New member/LAX-LHR UC suites?

I just joined tonight and I'm hoping I can get my membership number emailed or PM'd to me as I need to for the v-tool asap. I want to buy tickets and then use miles transferred from AE to upgrade to the UC suites, which I've enjoyed before. Do the forum owners read this or is there a better way to reach them?

Also, on the Virgin site it states that they are still rolling out the suites for the LAX flights and you are not guaranteed you'll get one. For medical reasons I need it so last time we flew all the way up to SF to be sure. But the reviews I read tonight all had the suites. What is the practical answer to this?

I read the upgrade article but still am not certain. Do you transfer your miles just minutes before calling Virgin or do you do that a day before? (I've never done this before - sort of a virgin Virgin miles person). Thanks.

Originally posted by terflyer
I just joined tonight and I'm hoping I can get my membership number emailed or PM'd to me as I need to for the v-tool asap. I want to buy tickets and then use miles transferred from AE to upgrade to the UC suites, which I've enjoyed before. Do the forum owners read this or is there a better way to reach them?

Pete (Pixuk) is pretty good but feel free to PM him to get his attention.

Originally posted by terflyer

Also, on the Virgin site it states that they are still rolling out the suites for the LAX flights and you are not guaranteed you'll get one. For medical reasons I need it so last time we flew all the way up to SF to be sure. But the reviews I read tonight all had the suites. What is the practical answer to this?

VS007/8 is a 744 with UCS (100%), VS23/24 is a 343 with limited possibility of UCS - 2 of 9 a/c have UCS but LAX is a more likely to get the UCS a/c (I reckon about a 40% chance but no guarantees)

Originally posted by terflyer

I read the upgrade article but still am not certain. Do you transfer your miles just minutes before calling Virgin or do you do that a day before? (I've never done this before - sort of a virgin Virgin miles person). Thanks.

VS will take the miles when you upgrade. If you are talking about transfer from AE - I assume you can check with VS as to availability and then explain the situation and transfer the miles asap. Not sure how long this takes and I can't imagine that VS would be too keen on holding the seat for a week while the transfer takes place - but I could be wrong.

Hope this helps.

Phil (Buffy)

[ChuckC]

terflyer,
Welcome Aboard! We're delighted to have you become a member of VFlyer. Our leader, Pix, is a whiz with membership numbers; so, expect yours soon.

On my last flight VS reservations was perfectly willing to hold my UCS reservation while I conducted the transfer of AMEX miles into my Virgin account. This took about 2-3 days; I then phoned back to VS and advised them that the miles were in my account.

As to LAX UCS availability, when are you planning to travel? The farther away your travel date is, the more likely it will be that all flights to/from LAX will be suites; IMHO Phil is most likely correct that LAX would have some priority to see 100% suites on its flights. Also, just a clarification on the equipment: as of November 2005, the 744 is being replaced by an Airbus.

Regards,
Chuck-

Many thanks for the quick and informative welcome, Phil and Chuck. You were right, Pix had my membership number in my mailbox. What a great site this is.

I will be flying at the end of August 2006, so I imagine they should be all suites then. What will the difference be with an airbus?

Originally posted by terflyer
I will be flying at the end of August 2006, so I imagine they should be all suites then. What will the difference be with an airbus?

The Upper cabin on the Airbus fleet is like a long thin pencil, when compared to the 744, and is only 3 seats across.

Also, to get from one side of the cabin to the other, you have to go all the way down to one end or the other - a long way on the A346 - which apparently really annoys the cabin crew (well, they say so on one recent flight), and they say it slows down the service.

Apparently, the A346 cabin may be getting modified to include a "crossover" gangway somewhere along it's length.

The bar on the A346 is also smaller, and you sit a bit more "sideways" too.

Much prefer the 747!

Cheers,
Mike

[mcmbenjamin]

When I transfered Amex MR points to VS FC it took about 10 seconds (no joke).

I was on the phone trying to upgrade my Dad's PE award to UCS. I was 1000 FC points low so I logged on to Amex MR site and transfered the points all while on the phone with VS.

NORMALLY it takes about a few seconds from what I have been told to transfer MR to FC.

Benjamin

[/quote]
VS007/8 is a 744 with UCS (100%)
[quote]

Hi,

I'm on VS008 in December and it's a 343? Or at least that's what the nice lady on the phone told me. I resereved 4 & 5A as there's no seat ratings yet, so just guessed.

Milliemoo

Originally posted by Milliemoo

VS007/8 is a 744 with UCS (100%)

Hi,

I'm on VS008 in December and it's a 343? Or at least that's what the nice lady on the phone told me. I resereved 4 & 5A as there's no seat ratings yet, so just guessed.

