The randomness of it all...

Greetings from the clubhouse,

Arriving here many many hours early on a complicated journey back home to NYC, and asking if it's possible get on an earlier flight, and am told 'No', unless I pay a £2000 fee (!). Of course I declined, and despite pointing out that I was simply just seeking to get home a bit earlier, not changing dates or class, and not wait in the lounge for 6 hours, was told it was impossible without a paid for upgrade of my Z UC ticket. That is simply not true, as I've done it before multiple times where kind Check In agents see there is empty space and fit you on. Especially if you're a gold FC, and regular UC traveler.

But nope this time, just flat out denial that it ever happens. Any half assed US airline would help out their values premium pax, (I fly every 6/8 weeks for 18 years now) but it seems vs won't/can't, according to the random helpfulness of the desk person.

So now I'll sit here for 5+ hours eating my way through their menu, and costing them more money, while multiple empty seats go across the Atlantic on 2 earlier plane options. Weird.

Oh well...!

I'd say more the stupidity of it all...

Just a suggestion here.....
If you are in the CH would it not be worth going back and asking again?? Perhaps a different member of staff, as they are getting close to closing check-in? May be an empty flight and the one you are on is overbooked???
They have their rules, they are there to make a profit after all, even tho that does go against what I want sometimes ): ): but they have always tried to help me out in the past.

[Nottingham Nick]

But, on the other hand, if VS treated non-flex fares as flexible ones, what would be the point of buying the more expensive flexible buckets?


Nick

But, on the other hand, if VS treated non-flex fares as flexible ones, what would be the point of buying the more expensive flexible buckets?


Nick

So you can change the ticket whenever you want up to and including the day of travel.. and get a CDC

I second what LG says, ask another member of staff. I usually find myself in your position when flying from JFK back to LHR. There are three evening flights back across the atlantic and more often than not I have been allowed to move between them if I arrive early.

A bit of flexibility for a repeat customer should be pretty standard. Let us know how you get on 8D

Yes Nick, I understand and agree with that to a degree, but there comes a point where common sense kicks in, as it does with most US airlines, (and they don't miss a trick to charge you, believe me!).

Totally agree if I were trying to change dates or class, but simply being a 'standby' for an earlier empty seat to get home and into my bed, rather than spend 5/6 hours in the lounge, seems entirely reasonable to me, especially if it's an unspoken and unadvertised bonus for AU pax, (on the day, subject to availability)

What I wasnt bothering to explain was how my friend accompanying me, who I'd bought a miles reward ticket for in economy WAS allowed to change her ticket (AU rewards tickets can change for free, and get on the earlier flight) but I, a revenue pax could not.

It has happened to me various times before, including 8 weeks ago, but today's check in agent flat out denied it ever happened. Not true, but you're not in the position to argue.

Just a suggestion here.....
If you are in the CH would it not be worth going back and asking again?? Perhaps a different member of staff, as they are getting close to closing check-in? May be an empty flight and the one you are on is overbooked???
They have their rules, they are there to make a profit after all, even tho that does go against what I want sometimes ): ): but they have always tried to help me out in the past.

Unfortunately I had to check a bag, (liquid Christmas gifts) so that shut down the option of trying again in the lounge... Believe me I would have otherwise!

[Nottingham Nick]

The problem is that the airline are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I totally agree that there should be perks for regular fliers - especially those who pay to fly in the premium seats.

However in this social media age, if they bend the rules for one - they should bend the rules for all - every time.

If they don't, they will finish up being chastised on the said social media by some for sticking to the rules while others expose their inconsistencies and make the airline look rather silly.


Nick

Unfortunately I had to check a bag, (liquid Christmas gifts) so that shut down the option of trying again in the lounge... Believe me I would have otherwise!

I think the OP has the answer there - his checked bag had already gone to a bag-store in the bowels of the terminal for later retrieval. Sure, it's possible to call the bag out early for an earlier flight, but nowhere near as simple as moving a pax with carry-on baggage only.

