View Full Version : Pre booking seats
Hello everyone.Is it true that you have to wait until 6 months before your Virgin flight to pre-book your seats? Can anyone tell me the procedure for doing this? we are a family of 12 and would like to all sit close to each other if possible
Gillian-B
03-07-2003, 22:26
Don't get me on the subject of pre-booking seats with Virgin :(:(:( !
Yes, the seating plan only opens six months before the flight and then only certain seats are released (the rest being available on the day of departure). If you call them close to the six month point, they will be able to tell you the exact date the seating plan opens and the earlier you request, the more chance you have of getting what you want. No seat requests are ever guaranteed though.
One thing that may be useful is to have to hand their seat plans which are now available on their website (try - http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/our_story_our_fleet.view.do). Not all planes are on this, but they will give you a general idea.
Gillian
I think it is dreadful the way they treat those wanting to pre-book seats. A few years ago we went away with our baby son about 18 months old and my 5 year old to my first husband. They wouldn't let us pre-book seats (it was a last minute booking) and as Tom's surname differed actually sat him elsewhere. They suggested that one of us would have to sit in the seat allocated to him.
They were told in no uncertain terms that as they had given him the seat, even though we were all on the same booking reference, then we would be happy to let him sit there and let the family who were sat next to him sort him out. The enjoyment of the flight is meant to be part of the holiday.
They soon moved us all to sit together. We have found really standing your ground at check in really helps - my mum and husband are really good at this, after many years of practice - which shouldn't have to be the case !
steph_goodrum
03-07-2003, 23:21
With Virgin , it is 180 before departure you can book so we always make 2 calls as you can't book the return seats at the same time unless you wait for whatever the duration is of your holiday , so the return flight is within 180 days, by which time most seats have been allocated. we've always had the seats allocated except for 1 time we got upgraded.
Every time that I have pre-booked my seats with Virgin, I have ended up with completely different seats!! We still always sit together, but not in the seats that they allocated to us.
Your best bet is to check-in early and insist that they re-arrange the seats to accomodate you. That's what people on the flights that I have used MUST have done and it obviously worked for them!!!:D:D
Bob Heath
04-07-2003, 01:18
One never has that problem in Premium or Upper class but at anywhere between 700 and 4 Grand your not entitled to either.
If only they were to be more understanding instaed of greedy wouldnt it make for a better experience. I personally could never fly charter all that way.[xx(]
we pre-booked our seats with virgin for the outward and return flight when i rang
up, i phoned today and checked as we go in 2 weeks, YES 2 weeks now we will be sitting
by the pool having a great time, sorry, anyway they confirmed that the seats for both
flights were pre-booked...
Only shame is you cant do the twighlight book in on the way back
Chris
Gillian-B
04-07-2003, 03:06
Chris - I think that it is about 60% of the total number of seats that are pre-allocated. This leaves 40% that are allocated at check-in and provided you turn up early, you should be able to get the seats that you want.
Twilight check-in (unfortunately, Gatwick only) is a brill idea - there are hardly any queues and it is much more civilized [8D].
Gillian
HAve pre-booked every time and never allocated together when we check in. Our first flight to the US when girls were 7 and 11 we were all split up. We kicked up such a stink they managed to get me and the girls together, but that was it. As a sop to us they organised our return flight so we would be together.
Next flight we were once again split up - in 2's. Ditto the third, have given up since then and flown with other airlines.
steph_goodrum
04-07-2003, 03:37
ChrisJ
What I meant was if you phone up exactly 180 before departure (as we always do) they won't let you book return seats until 180 days before then (they tell me they aren't put onto the system till then) so if our trip is for 16 days then I ring 16 days after the first, if I've missed the first date and wait until 180 days before the RETURN flight then I can book both at the same time but the outward seats may no longer be available.
Steph
All i can say is i booked both on the same phone call and it was confirmed today
so cant answer
as for splitting a family up, if you have young children, it is now not allowed to
have young children sitting next to adults who are unknown to them, its not law but
sort of best practise. If they still cant sit you all together then moan like hell
about your kids safety, I bet you would then be upgraded, we were last year when
we went to Cyprus, I refused to let my daughter sit on her own and in the end they
upgraded us all as I was on my own and they gave my wife and son a seat and my daughter
a seat further back, so complain loudly
Chris
Thanks for all your replies. We flew with Britannia last time and paid £10.00 each to pre-book our seats only to find we were seperated into two groups (1 sitting at the front and 1 close to the back) we were silly and didnt complain, but I will if it happens this time.
Thank you
We went as a group of 12 with Virgin, but I did a group booking through Thomas Cook, the flights were much cheaper. Our seats were automatically booked for us - and very good seats too.
Timmy
Steph
Sorry I checked back my records and when we pre-booked the seats it was within
the 180 days for the return flight as well.
