I'm back (did anyone miss me?)

Well ladies and gents, I thought my time with Virgin was up, after my corporate travel department decided that they were suddenly persona non grata and banned us from booking their flights. So I slipped down the rankings, I'm currently a lowly silver, and I'll be a stone cold red by early next year, and I was resigned to sitting on about 700k miles that I'd never be able to use because VS had dreadful school holiday reward availability...

And then.....!

Suddenly I manage to get 4 Ps to CUN in the middle of April!!! Alright, it's not UC, but it's a reasonable use of miles nonetheless and you can bet that I'll be looking for Gs every day now. I don't think I've ever flown with a miles upgradeable ticket, so this is a real treat for me. Sadly it's a 744 both ways, so the chance of getting 4 Gs on a plane with only 14 UC seats is probably zero, but what the hell, at least I am back in business.

Now I've just got to figure out a way to get us all into the CH I rather suspect I'll be having my eggs benedict in Café Rouge...

One quick question for you lot as I'm probably a bit rusty. Is the VS94 on the 14th April looking especially busy right now, as the seat map seems to be pretty much taken apart from the middle 4s in PE?? Looks a bit suspicious that all the outer 2s on both decks are allocated already. The outbound VS93 on the 7th is still wide open...

RC

Congratulations on the great score! Quite a feat at half term.

I had a look on Expert Flyer for you, and right now there are 6 seats not spoken for in UC, and PE looks really busy--only four rows of four in the middle are available. Y looks almost entirely empty, but that might be to do with people not wanting to pay for advance seat allocation. The flight's availability is listed as follows: J4 C4 D4 I4 Z2 W9 S9 H9 K9 Y9 B9 R9 L9 U9 M9 E9 Q9 X9 V9 N9 O9

Hi RC

Good job on the reward seats.

The seat map on EF does look a little strange. Does it match up to virgins ?

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David

Congratulations on the great score! Quite a feat at half term.

I had a look on Expert Flyer for you, and right now there are 6 seats not spoken for in UC, and PE looks really busy--only four rows of four in the middle are available. Y looks almost entirely empty, but that might be to do with people not wanting to pay for advance seat allocation. The flight's availability is listed as follows: J4 C4 D4 I4 Z2 W9 S9 H9 K9 Y9 B9 R9 L9 U9 M9 E9 Q9 X9 V9 N9 O9

Oops you beat me

Now I've just got to figure out a way to get us all into the CH I rather suspect I'll be having my eggs benedict in Café Rouge...

the LGW south cafe rouge is sadly no more, not tried the one now occupying the same space but the menu wasn't so appealing and i didn't fancy experimenting at the time, went up to frankie & benny's instead

perhaps the PE seating is blocked out for VH? it's worth checking every so often to see if things change, or give FC a call and see if they can allocate them

David, Spacedog - it's certainly a bit of a puzzler, very few seats available to allocate and yet actual bucket availability is all 9s. And that seat map makes no sense at all - downstairs rows are 15-19

Sungod - pity about cafe rouge, in terms of chain restaurants, I certainly don't hate it with a passion like I do frankie and bennys! Maybe I'll fall back to Pret, I would bet money they are still there!

Interesting point about VH preallocating seats, I remember that debate in the past where there was a strong suggestion that they had first choice on the bubble. If that's the case here then I'd say they are being more than a bit greedy. And I did talk to FC as I booked the seats over the phone - they were as puzzled as me!

Anyway, the G and seat hunting starts now...

I was resigned to sitting on about 700k miles that I'd never be able to use because VS had dreadful school holiday reward availability...

And then.....!

Suddenly I manage to get 4 Ps to CUN in the middle of April!!!

RC

Just for interest, the majority of school kids attending state Primary & Secondary schools will be back at school for the start of the summer term on Monday April 11th. The school holiday break is very early this year due to Easter starting on Friday 28th March.

VH may have nabbed all those two's on each side but on the other hand the seat map has been open for quite a few months already but I honestly cannot see all of them being taken. Like you say more than likely VH have been "a bit greddy"

I was resigned to sitting on about 700k miles that I'd never be able to use because VS had dreadful school holiday reward availability...

And then.....!

Suddenly I manage to get 4 Ps to CUN in the middle of April!!!

RC

Just for interest, the majority of school kids attending state Primary & Secondary schools will be back at school for the start of the summer term on Monday April 11th. The school holiday break is very early this year due to Easter starting on Friday 28th March.

