Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for 2.

[pat25d]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

But if he only had saver on the first leg he can't move onto an earlier flight and be in J.

 

[Undercover Brother]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Mmm. Sounds artificial. This would be to do with you having 4 'legs' or sectors worth of upgrades and only having to use one to go PER-SYD-BNE.




Great to see a decent result, but, I'd still be annoyed. Heres why: I book business class because I want business class, not a 'chance' at business class. I didn't change the contract of sale, VA did that, its incumbent upon them, in my view, to make good, and simply applying a 'break even' type compensation is not really good enough for me to feel well done by.

Why couldn't they move you to an earlier or later flight, on a 738, break the booking into 2 sectors if they really felt that they must (and I don't really buy this excuse), but then fling you a free upgrade sector ... which is essentially what they have done anyway. They've already broken the flight into an upgrade sector and a non upgrade sector and refunded your 'free upgrade'.

I don't really think they've done the best they could by meeting you half way on a product you don't want. Would you have paid the flexi price for the SYD-BNE leg if you didn't want to upgrade to J? I certainly wouldn't have ... I'd have booked a Saver. I reckon they owe you some money as well as the upgrade voucher.

PER-SYD-BNE only uses 1 comp upgrade, so I have only used 2 upgrades, both of which have now been re-credited, however I (and my +1) still get the new A330 business experience, which apart from going to Perth is really what I wanted them for.

The way the agent explained it, is that the flights are a formal connection, and she could change me to any of the other options that can be found using the online search for PER-BNE, and for Sun 10th June the above option is the only one using A330. She offered Perth direct to Brisbane which I declined.

The agent confirmed that I could still use my Fly Ahead benefits at the airport, so I should still be able to make the B738 connection instead of B737. So if all goes to plan I still get J A330 & B738, and didn't use any upgrades to do so I would say it is me that has scored all the points in this situation.

 

[Moopere]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

PER-SYD-BNE only uses 1 comp upgrade, so I have only used 2 upgrades, both of which have now been re-credited, however I (and my +1) still get the new A330 business experience, which apart from going to Perth is really what I wanted them for.

Yes, fair enough. Its well worth the effort and I've done the same as you in the southerly direction. PER-MEL via SYD in order to fly the transcon A330.

The agent confirmed that I could still use my Fly Ahead benefits at the airport, so I should still be able to make the B738 connection instead of B737. So if all goes to plan I still get J A330 & B738, and didn't use any upgrades to do so I would say it is me that has scored all the points in this situation.

Nice.

 

[MichaelD]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Great to see a decent result, but, I'd still be annoyed. Heres why: I book business class because I want business class, not a 'chance' at business class. I didn't change the contract of sale, VA did that, its incumbent upon them, in my view, to make good, and simply applying a 'break even' type compensation is not really good enough for me to feel well done by.

Gotta say that even I think you're being a bit harsh here. I think Virgin have done the best they possibly can in this situation with their current state of play. I'd be happy to have J on the A330 transcontinental for free at the expense of possibly having to suffer Y SYD-BNE. The OP was striving for J A330 transcontinental, and he is getting exactly that. All going to plan, he'll get J SYD-BNE as well for free, and still has his 2 complimentary upgrades to use next time.

Note to the OP: hopefully you are only travelling with carry-on, as if you have checked luggage, you cannot utilize Fly Forward to get to your desired 737-800 SYD-BNE.

 

[jazza1971]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

Disappointed for my wife & daughter, had both booked on DJ401 ADL-SYD today. Their first J Class flight and an aircraft substitution occured from an -800.....so no J , I'm not sure what they even ended up getting. Interested in what DJ are going to offer me in compensation as I cant get the old J rates to book them for another J flight......Hope their return leg on Monday evening doesnt get swapped either...

I havent spoken to my wife, but I bet they didn't even mention changing to the flight 30 minutes later which was an -800......

 

[medhead]

Note to the OP: hopefully you are only travelling with carry-on, as if you have checked luggage, you cannot utilize Fly Forward to get to your desired 737-800 SYD-BNE.