Milliemoo

Milliemoo - great minds think alike, I have these on VS8 on 11 October ... will post my review but thought they looked OK to best.

Mike -smashing, if the upper level airbus is three seats across, does that mean the UCS will be closer together (thinner aisle)?

Yeh, I thought that the A side was better as you have the IFBT at the end of the row instead of the toilet...slightly less traffic? and 4&5 wern't to close to either the bar or the IFBT.

I don't like the look of those UCS's which are after the galley, next to PE. They look a bit like an after thought, that said, I'd rather be in one of those than Y!

Will be ineterested in reading your review.

Milliemoo

Thank you to the poster who said his AE points were transferred quickly.

I called Virgin and was told by a very nice lady that the airbus will be in service when I'm going next year. There will be no upper level, sadly, but the UC seats will be one, one, one - just one to a row. I can't even imagine this, does this make sense? They will have 45 UCS and roughly 300 seats total. This must be an odd, skinny plane! On the Virgin site there's no reference to this craft so I'm wondering if it's correct.

The upgrade from PE is 40,000 miles PP RT. She said don't book one-way tickets as it will end up being more expensive changing them (this was something another Virgin rep suggested in order to get our booking as soon as possible - book before the return flight is on their books).

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by terflyer
Mike -smashing, if the upper level airbus is three seats across, does that mean the UCS will be closer together (thinner aisle)?

what upper level?



Hi,

I'm on VS008 in December and it's a 343? Or at least that's what the nice lady on the phone told me. I resereved 4 & 5A as there's no seat ratings yet, so just guessed.

Milliemoo


I should be a 346 not a 343,or at least thats the plan.

I will be flying at the end of August 2006, so I imagine they should be all suites then. What will the difference be with an airbus?


Book the upgrades asap,as I found out it can be next to impoosible to get upgrades during the summer,I tried 4 months out and was told there was not from AUG-NOV but I could book PE and try and up-grade at the airport on the day of the flight,which with a medial condiotion you cannot do.

another thing to look at is NZ,by then they should have the suites in place and you could try and get a J ticket using FC miles,though you would need 75k rather than 40k to do the upgrade..good luck let us know how it works out.

[ChuckC]

terflyer,
One of the great features of VFlyer is our seatmaps. If you have a look here you'll see the UCS layout being described by Mike Smashing.

Chuck-

Hi Chuck. The seatmaps are very cool. But should I assume the Virgin rep on the phone was incorrect about the new airbus being one seat per row in the suites? It seems awfully inefficient but I'd prefer it to three across.

Jetwet, you are right about these upgrades going quickly. I am hoping I will be able to get mine. I don't think we have 150,000 miles to spend on Air NZ (which, incidentally, we're taking to NZ next year on some other arrangement).

Originally posted by terflyer
But should I assume the Virgin rep on the phone was incorrect about the new airbus being one seat per row in the suites?

There certainly are 3 seats per row on the UCS A343 / A346 flights.

However, maybe the Virgin Rep was referring to the fact that 2 of these seats face each other (at an angle), and the third seat has its own aisle (facing the back "wall" of the middle row of seats).

This picture from airliners.net of the A346 should help picture this. The A343 UCS is similar in layout (although I have not seen it myself) but with fewer seats.

Rich.

Richard, thank you so much for that photo - that makes such a difference. Looking at it, I'm not sure where the quietest seats/suites would be. Is the crew using both aisles as much? I loved the 744 with just 10 suites in our own "room" of sorts. It was so quiet and private.

Originally posted by terflyer
Richard, thank you so much for that photo - that makes such a difference. Looking at it, I'm not sure where the quietest seats/suites would be. Is the crew using both aisles as much? I loved the 744 with just 10 suites in our own "room" of sorts. It was so quiet and private.

No problem - glad to help

Like you, I have only flown in UCS on the B744 so far, so cannot give any personal comment on the airbus.

I am booked on the A346 UCS next year though, and from reading trip reports here on V-Flyer, it seems like 3k is the seat to go for (it looks on to the "wall" giving a bit more privacy) - and indeed this is the seat I have booked.

We are, to my knowledge, still awiating a Trip Report on the A343 in UCS config, but suspect a similar answer - i.e. get a seat far forward - further from the bar - in a seat that faces the "wall".

maybe another V-flyer can add a bit of personal experience here....

Rich.

[ChuckC]

Rich,
The expression "a picture's worth a thousand words" is perfect here. Thanks!

Chuck-