V-Flyer

Hi all

I've never done OLCI before, I feel like I am about to enter an eBay auction, same tense stomach knot! :$

How will I know what config it is? Will I be able to tell if it's a refurb? Should I prepare by making a note of my preferred seats before hand on every possible config so I know what I want to choose?

Should I just forget all about OLCI and just turn up at the airport, it can't be worth all the stress! :0

Rachel.

The new Config has a mixture of Premium Economy and Economy in the bubble.

RachelCox, yes OLCI can be very stressful but I would certainly advise doing it to get your seats. You don't say where you are going but look at the seat plan layout for your route so you'll have an idea what seats you have been allocated. Accept them or swop it you can/want to. Good luck.

Hi Hev60
We go LGW to CUN next Tues. There are four configs so I just wanted to get as prepared as possible. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. I want seq 1,2,3 and the best PE seats available! Aim high!

RachelCox wrote:Hi Hev60
We go LGW to CUN next Tues. There are four configs so I just wanted to get as prepared as possible. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. I want seq 1,2,3 and the best PE seats available! Aim high!

Gold medal to you if you achieve that

Have a great time in CUN !!! I'm off there in November, can't wait y)

Whilst we are on the subject of OLCI. IF I have already put in my API (passport info etc.) do I need to enter all this information again at OLCI? I have done OLCI many times on BA and found that quite easy but haven't flown virgin before and read on teh website that this info is required but if it is already registered do I just confirm it or enter it all again?

rdbcay wrote:Whilst we are on the subject of OLCI. IF I have already put in my API (passport info etc.) do I need to enter all this information again at OLCI? I have done OLCI many times on BA and found that quite easy but haven't flown virgin before and read on teh website that this info is required but if it is already registered do I just confirm it or enter it all again?

If you've entered the API on the VS website all you have to do at OLCI is confirm it

honey lamb wrote:

rdbcay wrote:Whilst we are on the subject of OLCI. IF I have already put in my API (passport info etc.) do I need to enter all this information again at OLCI? I have done OLCI many times on BA and found that quite easy but haven't flown virgin before and read on teh website that this info is required but if it is already registered do I just confirm it or enter it all again?

If you've entered the API on the VS website all you have to do at OLCI is confirm it

Thanks so much. That will make it quick and easy as I am doing it from work .

Hev60 wrote:RachelCox, yes OLCI can be very stressful but I would certainly advise doing it to get your seats. You don't say where you are going but look at the seat plan layout for your route so you'll have an idea what seats you have been allocated. Accept them or swop it you can/want to. Good luck.

How is OLCI stressful? I cannot for the life of me see what is remotely stressful about it! You know you will get a seat on the aircraft and will get to your destination, barring unforeseen circumstances.

How is OLCI stressful? I cannot for the life of me see what is remotely stressful about it! You know you will get a seat on the aircraft and will get to your destination, barring unforeseen circumstances.

First and possibly last time flying with Virgin as its usually out of our price range, life long ambition to fly VS, Recovering fearful flier, travelling with six year old son, keen to make the most of my PE booking (so excited to be privileged enough to fly PE). This might not seem a lot to regular VS users but it is to me and my little family. So thanks to other contributors for the advice.......

First and possibly last time flying with Virgin as its usually out of our price range, life long ambition to fly VS, Recovering fearful flier, travelling with six year old son, keen to make the most of my PE booking (so excited to be privileged enough to fly PE). This might not seem a lot to regular VS users but it is to me and my little family. So thanks to other contributors for the advice......

I feel the same as you, have never flown long haul (on a civilian aircraft) and have never pumped up the money to upgrade my seats, so I will probably be as excited as you are come November

Crikey Ian, if you've done long haul on non civilian aircraft you should get a free upgrade to UC! My brother's stories of travelling in and out of Iraq on a herc nearly set me back all the hard work on my flying without fear course!

I'll write a TR when I get back to help you get even more excited about November!

