Virgin Seat Allocation

[catherineevans39]

We are off to Orlando in 6 weeks - we have been told by Virgin that they do not currently have 4 seats together for us but they will release more closer to the date. We cannot prebook our seats until we get our tickets from the travel agent (which they say we will get 5-7 days prior) - they have told us we will be fine to check in online the day before travelling :O Has anyone experienced this before and what are the chances of us getting 4 seats together as I do not want to be seperated from the children and I am starting to get worried about it :O

[DANESKA18]

As far as I understand it the airlines cannot separate you from the children - you may have to sit, for example, one adult with one or two children with the other adult elsewhere, but they cannot leave the children on their own (although having four of our own, it is sometimes very tempting!!!) Even if they have to shuffle people around they will sort it out. Try not to worry - we have always been unable to check in online because (up until now) one of our kids has always been under 2 and you can't check an infant in early, and we have never had a major problem. Just try and concentrate on looking forward to your holiday. Have a great time!

[SDJ]

My daughter in law had the same problem but Virgin told us that they are legally obliged to seat a parent with their children aged 14 (it may have been 12)or under. They had to swop people around once on board on the outward journey, but returning they were already allocated seats when they got to check in. Definitely don't worry about it and enjoy the build up to your trip.

Sandra

[mfairhurst]

We booked direct with Virgin and book our seats online and never been parted .
If you have booked with a travel agent they have not paid the money upfront so it is what is left when they pay your money to so Virgin is not to blame .
So next time book direct with Virgin and get treated better .It is the same as booking Europe with a travel agent .
Ring Virgin and ask if your names are booked on the list for the flight you will need Flight number , date of travel and persons names who are traveling with you .
They will help if you give them the reason you are calling .
Good Luck
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx

[E. Cosgrove]

We travel together as a couple without children and always select our seats when we book our flights and check in online with same allocation.

Last year we had our seats changed 3 out of 3 journeys so that families could be seated together and on the third occasion we weren't even seated near each other!! We were 10 rows apart and on opposite sides of the plane, hubby kicked up such a fuss that although we still didn't get to sit together I got sent up to the posh seats by way of compensation[msnwink]

What I am saying is they will always try to seat families with children together so don't worry [msnsmile]

[Katys Grandad]

Changed seat allocations every time I used Virgin is the reason I don't fly with them anymore. I think you'll be OK because you have children with you and they won't be seated alone but you might do well to get 4 seats together. Good luck with it though.

[catherineevans39]

Thanks everyone, I will just cross fingers and try the online check in and if that doesnt work I will try the twilight check in - thanks :)

[caroline]

Catherine try not to get stressed out reading about other peoples bad experiences, it's natural to be concerned and it's human nature that we only 'let rip' when something has gone wrong. I've never flown with Virgin but thousands of families fly with them every day and I'm sure it would have been all over the front pages of the national newspapers if they regularly split up young children from their parents.
If you don't manage to get suitable seats at the twilight check in, then when you get to the airport explain your situation and politely but very firmly insist they allocate you appropriate seats. I'm sure you'll be fine, have a great time!

[SteveW]

There is something to be said for the easyjet model ! A free for all [msnwink]

[lafifille]

Sitting a 4 or 7 y.o alone on a plane is definitely illegal. And dangerous. I would have sued them. Well, actually, no: I wouldn't have let them do that. No way.

We flew Virgin last year and got one adult one kid on each side of the plane going to Florida. Our fault entirely if we were "separated", as we asked if we could get 2 windows, and it was the only way she could allocate that. Return trip we got 2 windows again but on two following rows, which made communication easier [msnwink].

Don't worry too much, I'm sure it will be fine. Have a nice trip!

[ncmurray]

I don't want to hijack this topic, but I have a similar type question. We have booked with Continental for a flight in August, but the operator is Virgin. Every time I log on to my Continental booking and try to book seats, it says that I can't do it. As I don't have a Virgin flight confirmation number, I can't do it on their site either. As we are a party of eight, I think that we will have trouble seating everybody together if we wait until we check in. Does anyone know how I can book these seats?

Thanks

Nuala

[brownm]

By law all airlines have to leave a percentage of seats available for check-in on the day at the airport desk.

Whenever we have tried to check-in online 24 hours before! the allocated seats are always full,hence why we check-in at the airport for the 4 of us and never had a problem getting seats all together.

Good luck and don't worry!!

Mark.

[DANESKA18]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ncmurray
I don't want to hijack this topic, but I have a similar type question. We have booked with Continental for a flight in August, but the operator is Virgin. Every time I log on to my Continental booking and try to book seats, it says that I can't do it. As I don't have a Virgin flight confirmation number, I can't do it on their site either. As we are a party of eight, I think that we will have trouble seating everybody together if we wait until we check in. Does anyone know how I can book these seats?

Thanks

Nuala
[/quote]

Nuala, it might be something to do with it being a US carrier, despite the fact that they are code-sharing with Virgin. When we went last March, we flew with US Airlines, and couldn't check in online because our outbound journey was from the UK. Had our outbound flight been America to the UK, we would have been able to do it. I only found this out when I phoned US Airlines customer service desk so it may be worth a phone call.

