Finding the best fare

A few days ago I checked the UC air fares for our planned holiday to Orlando and the fare came back around £1500rtn pp.

Today I checked again and the fare has gone up to £3040rtn pp. (MAN - MCO is even more at £4236!!

There's still availability in Z class, so would I be correct in assuming it's because it's no longer a 21 day apex?

Departing Airport: LGW
Arriving Airport: MCO
Departure Date: 20/08/05 5:00 AM
Return Date: 03/09/05 5:00 AM
Airline(s): VS
Class: Z

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting the tickets at/around the original price, or is our only alternative travel a few days later.

On a slightly different note, I can't book online (from Ireland) so we loose the 2000 bonus miles for online booking. As were originating in Dublin, would we be able to include the Dublin - UK leg somehow to get points for that trip.

Thanks in advance.

Graham

[RichardMannion]

Hi,

£4236 is not a Z fare, nor is it a D! It will a J variant. £3040 is most likely a D variant too.

Reasons for this include:

a) As you have already stated, you may now be outside the Advance Purchase requirement - by the way its not always 21 days, there are 7, 14, 28 and more days variants.

b) Z may not actually be available anymore. Even if it is showing via a quick GDS check, it may not be actually avaialbe to purchase as someone may have just purchased some seats in that fare class (or put them on hold, even though this is not meant to happen as its an instant purchase basis)

Not much that can be done about the online bonus, however speak to Flyign Club and they will be able to add it into your booking as there are feeder flights with BMI to onward connections with VS (not sure how well that will work though as you will be leavign from LGW).

Thanks,
Richard

Thanks Richard, I should have spotted that the fare wasn't a Z class when the Limo was included.

Time for a rethink I reckon.

Virgin Holidays can do the same flights on the same dates in UC including a hotel and a car for less than VA are quoting for return UC seats.

Just added £2000 to the cost of our holiday though [B)]

Would we still get miles and TP for a flight booked through VH?

[mitchja]

Hello Widey and welcome to V-Flyer

Yes you will still earn the relavent miles and TP's with all VH booked VS flights.

Regards

and obviously VH wont include the limmo!!

Well it's been an eventful night here in the Widey household, complete ecstasy to utter misery and back again several times.

After much juggling, finally managed to book dates off work that conicide with Z - UC availability, woohoo, step 1 complete. Transferred uber-large chunk of very carefuly scraped together change onto credit card and we're good to go.

Checked the VA website again for availability on said dates and joy of joys, it's there, 2 Z class UC seats for LGW - MCO on 26/8 returning 9/9.

Now I know I can't book online and avail of the couple of thousand extra FF miles so it's time to phone the reservations office.

The anticipation at this stage is incredible, the future Mrs Widey is sitting next to me and we both have the stupidest looking grins you've ever seen. Just the thought of walking into the club house has an immediate relaxing effect and I can feel my shoulders unknotting. The weeks and months leading upto this have seen reading TR's turn into an almost full-time occupation.

Dialling the 14 digits to the UK Upper Class reservations line takes but seconds, and there it is, the ringing sounds that signals how close we are.

Lovely american woman answers the phone and checks availability and rates for me, and then it hits, like a size 12 in the family jewels. Only J class available! In a panic, I check the website again, nope, still Z class fares being quoted. Lovely american woman checks again, no z class from where she's sitting, and even if Z class was available, they can't accept Irish credit cards. In fairness to the lovely american woman, she did helpfully suggest I could travel to the airport and book the J class tickets there. Airport being LHR or LGW!!!!

For anyone that's still reading at this point, any suggestions would be very gratefuly received. Things are getting so desperate we've just checked the prices of the Aer Lingus "Premier" *cough* service.[xx(]

The saga continues. We decided to have 1 more attempt at booking over the phone before retiring exhausted, and progress does appear to have been made.

This time, not so friendly (but much more helpful) american woman advised Z class tickets were only available 1 day before our chosen travel dates (each way). Terrified at the prospect of travelling Aer Lingues Premier, we jumped at the chance.

Booking reference was issued with instructions to call UK in the morning as the US call centre couldn't take payment from an Irish CC. We were assured that flights and fares are being held, so only time will tell.

All in all, so far, trying to book this flight has turned out to be one of the most stressful experiences ever. It's not put us off (yet) but I certainly don't get the warm cuddly, loved feeling I'd expected when trying to book seats at the pointy end of the plane. In fact so far, service is somewhere on a par with Ryanair!!! (Not a comparison I ever thought I'd make).

Mods, I apologise for the longevity of my posts, perhaps (fingers crossed) my posts could at some point be moved to the TR Forum for an end to end review of the whole VS UC experience. We still hold onto the belief that it will all be worth it in the end.

Well happy of happy days, after a mere 26 minutes on hold with the UC reservations line (UK) it's all sorted.

