What happens when PE & UC are over sold?

Quick question, a friend of mine in VS tells me that PE on our flight back from LAS is oversold by two (we are booked in PE). I know for a fact that UC is full as not even full fares are available when attempting a booking, the Availability Tool also shows J=0. What happens in this situation, would they have to ask two people in PE to downgrade? Hope it's not us, we have our favourite seats assigned and simply love the upper desk PE!

I expect if you were asked to downgrade, then you would get miles as compensation. Do you know what the Y situation is like?

Cheers,
VS045

Vegas,
I've read in this forum that VS did downgrade passengers, on seveal occasions, earlier this year from UC to PE.
This was on the LGW routes when they sold fares for the J2000 config, but then ended up with a UCS config plane which has fewer UC seats.
I understand compensation was a voucher for a free flight or 50000 miles in your FC account.
I assume that this is standard compo and being downgraded from PE to Econ would get the same.
As you have seats assigned, I would check in as early as poss in order to make sure you get them.

Don't forget, Vegas, the reason airlines overbook is because of the no-shows on the day. This particularly applies in premium cabins, where there is a larger proportion of flexible tickets that can be changed without penalty. If J is sold to capacity, and W oversold by only 2, then there is a good chance there will be spare seats in both cabins on the day. I've been upgraded to J on an EWR flight earlier this year for which J was supposed to be oversold by 5 and PE by a handful as well. The advice above is good if you want to protect your seats as far as you can: Check in early, ideally with OLCI.

And remember, if the no-shows are in UC then you just might be the couple who are bumped up to J. Think positive! :D

Best wishes

David

Yeah, the numbers in PE usually go up and down. On my flight, PE was over-booked by 8 earlier this week, yesterday it was over-booked by 4.

s0436, How are you able to tell exactly how many are oversold?

Paul

Thanks everyone for the various replies.


VS045 - I just used the Availability Tool again and, blow mw down, there is now availability in UC! The situation is:
J3 D1 Z0 W0 S0 K0 Y7 B7 L6 M6 Q4 X3 N2

So.....if PE is oversold, maybe, just maybe we may get lucky

By checking in on-line 24 hrs early does this compromise the chance of an opup? I just wondered, as maybe it is easier for VS on the day simply to opup people who haven't previously checked in on-line?

Finally, how can we check the "oversold" situation? I was only told about PE on this flight by a contact in VS.

Originally posted by Vegascrazy
Thanks everyone for the various replies.


VS045 - I just used the Availability Tool again and, blow mw down, there is now availability in UC! The situation is:
J3 D1 Z0 W0 S0 K0 Y7 B7 L6 M6 Q4 X3 N2

So.....if PE is oversold, maybe, just maybe we may get lucky

By checking in on-line 24 hrs early does this compromise the chance of an opup? I just wondered, as maybe it is easier for VS on the day simply to opup people who haven't previously checked in on-line?

Finally, how can we check the "oversold" situation? I was only told about PE on this flight by a contact in VS.

Last point first, my information also came (on that occasion) from a friend in the Company. I don't know of any way of finding out just how oversold a flight is without access to the VS booking system.

On OLCI v. Op Ups at check-in, there have been a few debates on this. I think the concensus was that if you were going to be upgraded then it would happen whether you OLCI'd or checked in at the terminal. I've certainly used OLCI then been given a BP for a higher class at bag drop. And on one occasion I used OLCI, got my Y BP, then was paged in the CH and given an upgrade there. In your circumstances, since there is a risk of losing out on PE entirely (and your chances of an op-up are probably less good than if you were an Au or even Ag card holder), I'd run with OLCI. Good luck!

Best wishes

David

As all my miles are Delta, FC miles are of no use to me. Now my question is, if I turn up for my UCS flight with a UCS ticket and they are oversold, cant I demand "equivalent or better" on another crrier at Virgin's expense under EC rules ?

I have seen people try to 'demand' something when the turn up a for an oversold flight. It doesn't generally get them very far. If you have a paper ticket you would need to see if it is endorsable. If it is then you may be able to travel on another airline.

Turn up early and then it is someone elses problem!