Technically you're correct. However, I managed to use Fly Ahead with checked baggage from SYD, 2 weeks ago. This required tactically use of the premium entry.


Sent from the Throne

 

[Fruitcake]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

Technically you're correct. However, I managed to use Fly Ahead with checked baggage from SYD, 2 weeks ago. This required tactically use of the premium entry.


Sent from the Throne

Handy to know - presumably you approached premium entry, got your "fly ahead" approved and then went to the regular check-in desks?

 

[Jama]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

I regularly fly ahead with checked baggage and have always done so by going to regular check-in and asking if there are any earlier flights available. I have done this since before having status and they have always been accomodating when there is availibility of a seat. I never viewed this as a status option just as good service.

 

[MichaelD]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

Technically you're correct. However, I managed to use Fly Ahead with checked baggage from SYD, 2 weeks ago. This required tactically use of the premium entry.

More information, please, on what you did (and why it was needed).

I have just moved myself + baggage to an earlier J flight with Virgin simply by asking at check-in, but I would not have defined this as Fly Ahead, merely as exercising the inherent flexibility of a J ticket.

They warned me that I may not get proper J catering due to the late change, but of course I don't have a problem with this in the circumstances.

 

[greenfish]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

I regularly fly ahead with checked baggage and have always done so by going to regular check-in and asking if there are any earlier flights available. I have done this since before having status and they have always been accomodating when there is availibility of a seat. I never viewed this as a status option just as good service.

I've had no problem with fly ahead since I've had status, twice with checked baggage though usually handled in the lounge. However "pre status" I was declined fly-ahead on my birthday last year after the check-in agent had confirmed there were seats available (and I'd already checked EF for availability too).

 

[pangwen]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

More information, please, on what you did (and why it was needed).

I have just moved myself + baggage to an earlier J flight with Virgin simply by asking at check-in, but I would not have defined this as Fly Ahead, merely as exercising the inherent flexibility of a J ticket.

They warned me that I may not get proper J catering due to the late change, but of course I don't have a problem with this in the circumstances.

I managed to move to an earlier flight from SYD to BNE (in J) on Tuesday. The agent actually offered to move me (due to the storm approaching) before I even asked! They did warn that I may not get catering, but funnily enough, there were 6 J pax on board and 5 meals. Someone else must have changed flights too (off my new flight), otherwise there should only have been 4 meals?

 

[Jama]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

I regularly fly ahead with checked baggage and have always done so by going to regular check-in and asking if there are any earlier flights available. I have done this since before having status and they have always been accomodating when there is availibility of a seat. I never viewed this as a status option just as good service.

Always flying with minimum of a flexi I might add. And sometimes it meant sitting in row 102 if I wanted a seat

 

[Fruitcake]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

Always flying with minimum of a flexi I might add. And sometimes it meant sitting in row 102 if I wanted a seat

If you didn't want a seat, they were happy to let you 'fly ahead' by strapping yourself to the wall of the galley?

My father was allowed on numerous occasions to 'fly ahead' with Ansett - in the coughpit jumpseat. Seat discomfort outweighed the novelty factor fairly quickly in the 737 but he said the A320 was a pretty good ride.

 

[bullerdude]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

Just received a phone call from Virgin informing my that the 6PM MEL-BNE flight tomorrow night got swapped to a non-business plane. Whilst I am very disappointed that they changed the 6pm flight, as its a dinner flights, I pleased to be called the day before and given the option of either a refund of my free platinum upgrade or the ability to move to another flight, which I did. Now I am on the 5pm flight which apparently is only a snack flight, somewhat disappointing.

So overall, pleased to see that Virgin is taking the effort to call customers. However, disappointed that I could not be on a dinner flight to Brisbane, as the dinner window is just to short. Guess I better eat up the lounge before I get on the plane.

 

[Moopere]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

Guess I better eat up the lounge before I get on the plane.

