Upgrades - one for the VS staffers

Ho folks, just taking a wee trip out of perennial lurkdom to ask a question or two about a forthcoming VS trip.

My significant other and I are finally tieing the knot in a few weeks and honeymooning in Las Vegas, which was booked through Virgin Holidays some time ago. The choice of VH was a no-brainer after the excellent experience with the kids that was Florida 2006. As I'd rather spend my hard-earned on alcohol, food and gambling - I'll just fritter the rest away [:w] - the flights are economy, and we're staying at the Mardi Gras. Cheap as chips in Vegas terms, but nonetheless very acceptable to bank manager, SWMBO and I [:D]

Anyway, to the point: when sharing the good news with a work colleague, she said that her daughter worked as Cabin Crew with VS and that if I provided her with flights details, she would *possibly* be able to to organise a free upgrade. I've deliberately kept the personal details out, just in the case the girl is not acting within company policy, etc. A few questions:

1. Is the above scenario a regular occurrence?

2. Given that it's a hellishly tenuous link (I almost feel guilty asking as I don't even know the girl, but what the hell [:D]) does this increase or diminish the chances of an upgrade?

3. Will the 'Vegas factor' (from what I've read on here, the LAS service seems to be particularly busy) diminish the chances of an upgrade?

Many thanks in advance for your advice, and keep up the excellent work in providing the invaluable service that is V-Flyer [^]

I too have a friend who works for VS who has offered this. Last time I flew in Y though no upgrade either way.

It seems you are marked on the system as 'suitable for upgrade' and that's all. So you won't be considered for upgrade unless Y is full. If that is the case however you'll be near the top of the pecking order.

Hi and welcome

Originally posted by GDE1966
3. Will the 'Vegas factor' (from what I've read on here, the LAS service seems to be particularly busy) diminish the chances of an upgrade?

As well as the demand for the route in total, another issue is that the Vegas route is ex LGW so the seating mix is weighted toward economy and away from PE and UC, minimising the number of seats available to upgrade to.

Hope the wedding and honeymoon are spectacular anyway!

Paul

Thanks to both for your help and best wishes. I'm sure the wedding and honeymoon will be a blast in any case!

Having always flown economy when going transatlantic (twice with Continental, VS economy is luxury by comparison!) it's not a complete bummer if nothing comes of the request.

My wife and I were upgraded from Y to PE on the outbound leg of our honeymoon 18 months ago. We only mentioned it on the day to both check-in and on-board staff, and we were moved forwards after take-off.

This was on a very empty (in all classes) VS25 to New York, so Y obviously doesn't have to be full to get an upgrade, but I think it will be more difficult on a Vegas flight.

Hope this helps, and have a great wedding.

[Pete]

Originally posted by mavml
My wife and I were upgraded from Y to PE on the outbound leg of our honeymoon 18 months ago. We only mentioned it on the day to both check-in and on-board staff, and we were moved forwards after take-off.

This was on a very empty (in all classes) VS25 to New York, so Y obviously doesn't have to be full to get an upgrade, but I think it will be more difficult on a Vegas flight.

Hope this helps, and have a great wedding.

More tricky for staff to do an on-board upgrade these days, as the meal service is now different in all three classes (it used to be the same in Economy & Premium). Catering is so close-to-the-wire, spare meals are getting rarer, and they are unable to server Economy meals in PE or Upper (well, not without a lot of faffing about)

As always, the best advice is to set expectations low so that you won't be disappointed; or alternatively splash out some miles or cash if you want to experience the pointy bit. You can even go down that route at Check In if you want to wait and see if your VS friend's influence has help at all.

To be honest i'm not entirely sure most of the crew would know who to contact to be able to have influence on the ground to get upgrades. Maybe an upgrade on board but from personal experience i would've never, ever, asked the FSM to upgrade anyone, even if they were my companions because i feel it puts them in an awkward position.

