Virgin Atlantic Seat booking charge from 17 November 2014

[Pootle]

Honestly, I can't. Aside from being a way for them to squeeze more money out of passengers, there is no merit in this system whatsoever.

I had to call United regarding our December flights last weekend. One of them was a code share domestic connection from EDI to LHR, which has now been removed as they re-routed us. The agent reacted in disbelief when she was attempting to assign seats on that flight without success and I told her that you can't pre book seats on most EU/UK airliines without paying a fee.

My view is the same as hers: if you've paid for a ticket, you should be able to select an available seat in the cabin you have booked and paid for.

So, I don't see how it makes any sense.

I think they will all follow suit. In Monday's USA Today, there is an article entitled 'Airlines need to be fair when playing musical chairs' and it contains the following sentence "Airlines earn big money from seat reservation fees, which used to be included in the price of your ticket ....". True the piece is mostly about not getting the seats that you have paid for, such as extra leg room, but even so, the practice is spreading.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

I am not defending this Virgin policy I think it's greedy and wrong. However. I have flown with them around 12 times in a decade and do have to say my experience has been outstanding every time and they absolutely have more than an edge on other airlines for me. I have never seen families separated on Manchester to Orlando flights personally and never experienced chaos if any kind.

100% agree.
We booked Extra Legroom last year, I was worried that the four of us could be potentially split, I crossed my fingers and hoped they would keep us together and they did,three in one row and me directly infront.

 

[Tinks1984]

Quick question...my party of 5 (4 adults and 1 child, 3 at time of travel) won't be split up for the journey?! Or, is there a chance that I'll be placed as a 'two' with my little one and my other 'three' somewhere else on board?! Or, will we all remain together??

Also, we've booked through a TA, who are saying they won't have our VA reference number until 60 days out, this could cause major problems if we end up split!! Think a phone call is in order to clarify :-/ I was kinda hoping they'd all be with me to help keep little one entertained!!

 

[Minniesgal]

Quick question...my party of 5 (4 adults and 1 child, 3 at time of travel) won't be split up for the journey?! Or, is there a chance that I'll be placed as a 'two' with my little one and my other 'three' somewhere else on board?! Or, will we all remain together?? Also, we've booked through a TA, who are saying they won't have our VA reference number until 60 days out, this could cause major problems if we end up split!! Think a phone call is in order to clarify :-/ I was kinda hoping they'd all be with me to help keep little one entertained!!

It is a risk that you won't all be seated together. How likely that is I don't know. I had a friend who ended up upgrading to PE at check in because her family party were all over the plane. However, I'm not sure how hard she tried to get it sorted out as I'm sure she would have loved the excuse to fly PE.

 

[Laurafoster]

Quick question...my party of 5 (4 adults and 1 child, 3 at time of travel) won't be split up for the journey?! Or, is there a chance that I'll be placed as a 'two' with my little one and my other 'three' somewhere else on board?! Or, will we all remain together?? Also, we've booked through a TA, who are saying they won't have our VA reference number until 60 days out, this could cause major problems if we end up split!! Think a phone call is in order to clarify :-/ I was kinda hoping they'd all be with me to help keep little one entertained!!

They will only guarantee to sit you and Samantha together, the other 3 could be sat elsewhere. I guess how likely you are to be sat together would depend on how many other people precook the seats around you.

The other year when we flew home our party was all split up (4adults,1child and a lap infant) this was in PE. Originally they had sat 2 upstairs, me and lap infant in a bulkhead seat, DD on her own in the row behind (she was 3 - apparently as we were only separated by a seat that classes to them as seating us together!) and my husband across the aisle from her. After a lot of hassle we managed to get me sat with both kids, but that was a looooong flight!

We have 8 on this next trip, and I feel that I have to pay it. My mum hates flying and so she would hate to be sat on her own. Same with my MIL. I know both kids will be fine on flight, but it would be so much easier to have both parents and grandparents there to help occupy them.

 

[Samaya]

Quick question...my party of 5 (4 adults and 1 child, 3 at time of travel) won't be split up for the journey?! Or, is there a chance that I'll be placed as a 'two' with my little one and my other 'three' somewhere else on board?! Or, will we all remain together??