Everyone says this ... but I must be missing something, or getting unlucky. What are folks actually eating in the VA lounges?

If I'm super lucky there will be edible soup or hotdogs and twice I got some sort of chilli with choritzo or something in it (excellent by the way!!), once I even had little lamb party pies brought around, but these are odd occasions, generally there is cheese and cold cuts with bread ... maybe I'm just not a sandwich guy but I don't generally feel like I've had an actual meal if I make a cheese sandwich.

Better than nothing at all, but geez...

 

[serfty]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - now 0 for 2. Pay for Business, get Premium Econom

I think you will find there is bulkheads on both sides!

This aircraft only had bulkead in front of 1D/E/F.

Did you have to pay?

A bit slighted, but not much I can do. It's only a 45 minute flight.

Hopefully there would be a level of compensation. (Although what that may be from H class points+pay bookings I don't know.)

Of course, If I have to pay for food/drink I'll be more annoyed!

It was a Cap-Con service, before 4pm so water and little snack.

Well I received my call; offered other options but either to early or too late. Told I will be contacted in the next 7 days to discuss compensation.

... and no, they could not arrange the blocking of the E seat.

Look like I will need to discuss at the airport.

<PS Merged Threads>

At the airport I was able to arrange a seat block.

The point component of our C&P booking for the sector was refunded - I was happy with that as I need some Velocity points before the end of June for a PER trip.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

Going to select seats for a flight in about 2 weeks and the "old" J/PE seatmap is showing

The one with 1B & 1E and 2B and 2E showing as "N/A" Showing as a 737-800 when going to make a new booking so it's a rogue 737-800 I assume as it's showing 30 rows on the aircraft ????

I chuckle to myself, as this is a fully paid J fare, I can't go on an earlier flight, so hopefully I'll make a claim for 50% back, add to this the cancellation of 1/2 of my CBR-MEL flights due to a schedule change by VA..... At least I have already retained Platinum until March 2014 I guess.

2 weeks out though, I am very surprised they know where the aircraft is going to be, so I expect it may change.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

Everyone says this ... but I must be missing something, or getting unlucky. What are folks actually eating in the VA lounges?

If I'm super lucky there will be edible soup or hotdogs and twice I got some sort of chilli with choritzo or something in it (excellent by the way!!), once I even had little lamb party pies brought around, but these are odd occasions, generally there is cheese and cold cuts with bread ... maybe I'm just not a sandwich guy but I don't generally feel like I've had an actual meal if I make a cheese sandwich.

Better than nothing at all, but geez...

I agree to a point!

Hot dogs need to be changed, yes they will say they are popular but given there is not much else in the MEL lounge.......

Party Pies should be permanent during dinner, hot dogs can stay, but a chicken curry rice should be standard as well

 

[serfty]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

...
The one with 1B & 1E and 2B and 2E showing as "N/A" Showing as a 737-800 when going to make a new booking so it's a rogue 737-800 I assume as it's showing 30 rows on the aircraft ???? ...

Nup!

From recent experience, if you have a 'rogue', then 1B/E & 2B/E show as selectable/occupied seats these days.

As reported earlier I moved us from (preallocated) 1B/C, selecting 1D/F and was lucky enough to get 1E blocked at the airport on check-in.

 

[jase]

Re: Virgin Business Class Lottery - Pay for Business, get Premium Economy! Now 0 for

Everyone says this ... but I must be missing something, or getting unlucky. What are folks actually eating in the VA lounges?

If I'm super lucky there will be edible soup or hotdogs and twice I got some sort of chilli with choritzo or something in it (excellent by the way!!), once I even had little lamb party pies brought around, but these are odd occasions, generally there is cheese and cold cuts with bread ... maybe I'm just not a sandwich guy but I don't generally feel like I've had an actual meal if I make a cheese sandwich.

Better than nothing at all, but geez...

And then consider for a second that you were a vegetarian that couldn't have dairy.

Off the plane or on, it's a challenge!