The opposite of Fly-Forward

[smit0847]

I have a ADL-MEL flight next month where we booked a 3pm flight as it was much cheaper than the usual 5pm-ish flight we usually take. Where we had booked the 5pm and arrived before the 3pm we would always ask to Fly Forward at the Lounge (HLO). We are coming from rural SA and making the 3pm flight will be quite rushed. Is it possible to 'Fly Backwards', i.e. purposely arrive at the Lounge after the flight has left and be moved fre of charge to the next flight? We are WP and SG travelling on Saver Lite fares.

I know I can organise now to be moved for a fee but will this be waved at the Lounge? Is it too risky there may not be a seat on the 5pm? (I think there's a 7pm flight after that too).

 

[day-heg]

In my experience, the lounge staff can push back a flight if you talk to them in person on the day - I've done this a couple of times. However, if you're regional, this will be difficult! Prior to the day of travel, they'll tell you to ring the GCC which will obviously cost.

You could try calling them directly on the day, lounge numbers are somewhere on the VA website.

Good luck!

 

[markis10]

I have a ADL-MEL flight next month where we booked a 3pm flight as it was much cheaper than the usual 5pm-ish flight we usually take. Where we had booked the 5pm and arrived before the 3pm we would always ask to Fly Forward at the Lounge (HLO). We are coming from rural SA and making the 3pm flight will be quite rushed. Is it possible to 'Fly Backwards', i.e. purposely arrive at the Lounge after the flight has left and be moved fre of charge to the next flight? We are WP and SG travelling on Saver Lite fares.

I know I can organise now to be moved for a fee but will this be waved at the Lounge? Is it too risky there may not be a seat on the 5pm? (I think there's a 7pm flight after that too).

They cannot push back no shows, which is how your booking will appear post departure, unless your in J.

 

[DeKa]

They cannot push back no shows, which is how your booking will appear post departure, unless your in J.

Or Flexi? The T&Cs of Flexi allow you to change/cancel up to 24 hours after departure too.
Domestic Fare Types | Virgin Australia

I guess to the OP, I wouldn't be doing it ..

 

[markis10]

Or Flexi? The T&Cs of Flexi allow you to change/cancel up to 24 hours after departure too.
Domestic Fare Types | Virgin Australia

I guess to the OP, I wouldn't be doing it ..

Flexi would require a fare recalc , but is changeable.

 

[DirkDiggler]

Every time I have missed a flight (got time wrong, been delayed in traffic etc) I have always been put on the next flight at no cost with no questions asked. Out of 150+ flights last year I think it happened 3 or 4 times, both pre and post Sabre.

The one time I tried ringing the call centre when stuck in traffic, I was passed between about three people, told it simply couldn't be done on that fare type and only option was to buy new ticket, I got a bit pissed off (not their fault at all), said a few words I probably shouldn't have and hung up. Got to the lounge explained the situation, they went to get me on the next flight and found the call centre had already done it!

 

[MartinMemo]

In my experience (even on saver fares and as silver) the lounge staff will move you back if you ask kind enough. The issue obviously being that you have to get to the lounge to request it. In the past few months I've had the lounge staff be kind enough to move flights back or forward 3 or 4 times, and in once instance even split up an OOL-MEL ex SYD saver ticket so I could spend a few days in Sydney.
Might even be worth calling the lounge staff directly from the car on your way?

 

[Ausbt]

I've done it once on a Saver Lite at Melbourne. Simply went to check-in and advised we missed it (me WP, colleague PS). They sent us to the lounge and the lounge managed to get us on a flight about an hour later. And it was peak hour too.

 

[Shano]

A couple of months ago I did mobile checkin for a flight (SYD-MEL) but was then held up at work. I rang the GCC and asked to change to a later flight and was advised to "just show up at the airport when you can and we will put you on the next flight".

They did exactly that (about 2 hours after original flight departure) so it all worked out OK.

That was on a flexi.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Or Flexi? The T&Cs of Flexi allow you to change/cancel up to 24 hours after departure too.
Domestic Fare Types | Virgin Australia

Correct.

A couple of months ago I did mobile checkin for a flight (SYD-MEL) but was then held up at work. I rang the GCC and asked to change to a later flight and was advised to "just show up at the airport when you can and we will put you on the next flight".
They did exactly that (about 2 hours after original flight departure) so it all worked out OK.
That was on a flexi.

This is exactly how our Flexi fares were envisioned.

 

[VRC]

I would be interested to know what day of the week you are flying. 3 out of the 5 weekdays have a 3pm service with virtually all these days having a 4, 5, 6 and mostly a 7pm service. So it is likely you could secure a seat on one of these later flights although having flown a number of these later in the week, many a very full hence the high price.
If you are without baggage best bet would be to phone the lounge in transit and say you are going to miss the flight and could you get on a later one. It will be up to their goodwill to shift a Saver Lite fare without charge. My experience of this Lounge is their people do there utmost to provide very good service.
Phone number is 08 82387556

 

[Deleted member 29185]

A couple of months ago I did mobile checkin for a flight (SYD-MEL) but was then held up at work. I rang the GCC and asked to change to a later flight and was advised to "just show up at the airport when you can and we will put you on the next flight". They did exactly that (about 2 hours after original flight departure) so it all worked out OK. That was on a flexi.

This is exactly how our Flexi fares were envisioned.

Is the difference in fare commonly applied, as that can at times be substantial?

 

[smit0847]

I have a ADL-MEL flight next month where we booked a 3pm flight as it was much cheaper than the usual 5pm-ish flight we usually take. Where we had booked the 5pm and arrived before the 3pm we would always ask to Fly Forward at the Lounge (HLO). We are coming from rural SA and making the 3pm flight will be quite rushed. Is it possible to 'Fly Backwards', i.e. purposely arrive at the Lounge after the flight has left and be moved fre of charge to the next flight? We are WP and SG travelling on Saver Lite fares.

I know I can organise now to be moved for a fee but will this be waved at the Lounge? Is it too risky there may not be a seat on the 5pm? (I think there's a 7pm flight after that too).

An end-note to this post - on the day I rang the lounge (number was on the VA website) and explained my situation. The woman who answered seemed most confused (I think she thought I was trying to call the call centre and went through to the wrong person) and said 'we don't really do that unless you are here in person' (I thought 'why on earth would I want to take a later flight if I was already there at the airport?!'). She then said 'you have plenty of time to get here before your flight leaves'. I told her I realised it was not normal procedure but I would really appreciate it if she could do it.

She then said 'are you even a lounge member?!' I explained I was WP, 10 seconds later, 'I've moved you to the flight 2 hours later but as there is only 1 spare seat and most people have checked in online I only have 2 seats together in Row 8. Will that be okay?'.

Yet another benefit of VA status, yet another 'I didn't know you could do that?' from my non-status friends.