[Katys Grandad]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by brownm
By law all airlines have to leave a percentage of seats available for check-in on the day at the airport desk.

Mark. [/quote]I'm not doubting what you say but which 'law' are you referring to?

[brownm]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by brownm
By law all airlines have to leave a percentage of seats available for check-in on the day at the airport desk.

Mark.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not doubting what you say but which 'law' are you referring to?

Hi Not sure really but this is what we where told when we telephoned virgin as we could not check-in online.

Mark.

[Katys Grandad]

Thanks - I haven't heard that before.

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by brownm
By law all airlines have to leave a percentage of seats available for check-in on the day at the airport desk. [msnwink][/quote]I am not at all sure that's true. What would be the point of that? Airlines would much rather have all seats sold and allocated way before check-in, and I cannot see any reason at all for a law to prevent that. I suspect the Virgin agent was just trying to get you off the phone, for some reason.

[brownm]

Hi Keith

Just spoken to Virgin Atlantic and they do only Pre-assign 60% of the seats and leave the other 40% for check-in!! mainly because Orlando have large groups of families traveling and not everyone has access to the internet. not sure it's Law more of a company policy and mainly for the reason that original Author of the topic had concerns about.

Hope this helps anyone.

Mark.

[ShirleyD]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff

Originally posted by brownm
By law all airlines have to leave a percentage of seats available for check-in on the day at the airport desk. [msnwink]


This is just Virgin company policy, not law

[brownm]

not sure it's Law more of a company policy and mainly for the reason that original Author of the topic had concerns about.

As i said more of a company policy!!

Mark.

[Sniff]

All airlines start to build their seatmaps about a week out from the departure date, so in that respect 100% of seats are pre-allocated. The check-in process (whether it be online or at the desk) is merely to confirm this pre-allocation. If the customer does not object, the previously allocated seats are not changed. If the customer does object, the check-in process will attempt to satisfy them. This is more easily done at the desk because the agent has the ability to move other passengers to make room, which the online check-in process does not.

Access to the internet isn't really an issue, then, because the airline already has pretty much all the info it needs. All airlines build their seatmaps based on various rules. These vary from company to company of course, but almost all will take into account things like seat preferences of frequent travellers, disabled/restrictive movement passengers, family groups (which they infer from common surnames and single booking codes), younger passengers seated next to responsible adults travelling in the same group, etc. These programs are quite sophisicated and most passengers will not object to the seat they have been allocated. Some will however, for various reasons, and these will (if possible) be changed at check-in. But the airlines are under no obligation (other than minor with responsible adult) to guarantee you any kind of seating arrangement.

In many respects building a decent seatmap is easier for Virgin than it is for other carriers. Virgin is primarily a non-business carrier, which means most of its aircraft (especially on routes like London-Orlando) will have been sold out many months before, so they have all the info they need. Airlines which are primarily business airlines, and routes like London-Washington or Lond-New York, face the prospect of a businessman buying a last-minute ticket the day before the flight who then needs to be accommodated. Generally Virgin don't get that kind of last-minute passenger.

The concept of an airline simply refusing to allocate 40% of the seats on an aircraft until check-in (ie 2-3 hours before take-off) therefore just doesn't make sense. There's absolutely no reason for them to do that, and lots of reasons for them not to do it...they don't want to be shuffling almost half the aircraft around in the last few hours before take-off. Even for today's powerful and sophisticated systems, re-accommodation is an extremely complex process, and one to be avoided if at all possible (generally only done if an aircraft fails and passengers need to be moved to another aircraft with a different seat arrangement).

Virgin (and others I am sure) might well tell you that they hold back seats for family groups, because that makes them sound like a family-frindly airline and especially on the Orlando route that's what they are trying to project. But in pure business operational terms I doubt very very much whether that's true. Their check-in staff might well be more amendable to trying to move you around if you want to sit together as a family, but that's all.

However I am sure the OP has nothing to worry about, and will end up sitting with the rest of her group, so just enjoy the build-up to the holiday and forget about it :-)

[thornton]

I also am not sure about children must be sat with a parent. I have heard many cases where children have been separated from parents at check-in and it is only when they get on the plane that the staff will try and rearrange the seating, but of course that is dependent upon other people being prepared to move.

[domster]

I would say the best way to gaurantee you get the seats together is to arrive early. This way if they do allocate seats you will be the first in the queue. I would be very suprised if they split kids away from parents, they are not allowed to do this. For a flight to Orlando I would arrive at least 3 hours before.

[Sniff]

To be honest I'm not sure about the parent/child thing. Obviously all airlines will do everything they can to avoid having children sitting seperately from their parents (as much for their own cabin crew's benefit as anything), but as to whether it's a legal requirement I'm not sure. It could be in some countries I guess. And of course all carriers allow unaccompanied minors if notified in advance.