VH may have nabbed all those two's on each side but on the other hand the seat map has been open for quite a few months already but I honestly cannot see all of them being taken. Like you say more than likely VH have been "a bit greddy"

Interesting point, the school hols in Hertfordshire are the first 2 full weeks of April, so if there is a split across the country, that could be partly why there's a bit more reward availability (that is to say, there is ANY reward availability!). Amazingly there still seem to be more Ps available on those dates...

I don't have lots of experience with Virgin in this regard, but on other airlines a seat map like that sometimes indicates that they are considering an equipment change - to one with fewer seats in that section!

I don't have lots of experience with Virgin in this regard, but on other airlines a seat map like that sometimes indicates that they are considering an equipment change - to one with fewer seats in that section!

I can only hope... Because any equipment change would increase UC capacity! Admittedly it might be UCDS, but I'd slum it there as long as it was a miles upgrade

Woo hoo, 4 Gs opened up this morning for the outbound, so grabbed them. Utterly amazed given there are only 14 UC seats in total (still a 744 both ways).

Now just to keep looking for the inbound on the 14th, although UC looks pretty full already.

Sadly it's a 744 both ways, so the chance of getting 4 Gs on a plane with only 14 UC seats is probably zero

Have you bought a lottery ticket for tonight, sounds like you're on a roll

Sadly it's a 744 both ways, so the chance of getting 4 Gs on a plane with only 14 UC seats is probably zero

Have you bought a lottery ticket for tonight, sounds like you're on a roll

4 of them as a matter of fact! And if I win, I might even pay cash to upgrade on the way back. Or just charter my own plane

Interestingly, although it showed that there was UC availability on the date matrix screen, when I clicked through it then said there were no seats available. So I was half geared up for an argument before I called. It's still showing at least 4 seats available on that flight right now which simply can't be right!

Now I wonder if I could persuade VS to let me book limos on the first and last legs given that technically I could do so for 2 legs anyway as things stand. Or would that really be pushing my luck...

Interestingly, although it showed that there was UC availability on the date matrix screen, when I clicked through it then said there were no seats available. So I was half geared up for an argument before I called. It's still showing at least 4 seats available on that flight right now which simply can't be right

Is this for upgrade or for purchase? If the former at the risk of teaching granny to suck eggs, have you checked on the basis of a one way upgrade? On my most recent booking I was constantly frustrated by the matrix showing return availability and then kicking me out. So I checked two single leg upgrades out and back and lo and behold it let me through to the booking page. I then called VS, pointed this out and they booked it for me...

Now I wonder if I could persuade VS to let me book limos on the first and last legs given that technically I could do so for 2 legs anyway as things stand. Or would that really be pushing my luck...

On G tickets? Or as an additional miles consuming option?

Interestingly, although it showed that there was UC availability on the date matrix screen, when I clicked through it then said there were no seats available. So I was half geared up for an argument before I called. It's still showing at least 4 seats available on that flight right now which simply can't be right

Is this for upgrade or for purchase? If the former at the risk of teaching granny to suck eggs, have you checked on the basis of a one way upgrade? On my most recent booking I was constantly frustrated by the matrix showing return availability and then kicking me out. So I checked two single leg upgrades out and back and lo and behold it let me through to the booking page. I then called VS, pointed this out and they booked it for me...

Now I wonder if I could persuade VS to let me book limos on the first and last legs given that technically I could do so for 2 legs anyway as things stand. Or would that really be pushing my luck...

On G tickets? Or as an additional miles consuming option?

Thanks pjh - as you correctly surmised, I can teach senior citizens to suck eggs with aplomb already...!

Yes, this was purely the outbound segment and for miles. Although I was getting the full house of red/white/purple lines on the date calendar, when I then clicked through to the next screen, I was told that UC wasn't available. So I was pretty hesitant when I called them but in the end it was totally painless...

As for the limo, yes that would be using extra miles (and yes I know it's not empirically a great value proposition). My view is that if I could theoretically have one to and fro on the outbound sector, could I persuade them to let me have one on the 1st sector and then on the final one when we are coming back PE... Would save parking the car at LGW...

Probably no chance but for 35k miles, I wonder if I could swing it

How do you guys check for G availability? If there is an idiots guide to point me at for how to use the Virgin website to see that kind of information I would be grateful. Or do you use EF or something like that to check the classes? Ta.

How do you guys check for G availability? If there is an idiots guide to point me at for how to use the Virgin website to see that kind of information I would be grateful. Or do you use EF or something like that to check the classes? Ta.

I just perform a dummy 'spend miles' booking and use the matrix that comes up. Pretty quick and effortless, although not sure if there is an easier way