I'd suggest you just tell the check in agent it's your honeymoon and if they need to upgrade people you're more than happy to help out with that. Gone are the days when VS upgrade just for fun unfortunately.

i agree with lipstick we, as crew cannot get you upgraded at all, youjust have to make sure that you broadcast your honeymoon at check in and also do it on board even if you are in y the crew will get you a glass of something im sure. if there is room in PE and as you are going with VH im sure if the check in staff can they will upgrade you to PE. sometimes you get a present from VH on the flight, i've had that before. what dates are you going and i'll look at the figures

Thanks for the further advice, as ever much appreciated. As was suggested, I'm expecting nothing, so anything that does come along the way is a bonus.

John - I'm flying on 6 April on VS43.

Cheers

Graham

ok here you go thses are likely to change and i wouldexpect this flight to probably go full, so please make sure you request your seats together.as adice go fo the ab and jk seats at the very back of the plane. These are what we call the honey moon seats anyway, cause they are just 2 together and you get loads of space.
seat available for the VS043 as of 16th jan 08
upper-9 out of 14
PE- 17 out of 58
Y- 53 out of 379

^ Lol they might be the honey moon seats but they're also back of the immigration queue seats!

[RichardMannion]

I'll go easy as GDE has been been good and set the expectation that 'I'm expecting nothing, so anything that does come along the way is a bonus.'

Broadcasting that you are on honeymoon is unlikely to get you anywhere and if anything have the reverse effect. Quietly mentioning it though during check-in may have some bearing, but only after a number of other factors have been considered:

- Are any op-ups actually needed for starters? VS like to keep their premium cabins premium, so no unneccesary upgrades as such.
- If they do need to do upgrades, are there any Gold FC members, and then work down the list
- Is the catering available etc.

I say go easy, as what does wind me up and I have seen this multiple times (esp at LGW) is when people broadcast it and are travelling in Economy and EXPECT VS to upgrade them as its 'their honeymoon'. I've had people in my workplace ask me the same, and I just stand their in disgust after they have spent £25k+ on a wedding, and booked cheap flights (more on flowers in some cases) and then expect a company they use maybe once a year for flights to upgrade them to Upper Class.

So if you approach it with the attitude of expect nothing, and anything else is a bonus indeed.

My last trip report covered some discussions I had about on board upgrades, as I was trying to upgrade with miles. So any form of seat changing typically has to be done by the ground crew, I was told disciplinery action has been taken in some cases.

There were a number of 'friends of staff' moved from a not full PE to UC on my SFO-LHR trip, and I was a little miffed I couldn't spend some miles.

Originally posted by RichardMannion
I'll go easy as GDE has been been good and set the expectation that 'I'm expecting nothing, so anything that does come along the way is a bonus.'

Broadcasting that you are on honeymoon is unlikely to get you anywhere and if anything have the reverse effect. Quietly mentioning it though during check-in may have some bearing, but only after a number of other factors have been considered:

- Are any op-ups actually needed for starters? VS like to keep their premium cabins premium, so no unneccesary upgrades as such.
- If they do need to do upgrades, are there any Gold FC members, and then work down the list
- Is the catering available etc.

I say go easy, as what does wind me up and I have seen this multiple times (esp at LGW) is when people broadcast it and are travelling in Economy and EXPECT VS to upgrade them as its 'their honeymoon'. I've had people in my workplace ask me the same, and I just stand their in disgust after they have spent £25k+ on a wedding, and booked cheap flights (more on flowers in some cases) and then expect a company they use maybe once a year for flights to upgrade them to Upper Class.

So if you approach it with the attitude of expect nothing, and anything else is a bonus indeed.

Richard, thank you: you have given your answer in the spirit in which it was asked and agree entirely with your views on those who *expect* an upgrade, or freebie of any flavour for that matter just because they're on honeymoon or it's a special event to them. It rips my knitting in equal measure. After all, Virgin are in the business of making dreams come true blah blah, and the huge range of flight/holiday costs allows said dreams to be available in different levels of luxury.

Bottom line is that I'm not a regular flyer let alone VS user (the NHS doesn't pay well enough and my job only involves minimal travel out with my Health Board area), therefore VS are due me diddly squat for my loyalty.

I'm just looking forward to the wedding and honeymoon, which I'm doing entirely within my means. A wee upgrade would be fabby though [8D]