Booking a specific fare class

Planning on going to Tokyo beginning of Dec (out 2/12 returning 9/12); I have some miles to use and want the flexibility of an S class fare in case I want to upgrade (currently there is availability in G) and is only £200 more than a K.

Tried every which way to get this on the website (cause I want me 1500 miles 4 booking online )but it won't play [:(] Phoned reservations and they are more than happy to book the fare but said that they won't do anything about the 1500 miles I won't get for booking over the phone.

I think thats a bit unfair really. Anyone know of a way to get the website to return me an S class fare, or did I just speak to the wrong person ? It should be around the £1437 mark but I can only get the £1237 (K) or the £1886 (W) online !!

Heard mutterings that VS are changing their online booking system so that we can select specific fare classes; the sooner the better I say !! Anyone know of any news on this ??

Thanks

[honey lamb]

Phoned reservations and they are more than happy to book the fare but said that they won't do anything about the 1500 miles I won't get for booking over the phone.

I think thats a bit unfair really.

So now you know how I feel as I can only book over the phone. I've missed out on 8,000 miles so far this year [:(]

Originally posted by honey lamb

Phoned reservations and they are more than happy to book the fare but said that they won't do anything about the 1500 miles I won't get for booking over the phone.

I think thats a bit unfair really.

So now you know how I feel as I can only book over the phone. I've missed out on 8,000 miles so far this year [:(]

Why ?

[preiffer]

Originally posted by Nitrox

Originally posted by honey lamb
So now you know how I feel as I can only book over the phone. I've missed out on 8,000 miles so far this year [:(]

Why ?

The flag under honey lamb's gold card is a big clue...

va.com won't take payment funded from a different country to that which the flight originates from.

"Please note you are only able to book a ticket online if your card billing address is in the country of departure."

Why not just book the cheaper K fare?

[preiffer]

Originally posted by McCoy
Why not just book the cheaper K fare?

I think Nitrox answered that in his original question...

Planning on going to Tokyo beginning of Dec (out 2/12 returning 9/12); I have some miles to use and want the flexibility of an S class fare in case I want to upgrade (currently there is availability in G) and is only £200 more than a K.

Yeah, but I suppose those are the rules (crap rules in your case honey lamb [:(]) where as I am (and many others) have to suffer due to an inadequate website/booking system !

[mitchja]

Honey Lamb cannot book any fare online as she doesn't live in England as you have to live in the country that your flight will depart from to book with a credit card online. I really do hope the airlines soon will change this policy, although I doubt it's going to happen as this will mean the end of online travel websites who insist on charging you more for fares anyway. The only time I use online travel agents now is to now book my flights that dont originate in England.

Regards

Originally posted by mitchja
I really do hope the airlines soon will change this policy, although I doubt it's going to happen as this will mean the end of online travel websites who insist on charging you more for fares anyway.

United will happily sell me domestic US tickets (with point of origin in the US, but point of sale in the UK) through http://www.unitedairlines.co.uk/ so it looks like it's just a Virgin problem.

Cheers,
Mike

[mitchja]

I've tried with SQ and HP online, neither will allow you to pay online unless your credit card is registered in the departure country.

I beleive you can fool the HP website by putting your UK address in a certain way and paying on an Amex card but I've never been able to do it yet.

Regards

Originally posted by mike-smashing

Originally posted by mitchja
I really do hope the airlines soon will change this policy, although I doubt it's going to happen as this will mean the end of online travel websites who insist on charging you more for fares anyway.

United will happily sell me domestic US tickets (with point of origin in the US, but point of sale in the UK) through http://www.unitedairlines.co.uk/ so it looks like it's just a Virgin problem.

Cheers,
Mike

As do jetBlue when I needed to fly Orlando - Boston last year

Originally posted by mitchja
I've tried with SQ and HP online, neither will allow you to pay online unless your credit card is registered in the departure country.

I managed to book and pay for SIN-KUL-SIN flights earlier in the year on SQ's website

I tried booking a flight with United from SFO to LAS last month online and it wouldn't have any of it with my UK card.
Tried phoning but that just gave me an automated system that wasn't a lot of use, but did get told by someone that if you repeatedly press zero, you do get to speak to someone. Then got to book over the phone and pay when I collected my ticket at the airport.

Did find most sites like Expedia, Opodo etc won't let you book a flight the same day even taking into account the time differences.

Originally posted by xenole
I tried booking a flight with United from SFO to LAS last month online and it wouldn't have any of it with my UK card.

