Fly Ahead - love it

[djchuckles]

Well I know Virgin has had a few issues post sabre but I have to say my experience with Fly Ahead has been fantastic. The last two flights I've either had my schedule during day changed or just got to airport early anyhow and been put on an earlier flight. My Friday flight, they even managed to unblock the final seat (oversell it was the phrase they used) so I could Fly Ahead.

Obviously I lose my usual 3A seat but the extra time saved is more beneficial. Plus today she out me on row 10 so I still got leg room, and the seat next to me was empty.

Good work Virgin.

Oh and whilst I get no extra treatment - I do always get a 'welcome back mr chuckles'

 

[Boris spatsky]

Yep, agree. Fly ahead is a great benefit.

 

[mella2007]

Fly ahead is definitely a big plus and has always worked well for me!

 

[djchuckles]

Downside is I never get to use my 4 free upgrades as I've yet to work out why a Plat would buy a flexi over a saver?

 

[oz_mark]

Downside is I never get to use my 4 free upgrades as I've yet to work out why a Plat would buy a flexi over a saver?

To get the upgrade

 

[djchuckles]

Haha. But then its not a 'free' upgrade!

To be honest I only fly sub 2 hr domestic so Business doesn't appeal much either

 

[ataline]

Definitely for the upgrade. I fly Coast to Coast all the time and the extra $300 for business is worth it to me. I wouldn't do it for short flights though!

 

[drewbles]

Haha. But then its not a 'free' upgrade!

To be honest I only fly sub 2 hr domestic so Business doesn't appeal much either

I gladly pay the flexi for MEL-PER to use my upgrades. Excellent investment IMHO.

 

[oz_mark]

Haha. But then its not a 'free' upgrade!

To be honest I only fly sub 2 hr domestic so Business doesn't appeal much either

I don't think Velocity call it 'free'. It's nearly always described as a 'complimentary' upgrade from a flexi-fare.

 

[smit0847]

I had a horrible Fly Ahead experience out of MEL on Friday night. Admittedly it was the start of a long weekend. I asked to me moved to the ADL flight 30 mins earlier, was told by the Lounge staff the flight was completely full but I could be waitlisted at the service desk. The guy at the service desk had absolutely no idea how to do it and took 30 minutes to work it out (I literally stood at the counter with him for 30 minutes). I was absolutely dying for a drink by this stage.

'Luckily' I got the last seat on the flight when it closed, allocated the delightful 28B. Left the lounge when boarding was called, down to the left wing Security (where there is no priority screening). There would have been at least 100 people lined up at Security as they decided to only have 1 x-ray and metal detector open. the line went past the end of the travelator so you got off the travelator, had to turn around and walk back to the end of the queue.

Eventually got through Security, one of the last to board, up the back stairs for the first time in a long time, the crew gave me a strange look when they saw my status and seat number on my boarding pass. Of course, full flight so no overhead space until about 8 rows in front. Horrid flight - a child kicked the back of the seat the entire flight and I was wedged next to 2 large people. Probably the second worst VA flight I've been on (behind the nightmare HKT-PER sector). In hindsight the 30 minutes I saved by flying ahead was not worth the hassle.

On the return flight we didn't fly ahead - auto allocated Row 3, priority boarding, bag stored directly above my head, first Y pax off the plane. Worked perfectly.

 

[SimonF]

So when you use fly ahead, do you get SC and miles for your original flight or do you get it for your new amended flights? Also, if you say changed from a booked flight going from HBA-MEL-SYD to HBA-SYD, what would credit? Can you request original flights to be credited later on? Anyone know what the deal is?

 

[robd]

So when you use fly ahead, do you get SC and miles for your original flight or do you get it for your new amended flights? Also, if you say changed from a booked flight going from HBA-MEL-SYD to HBA-SYD, what would credit? Can you request original flights to be credited later on? Anyone know what the deal is?

Pretty sure you will only be credited with the flight that you actually took. Fly ahead is your choice, so I'm guessing no chance on the ORC.

I had a very impressive experience on Sunday with MEL-SYD-MEL. Checked in at The Lounge in MEL, and was immediately offered Fly Ahead which I declined. Got to SYD and asked for Fly Ahead for my return flight. Not a problem for the Angels in SYD. She apologised that she couldn't get me closer to the front of the a/c, but scored the exit row 13. Enjoyed a couple of glasses of St. Hallets Shiraz with the pasta salad & potato salad, via the Premium Entry to the Lounge with the explosives test to boot.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Anyone know what the deal is?

Not to that in-depth level!

I can say though, that the reports of fly ahead being upgraded to flexi (from saver) and the pax getting a nice surprise (flexi meal and SCs) didn't happen for me this week. Booked saver, flew ahead (with luggage) and recieved saver service and SCs.

That indicates to me, two possibilities...
1. They corrected the system bug that allowed the flexi bonus; or
2. Those who've experienced the flexi bonus may have been dropped into flexi buckets being all that were left, whereas with my flight, given I also got a shadow in row 3, there may have been saver bucket seats still available.

I've no idea how a connection to direct change would post though.

 

[dzinh]

Not to that in-depth level!


1. They corrected the system bug that allowed the flexi bonus; or
2. Those who've experienced the flexi bonus may have been dropped into flexi buckets being all that were left, whereas with my flight, given I also got a shadow in row 3, there may have been saver bucket seats still available.
.

It's been corrected, I flew ahead and the only fare left were flexi's, earn SC for my originally booked saver fare.

 

[bullerdude]

Yes it has been fixed and staff have been going through training to ensure they know how to do it correctly - that said the checkin staff mentioned that they new way was (yet again) harder than the old way....

 

[Meggsy]

So when you use fly ahead, do you get SC and miles for your original flight or do you get it for your new amended flights? Also, if you say changed from a booked flight going from HBA-MEL-SYD to HBA-SYD, what would credit? Can you request original flights to be credited later on? Anyone know what the deal is?

I was booked last week to fly CBR-SYD-OOL and changed to CBR-OOL and was given SC's only for the direct flight.

 

[SimonF]

All very interesting.... Has anyone ever tried to use this to maybe go via places to get SC up? So request to go via a couple of other destinations to get to end spot faster or something?

 

[DirkDiggler]

I was declined fly ahead when trying to change a connection to a direct flight, said the only way was for me to pay the fare difference! It was a public holiday and I was 5 hrs early. I then told them just to keep the same connection but fly me ahead on both those sectors if they couldn't change me to a direct flight (I was traveling Mel to Bri, connection was via Syd as no direct flights were left when work booked it)

I think they then saw how silly that was, called the supervisor and got me on a direct flight but insisted it was a once off and I should be thankful, blah blah blah. At that point I was about to serve them up but thought in the spirit of Easter it wasn't worth it, had my hot cross bun in the lounge and got on the flight.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

So that now raises the far more important FFer question of.......
how does a direct flight post with a fly ahead connection?

 

[samas]

So that now raises the far more important FFer question of.......
how does a direct flight post with a fly ahead connection?

I've been hoping one of my recent J direct flights would be cancelled and the lounge angels would re-route me as a result to find out, but alas all my recent flights have been on-time/early!