqLge.69546$Cq2.16328@fe2.news. >, at 16:23:46
> on Thu, 12 May 2005, ShawnD2112 <wylie2112@> remarked:
>>Well, that's an interesting debate. Let's assume that anyone checking in
>>late will delay the aircraft (if the risk wasn't high that this would be
>>the
>>case, there wouldn't be a one hour limit, or it would be less time).
>
> I don't agree with that assumption. Unless Virgin is especially
> incompetent.
>
> --
> Roland Perry

In message <s8Pge.71364$Cq2.44340@fe2.news. >, at
20:37:44 on Thu, 12 May 2005, ShawnD2112 <wylie2112@>
remarked:
>You may not. But we had to make some assumptions to demonstrate the point.
>At some point before departure, a late passenger will delay a flight. Is
>that point 10 minutes before departure? 20? 30? 45? How do you know what
>it is and whether Virgin's one hour is legitimate or not?

Please don't top post.

Other airlines manage with shorter times. Even the Easyjet's of this
world manange with a half hour deadline.

>Shawn
>"Roland Perry" <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:0sMm1KO$T4gCFAmA@donald.internetpolicynews.c o.uk...
>> In message <mqLge.69546$Cq2.16328@fe2.news. >, at 16:23:46
>> on Thu, 12 May 2005, ShawnD2112 <wylie2112@> remarked:
>>>Well, that's an interesting debate. Let's assume that anyone checking in
>>>late will delay the aircraft (if the risk wasn't high that this would be
>>>the
>>>case, there wouldn't be a one hour limit, or it would be less time).
>>
>> I don't agree with that assumption. Unless Virgin is especially
>> incompetent.

--
Roland Perry

On Thu, 12 May 2005 15:59:37 +0100, "S." <someone@somewhere.not> wrote:

>
>"Ali Hopkins" <fn62@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
>news:3egdpcF304koU1@...
>>
>> "Steve Firth" <%steve%@malloc.co.uk> wrote in message
>> news:1gwf7bz.cpegrscbs20yN%%steve%@malloc.co.uk...
>>> Ali Hopkins <fn62@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> One pf the myriad reasons I don't fly to the US any more. I used
>>>> to travel there once a month or more on both business and pleasure, but
>>>> it's
>>>> just too much hassle.
>>>
>>> You too eh?
>>
>> Yup!
>>
>All of the comments I have received from people visiting the USA have been
>very negative over the last 18 months ;

I've been going to the US annually since 1999. At Chicago and Las Vegas
entry points I can't say I've noticed any difference.

DaveM

On Thu, 12 May 2005 22:41:23 +0100, Air <magwaus@operamail.com> wrote:

> They do ask at times, even customs too, quizzing me laboriously about
>my husband's job,

I got quizzed once in Vegas as to whether I was intending to work. As I'm a
doctor and Vegas was having major troubles recruiting and retaining
emergency physicians due to malpractice costs, I assumed they were hoping I
was. ;-)

DaveM

"Not the Karl Orff" <canwine@nome.com> wrote in message
news:canwine-D5991F.08140612052005@news.vc.shawcable.net...
> In article <4283606f$0$2058$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>,
> "S." <someone@somewhere.not> wrote:
>
>> "ShawnD2112" <wylie2112@> wrote in message
>> news:BQwge.15112$Jc5.14339@fe1.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
>> > Maybe, but considering that it's never just your lone bag that shows up
>> > at
>> > the T-60 mark and there are 350 passengers on an average 747. You need
>> > to
>> > think about volume, not just the one person who lodged the original
>> > post.
>> > Beside, ever seen the baggage system at Heathrow? Yes, sometimes an
>> > hour
>> > isn't enough!
>> >
>>
>> As the OP, I posted it merely for info. / warning. However............
>>
>> I distinctly remember sitting on a packed A330 bound for Brazil, and take
>> off was delayed 20 minutes because.................. 1 passenger was
>> stuck
>> in a queue at "duty free".
>
> A330? Which airline and from where? I'm curious

It was an Airtours holiday picked up at half price on lastminute.com, 2
weeks in Salvador, Brazil, but as I was told by the lovely rep., the Germans
and Italians had tried setting up package holidays to Praia do Forte, but
hadn't "taken off". As this was pre 9/11, (I arrived back in the UK just as
the towers were plummeting), I doubt it survived.

It was an Airtours charter flight non-stop Gatwick to Salvador - 10.75
hours.