DIY checkin and upgrades - please help!!

Hi there - well 1st post on the forum - was introduced to the website by Dave at the Strat - glad he recommended it cos lots of great info. Thanks Dave.

Anyway - just flew back from vegas. Have flown quite a bit and am a gold member.

1st question is : I always request 81 A and 81 C as early as possible at the airport on day of departure. Last week we were the first to physically check in. But the checkin employee said seats 81 A and C were already gone. luckily 81 H and 81 K were available so no problems.

We thought must be babies on board for the bulkhead seats thats why 81 A and C were gone. But on boarding they were just two adults.

SO can 81 A and C - the bulkhead seats be allocated via DIY checkin?? Be grateful if anyone knows cos Virgin staff dont seem to know or willing to advise.

ALso - sorry for two questions in one post - do they ever upgrade people in the bulkhead seats and/or exit seats - like I say am a gold member and have flown a lot but only upgraded twice to Upper Class in 5 years. But I spose we do fly on the LGW config. (i.e. not many UC seats available).

Anyway thanks if anyone can help.

I don't do LGW flights but if they're bulkheads yes they'll be blocked so can only be allocated at check in.

They do not upgrade people specifically on what seat you're in - if they are looking to upgrade people they would not think "Oh yes lets put those in exit rows and bulkheads up". That system has no reason or rhyme.

What they would do is bring up the gold card list which you would be on. Then they would look for full fare paying passengers travelling alone.

[Neil]

It is def not possible to select the Bulkhead/exit row seats with OLCI - only thing I can think is that when you checked in those rows had not been unblocked yet, when we got those seats the check in agent had to ring through to get them released before he could seat us in them.

Neil:)

Hey thanks for the info.

Sorry for confusion re the upgrade question.

My point was that 'do they actively NOT upgrade those passengers in Exit Rows / or bulkheads? The exit seats because of passengers having to be fit and able - and they dont want to mess around looking for other passengers at the departure gate?

Not sure re bulkheads tho

[Neil]

While Im no expert on this matter and Im sure there are plenty who will be able to confirm this, as far as I am aware your seat has nothing what so ever to do with if you are upgraded or not, I think a lot of things are looked at before that (Au status for example)

Neil

[Scrooge]

The big problem is that you are as you said flying direct to Vegas,if you flew into either LAX or SFO the upgrade fairy may be a little more generous with you...