online facilities when booked through travel agent

I'm planning on booking a package to Florida with Thomas cook signature whhich includes Virgin flights from Manchester. I know I cannot use the manage your booking section to book seats etc. I'm okay with this but will it still be possibly to check in online 24 hours beforehand. I presume once i get my papaer tickets there will be a PNR number on there that will let me do online check in? I really want to do this 24 hours before then we will set off from scotland to manchester and can relax in our hotel without worrying about not getting seats together. Will there be an option for me to input my FC number when i do the online check in

I presume i can also use the DTD check in at a charge?

I think not having full access to all the online facilities is a small price to pay for the bargain i am getting with TCsignature

Thanks

This section on the VS web site will confirm the situation regarding when you can access the "manage your booking section".

I think you may then be able to ask Thomas Cook to make a seat booking for you - or use their booking number, as VS says it accepts "most booking references" ( dont know how true that is though!!)

If you are a FC member then you can call Virgin and book seats yourself - ISTBC but I think you can do this before you receive your tickets and your PNR as the booking will be made by Thomas Cook.

Yes - once you have your PNR you will be able to use OLCI.

Yes you can use DTD check in at $5 per person

Have fun when you go!![y]

I am 99% certain that, as you say, when your paper tickets / proper confirmation arrive (once you've paid the final balance) you will get a "proper" PNR number that will allow you to locate your booking on the online VS system.

That is what happened to my parents who have booked to go to Dubai - they booked through an agent who had a very good deal on Z class UC fares. When they booked, they just got a booking ref from the travel agent in question. Once the final balance had been paid & they got the tickets, the PNR was on there & they could go online on the Flying Club part of the VS website and manage their booking, input FC numbers, select seats etc.

Just ask your travel agent to provide you with the VS PNR/Record Locator and you will be able to manually access it through the VS website. Additionally, if your travel agent adds your VS FlyingClub number correctly to the PNR, the VS website will automatically detect your booking for you and list it when you login to your profile on the website.

Not sure if you still can, but in the past I believe you could also access a reservation with the etkt number.

When Mrs PVG booked VS through a travel agent in China, she got nothing resembling a reference number that the website would recognise, even on her paper tickets.
However this was rectified by emailing her name and flight details to VS who then provided a reference number that worked.

So I would say don't worry, what ever the situtation you will be able to get onto the manage bookings part of the website.

I booked via Thomas Cook for a flight last month and was able to use manage my flights in the normal manner

And, of course, you can always claim your missing miles using (yes you've guessed it) the 'Claim your missing Miles' facility. Enjoy the Florida experience!!

We booked for MCO for travel July 2005 via a Thomas Cook branch. They booked the tickets via a 3rd party and we were never able to get online access (I huffed and puffed but it was something to do with the way the 3rd party arranged group bookings of tickets).

However Thomas Cook requested our preferred seat numbers at the time of booking and they were honoured. Couldn't do online check-in, but DTD check-in worked great (it's $5 per person this year).

Have fun! (Actually you cannot fail to)

Yes Allocation seats have that problem if that is what they did, a seagull.

well i booked my holiday with Thomas cook signature flying MAN-MCO. I'm very excited but still a little worried about not being able to do online check in.

Apparently TCsignature are going to release our names to Virgin asap then my TA will call and request our seats. Do you think if i call the Flying club a few weeks before i travel i will be able to get a reference number so i can use the online check in, or will i at least be able to give them my FC details and do our API?

Thanks for all your help

Hi

When we booked our India/Dubai hols thru Kuoni, I rang FC a few weeks before travel in February and they gave me my booking ref and also reserved seats for us. All I had to give was our names, FC member no and flight number.
I then had the booking ref to go in and have a look online.

HTH

L2H

TandCmum Then they sound like they are Allocation seats if the names have to be relaeased. That is all well and good but Virgin sometimes take a while to add them to their system. when I book these type of seats I do always make it clear that OLCI may not be possible and seat allocs cant really be done in the normal way. Its the trade off for a great fare and booking in advance. ISTBC by the way!

what does ISTBC stand for?

I'm not too fussed if i can't access the online facilities as we are travelling at a quiet time (september) as long as we get to check in early i'm sure we won't have a problem getting seats together. The TA has said she is able to book the seats in about 4 weeks once our names have been released (although i don't thin you can until 336 days out anyway can you?) and she has been able to request kids meals for the little uns. I wil just try contacting FC closer to the time and see what i can do?

Originally posted by TandCmum
what does ISTBC stand for?

Internet anorak jargon that the old timers here like to confuse us with!;)
Stands for "I Stand To Be Corrected"
There is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about all the common jargon, which i'm sure a better person than me will link you to soon!