Also, we've booked through a TA, who are saying they won't have our VA reference number until 60 days out, this could cause major problems if we end up split!! Think a phone call is in order to clarify :-/ I was kinda hoping they'd all be with me to help keep little one entertained!!

Not sure if you're thinking of getting your seat assigned at 60-days which will cost you £125 each way and if you are have you considered instead VA's seat-plus and buying two extra seats for £130 each way, so only £5 more than choosing your seat in advance.

Hopefully you'll then be assigned one row of 3-seats and one row of 4-seats. Okay there's a chance they won't be directly across from each other but it does allow you a little more flexibility.

Why not ring up VA and ask if they can check if seat-plus is available for your flights, they might not be able to help if you don't have a VA booking number but who knows you might get a helpful VA agent who will search out your name on your flight dates and if they do they might be able to give you a VA booking number at the same time. VA is open 24-hours on 0344 874 7747.
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/the-virgin-experience/extras/seat-plus.html

 

[Tinks1984]

Not sure if you're thinking of getting your seat assigned at 60-days which will cost you £125 each way and if you are have you considered instead VA's seat-plus and buying two extra seats for £130 each way, so only £5 more than choosing your seat in advance.

Hopefully you'll then be assigned one row of 3-seats and one row of 4-seats. Okay there's a chance they won't be directly across from each other but it does allow you a little more flexibility.

Why not ring up VA and ask if they can check if seat-plus is available for your flights, they might not be able to help if you don't have a VA booking number but who knows you might get a helpful VA agent who will search out your name on your flight dates and if they do they might be able to give you a VA booking number at the same time. VA is open 24-hours on 0344 874 7747.
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/the-virgin-experience/extras/seat-plus.html

Thanks for the information guys & girls

I'll mention this to my Dad and see what he thinks. It's such an added stress, that is totally not needed in my opinion! Puts a dampener on a family holiday if you ask me. We're not frequent visitors, so to be sat together on a plane is something that we'd like - and now have to pay extra for. Just crazy!

 

[jamez2014]

must admit I understand why VA have done this, but really the fair way to do this is for customers that book 18th November onwards? just seems i agree and pay for a service for them to change it, wife is a nervous flyer and isnt going to be happy with it if we are separated, oh well there goes another £100, thanks VA

 

[Minniesgal]

must admit I understand why VA have done this, but really the fair way to do this is for customers that book 18th November onwards? just seems i agree and pay for a service for them to change it, wife is a nervous flyer and isnt going to be happy with it if we are separated, oh well there goes another £100, thanks VA

To be honest with the amount of notice VA have given in this one they have implemented it pretty fairly. This has been known about for quite some time.

 

[Minniesgal]

No, this is something which VA was going to introduce some 18 months ago, which couldn't be implemented at the time due to various issues with the system they were using. The 60-day seat booking was only ever an interim thing until this new system was brought in.

I wasn't so much referring to the recent changes but those from a few years ago. About 3-4 years ago VA would book your seat the day you bought your ticket so first come frost seated. Then they changed it about 2, 2.5 years ago to you can only book 60 or was it 90 days out so everyone could pick a seat the same day regardless of when you paid for your ticket. A lot of early bookers complained a lot about that change and wanted it to go back to selecting your seat the day you book.

 

[wilma-bride]

I wasn't so much referring to the recent changes but those from a few years ago. About 3-4 years ago VA would book your seat the day you bought your ticket so first come frost seated. Then they changed it about 2, 2.5 years ago to you can only book 60 or was it 90 days out so everyone could pick a seat the same day regardless of when you paid for your ticket. A lot of early bookers complained a lot about that change and wanted it to go back to selecting your seat the day you book.

I think you're missing the point - they only changed to the 60-day booking because of their failure to implement the paid system at that time. It was an interim measure, not a new system. So the complainers were always going to complain because they can now pick their seat the same day they book, they just have to pay for it now (which is how it would have been 2+ years ago if the system had been put in place when it was originally intended).

 

[CAROLINE4]

This is all so utterly painful! We are paying the most we've ever paid in 7 years to go this Easter (has to be school hols because of job). we are paying over £950 pp to fly direct from Man, in economy!!

