V-Flyer

A question to start off my first post.

Does anyone know whether all gatwick - USA flights have been fitted with new premium economy seats etc? Am travelling on the 20th to Orlando having previously travelled u/c a few times so hoping pe is good. We are in a party of 8 and haven't been able to book seats - presume this is because over 60% have been allocated already - any tips on trying to get seats in the bubble?

Thanks robb

None of the Gatwick fleet have been fitted with the new PE seat yet. I'm sure that when the refits start there'll be lots of posts on here about it.

If you want to try to be seated on the Upper Deck, then keep an eye on your booking at the seat plans and also be ready to complete OLCI as soon as it opens twenty four hours before departure.

I am guessing you know your flight is on a 747 rather than one of the new A330 that do have the new PE installed? If so, then as Tink has said, it is very unlikely any of the 747's will have been refitted by then.

Best tip to get in the bubble, is check a few hours before OLCI opens, although getting 8 is unlikely I would have thought.
Neil

Let us know if you manage to see any seats upstairs; since VH started reserving half of them its been a nightmare for standard VA customers. If you are all downstairs, try to get the 4 sets of pairs - NOT the middle rows of 4 - really don't like them. All IMHO of course.

Thanks - not good news then-frustrating that the website goes on about the new pe when it's not fully rolled out.

Ps what does 'vh' stand for ?

Brainwave - 'virgin holiday's?

Hi Robb and Welcome to V-Flyer

As the others have said, you will be on an older 747 with old PE style seats in the bubble. There may also be a couple of rows of slightly newer PE seats downstairs.

I flew to MCO a week last Monday. The whole front section of the bubble is reserved in advance by VH for their PE customers. Once OLCI is open any empty seats are made available for general selection.

On my largely empty flight, with just 125 pax :0 , it meant that most of the front section of the bubble suddenly became available. I opted for one of the exit row seats 75H for the legroom. It was very comfortable despite its age !

Enjoy the trip.

Martin

Robb wrote:Brainwave - 'virgin holiday's?

OK, you worked it out, but a little tip for you. Hover your mouse over anything in blue with a broken line underneath; you will first of all get a big black question mark but then the explanation will appear underneath. However be aware that the software is so sensitive that every time you write man when talking about someone of the male gender it will show up as Manchester

Even booking through VH, it's a struggle to get that front section of the upper deck reserved. You can only request that section of the upper deck at the time of booking. If you have already booked or book before VH send the flight booking to VS, forget it. You will have to wait until OLCI opens.

The whole VH priority upper deck seating thing is yet another useless Virgin PR gimmick.

My anorak moment.

Robb wrote:presume this is because over 60% have been allocated already

On those flights, where Virgin Holidays has booked out the front of the bubble for its maybe customers, it is only just over 25% of the total number of PE seats which are available early from VS. (The VH chunk being regarded as part of the 60%).

58 PE seats on say Ruby Tuesday.
60% of 58 = 35.
20 gone to VH.
15 left, just over 25% of the total.

Virgin Holidays say that they release back into the VS system their spare seats between 72 and 48 hours before departure. However I have noticed them doing it earlier than that on occasion. y)

Neil, you mentioned checking in a few hours before OLCI in a post above. How does one go about this? I thought you could only get the seats 24hours before... I have got seats on the way back but at the moment am unallocated for my 28th April VS015 departure. We are a family of 4 and would like to have the seats booked so we are all together and ideally be upstairs

As I mentioned above, VH release back into the system their spare seats. When they do you will find them as usual via the VS Manage Your Flights section. Just keep checking. y)

hillgj12 wrote:Neil, you mentioned checking in a few hours before OLCI in a post above. How does one go about this? I thought you could only get the seats 24hours before... I have got seats on the way back but at the moment am unallocated for my 28th April VS015 departure. We are a family of 4 and would like to have the seats booked so we are all together and ideally be upstairs

You can't check in before the OLCI stage at T-24, but if you check the manage my booking section a few hours beforehand, it has been noted by a few members, that in all cabins a number of previously blocked seats have been unallocated, allowing you to bag them.

Thanks,
Neil

Thanks all, will keep an eye in the manage my booking section..

Thanks for all the responses -really helpful.

So logical next question would be 'what is the old pe like'? I've already got a horrible feeling that we'll end up with the old entertainment system......still can't wait for 2 weeks in the sun!

Also thanks Honeylamb - unfortunately iPad doesn't allow me to highlight in the way you suggest - I'll try and avoid asking too many dumb questions though!

Sorry Rob but chances are you will end up with the old entertainment system!! On demand systems are not on aircraft with PE in the bubble. So if you are very lucky and get an AVOD (video on demand) LHR plane you won't be upstairs.

Robb,
The n( n(
Tired furniture
Loop entertainment system recycled from the ark

The y) y)
You get a better view, being higher up!!!
Two cc looking after the 42 upstairs passengers
You are in the bubble and it seems like a different world. ii)

Hi Robb & welcome

When 'love-him-as-I-do-but....' & I flew back from MCO in February, we had 'reserved' our seats last June, to be 79H & K. When OLCI opened, it didn't allow us to do OLCI :0

The 'computer said no' :0

However, it turned out that we had been moved to 75A & C, which are exit row. These can only be allocated at the check in desk so that staff can check that, in an emergency, we would be physically able to operate the exit row emergency door.

These seat are fine, although your tray & screen are located between your seats.

Also, do check a few hours before the said 24 hours that check in opens as there are times when it opens up early.

Good luck, enjoy the sun.

R-P

Thanks R-P, will just have to hope for the best............will also be amusing to watch the kids reaction though to an old entertainment system having come back from Delhi in uc earlier this year - they were spoiled rotten and think flatbeds and big multi channel vod screeens are they only way to travel now!

Robb

Robb wrote: ...and think flatbeds and big multi channel vod screeens are they only way to travel now!

Robb

It happens that way with some of us grown ups too !

Just to close the loop on this one - the system opened this morning at least 2 hrs before oci - was able to book all 8 seats in the bubble - at the front so presume these must have been unallocated vh seats. Then returned a couple of hours later to confirm on oci - so v happy and looking forward to a great flight and trip to orlando ........only downside is my summer clothes seemed to have shrunk during the winter......can't think of any other explanation to account for why they are so tight.....

Have a great trip Robb and look forward to the TR.

The sunshine awaits you in Orlando. I am over in Florida at the moment and as I type, 86degrees!

Enjoy

HF

Glad all panned out Rob - have a great trip!

p.s. I have the same problem with my clothes, wonder what it could be?! I have a feeling they will get tighter once you hit the US portions!!

We'll be there in just under 3 weeks; ironically both pairs of my A&F swimmers have had to go via ebay - too big! Seems that 1/2 marathon training will put a significant dent in one's wardrobe. Nothing that two weeks in Florida won't rectify!