We flew home from JFK last year booked on the VS10 (last flight out). We arrived at check-in before the earlier VS46 had closed and the agent was literally lifting the phone and offering to try and move us onto the VS46 (were on Z's too). We declined the offer as we wanted to eat, shower and drink in the Clubhouse before a good nights sleep on the VS10.

At the end of the day, it makes sense for VS to offer "space available" changes to flights (on the same day only) for UC pax. Not least because it may mean they can resell that Z seat on the later flight for a full J fare to someone who walks up at the last minute and just has to fly. Just don't expect to be moved onto the earlier flight until the absolute last minute, i.e. as the flight is closing.

The problem is that the airline are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I totally agree that there should be perks for regular fliers - especially those who pay to fly in the premium seats.

However in this social media age, if they bend the rules for one - they should bend the rules for all - every time.

If they don't, they will finish up being chastised on the said social media by some for sticking to the rules while others expose their inconsistencies and make the airline look rather silly.

I absolutely understand what you are saying Nick, and was in two minds about even posting here - would someone who occasionally switched PAX into an earlier flight get reprimanded, and we see a return to strict enforcement?

But, I figured out its better to highlight silly erratic policies that do not help VS or their premium passengers, in the hope that someone in management notices, and realises it should be changed. Why not offer this as a perk to AU holders, subject to availability? You could technically argue that a same day at-the-counter switch to earlier flight is not a 'date change' and so not a change/break of policy.

Kraken, and doubtless others here, have the same experience, where VS offer to switch you to an earlier flight at check in, without you even asking. So quite why me asking was so unusual and unacceptable to my check in person, goodness knows.

Anyhoo - after 5 hours in the clubhouse, I got back fine. UC was completely full, and EC was totally empty! Go figure.

I think the OP has the answer there - his checked bag had already gone to a bag-store in the bowels of the terminal for later retrieval. Sure, it's possible to call the bag out early for an earlier flight, but nowhere near as simple as moving a pax with carry-on baggage only.

We flew home from JFK last year booked on the VS10 (last flight out). We arrived at check-in before the earlier VS46 had closed and the agent was literally lifting the phone and offering to try and move us onto the VS46 (were on Z's too). We declined the offer as we wanted to eat, shower and drink in the Clubhouse before a good nights sleep on the VS10.

At the end of the day, it makes sense for VS to offer "space available" changes to flights (on the same day only) for UC pax. Not least because it may mean they can resell that Z seat on the later flight for a full J fare to someone who walks up at the last minute and just has to fly. Just don't expect to be moved onto the earlier flight until the absolute last minute, i.e. as the flight is closing.

We had a similar experience from JFK.

We were on a PE miles ticket for the VS4. Arrived very early thanks to an early connection from TPA. G tickets in UC were available but only on the VS46.

The upgrade was processed and our interlined bag (we checked it to LHR at TPA) was shifted from the 4 to the 46 somehow. It was even one of the first off the belt at LHR. The tag had been manually amended to say VS46 rather than VS4!

Strange one this... I can understand the removal of 'buy any ticket and take any flight' on a day. But I would see it as a pretty standard operation to make more money.

Basically if its 7am and a flight is leaving at 9 with 1 empty seat the chances of it being sold are very minimal. If there is a flight at 2pm with seats on it there is a small, very small granted chance of it being sold. So moving someone forward and freeing up space would make sense no?

I understand your frustration on this and like you I have moved to earlier JFK flights on the day on restricted tickets. This is a fairly common airline act of flexibility, particularly so with higher tier FFs. Frankly it shows that the frustrations of VS roll on, when they're good they can be fantastic, at other times inconsistent.

This is the kind of area that the new boss should be having an impact on in my view, it costs nothing, is easy to implement, is very narrow in terms of the benefit but has a great potential outcome.