""Space Available" Upgrade."

My wife and I are flying MAN-MCO VS075 5th Sept 06 and after internal U.S flights Back home MBJ-LGW VS066 20 Sept 06. Our original booking is for economy seats. Both my wife and I are serving members of H.M Forces and are fortunate enough to attract a 10% discount off air fares and holidays. I did not know this when I booked the holiday and as a result I have written to Virgin Atlantic and Virgin holidays asking if there is anything they can do to perhaps make any kind of refund to the difference I stood to gain, in this case about 200 pounds each. I recieved a letter back from Virgin Atlantic explaining that it would not be possible to make a cash refund of any kind but we have been given a seat upgrade to Premium Economy on a "Space Available" basis. Since it was my own fault for not knowing about the discounts available to me I see this gesture by the airline to be fanatsatic. My qusetion is, What chance in reality do we have of recieving this upgrade? is it just a "suck it and see" situatuion or should I look forward to a little extra luxury this time around. We are still to recieve our tickets so I cant see what seat code we have been assigned, would you recommend an online check-in? Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know I can go on and on..
Cheers, Dan

[preiffer]

Depends *entirely* on how busy the flight is, I'm afraid.

It's the same deal that is applied to FlyingCo. Upgrades. If there's a spare seat at check-in, it's yours - if not, then you're where you paid to be I'm afraid.

I believe you *would* get in ahead of those wanting to use miles on the day to upgrade, although any mileage upgrades booked prior to the day of travel would be confirmed before you.

Personally, I'd suggest NOT checking in online, given something someone at one of the stations told me not very long ago...

Many thanks for that advice, any ideas if said flights are usually full?

Originally posted by preiffer


Personally, I'd suggest NOT checking in online, given something someone at one of the stations told me not very long ago...

Don't tease...what were you told ? Go on, I won't tell anyone else. Promise.

Paul

Originally posted by danxisqn
Many thanks for that advice, any ideas if said flights are usually full?

As all good children should be back at school by then I would have thought the flights may be a little emptier than is currently the case, but it depends more on how full PE is, which may not be in direct relationship to the general loading of the flight.

Paul

the school children thing is a good point, im not taking ay children, I know kids are generally ot prefered in PE or UC

Originally posted by danxisqn
the school children thing is a good point, im not taking ay children, I know kids are generally ot prefered in PE or UC

They are actually more common than you might think . There are a number of threads on V-Flyer that refer, and the general tone is that people prefer the company of a well behaved child to a stroppy adult whatever the class of travel.

Originally posted by preiffer
Depends *entirely* on how busy the flight is, I'm afraid.

I believe you *would* get in ahead of those wanting to use miles on the day to upgrade, although any mileage upgrades booked prior to the day of travel would be confirmed before you.

As a previous recipient of many 'space available upgrades' I'd firstly suggest getting to the airport early. I was lucky and was only downgraded once after receiving an upgrade, this was because an earlier connecting flight was delayed and several Upper Class pax had to be transferred to our flight, bouncing us back to PE.

At least if you get to the airport you should be one of the first in the queue for the upgrade, prior to people trying to do miles / money upgrades etc.

Thanks,

David.

Yes, try and get to check-in early and be extra nice to the agent:D Remember to take the letter with you to the airport as proof of your space available upgrade entitlement.

VS.

Originally posted by preiffer
I believe you *would* get in ahead of those wanting to use miles on the day to upgrade, although any mileage upgrades booked prior to the day of travel would be confirmed before you.

i was always under the impression that the definition "paid for" upgrades includes "mileage" upgrades and therefore "mileage" upgrades take priority over "space available" upgrades... [?] [?] [?]

[preiffer]

Not on the day, from memory, experience, and someone confirming for me in the US.

Originally posted by preiffer
Not on the day, from memory, experience, and someone confirming for me in the US.

[8D] oh well - "premier team" stated the opposite to me, but maybe i miss understood them (my hearing isn't as good as it once was)... [|)]

[preiffer]

On the day, it's all down to timing.

If your PNR is flagged for a SA upgrade, then they'll sort it out at the point of check-in. If the available seats have already been taken or paid for (miles/cash) by the time you check in, then you're unlucky. However, if you check in when there ARE still seats available, then it's yours.

If someone tries to upgrade with miles sfter the SA passenger has already been assigned their upgraded seat, the mileage upgrade person's out of luck.

Originally posted by preiffer
On the day, it's all down to timing.

so the moral to this tale is - be at check-in 4 hours before departure to really guarantee any type of upgrade... [y]

All of this information has been great, Ill certainly be at the airport early, and I wont be using OLCI.
Cheers All

[preiffer]

Ah, danxisqn, be careful...

This PRESUPPOSES that you're EXPECTING to be upgraded through either a (rare) Operational Upgrade, or because you're DUE a Space-Available Upgrade.

If neither apply to you, I'd suggest OLCI. Although arriving at the airport early, of course, is never a bad idea

I am not getting my hopes up too much, it would be nice though to be invited to "make my way up the stairs" or "turn left" at the entrance to the aircraft. I know that nothing is owed to us but considering I could have saved a little over 400 pounds on our booking I am thankful to VS for the SA allocation on our booking. If we get it we get it, if we dont I only have myself to blame for not looking into things prior to making the booking back in Feb. Here`s hoping.

[preiffer]

Ah, hold on - that was me being stupid [:I]

For a brief second, I forgot you were the one asking the question, with the SA flag on your PNR! That advice was for any other passenger without this - I take it all back!

No worries, still it seems Lady Luck will need to be looking at us.

[Decker]

FWIW both flights are showing "straight 7s" - meaning they're currently wide open.

wide open as in there is lots of room? I tried to download one of the programmes that checks that information but had problems using it, where did you get that info? thanks for it by the way.

[Decker]

Http://www.expertflyer.com

"Wide open" as in LOTS of availability. They only ever show 7 of any class on the on line systems. So if you have "Straight 7s" they're showing the maximum possible availability.

You can try out expertflyer yourself using the free code available here.

I will give that a shot closer to the day of the flight, better outlook then I suppose. Thanks very much for that.

Originally posted by danxisqn
I will give that a shot closer to the day of the flight, better outlook then I suppose. Thanks very much for that.

Best of luck - I hope lady luck smiles on you on the day. Let us know what happens in a Trip report.

Paul

I will do, I have got some horror stories I could put on there now, thankfully none refer to a VS flight.