Why??? [?]

This may well be a stupid question, and it may well of been asked before![:I] but why do Virgin (and other airlines i guess!) sell more seats then are available??? ive read a couple of storys where people have not been able to get on a flight due to there being to many people! just wondering like! [:p]

[HighFlyer]

All airlines oversell their flights, its not just a Virgin thing. I seem to recall reading some figures for the percentage of oversell somewhere, and some carriers go up to an alarming level (like 30%)

For every flight there is always a number of pax that do not show up, i guess this an ideal way for the airlines to recoup a nice amount of revenue, by overbooking the flights they ensure that they are always full, and therefore earning maximum profit, but then, as you point out, there will be situations where there are too many passengers for the flight, and late arrivals to check-in will find that they have been bumped to the next flight or you may be offered compensation to travel on a later flight.

If you check in early, you should not have this happen to you (although with Virgin you may get offered a Select voucher and can net a nice amount of miles)

I (touch wood) have never not made it onto a flight, even ones where every single seat on the plane was occupied.

I guess it makes sense than really!

If i do the online check in up to 24hrs before my flight will this 100% guarantee me a seat on the plane?

I only ask because my flight in March is for my 21st so we dont want to miss a day because we had to go on a later flight!

[Nottingham Nick]

Don't worry too much about not getting your flight. I stand to be corrected, but as I see it, INVOLUNTARY offloads are very rare - under normal operating conditions.

As Sarah has said, overselling is common practice. On the occasions where the number of 'no shows' is lower than expected, and there are too many pax, the staff will ask for volunteers to be bumped. The compensation of a select voucher / hotel and meals is usually generous enough to produce more than enough people who are willing to wait for the next flight.

I don't know if OLCI will absolutely guarantee your seat. If you are determined to travel, I would still turn up at the airport at a reasonable time.

Nick

[HighFlyer]

Agreed with Nick [y]

If you check-in (either online or in person) and turn up at the airport and several hours before your flight, i dont see why you would have any problems at all.

What class are you flying in? If its Economy you might want to get there 3-4 hours before departure as queues will likely have started building up. I have seen people check in ridiculously early because they want to bag exit row seats. It can be a pain waiting around the airport if you do not have lounge access, but far better to kill a few hours in a bar or having a ponder around the shops than to be rushing around or worrying baout not getting on your flight. At least you can relax when you have your boarding pass securely in your hands!

The only people who are going to be involuntarily put on the next flight are those who turn up late - either because they didnt get to check-in early enough or because of other circumstances (traffic, delayed trains etc)

OK thanks Nick and Sarah.

and yes we are flying economy, only just finished full time education so cant afford to spalsh out just yet

[HighFlyer]

NO worries, glad to have been of help! Hope you have a fab birthday in New York, have you been there before? Im sure you will have a great time!

and yes we are flying economy, only just finished full time education so cant afford to spalsh out just yet

Oh, you know you are talking to a former grad student that spent 3 years studying, whilst flying PE/UC during the vacation periods [:I] Thats where the HighFlyer handle comes from, my old Frat buddies!! I remember starting my sophomore year on a Monday after landing back from the US that morning! Now thats what a student lifestyle should be like!!! :D:D

Hi bezza

Would certainly recommend using OLCI both outbound and inbound.

Also, it means you can bypass the usual lengthy econ pax queues at Heathrow, drop your bags and be off through to departures.

We had a number of people bumped off our recent VS010 JFK flight and the desk agent hinted that only those who had confirmed via OLCI would be guaranteed getting on.

By the smiles on the faces of those who volunteered to stay over and catch the next available VS flight I'm guessing the offer VS made was a good one [y]

Originally posted by HighFlyer
I have seen people check in ridiculously early ....

... er, like this? [:0]

...if you do not have lounge access...

Ah, that's all right then!? [y]

D.

[HighFlyer]

LOL Dave!!! True words spoken by the man who was there himself!! - how many hours before the flight was that Dave?? :D:D

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by derby_dave

Originally posted by HighFlyer
I have seen people check in ridiculously early ....

... er, like this? [:0]

...if you do not have lounge access...

Ah, that's all right then!? [y]

D.

LMFAO [y][^][oo] that was great Dave...ok my advice,if you should get bumped,do not accept the first offer made to you,it will go up and dont think twice about asking for more if you dont ask you wont get,oh and know your rights.

a good book to have is this amazon link

and check out these links

euro

USA

this may be some heavy reading,but it's worth knowing just in case.

just a couple of quick rules I live by when being bumped.

ask to see a copy of the airlines involuntary denied boarding compensation,now most gate agents will flip out becuae they've never heard of the thing let alone seen it,so ask for a supervisor.this is known as the 240 rule.

