Upgrades on Mates Fares..

Hi everyone. This is my 1st post, so please forgive me if this sort of question has already been asked.
Myself and the new wife!!! are flying to South Africa on 30th Jan for our Honeymoon. We are flying LHR-JNB-LHR.
My pilot friend booked us Mates tickets in PE. Is there any thing we can do to get an upgrade to UC. I have e-mailed customer services but they said complementry upgrades are not given. Would we be able to pay for one on this sort of ticket? Who should we speak to on arriving at the airport?
Many thanks.

[mcmbenjamin]

VS normally do not put people traveling on staff tickets in anything higher than PE unless they work for VS. I would be happy to be traveling in PE for (and I am guessing) about under 300 quid which is about half the sale fare

[preiffer]

Welcome to the site, Paul [y]

Thankyou 'preiffer'

We paid £930 each for the fare. It was a 'Mates' fare - not 'Mates Plus' and currently the sale fare is cheaper.

[mcmbenjamin]

Sorry Paul and Paul.

Congrats on the getting hitch'!

[preiffer]

Why the sorry Paul and Paul, Ben?!

Confused now [?]

I think, Paul (sad though it may sound, and I appreciate that the ticket wasn't cheap) that any mates tickets are unfortunately at the bottom of the pecking order. You may be out of luck...

[mcmbenjamin]

Welcome too

Staff travel is booked in the E bucket. E is not an upgradable fare class.

There have been some topics on this issue. This one is most worth reading.

VS Staff are given a set amount of upgrades a year. Did a search on Google for VS ID90 and staff travel. Most people seem to be really happy to be in PE. Also looks like staff travel is the first to be downgraded. Honestly, this practice of not putting staff in premium cabins is a common NRSA rule and certainly common if using a ZED ticket on an carrier other than your own.

Don't mean to get your hopes down but looks like PE for you. PE is pretty nice.

Consider booking the LHR Clubhouse to add that special something to your trip. Join FC and get 10 percent off!

Congrats on getting hitched

£930 for a PE LHR-JNB and back. Um may I be contentious and say that with mates like that, who needs enemies? Is there a possibility of Paul (i mean Paul not paul!) cancelling it? Today VS are selling an S on the 30th coming back on the 14th Feb for £920 plus you get the miles....

I would be inclined to agree with Sailor on this, £930 is a lot of cash on a mates rate........... Seriously think about cancelling and rebooking an S-fare. Grab some miles, next time you are in this position you can upgrade out of S using the miles you have earnt on this trip, UC looks to be out of the question unless you can afford a Z fare.

(That will be next time you take a holiday, not get married!!!!!! [}:)] )

[mcmbenjamin]

If someone with more insight on the 'ins and outs' on Virgin staff/companion travel could add more I like that a bunch!

AFAIK you can't use miles to upgrade a Mates fare - not sure if it's possible to pay the difference to an upgradable fare class before travel either. But, at the airport they might be willing to consider either miles or cash, depending on loading and whether it suits VS or not. Speak to either the check-in agent or the ticket desk when you get there.

BTW Benjamin, your link to the CH purchase page is to VH - see this comment: "Please note: to book a Virgin Clubhouse lounge you must have purchased your travel with Virgin Holidays"....

Cheers

Michael

[mcmbenjamin]

Thanks Michael. I knew that, dope. I should have added that. Thank you.

Well maybe book the Servisair Executive Lounge. Anyone can book it that has the money and it slightly more that a quarter of the cost of the Clubhouse.

Thanks for all the reply's
I have spoken to Virgin and they say if I cancel then I lose 50% so thats not really worth it.
Really annoyed though that non of this was explained at the time of booking. I never expect anything for nothing but it's like we are being treated like rif-raf for booking a mates ticket..

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by paulicklow
I never expect anything for nothing but it's like we are being treated like rif-raf for booking a mates ticket..

I have a great deal of sympathy here, Paul. The name 'Mates tickets' implies that you are being done a favour by a friend. If this results in you getting a huge discount on your seat price, then you can have no complaints if you are at the bottom of the pecking order for upgrades etc.

If however, as in this case, you are actually being surcharged - AND are still at the bottom of the pecking order, you have every right to be miffed.

Nick

Yep Nick, I think I would be miffed too. It does seem a little unfair to be paying more than a normal, and fairly flexible, booking class but getting so much less. Paul, I feel we have made things worse if anything. And for that I am very sorry.

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
Welcome too

Staff travel is booked in the E bucket. E is not an upgradable fare class.

Mates and Mates Plus are not E class tickets. They are cheap Y fares like X or N etc and cheap W fares if you've booked into Premium.

They are upgradeable on the day of departure with cash but will cost the most as the fares are the cheapest.

They are nothing to do with concessionary travel.

The only space available upgrades available are for Mates Plus tickets as these are exclusively for people on a staff travel form who are entitled to SA upgrades whether it be into W or J.

When you ask at the airport about upgrading into UC, it will not matter one bit that you are on a mates ticket.

Thanks a million guy's for all your responses. Let's hope we get someone nice at check-in.
If my pilot friend who booked us the flights in the 1st place manages to swap his flights to ours then maybe it will be a different outcome!!!

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by paulicklow
Thanks a million guy's for all your responses. Let's hope we get someone nice at check-in.
If my pilot friend who booked us the flights in the 1st place manages to swap his flights to ours then maybe it will be a different outcome!!!

Well if he does then that would be a whole new ballgame,let's hope he does.