Virgin Atlantic Seat Selection
Thread Starter
There are 66 seats on the Gatwick 747's, a third upstairs & the rest downstairs. Close to 50 of those had gone by the time I checked - I can't believe that there are that many people who have picked seats so that is why I wondered how many are held back.
The reason that I am pissed off with Virgin is that when I booked my Upper Class return they told me I could select seats from 25/6.
They apparently had no intention of allowing that.
I do not want to be rude about the Bearded Billionaire. I just want his Co.s to deliver on their promise.
They apparently had no intention of allowing that.
I do not want to be rude about the Bearded Billionaire. I just want his Co.s to deliver on their promise.
Another update. I logged on yesterday morning and selected my PE seats from UVF on 21.9.14. Only a few already taken, and job done in a few clicks.
As mentioned above, it seems the seats are available from about 8am 60 days before you travel, you do not have to wait until the time of your departure in 60 days time.
As mentioned above, it seems the seats are available from about 8am 60 days before you travel, you do not have to wait until the time of your departure in 60 days time.
Paxing All Over The World
garybell Just to clarify - are you looking at booking your tickets, or have you got the tickets and now trying to book specific seats?
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Paxboy thanks
Sorry Trying to book flights - not seats.
Have now been informed by Virgin chatline that flights can't be booked more than 11 months in advance. So although the outbound flights are for sale now the return flights don't go on sale until August. Crazy or what?
Sorry Trying to book flights - not seats.
Have now been informed by Virgin chatline that flights can't be booked more than 11 months in advance. So although the outbound flights are for sale now the return flights don't go on sale until August. Crazy or what?
Is the 60 day issue related to flexibility with aircraft changes on schedules?
Mrs TCAS is a very nervous passenger and still remembers Virgin's "we only fly with four engines". When trying to book to the Caribbean next April we found that one day a week there was a 747 operating rather than the b***dy awful A330. Booked the flights only to be told a month later that the return flight departure had changed. Went into the booking and found that they'd now also substituted a 330 for the 747, Mrs TCAS not impressed!
Mrs TCAS is a very nervous passenger and still remembers Virgin's "we only fly with four engines". When trying to book to the Caribbean next April we found that one day a week there was a 747 operating rather than the b***dy awful A330. Booked the flights only to be told a month later that the return flight departure had changed. Went into the booking and found that they'd now also substituted a 330 for the 747, Mrs TCAS not impressed!
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Garybell, Virgin isn't unusual in having a "booking window" - for Virgin it is 330 days out, so yes - outbound flights are "bookable" before the return flights are....
Which does lead to interesting situations - for example, Virgin Holidays will "sell" flights further out than that, but it won't be ticketed until into the 330 day window...
And regarding the 60 day window - nope, aircraft are "usually" scheduled way ahead of that. The current 60 day window developed by "accident"; you used to be able to request seats at time of booking - up to 330 days out. They must really regret announcing the "payable" reservations before they have even thought about the details of how they would implement it...
Which does lead to interesting situations - for example, Virgin Holidays will "sell" flights further out than that, but it won't be ticketed until into the 330 day window...
And regarding the 60 day window - nope, aircraft are "usually" scheduled way ahead of that. The current 60 day window developed by "accident"; you used to be able to request seats at time of booking - up to 330 days out. They must really regret announcing the "payable" reservations before they have even thought about the details of how they would implement it...
Paxing All Over The World
deep_south
Sales people on a percentage are like that. When I was working for a mobile phone company in Munich, the sales people thought up a whole new 'offer' and started to tell the retailers about it before asking the IT department whether it was even possible ...
garybell Yes, it can be annoying but they have to release flights for booking at some stage and there will often be a time when the return you want is below that horizon.
TCAS FAN The 'Four For Long Haul' was an Airbus slogan that they put around 'against' the 777 which was then chewing into their 340 sales. Subsequently, the market has moved - and the market is the carriers not the pax! Us oldies tend to prefer x4 engines but the younger generations have only known/will know the 767/777/787/330/350. The 340/380 will be around but the minority. However, the statistics show that the x2 config is reliable.