Learn about it here. Rule 240

Originally posted by HighFlyer
Oh, you know you are talking to a former grad student that spent 3 years studying, whilst flying PE/UC during the vacation periods [:I] Thats where the HighFlyer handle comes from, my old Frat buddies!! I remember starting my sophomore year on a Monday after landing back from the US that morning! Now thats what a student lifestyle should be like!!! :D:D

WOW you must have either had a very good P/T job or had very nice parents [:p] ive had to make do with crappy £40 MyTravelLite and RyanAir flights to spain lol

Free accommodation though in the folks "holiday home" so cant complain! [y]

And yes, it is my first time in New York, and i cant wait ive wanted to go for the last few years but wanted to wait till i was 21 due to the drinking age! [:p]

Cheers Dave & John

[HighFlyer]

WOW you must have either had a very good P/T job or had very nice parents

Neither! I had a nice healthy miles balance that dissapeared steadily over that period! I just used to book early (Econ or PE) and use miles to upgrade.

And yes, it is my first time in New York, and i cant wait ive wanted to go for the last few years but wanted to wait till i was 21 due to the drinking age!

Excellent! You'll have a blast! I love New York, hoping to go back next year as i havent been there for ages. You'll ceratinly want to go back - and good idea waiting till the big 2-1, there are lots of great bars you'll want to check out!

Hope you have a great time, dont forget to do us a trip report!

[ChuckC]

bezza,
Now, just when you're feeling better ... don't forget that restaurants overbook as well!

Chuck-

Some airlines, if they are overbooked, will refuse boarding to the ones who checked in last, if all other efforts to move pax fail.

So check in on time, and you should be fine! [y]

Cheers Sarah, im really looking forward to it now, and i will do a trip report no problem!

and Chuck, im not worrying about the restaurants, as long as i get there! [:p]

Originally posted by HighFlyer
LOL Dave!!! True words spoken by the man who was there himself - how many hours before the flight was that Dave?? :D:D

Sarah - in reality it was of hours (and I recall you were occupying the bench alongside me when I took that snap!?) but, thanks to the ministrations of SFO Clubhouse, it was very bearable I could've added This image too!.

On a serious note, and very much on topic, the reason why I have boycotted BA for many, many, years is due to serious mistreatment over a voluntary bump. Please forgive the waffle that follows, everyone....

A late Saturday evening BA flight from BOS to LHR was oversold and volunteers were sought. I was flying back with a GF and nothing was spoiling the next day (apart from a lift back from London to Derby from her father [:0])

We stepped forward following a generous offer from the BA rep, involving overnight accommodation and guaranteed seats on the next day's flight etc. We were suitably enticed and said Yes.

Having been selected, we made the phone calls (23:00 UK time) to cancel the lift and settled back to await our shuttle to a Logan area hotel. Except that at the last minute, we were told that our offer to be bumped wasn't required and we would be accommodated on this flight. Indeed we were - in separate Y cabins... and this being my (then) GF's second only flight after the outbound leg!

Long story, cut not very short, we found ourselves on the platform at St. Pancras the next (Sunday) morning awaiting a northbound train. If priefer wants the epitome of tumbleweed, it was St Pancras on a Sunday morning in the 1990's!

The postscript is that both our bags were left in BOS, to arrive via a man-in-a-van on Monday.

For our trouble in the circumstances, BA saw fit to give us £100 vouchers each - redeemable against full price flights booked direct with BA.

Please forgive the BA rant, it was a long time ago and we were VERY green... but it is a sour taste that lingers all these years later.

Regards,
D.

[HighFlyer]

Sarah - in reality it was of hours (and I recall you were occupying the bench alongside me when I took that snap!?)

Guilty as charged [:I][:I][:I]

but, thanks to the ministrations of SFO Clubhouse, it was very bearable

Oh yes ... it was just about bearable wasnt it? Having to eat, drink and be merry for all those hours

Please forgive the BA rant, it was a long time ago and we were VERY green... but it is a sour taste that lingers all these years later

Similar thing happened to friends of mine. They were offered a bump which they took (being a party of 4 the money was a good deal!) only to be told at last minute that they could be accomodated. Their boarding passes were re-issued only for them to find that they were not sitting together anymore. They were livid, but as they were the last to be checked in i dont see any way around it. I guess thats the gamble they took when going after the compensation, but they were furious, so yes i can understand your frustrations.

At home we have a new battle that i affectionally refer to as 'HighFlyers Mum Vs the industry giants of British Airways". They completely and utterly ballsed up her flight last week, from being completely unhelpful, rude, sending her to the wrong queues, changing her gate without advising and then losing her luggage. Not one to sit quietly, Mother has started a practical war with BA and im sure that Willie Walsh will be hearing from her in due course [:w] Oh how i chuckle!! :D:D

[ChuckC]

Originally posted by bezza123
Cheers Sarah, im really looking forward to it now, and i will do a trip report no problem!

and Chuck, im not worrying about the restaurants, as long as i get there! [:p]

bezza123,
Along that line, check out this site for an incredibly easy way to make reservations at many of the best restaurants in NYC, and elsewhere in the US.

Chuck-

Thanks Chuck.

Wayne

[Scrooge]

After looking at this image im amazed that security didnt go through all the bags to check for stolen VS property,shady looking bunch,looks like one of them is about to hold up that nice looking couple trying to check-in,while the guy in the middle,look's drunk to me or at the very least a football hooligan stealing a VS sign [:0]


great pic though Dave [y]