You need make sure you are using the booking engine on http://www.unitedairlines.co.uk, rather united.com.

The united.com one, for sure, will not accept non-US/Canada payment methods or billing addresses.

Cheers,
Mike

[Pete]

Odd. I booked my internal flights for HP back in June directly on their website and didn't even realise there was a problem. I had the eTicket confirmation back within minutes of booking and no issues being in the UK. In fact, an agent called me a couple of weeks before the flight to advise of a slight change to the time of departure, and didn't mention anything was out of order with my booking coming from the UK.

For my flights in November, I just happened to book those through VS, but only because I wanted to ensure my Flying Club number was recorded (on the HP website, there is an understandable bias toward their Flight Fund programme).

Pete

Hmmmm. perhaps it's been a glitch in the system but I book K on line, get my 1500 miles and then phone to upgrade to S and then book G if available. If not, I call back until it is, using on line G availability as my guide. I do know that technically speaking I am making a change in my ticket, but thus far have not been charged for that(flying under radar?) but I do quite honestly explain to the FC centre agent what I am doing and query, "Will there be a fee?"

Only once have I been called to pony up the 50 bucks at check-in, and that only on a truly legitimate ticket change. S class is not even listed as a fare in US availability sites. I do have a lurking sense though, that if UK AG/AU FC were in charge of my bookings I would not get off so easily as they are always on top of their game (but in fairness, they are also most helpful). Here it does seem to be a constant crop of newbies.


RR

United will happily sell me domestic US tickets (with point of origin in the US, but point of sale in the UK) through http://www.unitedairlines.co.uk/ so it looks like it's just a Virgin problem.

So will AA and BA will let you from most departure points(only in the last few months though)

Originally posted by roadrunner
Hmmmm. perhaps it's been a glitch in the system but I book K on line, get my 1500 miles and then phone to upgrade to S and then book G if available. If not, I call back until it is, using on line G availability as my guide. I do know that technically speaking I am making a change in my ticket, but thus far have not been charged for that(flying under radar?) but I do quite honestly explain to the FC centre agent what I am doing and query, "Will there be a fee?"

Agree with RR; I've always done this - booked K on-line, then phoned to change ticket to S and upgrade with miles to G - and assumed it was all legit. Always been asked to call at the ticket desk before checking in to pay the K/S difference but been let off the payment on occasion.

Luke

Originally posted by mike-smashing
so it looks like it's just a Virgin problem.

Add DL to the list...

Cheers

Michael

Originally posted by roadrunner
Hmmmm. perhaps it's been a glitch in the system but I book K on line, get my 1500 miles and then phone to upgrade to S and then book G if available. If not, I call back until it is, using on line G availability as my guide. I do know that technically speaking I am making a change in my ticket, but thus far have not been charged for that(flying under radar?) but I do quite honestly explain to the FC centre agent what I am doing and query, "Will there be a fee?"

Only once have I been called to pony up the 50 bucks at check-in, and that only on a truly legitimate ticket change.

Yeah, good point, didn't think of doing it this way [y] Thanks

Update; spoke again this morning to reservations and explained my predicament (;)) and after putting me on hold said that they wouldn't normally do it but on this occasion they would honor the 1500 miles [y] and book me an S class fare over the phone !! Within a few minutes the 1500 miles had already been posted to my account !!
Well done VS and thanks muchly to the lady I spoke with (and her supervisor) for their understanding !!!

Originally posted by Nitrox
Within a few minutes the 1500 miles had already been posted to my account !!

Nice work on the phone - not to detract from that, but I thought the online booking bonus miles are only supposed to post after you fly?

Cheers

Michael

[honey lamb]

spoke again this morning to reservations and explained my predicament () and after putting me on hold said that they wouldn't normally do it but on this occasion they would honor the 1500 miles and book me an S class fare over the phone !! Within a few minutes the 1500 miles had already been posted to my account !!

Hmmph! [V]

Well done to you [y] but the taste of sour grapes is not going down well with me [:$]

Originally posted by mcuth
Nice work on the phone - not to detract from that, but I thought the online booking bonus miles are only supposed to post after you fly?

Cheers

Michael

Fair point, but I'm not complaining !! [y]:D

Originally posted by honey lamb
Hmmph! [V]

Well done to you [y]but the taste of sour grapes is not going down well with me

Spose I was lucky with who I spoke to but I work on the basis of - if you don't ask you don't get !