They must really regret announcing the "payable" reservations before they have even thought about the details of how they would implement it...
garybell Yes, it can be annoying but they have to release flights for booking at some stage and there will often be a time when the return you want is below that horizon.
TCAS FAN The 'Four For Long Haul' was an Airbus slogan that they put around 'against' the 777 which was then chewing into their 340 sales. Subsequently, the market has moved - and the market is the carriers not the pax! Us oldies tend to prefer x4 engines but the younger generations have only known/will know the 767/777/787/330/350. The 340/380 will be around but the minority. However, the statistics show that the x2 config is reliable.
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Subsequently, the market has moved - and the market is the carriers not the pax! Us oldies tend to prefer x4 engines but the younger generations have only known/will know the 767/777/787/330/350. The 340/380 will be around but the minority.
Supply and demand... the passengers create the market for seats which creates the market for aircraft !
Your average cheapskate passenger these days wants to stick their backside on a seat for the least cost possible.
Four engines = higher maintenance costs = higher fuel costs = higher seat prices the passengers won't pay !
The other reason the larger aircraft operate fewer routes is ...yes, that's right ... DEMAND !
If you're not going to be able to generate a large enough load factor at your average price to be able to break-even (or preferably turn a profit) on a larger aircraft then the smaller aircraft makes better business sense !
Paxing All Over The World
mixture, if you are referring to me as an 'oldie', then I agree. But I'm not sure why you then lecture:
Indeed, I said, the market has moved
Indeed, I said, the market has moved
Indeed ...
Indeed ...
So, I may be old but I don't think I gave 'misguided opinions' but you probably meant someone else.
Supply and demand...
Your average cheapskate passenger these days
Four engines = ... = higher seat prices the passengers won't pay !
The other reason the larger aircraft operate fewer routes is ...yes, that's right ... DEMAND !
So, I may be old but I don't think I gave 'misguided opinions' but you probably meant someone else.
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PAXboy
How about the words.....
I see plenty of misguided opinions there...
Seems quite obvious you are bemoaning the loss of your beloved 4x engine aircraft on various routes and that you unnecessarily doubt the reliability of 2x engines (resorting to "the statistics show").
How about the words.....
Us oldies tend to prefer x4 engines but the younger generations have only known/will know the 767/777/787/330/350. The 340/380 will be around but the minority. However, the statistics show that the x2 config is reliable.
Seems quite obvious you are bemoaning the loss of your beloved 4x engine aircraft on various routes and that you unnecessarily doubt the reliability of 2x engines (resorting to "the statistics show").
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Not forgetting that Rolls Royce are now producing engines with such phenomenal power that couldn't have been dreamed of even 15 years ago! Therefore 2 engines are capable of producing more power than 4 on say the 74.
Big isn't always beautiful. Club world on the upper deck on BA's 747 is much preferable to that on the A380.
Big isn't always beautiful. Club world on the upper deck on BA's 747 is much preferable to that on the A380.
Paxing All Over The World
I was able to book my seats for November, although their clock put it at something like -59 days and 12 hours. Howsoever, I got the seats I wanted. Now to wait until the return secot is available.
For a premium service, not so clever.
For a premium service, not so clever.
Paxing All Over The World
VS did well today: I got a call to see if there wa ask:
For that, they scored top marks.
- Was I ready for my trip on xxxday?
- Was there aything else they could help me with?
For that, they scored top marks.
I had a similar experience on our PE trip and used the call to book an on the phone one way upgrade to UC on our return leg for a fraction of the cost of the airport upgrade charge.
Excellent PE product and really enjoyed flying it, and would happily do so again.
Excellent PE product and really enjoyed flying it, and would happily do so again.
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I have received "Anything we can help you with?" phone calls many times from Virgin. Often the in-resort rep does this. They don't allow you to online check in with infants, this caused us a lot of stress last time. However, if you are organised, you should not have problems getting seats allocated. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you at 0800 when to do the allocation. I set mine in January for next years flight, its not rocket science.............
Oh yes, chill out a little. These 'problems' are a bit of overkill
If you have a ticket, you will get a seat.......
Oh yes, chill out a little. These 'problems' are a bit of overkill
If you have a ticket, you will get a seat.......