Virgin no tier or points

[stabard]

More confused than ever now.

[Matt]

Agencies will buy bulk seats for particular routes all usually in the lower fare class. However, if there are any seats left in a particular class then these can be purchased direct from the airline at the same price. As mentioned the lower fare codes on most airlines do not attract airmiles, however, when the fare moves to the next fare code, which is not usually a whole lot more expensive, then airmiles can be earnt.

As we all know, nobody gets anything for FREE!!! The offers seen in most newspapers or direct from the airlines offering 2-4-1 will sell the first ticket based on the highest fare code. As mentioned in my previous post this can be upwards of £600 more expensive than the lowest fare code. Therefore it would have been cheaper to buy 2 tickets on the lower fare basis if they are available of course.

You may also have noticed that Virgin offer free companion tickets which at first glance is a great offer. However, as with the above, the companion ticket is only available where a full fare ticket is purchased!!

Virgin Atlantic now states that you cannot buy their flights cheaper anywhere else than advertised on their website and if you do then they will refund the difference (I think its the difference).

So, thats it in a nutshell[msnwink]

Matt

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Agencies will buy bulk seats for particular routes all usually in the lower fare class. However, if there are any seats left in a particular class then these can be purchased direct from the airline at the same price. As mentioned the lower fare codes on most airlines do not attract airmiles, however, when the fare moves to the next fare code, which is not usually a whole lot more expensive, then airmiles can be earnt.

As we all know, nobody gets anything for FREE!!! The offers seen in most newspapers or direct from the airlines offering 2-4-1 will sell the first ticket based on the highest fare code. As mentioned in my previous post this can be upwards of £600 more expensive than the lowest fare code. Therefore it would have been cheaper to buy 2 tickets on the lower fare basis if they are available of course.

You may also have noticed that Virgin offer free companion tickets which at first glance is a great offer. However, as with the above, the companion ticket is only available where a full fare ticket is purchased!!

Virgin Atlantic now states that you cannot buy their flights cheaper anywhere else than advertised on their website and if you do then they will refund the difference (I think its the difference).

So, thats it in a nutshell
[/quote]

Matt,
I agree with the thrust of your post, although I would question one point.

I don't think that agencies now buy bulk seats as they used to in the past(repeat I don't think they do)They now use a subscription service that shows in real time what seats are still available in each fare code and they can place a hold on them.

Certainly the guarantee that AA give(and I suspect Virgin as well) doesn't stipulate that seats will have to be the same fare code.

So if, say, Charter or Expedia have seats in economy(coach) regardless of fare code cheaper than American they refund the difference.

Taking your scenario.

Had Charter bought a block of seats in the cheapest fare code, and still had some available for sale, AA and Virgin would be forced to match that price even though there were none left in that fare code category.

[Matt]

Robert5988,

As far as I'm aware the guarantee that Virgin offer does not stipulate that the fare has to be in the same fare code, apologies if my post seemed to say that.

Regarding the bulk bookings, we had 2 flights last week where an agency had bought a block of seats, told us they'd sold them all, when in fact what somebody at the agency had done was double booked each of the PAX they had sold tickets to. We ended up with a half empty flight, loads of food and us crew were left with not a lot to do[clap][clap]. Good for us, but I'm sure somebody at the agency got their knuckles wrapped[msneek][msntongue].

So, in some instances agencies are still buying up bulk tickets, having said that it is quite possible that it is package companies that are buying the seats not necessarily a travel agent....if you know what I mean.

Matt