I know it may have been cheaper to go indirect but as a family of 6 with small children I could not even think about indirect.
But to then to pay an extra £250 return to sit with my family is horrendous!

We are currently not sure whether to take the chance but would hate for my 14 year old to be sat away from me!

 

[maclondon]

This is all so utterly painful! We are paying the most we've ever paid in 7 years to go this Easter (has to be school hols because of job). we are paying over £950 pp to fly direct from Man, in economy!!

I know it may have been cheaper to go indirect but as a family of 6 with small children I could not even think about indirect.
But to then to pay an extra £250 return to sit with my family is horrendous!

We are currently not sure whether to take the chance but would hate for my 14 year old to be sat away from me!

yep over half our price is flights
wishing now i'd taken up the offer of an upgrade to PE for £1200 for both ways for all 6 of us - i didn't called back the next day to say i would and its had gone up to £2300 extra.

now I'll end up spending £300 and still in Economy

 

[wilma-bride]

This is all so utterly painful! We are paying the most we've ever paid in 7 years to go this Easter (has to be school hols because of job). we are paying over £950 pp to fly direct from Man, in economy!!

I know it may have been cheaper to go indirect but as a family of 6 with small children I could not even think about indirect.
But to then to pay an extra £250 return to sit with my family is horrendous!

We are currently not sure whether to take the chance but would hate for my 14 year old to be sat away from me!

yep over half our price is flights
wishing now i'd taken up the offer of an upgrade to PE for £1200 for both ways for all 6 of us - i didn't called back the next day to say i would and its had gone up to £2300 extra.

now I'll end up spending £300 and still in Economy

Unless it is vital that your whole party is sat together, then if I were you I would take a chance and see what is available at online check in (or earlier if you are Flying Club members). The only time I've ever been split from the rest of my party was on our flight home with Aer Lingus a couple of weeks ago - they literally couldn't sit the 5 of us in the same row even, so we were split into a 2 and a 3. Even then, it wasn't the end of the world as we were travelling with my in-laws. It meant they actually got some peace and quiet on the flight home as they were able to sit by themselves.

 

[CAROLINE4]

Unless it is vital that your whole party is sat together, then if I were you I would take a chance and see what is available at online check in (or earlier if you are Flying Club members). The only time I've ever been split from the rest of my party was on our flight home with Aer Lingus a couple of weeks ago - they literally couldn't sit the 5 of us in the same row even, so we were split into a 2 and a 3. Even then, it wasn't the end of the world as we were travelling with my in-laws. It meant they actually got some peace and quiet on the flight home as they were able to sit by themselves.

So if my husband and I are flying club members then we can book our whole family in earlier?
Sounds like bliss having Inlaws away from you!

 

[wilma-bride]

So if my husband and I are flying club members then we can book our whole family in earlier?
Sounds like bliss having Inlaws away from you!

 

[Kath2003]

yep over half our price is flights
wishing now i'd taken up the offer of an upgrade to PE for £1200 for both ways for all 6 of us - i didn't called back the next day to say i would and its had gone up to £2300 extra.

now I'll end up spending £300 and still in Economy

If they guarantee that kids are sat with you, could you not just pay to seat yourself and your 14 year old? That's £100. The other kids will be with an adult, so either with you and the 14 year old or with your husband. Not ideal, but a £150 saving.

 

[epcot1stfave]

Logged on this morning at 05.30 when I got up for work and seat map was available. Booked our upper class seats for our flight from Miami after the transatlantic on the Disney Magic

 

[wilma-bride]

Logged on this morning at 05.30 when I got up for work and seat map was available. Booked our upper class seats for our flight from Miami after the transatlantic on the Disney Magic

I managed to book our PE seats for our return from LAX just fine but, unfortunately, the system wouldn't work when it came to booking exit seats for the outbound flight. First, it declined my card twice. Then, when I used a different card, there was an issue with adding the seat booking to the reservation. I have given up for now and will hope there are exit row seats available later today when I get a chance to call. I think, unfortunately, they may not have ironed out all the issues with the seat reservation system and there may be some issues today

 

[Elise79]

Just booked mine for next summer - they were free as we are flying PE. Got our first choice both ways.

Flying out on a Dreamliner to EWR