Spoil yourself

This Upper Class offer appears to be new. The fares are not spectacular, but the restrictions are more liberal than usual...

Cancellation Fee: $400 before departure, after departure non refundable

Change fee: $400 within the ticket validity

...note that there is no advance purchase requirement, which should mean changes would cost only $400, no fare difference to change within 42 days.

These fares do not yet appear on ExpertFlyer. Virgin customer service says the fare code is ZSPL .

dennis

so no car to the airport, but fairly flexible!

But watch that fare change if you change before your outbound date of travel, beacuse one the fare special offer finishes, any changes get re-fared for the current season!

Juliet

>

The CSR said otherwise, but this is why I want to read and print the actual fare rules before purchasing for a trip on which we might need to change the return (prior to departure).

dennis

have you gone the the VS website to check? you should be able to read the fare rules when booking the ticket, prior to putting in Payment.... Or else you can always ring reservations....

Juliet

edited to add: tried it and cannot see anything other than 'other conditions may apply' and to ring reservations.[:(!]

The re-faring is usually the case when changes are made, to keep people from buying great fares for travel in, say, March, then changing to Christmas (low to high season)

If unsure of full rules, ring reservations to confirm.

During the booking process only this information is displayed...

Cancellations Before departure charge usd 400.00 for cancel/refund.
Changes Any time charge usd 400.00 for reissue/revalidation.
Min stay 1 day(s). Must include Saturday night(s).
Max stay 12 month(s).

Fare not guaranteed until payment is made and accepted.

Further conditions may apply. Please contact reservations for more information

"May apply?" I am not comfortable buying a ticket when the full rules are not disclosed.

dennis

Hi Dennis,

Yes, I got the same when I tried it. I'd ring first, and get the agent to read ALL the fare rules first, and then advise you of what would happen if you had to change dates prior to travel.

best way to get peace of mind.

hope that helps,

Juliet

Found the rules on Expedia:

Fare Basis Code: ZSPL

MIALON-VS 4FEB06 *RULE DISPLAY* TARIFF 0001 RULE 2521
* ADD APPLICABLE TAX * FED INSP FEES *
-FARE BASIS USD NUC PTC FT GI
ZSPL R 3202.00 3202.00 ADT EX AT
ZSPL/CH20 R 2562.00 2561.60 CNN EX AT
ZSPL/IN90 R 320.00 320.20 INF EX AT
ZSPL/IN20 R 2562.00 2561.60 INS EX AT
ZSPL R 3202.00 3202.00 UNN EX AT
ZSPL/CD10 R 2882.00 2881.80 SRC EX AT
ZSPL/CD10 R 2882.00 2881.80 SRC EX AT
BOOKING CODES Z
FIRST TRAVEL - 3FEB06 LAST TICKETING - 9FEB06
SEASONS - NO RESTRICTION
PENALTIES - CANCEL-400.00 USD BEFORE DEPART
CANCEL-NON REF AFTER DEPART
CHANGE-400.00 USD BEFORE/AFTER DEPART
FOR ALL CONDITIONS SEE TEXT RULE
DAY/TIME - NO RESTRICTION
ADV RES/TKT - TKTG WITHIN 72 HOURS AFTER RESERVATIONS
WAITLISTING NOT PERMITTED ALL SEGMENTS
MUST BE CONFIRMED
MIN STAY - RETURN FIRST SUNDAY AFTER
DEPARTURE OUTBOUND TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR
MAX STAY - 12 MONTHS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM ORIGIN
BLACKOUTS - NO RESTRICTION
SURCHARGES - NONE
STOPOVERS - PERMITTED-UNLIMITED 1 FREE UNITED KINGDOM
TRANSFERS - UNLIMITED PERMITTED
FLT APPLIC - NO RESTRICTION
CHILD DISC - CNN 2-11 YRS 20 PCT ACCOMPANIED
1ST INF UNDER 2 YRS 90 PCT NO SEAT
1ST INS UNDER 2 YRS 20 PCT WITH SEAT
UNN 5-11 YRS NO DISCOUNT UNACCOMPANIED
OTHER DISC - SEE TEXT RULE
COMBINABLTY - SEE TEXT RULE
ELIGIBILITY - NO RESTRICTION
ACCOM PSGR - NO RESTRICTION
TRVL RESTR - NO RESTRICTION
SALES RESTR - TKT ON/BEFORE 09FEB06
TKT ON/BEFORE 09FEB06 TKT BY PTA PERMITTED
EXTENSION OF TICKET VALIDITY PERMITTED UNDER
GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY CARRIER. CONTACT
CARRIER FOR DETAILS.
NEGOTIATED - NO RESTRICTION
TKT ENDORSE - ORIGINAL/REISSUED TKT -
VS ONLY/PENALTIES APPLY MUST APPEAR IN
ENDORSEMENT BOX
APPLICATION - SEE TEXT RULE
MPM - AT 5316 VIA NORTH ATLANTIC
INDUSTRY FARE TYPE - BX - BUSINESS CLASS EXCURSION
PFCS MAY VARY BY RTG
ROUTING 2 *** MUST BE NONSTOP **
2 FROM-TO MIA-VS-LON*



