do they sell unused PE seats on the day of flight cheaper?

[dkmajm]

just wondering if your prepared to "pay" with cash on the day of the flight or the evening before the flight to go from Economy to Premium Economy on a Long Haul flight (BNE to LAX) if Virgin offer this and what if any would be the "likely" discount you could get, on the basis that if they havent sold morning of flight they aint gonna sell!!!...???...

 

[JohnK]

There is not that much information posted on these type of deals but I believe VA do not offer "cheap" upgrades at the airport.

I can understand why though. If you know there was a very good chance of getting long haul business class or premium economy for ~$500 at the airport then why would you risk paying an overpriced airfare up front?

 

[trooper]

Nail>>> Head.

 

[Daggs01]

In my experience no discount.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[Justchecking]

No. An empty J/PE seat isn't a loaf of day old bread that serves no purpose. Even empty it has a very useful purpose, ensuring that the only way you or anyone else can sit in it, is to pay the price it costs.

 

[dkmajm]

thanks for all your answers, im surprised they dont "sell" half price upgrades hours out from a flight, having a high value seat empty, when you can say recoup 50-60% of it seems to me like a good idea, all well them the breaks!!

 

[Major]

The only time I saw this was in HKT about 2 months before they canned this route. They were asking about $650 to upgrade from Y to J on the HKT-BNE sector, at check in.

 

[oz74]

thanks for all your answers, im surprised they dont "sell" half price upgrades hours out from a flight, having a high value seat empty, when you can say recoup 50-60% of it seems to me like a good idea, all well them the breaks!!

I would imagine the people with "status" would get the upgrade before a person with no "status".

At least thats the way that I understand it.

 

[dkmajm]

im just a little p#$%^& off, fly out on 25/3 to LAX, so yesterday 2 weeks out went to do seat selection, wouldnt work (ie. accept seat selections online) rang VA, but noticed that over 90% of seats already allocated, this is 5 minutes after the 2 week seat selection window, on the phone they tell me you can do seat selection anytime and pay $20 (free with status) I said didnt know that and that sucks and bit of a kick to gold members, so 6 of us are way down in rows 48 and 49 and not happy, but it seems my hope of a cheap upgrade to PE ain't happening!!

 

[loobloke]

im just a little p#$%^& off, fly out on 25/3 to LAX, so yesterday 2 weeks out went to do seat selection, wouldnt work (ie. accept seat selections online) rang VA, but noticed that over 90% of seats already allocated, this is 5 minutes after the 2 week seat selection window, on the phone they tell me you can do seat selection anytime and pay $20 (free with status) I said didnt know that and that sucks and bit of a kick to gold members, so 6 of us are way down in rows 48 and 49 and not happy, but it seems my hope of a cheap upgrade to PE ain't happening!!

Status memembers are able to select seats at any time when travelling long haul international. There is no 2 week window - discount Y fares can not select seats until checkin.

 

[dkmajm]

........... (sorry need 10 posts for below link!!)

 

[dkmajm]

really!!?!... i got my info from http://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/Status/GoldStatus/index.htm... because of that i never tried earlier, but hard to believe 90%+ full in Y

Advanced Seat Selection

• Select a seat through your preferred booking channel from 14 days prior to your departure.*

 

[loobloke]

Select a Seat | Virgin Australia

 

[dkmajm]

Select a Seat | Virgin Australia

haha!!! son of a xx_xx!!!, never saw that lol

 

[extracta]

I travelled on V Australia a number of times and saw people asking for and receiving paid upgrades at check in and also spoke with people on the plane who had paid for and gotten an upgrade.

I would suggest when you check in just ask if you can pay for an upgrade.

I have forgotten the exact price these people paid but it was quite reasonable.

Status was not an issue.

 

[ff-jr]

I travelled on V Australia a number of times and saw people asking for and receiving paid upgrades at check in and also spoke with people on the plane who had paid for and gotten an upgrade.

I would suggest when you check in just ask if you can pay for an upgrade.

I have forgotten the exact price these people paid but it was quite reasonable.

Status was not an issue.

Most likely an 'Extra Legroom' seat, $150 per person per leg. You stay in Y, moving to an exit row seat.

I've never heard of discounted last minute upgrades on DJ/VA, although it is commonplace on VX. The check-in machine will offer (and quote) you if there are any available seats, and depending on the airport, the crew will sometimes PA offers to upgrade at the gate (something I've experienced at SFO multiple times). I really like their check-in system, I'm looking forward to flying with them again soon.

I can understand why they would do it, but I can also justify not doing it. It's a case of whether you want to overcrowd nose end of the plane for extra $ vs. maintaining the integrity of the elite classes and the pax in them.

 

[extracta]

Most likely an 'Extra Legroom' seat, $150 per person per leg. You stay in Y, moving to an exit row seat.

I've never heard of discounted last minute upgrades on DJ/VA

Incorrect, people could upgrade from Y to PE or J, or from PE to J. There was even a sign on at least one occasion that informed people that they could ask for a paid upgrade.

I even had people brought over to the J check in from Y while I was there.

They may not do it anymore, but they were certainly doing it two years ago.