V-Flyer

Is anyone there right now...updating my booking to fly PE for my first time :D:D (who says you can't be a Virgin more than once? Sorry, that was lame - I'm just a bit hyper!)

I need to know which seats you well-travelled flyers would recommend. I can have 71 or 72 AC, HK, 73 HK, anything rows 76-80. I'd rather be upstairs cos it's my first time. I've looked at the seat ratings and still can't make up my mind - I need someone to do it for me!

Have you tried the seat rating tool :

http://www.v-flyer.com/seats.asp

I found it quite handy when I was trying to select seats earlier this year.

Try a search you will find in depth threads like this.

Cool, thanks. Now one more question...do you have to pay extra for exit row seats in PE as you do in Economy? (I'm thinking I've paid enough already!)

Nope. i never sat in an exit row in economy, but i didn't know you had to pay extra for that.[:0]

You don't pay extra for exit row seats but I also thought these could not be booked in advance?? Stand to be corrected though

No, you're right, you can't prebook them - it has to be on the day to show you are physically fit. But you need to be early to get them. Normally they are £50 each (ouch!) but they were doing a buy one get one free, so we didn't think it was too bad at £25 each. Well, I didn't but hubby was quite happy with his middle seats way back down the plane. As for me, I like a nice comfy window seat (preferably right up the back where it narrows from three to two seats). If they aren't available then I'll quite happily pay for exit seats to get the extra leg room. However, we were on the exit opposite a toilet - not good! You have to fight for your legroom with people who are coming to do their anti-DVT exercises and it's quite a throughfare when you're trying to have a kip. Choose carefully!

You can request them but are not guaranteed unless you have a baby (sometimes it can still be messed up though) and some of the exit row seats will be released 24 hours prior to departure, but most reserved for check-in.

Originally posted by sean modi
You can request them but are not guaranteed unless you have a baby (sometimes it can still be messed up though)...

Travelled with baby on many occassions and never been offered exit rows - in fact I am not too sure I have seen a baby in this row - it is not a skycot position - they are located at some bulkheads. Are you sure you are not confusing the two?

Phil (Buffy)

Phil

That's what comes of not having Superman as your baby - otherwise their ability to operate exit row doors can be somewhat impaired

You don't have to pay for exit rows in Premium Economy, only Economy (on certain flights, not including the MCO routes for example).

However, there seems to be some ongoing confusion - especially at remote airports - where some check in staff are under the impression that you do have to pay for exit rows in Premium. I have double (and triple) checked this with Virgin HQ, so if you are told you need to pay the exit row fee in PE, politely ask the check in agent to confirm that with their station manager, since it's a common mistake. (BTW, when I say 'politely', that's important, since you live or die by the check in agent, and if you tick them off they're not going to go out of their way to release the exit row anyway. I'm sure they have to encounter plenty of not-so-nice passengers who think they know their jobs better than them, so not a good idea to be confrontational ). Also, policy at Virgin may change in the future, so if the agent does check with the station manager, and they still say the PE exit row is chargeable, then assume there's been a policy change.

Getting those exit rows normally means getting to the airport early, and you have to be physically able to do the job of opening the doors should the worst happen. I remember travelling with a couple of friends once, who at check in were being assigned the exit rows; but when one of them said, 'Ah, excellent - I'll be able to stretch out a bit, which will be good because of my bad back'. All of a sudden he lost the exit row, and wished he hadn't opened his gob

Pete

Thanks, Pete, that's really helpful. Considering I'm a complete sad case that gets to the airport about 4 hours before the flight, then getting the exit rows shouldn't be a problem I assume they can still release them to you if you do Twilight, or does it have to actually be on the day of departure?

Jacq

You might be able to secure them a Twilight check in, if you get an agent who's clued-up. Alternatively, if you get to the airport early the next day, you can always get seat assignments changed.

Pete

Sorry to bump this back up, but it seemed most relevent.

If I do an online check in to try and take advantage of any seats released 24 hours before, is it still possible to request (and pay for) an exit row at the airport?

I'll be on VS043 to Vegas on Thursday..

Hi Santo and welcome to the site.

Yes, you are still able to ask and change to them if available.

Jilly

Hi Jilly. Thanks for the welcome.

Would I do that at the bag drop desk, or would I need to queue at the usual check in desk?

To get exit seats when you have used DIY check in you can use the bag drop, but they will refer you to the ticket desk to pay your fee for the exit seat.

hope this helps

Juliet