[grayster]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ncmurray
I don't want to hijack this topic, but I have a similar type question. We have booked with Continental for a flight in August, but the operator is Virgin. Every time I log on to my Continental booking and try to book seats, it says that I can't do it. As I don't have a Virgin flight confirmation number, I can't do it on their site either. As we are a party of eight, I think that we will have trouble seating everybody together if we wait until we check in. Does anyone know how I can book these seats?

Thanks

Nuala[/quote]Hi Nuala. My parents just flew with Virgin via a Continental booking. They arranged the seat booking / check-in on the Virgin website using the reference supplied to them with the Continental booking.

[ncmurray]

Hi Grayster,

After reading your post, I logged onto the Virgin website, and tried to do as you suggested, but it doesn't seem to have my Continental flight number (there are other Continental flight numbers there), so I can't access my booking. It also doesn't recognise my confirmation number. I think I will just have to phone Virgin.

Nuala

[hazelk]

Hi

Just received my e ticket today for my flight in just under five weeks time, I wanted to change my allocated seats for the return journey but there does not seem to be much choice. Will there be more seats released nearer the time or should I choose now from the seats showing available.

It is just my husband and myself and we have a window and middle seat, hubby likes the window but I do not like a middle seat too claustrophobic for me I like the aisle. I am also one of those annoying people who tend to get up and down a number of times during a flight and would not want to disturb the poor passenger who is sitting at the aisle seat, I think we would be much better taking two from the middle row of four.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I also note that we are being told in the documentation that we need to reconfirm our flights 72 hours prior to both legs, I have never done this before surely if you check in on line at this end that should be enough and who do you contact at the other end?

I also see that we are advised to arrive at the airport 4 hours prior to the flight, is this necessary if we have checked in on line?

Sorry for rambling on.

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by hazelk
Hi

Just received my e ticket today for my flight in just under five weeks time, I wanted to change my allocated seats for the return journey but there does not seem to be much choice. Will there be more seats released nearer the time or should I choose now from the seats showing available.

It is just my husband and myself and we have a window and middle seat, hubby likes the window but I do not like a middle seat too claustrophobic for me I like the aisle. I am also one of those annoying people who tend to get up and down a number of times during a flight and would not want to disturb the poor passenger who is sitting at the aisle seat, I think we would be much better taking two from the middle row of four.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I also note that we are being told in the documentation that we need to reconfirm our flights 72 hours prior to both legs, I have never done this before surely if you check in on line at this end that should be enough and who do you contact at the other end?

I also see that we are advised to arrive at the airport 4 hours prior to the flight, is this necessary if we have checked in on line?

Sorry for rambling on.
[/quote]
I must admit I'm not over-familiar with the Virgin system, but is there anything to stop you picking some seats now and changing them later if better ones become available?

Regarding reconfirming...forget it, there's absolutely no need.

4 hours, again, I would not bother. I very rarely turn up more than 2 hours for transatlantic flights and 1 hour for European.

[Katys Grandad]

Nothing more annoying than following the advice to arrive 4 hours before the flight and then finding that check-in isn't even open then. Completely unnecessary in my humble opinion.

[steph_goodrum]

Virgin started the boarding process 2 hours before the flight this week to allow for extra bag checks.
We have tried to get window and aisle before and the system wouldnt let us, told us we had to have 2 next to each other.
I would choose fro the best avaialbe showing and then check every now and again and closer to the flight.
When we came this week, we had booked flights last June using miles so had booked 2 seats in hubbys name for us and one from his account for my brother, had 3 seats together where we wanted but then at Christmas got an email to say the VS15 we were booked on had been cancelled and we were rebooked on VS27, when we rechecked booking last week we found that they had split us up as they obviously didnt know we were travelling together but when we checkin online the day before travelling found 3 together in a place where we wanted so got those ok.

[anorak]

Flew MCO - LGW on Virgin 28 last Saturday at 19.05 - only 6 seats showing as vacant in Economy on the website but when I got on the plane I found there were about 100 empty seats there, so got a whole row with extra legroom to myself once the cabin doors closed just prior to takeoff.

They offered me an upgrade for £219(pounds) to premium economy but I didn't take it, the one way flight only cost me $250 (dollars) all in.

Nice flight, only 7 hours, must have had a tailwind.

Virgin crew are IMHO so pleasant and efficient specially compared to snotty BA.

[FraserLynn]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by anorak
Flew MCO - LGW on Virgin 28 last Saturday at 19.05 - only 6 seats showing as vacant in Economy on the website but when I got on the plane I found there were about 100 empty seats there, so got a whole row with extra legroom to myself once the cabin doors closed just prior to takeoff.

They offered me an upgrade for £219(pounds) to premium economy but I didn't take it, the one way flight only cost me $250 (dollars) all in.

Nice flight, only 7 hours, must have had a tailwind.

Virgin crew are IMHO so pleasant and efficient specially compared to snotty BA.
[/quote]

And of course, unlike BA, they are all at work!

[grayster]

I beg to differ. (When they are working,) I would rather fly BA. I find their flight crew attentive and friendly. In my opinion, Virgin has gone downhill in both pre- and inflight service to MCO, whilst BA have caught up. But I had a disaster with Virgin in 09 so I'm probably biased.