Chris
steph_goodrum
04-07-2003, 12:49
Chris
I thought maybe they'd changed the policy but at looks like its still the same. I always find the day of the first phone call quite exciting as then I think it's only 180 days till we go and that somehow seems shorter than saying 6 months but when we make the next call a couple of weeks later that day seems depressing as we realise how quickly that time has gone and that is how quick our holiday will go.:(
Steph
Thats true the holiday seems to go so quick
orlandobabe
04-07-2003, 23:03
We always go charter-because I just like to get on in the UK and off in Florida with the least hassle.
I don't pre book seats and I won't give them any more money to do so.
So-I just go with the flow-if it's not a good seat-well as long as I arrive safely with as few bumps as possible I'm over the moon.
It's usually pretty good and we've had very little in the way of delays-so all in all I can't complain.
We've even taken the non-payment for food option on several flights now-and we've always been given a meal.
Well, I hear a lot of complaints here about the seating requests on Virgin, but I've been flying with them for the past 15 years and have never had a problem. I won't fly with anyone else!!
If you think about what you have written, and that your seats have been 'given away' to somebody else, do you not think that is because somebody in front of you hasn't pre booked their seats, and as most of you have said, have kicked up a stink at check-in!! If thats the case, then what can the check-in agent do but change seats for those pre-booked and have yet to check-in!!
I guess its a caatch-22 situation for the airlines. Having family and friends working in the industry, it is not always the case that those who shout loudest get what they want!! and it certainly won't get you an upgrade!! So be warned on that one.
I remember flying home from Boston once with BA with my mother and it was only the two of us and they split us. I just politely asked the agent if there was anything he could do as my mother didn't like flying and I was worried about her being alone (not quite true[:I]). He told me to hang around the check-in area til around 30 min before the flight. When he called me over he'd upgraded us to Club. So, it would seem that just a few words go a long way.
Well, thats my thoughts on the matter, and I'll just stick with them:D
athurstance
07-07-2003, 15:38
We've been flying Virgin for years too and until recently I'd have agreed with you Matt. Unfortunately last year we flew twice with them - to Boston at Xmas and Orlando at Easter. Neither flight was terrible or anything really bad it was just lots of little things that added up to really poor service.
We did have our seats changed on the Orlando flight although that doesn't worry me too much. I also noted the attitude of Virgin staff on the pre-booking phone line has taken a turn for the worse aswell but generally the Virgin staff seem less helpful and more sullen and awkward than they used to be. We nearly got bumped off on our return flight from Orlando but it was Easter and we did seriously consider volunteering so again it wouldn't have been the end of the world - we decided not too and the very helpful check in person fitted us in (at the expense of another family though because he said that was it we were the last people getting on!) They had reserved seats and must have felt quite secure turning up a bit later - we checked in at 2pm for the 8.25pm flight so we weren't exactly leaving it late. Mind you this is one of the challenges of travelling at Xmas and Easter perhaps inevitable. Although as my husband said how many people do you think fly to Orlando with their family and might not make the trip back - I can understand overbooking on the business routes but surely Orlando is more of a family holiday destination and most people on the plane will have non-changeable tickets.
As I said it is really the change to miserable cabin crew that made us decide to change and try someone else. Not that I won't ever fly Virgin again - its only a flight after all and believe me I have flown with far far worse - I just don't see them as the 'must use' airline I did before last year.
OK - I feel better now after my moan.
campers moll
15-07-2003, 13:46
We did a last minute booking with Britannia to Orlando. Didn't pre-book seats, turned up early and all 8 of us were booked in, in a line at the back. Coming back, the check in was already open, booked all 8 of us in a line again, again without any problem.
SunLover
18-07-2003, 06:51
I've just prebooked my seats with Virgin for a trip in January. The reservation staff couldn't have been more polite or helpful, and I was more than happy with the service. I've been flying with them for years, and can honestly say I've never had a problem with being split from my party. They've also upgraded me more times than I can remember.... so I'm not complaing about them...in case they read it :D
Like many of the above "Florida Lovers" we have been flying Virgin for the several years, we have always been able to book our seats 180 days ahead of departure for both the outbound and return trips.
Only once did we have a small issue with them on one of our return flights ( change of planes apparantly !!! which I still don't understand a 747 is a 747 isn't so how can the seat numbers change ??? ) anyway it all got sorted out ok in the end.
Apart from that minor hic-up, we have always found the Staff at Check In and on the Plane to be friendly and very helpful.
We wouldn't fly anyone else.
DMC
We just got back, pre-booked our seats. Arrived Gatwick the night before for the twighlight
check-in, only to be told we had been moved. I said I wasnt happy as what is the point of
offering a service and not delivering it. On the flight we were given a few glasses of Champagne
On the way back we were given our pre-booked seats.
Chris