PENALTIES

CANCELLATIONS

BEFORE DEPARTURE
CHARGE USD 400.00 FOR CANCEL/REFUND.
NOTE -
CHARGE APPLIES TO ADULT AND CHILDREN
INFANT DISCOUNT APPLIES.
---
NO REFUND APPLIES FOR PASSENGERS WHO NO SHOW
---
WHERE THIS FARE IS COMBINED WITH ANOTHER FARE THE
MOST RESTRICTIVE CONDITIONS APPLY TO THE ENTIRE
JOURNEY.

AFTER DEPARTURE
TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE.
NOTE -
WAIVER FOR ILLNESS OF PASSENGER OR IMMEDIATE
FAMILY MEMBER ONLY APPLIES IN THE EVENT OF
CERTIFABLE HOSPITALISATION.
-----
WAIVER FOR DEATH OF PASSENGER OR IMMEDIATE FAMILY
MEMBER APPLIES AS EVIDENCED BY A DEATH CERTIFICATE
-----
MAY UPGRADE THE ENTIRE JOURNEY TO A HIGHER CABIN
AT NO CHARGE BUT ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARE MUST BE
COLLECTED..
-----
MAY BE USED AS CREDIT TOWARDS THE PURCHASE
OF A HIGHER VS FARE TYPE WITH THE ABOVE PENALTY
AND COLLECTION OF FARE DIFFERENCE.
HOWEVER IN THE EVENT OF SUBSEQUENT CANCELLATION
THE ORIGINAL NON-REFUNDABLE AMOUNT WILL REMAIN
NON-REFUNDABLE.
----
IN THE EVENT OF CANCELLATION OR FAILURE TO USE
CONFIRMED SPACE A MPD WILL NOT BE ISSUED FOR
FURTHER TRANSPORTATION.

CHANGES

ANY TIME
CHARGE USD 400.00 FOR REISSUE/REVALIDATION.
NOTE -
WAIVER FOR ILLNESS OF PASSENGER OR IMMEDIATE
FAMILY MEMBER ONLY APPLIES IN THE EVENT OF
CERTIFABLE HOSPITALISATION.
-----
WAIVER FOR DEATH OF PASSENGER OR IMMEDIATE FAMILY
MEMBER APPLIES AS EVIDENCED BY A DEATH CERTIFICATE
-----
MAY UPGRADE THE ENTIRE JOURNEY TO A HIGHER CABIN
AT NO CHARGE BUT ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARE MUST BE
COLLECTED..
-----
MAY BE USED AS CREDIT TOWARDS THE PURCHASE
OF A HIGHER VS FARE TYPE WITH THE ABOVE PENALTY

Originally posted by SW15 and 33134
Found the rules on Expedia:

Fare Basis Code: ZSPL



FIRST TRAVEL - 3FEB06 LAST TICKETING - 9FEB06

PENALTIES - CANCEL-400.00 USD BEFORE DEPART
CANCEL-NON REF AFTER DEPART
CHANGE-400.00 USD BEFORE/AFTER DEPART
FOR ALL CONDITIONS SEE TEXT RULE
MIN STAY - RETURN FIRST SUNDAY AFTER
DEPARTURE OUTBOUND TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR
MAX STAY - 12 MONTHS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM ORIGIN

TKT ON/BEFORE 09FEB06 TKT BY PTA PERMITTED
EXTENSION OF TICKET VALIDITY PERMITTED UNDER
GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY CARRIER. CONTACT
CARRIER FOR DETAILS.PENALTIES

CANCELLATIONS

BEFORE DEPARTURE
CHARGE USD 400.00 FOR CANCEL/REFUND.
NOTE -
CHARGE APPLIES TO ADULT AND CHILDREN
INFANT DISCOUNT APPLIES.
---
NO REFUND APPLIES FOR PASSENGERS WHO NO SHOW
---
WHERE THIS FARE IS COMBINED WITH ANOTHER FARE THE
MOST RESTRICTIVE CONDITIONS APPLY TO THE ENTIRE
JOURNEY.

AFTER DEPARTURE
TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE.

