Virgin Atlantic Part II

Virgin Atlantic raped my wallet.

I got kicked out of the airport and had to pay for two nights room and board in London without warning (as you can probably tell, I’m still bitter, but getting over it). I spent two days in Houndslow Middlesex: the first resting and fasting out whatever was in my system and the second getting lost in the Houndslow Heath Local Nature Reserve two hours (it’s a lot bigger than the map looks), which was actually quite pleasant. Two days later I go back to the airport plenty early to get my tickets when I find out (surprise, surprise) there’s another fee. Apparently the inconvenience I was causing Virgin Atlantic (in getting sick and forcing them to reissue my a ticket) required some compensation--$200 worth of compensation. Turns out, if I had accepted the compulsory albeit ill-advised offer to go to the hospital on Tuesday night this fee would have been waived (although, the hospital fees might very well have been more than $200). However, since I “declined the offered hospital visit” they had to have someone make sure I was “fit to fly” and that was going to cost me. No amount of arguing brought the fee down or out of the picture all together, so I handed over my credit card, grabbed my boarding pass and grumpily went to my gate.

I was set aside at the boarding gate for further inspection once everyone else had boarded. The so-called “fit to fly” inspection consisted of two questions:

(1) How long were you sick?

ANSWER: About 30 minutes on Tuesday right about when you de-boarded me.

(2) Are you feeling fine now?

ANSWER: Perfectly, thank you.

Well worth the $200, eh?

In any case, I made it to Nairobi two days later, one immigration stamp richer, but about $300 poorer. There’s a chance I can get refunded for the $200, but that requires some haggling with insurance and customer service representatives which is always a joy.

Kenya to come.