Seat maps at booking vs. checking in

Hi everyone, first time poster here, and soon to be first time Virgin flyer.

I was planning to book VS012 BOS-LHR on June 23 (A340-600), but we're traveling as a couple and the seat maps that show up on ExpertFlyer and Orbitz indicate that there are no more two seats together by the window (there are only scattered seats in the middle, or just one seat in the aisle). Attached an image of the seat map for that flight that I pulled from Orbitz.

VS12 BOS-LHR 23 Jun Seat Map

And the availability for the flight on ExpertFlyer is as follows. It seems like demand is pretty high:
VS 12 0 BOS
06/23/12 7:45 PM LHR
06/24/12 7:20 AM 346
J9 C9 D9 I9 Z3 W9 S9 K1 Y9 B9 R9 L9 U9 M9 E9 Q9 X0 N0 O0

As you can see from the seat map, the seat maps that are displayed only show rows 41-64, whereas Economy on Virgin's A340-600s consists of rows 31-65. I've heard previously that Virgin only releases a certain percentage of seats for advanced assignments, and that perhaps the others (the forward economy seats?) are blocked off until online check-in opens. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with this in the past?

There are more seats available for selection on flights during the following week, but June 23rd works much better for us, and so we're wondering if we should take the risk of booking this flight and then just try to get two seats together at check-in?

Thanks very much in advance for all your help!

[honey lamb]

Hi and welcome to V-Flyer

It is hard to determine availability on seat maps for a variety of reasons. Virgin Atlantic only allows 60% to be available for pre-requesting with the rest being released when on-line check-in opens at T-24 (with the exception of exit rows and bulkheads - although exit rows in Economy can be bought by calling VS if you have booked directly through them. The fact that you can only see the latter part of the cabin suggests that they are being held back either for trim or part of the 40% as mentioned above. Finally seats can only be requested and can be changed for whatever reason.

My suggestion to you would be to go ahead and book and if the seat map is available pick your seats then. In any case do OLCI as soon as possible as you can then select from the others which will be released then. *Hint* Look at the seat map a couple of hours ahead of OLCI opening as the seat maps may be released then. If so select your seats AND then do OLCI. Finally, if all else fails see at check-in at the airport if you can get seats together. Generally speaking it usually works out.

Enjoy your flight

Choose flights based on what is best for your holiday plans rather than on what availability the seat maps shows which can often be distorted.

Ditto take the load checks done on expert flyer and flightstats with a pinch of salt too.

i would book it.

the front half of the economy cabin on the A340-600 is held back until check-in.

it would be unusual for two people on the same booking to not be seated together or not be able to choose two seats together.

Overall I too would book it and follow HL's sound advise, but:

the front half of the economy cabin on the A340-600 is held back until check-in

While that may be true, if the flight is full, those seats in the forward cabin will already be blocked off for OLCI.

it would be unusual for two people on the same booking to not be seated together or not be able to choose two seats together.

And even on the seat map posted there are two seats available next to each other (58FG) which aren't isolated in the middle of the block of four.

Awesome, we will go ahead and book it then and just try to rearrange at OLCI. Thanks for all the helpful responses.