Article: Fly Ahead with Virgin Australia

[AFF Editor]

Fly Ahead with Virgin Australia is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

Fly Ahead with Virgin Australia

Fly Ahead allows Velocity Gold and Platinum members to change to an earlier Virgin Australia flight on the same day at no cost.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[Bagpuss]

A missing comment which seems to be raised in various places that is you're flying as part of a Double Status Credit promotion, flying ahead **may** be treated as a flight change and make the flight inelligable for DSC's.
So when on trips where you're expecting double status credits it's always worth noting risks with making any involuntary changes.

 

[maia200]

I did this last week BNE - SYD flying J. Asked for and received an earlier flight at the Lounge and told we may not have any food. There was plenty of food which we did not need anyway. Also received our DSC.

 

[Buggbear]

Remember the good old days when you could fly Qantas with an Ansett ticket and vice versa?

 

[Stone]

I've found the Fly Ahead benefit disappointing if flying in paid J. The cabin is earlier flights is usually full of paid upgrades they won't displace them to facilitate Fly Ahead. Worse is when your flight is cancelled and again paid J customers don't take priority off upgrades.

 

[jpp42]

I didn't realise this was available even on Choice fares if you're WP. Will have to keep in mind. Thanks for the timely article.

 

[maia200]

I've found the Fly Ahead benefit disappointing if flying in paid J. The cabin is earlier flights is usually full of paid upgrades they won't displace them to facilitate Fly Ahead. Worse is when your flight is cancelled and again paid J customers don't take priority off upgrades.

I guess I was just fortunate that they had J available. It wasn't on the next flight but the one after that so still an hour and a half before my previous flight.

 

[MG1]

If your paid booking is a J seat and the only available seat in an earlier flight is a Y, even though you won't be sitting at the front (or receiving an included meal), do you still receive J amount of SCs? (The article mentions about not receiving a refund but not about SCs.)

 

[MooTime]

If your paid booking is a J seat and the only available seat in an earlier flight is a Y, even though you won't be sitting at the front (or receiving an included meal), do you still receive J amount of SCs? (The article mentions about not receiving a refund but not about SCs.)

I had a paid J seat few weeks ago, was bumped to later flight in whY due to late arrival etc & only received the whY flex SC's, but did receive a $200 cash refund as not my fault.

so circumstances different to Fly Ahead.

 

[Milefest]

Can you still fly ahead by calling the call centre on the day for an earlier flight? I've had success in the past but haven't done it recently.

 

[oz_mark]

Can you still fly ahead by calling the call centre on the day for an earlier flight? I've had success in the past but haven't done it recently.

Platinum members can, but the options available are more limited that can be done at the airport

 

[MooTime]

Can you still fly ahead by calling the call centre on the day for an earlier flight? I've had success in the past but haven't done it recently.

was reading this earlier directly from VA Velocity website. NOTE these are Platinum perks, not Gold.

 

[funnybrus]

I am booked from BNE-ADL on a mainline 737 reward fare, the flight before however is a F100 operated by Alliance. Am I able to turn up to the airport and ask to get on the earlier flight (as gold), or does this not apply? T&C is unclear whether just the flight I am booked on needs to be operated by VA or both the booking flight and the earlier flight.

 

[Harrison_133]

I am booked from BNE-ADL on a mainline 737 reward fare, the flight before however is a F100 operated by Alliance. Am I able to turn up to the airport and ask to get on the earlier flight (as gold), or does this not apply? T&C is unclear whether just the flight I am booked on needs to be operated by VA or both the booking flight and the earlier flight.

From the Gold Benefits page on Velocity: “FlyAhead is available on Virgin Australia Economy and Business Class Reward Seats, and Business Class Upgrades.”

If there is space, you will be able to fly ahead on the F100 service. Although it’s operated by Alliance, it’s VA marketed flight and operates on a VA flight number, so all your status benefits (including FlyAhead) still apply.

 

[henrus]

T&C is unclear whether just the flight I am booked on needs to be operated by VA or both the booking flight and the earlier flight.

Alliance flights with a VA code (or link airways Saab flights for that matter) are considered VA flights and therefore are eligible for all the usual VA perks like fly ahead, extra luggage, lounge access, priority for status etc.

 

[funnybrus]

Alliance flights with a VA code (or link airways Saab flights for that matter) are considered VA flights and therefore are eligible for all the usual VA perks like fly ahead, extra luggage, lounge access, priority for status etc.

From the Gold Benefits page on Velocity: “FlyAhead is available on Virgin Australia Economy and Business Class Reward Seats, and Business Class Upgrades.”

If there is space, you will be able to fly ahead on the F100 service. Although it’s operated by Alliance, it’s VA marketed flight and operates on a VA flight number, so all your status benefits (including FlyAhead) still apply.

Thanks guys - I'm more referring to this line in the terms:

"Members are only able to request Fly Ahead on their Virgin Australia marketed and operated flight on day of travel."

An Alliance operated flight falls outside this, but the wording here implies I might be okay as the flight I am requesting fly ahead on is VA operated.

 

[im.daniel]

I know lite fares aren't eligible for fly ahead as Plat - however, anecdotally, has any Plat member been successful in requesting an earlier flight on a Lite fare?

 

[simmomelb]

I know lite fares aren't eligible for fly ahead as Plat - however, anecdotally, has any Plat member been successful in requesting an earlier flight on a Lite fare?

You'll probably find it difficult to locate anyone that has booked a Lite fare that is Platinum, you don't get econ X for free on a Lite fare which is a MAJOR drawcard for Plat travellers
I usually only find it's a few dollars difference between Lite and Choice, particularly with discounts - I've seen SYD-MEL $3 to $5 between them, not to mention a huge reduction in other benefits.
Always worth asking at The Lounge, but I'd be surprised if they did as it defeats the point of these fare differences.

 

[Harrison_133]

You'll probably find it difficult to locate anyone that has booked a Lite fare that is Platinum, you don't get econ X for free on a Lite fare which is a MAJOR drawcard for Plat travellers

Economy X is indeed complimentary for Platinum members travelling on Lite fares.

 

[simmomelb]

Economy X is indeed complimentary for Platinum members travelling on Lite fares.

So they do, I stand corrected on this one (thank you).