MAY BE USED AS CREDIT TOWARDS THE PURCHASE
OF A HIGHER VS FARE TYPE WITH THE ABOVE PENALTY
AND COLLECTION OF FARE DIFFERENCE.

HOWEVER IN THE EVENT OF SUBSEQUENT CANCELLATION
THE ORIGINAL NON-REFUNDABLE AMOUNT WILL REMAIN
NON-REFUNDABLE.
----
IN THE EVENT OF CANCELLATION OR FAILURE TO USE
CONFIRMED SPACE A MPD WILL NOT BE ISSUED FOR
FURTHER TRANSPORTATION.

CHANGES

ANY TIME
CHARGE USD 400.00 FOR REISSUE/REVALIDATION.

MAY BE USED AS CREDIT TOWARDS THE PURCHASE
OF A HIGHER VS FARE TYPE WITH THE ABOVE PENALTY

well, that looks about right..... if you change dates, though, they will most likely need to refare it, but as long as that fare was for sale at time of purchase of ticket, then you should be ok.

Enjoy, if you book it!

Juliet:D

My interpretation is that "SEASONS - NO RESTRICTION" means there is no date when ZSPL is invalid and provided Z space is available the ticket should be honored on payment of the $400 penalty. I can see it might be different if I were trying to change the city pair.

dennis

as long as Z is available on the new dates, that sounds about right.

I've not actually found any dates when the lowest prices apply yet, have to admit that I only checked a couple of dates from NYC, has anyone else actually found the published fares available? Are they mid-week?

Paul

[ChuckC]

Definitely available, Paul. If you go to the VS website and click on "Special Offers", you will be taken to a screen that shows dates when the offer is available. Click on desired dates and the flights where the ZSPL bucket isn't yet "full" will display.

Must ticket by February 9th everyone.

Just as an aside, if anyone is contemplating booking, if you access the VS website by clicking through from V-Flyer it will be noted that the banner on V-Flyer initiated your transaction.

Chuck-

Chuck, Thanks for the info, I had found the offer, but I entered a few dates starting at the offer screen and the best price I had NYC/LON/NYC was $2000 going up as high as $4000. May just have been the dates I was trying (Jun, Nov, Dec)

Paul

[ChuckC]

If you select the flights that are displayed you should get the lowest Z available, which may NOT be the Z special by the way. If the desired flight is not displayed in the "special offers" flight display, that means that there are no Z "bucket" seats currently available (versus the normal, higher priced Z). If you want to double-check yourself, you can do so by requesting Z availability on expertflyer for your desired flight.

Chuck-

>

I believe the ZSPL fare JFK-LHR-JFK would be $3,139.23, inclusive of all taxes and surcharges. A $4,000 fare sounds as if it would be the normal 42 day advance purchase weekend fare ZHWAPX.

ExpertFlyer and Travelocity still do not have this fare, and ExpertFlyer indicates that it is not unsual for short term deals to be unpublished. The terms of the corresponding BA fare (IRCNAL) do contain this language...

CHANGES BEFORE DEPARTURE OF THE OUTBOUND TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT- THE ITINERARY MUST BE RE-PRICED USING FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE THE TICKET IS REISSUED. THE NEW ITINERARY MUST MEET ALL RULE PROVISIONS OF THE NEWLY TICKETED FARE I.E. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS/TICKETING DEADLINE/MINIMUM/MAXIMUM STAY/BOOKING CLASS/SEASONALITY ETC.

...which is not included in Virgin's terms as published on Expedia.

[ChuckC]

Originally posted by SW15 and 33134
>

I believe the ZSPL fare JFK-LHR-JFK would be $3,139.23, inclusive of all taxes and surcharges. A $4,000 fare sounds as if it would be the normal 42 day advance purchase weekend fare ZHWAPX.

Yes, as has been said elsewhere this sale is not a really big deal -- it isn't as large a discount as the previous UC sale -- but the non-sale fare I looked at for LAX/LHR/LAX was about US1500 higher than what I just paid.

Hope you find the flights you want in the next couple of days. Must be ticketed by February 9.

Chuck-

PS: Perhaps consider other East Coast departure cities?

I am booked on LAX-LHR-LAX for $3,420 plus taxes.

Only a few more hours to book this folks... unless the offer mysteriously gets extended if BA extend their sale

[ChuckC]

Originally posted by kmatthews
I am booked on LAX-LHR-LAX for $3,420 plus taxes.

Only a few more hours to book this folks... unless the offer mysteriously gets extended if BA extend their sale

And it looks as though you will be enjoying a nice long stay in London! Enjoy and, of course, we want to read your TR.

Chuck-