Paul

The plan is to use OLCI the night before and arrive at LAX at 1400 for the VS8 which departs at 1725, so dont anticipate a problem. The only "fly in the ointment" would be SouthWest from LAS being horribly late ! Its schedueled to arrive at 1340.
I was just wondering...... I'm always polite to the agents, as its not their fault. Screaming and demanding as you say usually gets you nowhere, and any co-operation you were getting quickly evaporates. If anyone can see the load factors for VS8 on Sat Oct 8th that would be great.
Sunny and 91 here in Vegas today [8D]

Originally posted by daveos1
...If anyone can see the load factors for VS8 on Sat Oct 8th that would be great.

Showing as J7 D7 Z2 at present. I'll have a look at seating in a mo.

Best wishes

David

And currently shows 19 out of 44 seats taken.

D

Thanks Dave.... looks pretty light.

Originally posted by Vegascrazy
Quick question, a friend of mine in VS tells me that PE on our flight back from LAS is oversold by two (we are booked in PE). I know for a fact that UC is full as not even full fares are available when attempting a booking, the Availability Tool also shows J=0. What happens in this situation, would they have to ask two people in PE to downgrade? Hope it's not us, we have our favourite seats assigned and simply love the upper desk PE!

As it happend to me... We got moved from UC to PE. Given 50000 FC miles or a free return econ flight to any location each.

We were also refunded the difference in price from UC to PE.

As there were 4 of us travelling, I ended up with 200K miles into my FC account.

At the time, we were all upset about it... but looking back at it... I still got a good flight back, got the use the departure lounge and arrivals lounge and had more than enough miles for 3 PE return flights!

I guess as PE is still a good product over Econ, then its not that bad. I would be REALLY upset if we got moved from PE to Econ, because on a night flight back, its just hell with 2 kids!!!

FYI. I was advised to use the online check in to avoid this in the future, as its supposed to be first come, first served when its over sold...

Fingers crossed for you.

Danno

Most of the time it is PE which is over-booked because it is generally the smallest cabin, and the most flexible seats...you're more likely to be upgraded to UC than the other way round.

Originally posted by DavidM
On OLCI v. Op Ups at check-in, there have been a few debates on this. I think the concensus was that if you were going to be upgraded then it would happen whether you OLCI'd or checked in at the terminal.

This certainly seems to be the case. I have just been amazed to find that I was upgraded during OLCI. When I got to the confirmation page, along with being told that I would be given a pass for the lounge (which I expected) I was also told that I had been upgraded to Upper Class
Had no idea this was possible.

Best regards,
Gareth. (v.chuffed)

[Decker]

confrayulations! enjoy the flight!

Originally posted by gmv100
I was also told that I had been upgraded to Upper Class
Had no idea this was possible.

Brill... nice one! [y]

[Nottingham Nick]

Great news, Gareth. [8D][y]

It also answers the question lots have asked, using OLCI doesn't affect op-ups.

VS certainly seem to be pleasing a lot of V-Flyers lately.

Nick

VS certainly seem to be pleasing a lot of V-Flyers lately.

Are they watching? Is this big brother?

BTW, just saw this new smilie and had to use it:

Virgin we worship you[oo]

Cheers,
VS045

Originally posted by VS045

VS certainly seem to be pleasing a lot of V-Flyers lately.

Are they watching? Is this big brother?

BTW, just saw this new smilie and had to use it:

Virgin we worship you[oo]

Cheers,
VS045

Fantastic smiley ... much agree [^][:X][^]

So, has anyone recently been upgraded from PE to UC?
May book my flight to Las Vegas (or SF0 depedning on how I'm feeling).
Will be going PE, although not sure whether to phone up and see how much extra a S ticket costs over a K. Only got around 10080 miles at present (+ anything I spend on my Virgin CC in the meantime + what I'm owed by Virgin Wines + the flight miles after I take it etc, so over 30,000 in March) so no chance of using miles to upgrade. Would I just be better sticking with K seat in this case, or pay the extra and hope I get lucky?
What's the price difference between a K and S on the LGW-LAS route anyway?

[Decker]

Xenole

LGW-LAS only has 14 UC so u/gs are rocking horse droppings. This being the case they'll be done in the usual order

V50->Flying Co Upgrade Voucher->Paid Upgrades->Status Offering Miles->Status->Fare Code.

Please note the above is an interpretation not gospel and I'd welcome comment from others with more knowledge of the internal workings

What does a V50 mean, Decker?

Probably another of my stupid questions![:I]

Cheers,
VS045