Only have to travel a day earlier each way to qualify for travelling in a bed at the pointy end of the plane. Only spent 26 minutes on hold too, so i dread to think how long non-UC passengers would have the musak inflicted upon them!

At this stage it still all feels worthwhile, although the IFBT will have to have golden fingers to relieve the stress of it all.

Apparently we can't join v-flyer red at the moment cos Pete's off catching rays, but as soon as he gets back ........

Be prepared for the TR, I'll try and make it as detailed as possible.

As soon as you walk through the doors to the Clubhouse this will all be forgotten:). Not long to wait either! Hope you have a great time and look forward to the trip report.

26 minutes waiting on the UC helpline [:0]

That's crazy for a premium service line!

[ChuckC]

Originally posted by Widey
Well happy of happy days, after a mere 26 minutes on hold with the UC reservations line (UK) it's all sorted.

Only have to travel a day earlier each way to qualify for travelling in a bed at the pointy end of the plane. Only spent 26 minutes on hold too, so i dread to think how long non-UC passengers would have the musak inflicted upon them!

At this stage it still all feels worthwhile, although the IFBT will have to have golden fingers to relieve the stress of it all.

Apparently we can't join v-flyer red at the moment cos Pete's off catching rays, but as soon as he gets back ........

Be prepared for the TR, I'll try and make it as detailed as possible.

Widey,
Welcome to VFlyer. We are most happy to have you with us.

First, I'm glad to learn that your reservation for the pointy end has now worked out to your satisfaction. And yes, 26 minutes seems a very long time to be on hold for UC reservations.

Your frustration upon hearing what seems to be conflicting information from the call center is understandable. Particularly as you are so looking forward to your trip.

Some thoughts for future trips, to help the Widey household hopefully avoid the "ups and downs" of UC, no UC availability: the main suggestion I'd make is to try booking UC as far out as possible (when the likelihood of Z fare availability is going to be better).

Another strategy: check PE prices, consider booking in this class and ask about an upgradeable fare, then see whether you can take advantage of a purchased upgrade as your flight day approaches.

If you check around on our site using the search feature (a bit of "homework" we actively encourage new members to complete as a way of familiarizing themselves with the site) you'll not only find answers to many of your questions, you'll see strategies other VFlyers have employed to snag the best fares. If you're willing to bank on upgrades being available closer to departure, how upgrades can be obtained using hard cash is discussed in this page of VFlyer.

Hope this helps. Enjoy UC and naturally, we'll look forward to your TR.

Regards,
Chuck-

Originally posted by colmc
26 minutes waiting on the UC helpline [:0]

That's crazy for a premium service line!

I must be lucky then, I rarely have to wait for any longer than 5 or maybe 10 minutes max.

Paul

Widey are you now travelling on 25th, what flight are you on?

http://www.v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4624

Originally posted by Widey
Terrified at the prospect of travelling Aer Lingues Premier, we jumped at the chance.

What you mean they still haven't been reported to trading
standards ?

Robert

We're on VS015 on the 25th Jaguarpig dept. LGW @ 12:30.

Originally posted by Widey
Well happy of happy days, after a mere 26 minutes on hold with the UC reservations line (UK) it's all sorted.

Wow - that's long. I've called the FC Au line a couple of times today and not been on hold for more than 5 minutes...

Originally posted by Widey
Apparently we can't join v-flyer red at the moment cos Pete's off catching rays

I doubt there's many rays up in Edinburgh

Originally posted by Widey
Mods, I apologise for the longevity of my posts, perhaps (fingers crossed) my posts could at some point be moved to the TR Forum for an end to end review of the whole VS UC experience.

The longevity isn't a problem at all Though in all likelihood your posts won't be moved to the TR forum, since they're not actually a TR (if you get my meaning). What I'd suggest is that when you come to write your TR on the flights, that you include a link to this thread when talking about the booking - HTH

Cheers

Michael

We're on VS015 on the 25th Jaguarpig dept. LGW @ 12:30.

will see you in the lounge then:D

Originally posted by jaguarpig

We're on VS015 on the 25th Jaguarpig dept. LGW @ 12:30.

will see you in the lounge then:D

Shame, I will be there a day before, on the 24th. Never mind, maybe next time I will run time I will run into one you. Mind you BA this time also, se even if it had been the same day would have been wrong terminal and wrong louge. Still as I say, maybe next time (Nov 17th @ LHR if anyone is about)

Paul

Shame, I will be there a day before, on the 24th. Never mind, maybe next time I will run time I will run into one you. Mind you BA this time also, se even if it had been the same day would have been wrong terminal and wrong louge. Still as I say, maybe next time (Nov 17th @ LHR if anyone is about)

Paul

will be in the hilton bar on the 24th have a good trip.