Not sure that's possible, we booked the holiday last October, I have a countdown app on my phone lol. Photos of the hotel by my work desk with a calender that I tick off the date each morning lol

I remember having to fly down to the Fauklands on a RAF Tristar, I was a smoker back then....8 odd hours to Asension Island, 2 hour stop over to get tanked up (both in fuel and achohol) then 9 hours to the Fauklands. No smoking, absolutely no in-flight entertainment. There was no PE or UC on that plane I tell you lol. I wouldn'y have minded so much if it was Orlando lol, but 5 months in the Fauklands, wasn't the most fun I've ever had, spent my 21st birthday at sea in a force 9 storm in the South Atlantic

honey lamb wrote:If you've entered the API on the VS website all you have to do at OLCI is confirm it

Not always! Sometimes the system seems to fall over and you have to enter it all again. The only time I ever tried for SEQ1 I had to do this!

Almeida wrote:How is OLCI stressful? I cannot for the life of me see what is remotely stressful about it!

I think that the single most striking thing that anyone can learn from these forums is generally how anxious people are about seating, sitting together with their families, and not being stuck in awful positions on an aircraft.

Seeing as OLCI is the point at which (sometimes) you are able to allocate your seat for the first time -- or indeed find out that it has been changed -- then I can well understand why people find it stressful.

Ian6969 wrote:Not sure that's possible, we booked the holiday last October, I have a countdown app on my phone lol. Photos of the hotel by my work desk with a calender that I tick off the date each morning lol

I remember having to fly down to the Fauklands on a RAF Tristar, I was a smoker back then....8 odd hours to Asension Island, 2 hour stop over to get tanked up (both in fuel and achohol) then 9 hours to the Fauklands. No smoking, absolutely no in-flight entertainment. There was no PE or UC on that plane I tell you lol. I wouldn'y have minded so much if it was Orlando lol, but 5 months in the Fauklands, wasn't the most fun I've ever had, spent my 21st birthday at sea in a force 9 storm in the South Atlantic

Well you thoroughly deserve a fantastic VS experience!

The thought of your Falklands flight and subsequent sea voyage made me feel ill :$

RachelCox wrote:

How is OLCI stressful? I cannot for the life of me see what is remotely stressful about it! You know you will get a seat on the aircraft and will get to your destination, barring unforeseen circumstances.

First and possibly last time flying with Virgin as its usually out of our price range, life long ambition to fly VS, Recovering fearful flier, travelling with six year old son, keen to make the most of my PE booking (so excited to be privileged enough to fly PE). This might not seem a lot to regular VS users but it is to me and my little family. So thanks to other contributors for the advice.......

Fair enough.

I hope you enjoy the flight and the Premium Economy. My Mum was lucky enough to be upgraded to PE on both the outward and return legs of her flight to JFK a few years ago and certainly enjoyed it. Traveling with children is also usually OK with Virgin as well.

Almeida wrote:

Hev60 wrote:RachelCox, yes OLCI can be very stressful but I would certainly advise doing it to get your seats. You don't say where you are going but look at the seat plan layout for your route so you'll have an idea what seats you have been allocated. Accept them or swop it you can/want to. Good luck.

How is OLCI stressful? I cannot for the life of me see what is remotely stressful about it! You know you will get a seat on the aircraft and will get to your destination, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Obviously a very personal opinion then

I have had several occasions when trying to check in six passengers that the OLCI system fails, even though I'd already given API and I consider that stressful

Many many regulars on this forum feedback regarding worries and concerns about getting seated together as a family, not being stuck in middle seats or being sat near the loos. Judging from the comments I've read over the years, yes I do believe for some people OLCI it is totally stressful.

However reading your last TR, you are one of the lucky ones who obviously does not worry where you sit on the aircraft and if that works for you - jolly good luck to you.

Hev60 wrote:

Almeida wrote:

Hev60 wrote:RachelCox, yes OLCI can be very stressful but I would certainly advise doing it to get your seats. You don't say where you are going but look at the seat plan layout for your route so you'll have an idea what seats you have been allocated. Accept them or swop it you can/want to. Good luck.

How is OLCI stressful? I cannot for the life of me see what is remotely stressful about it! You know you will get a seat on the aircraft and will get to your destination, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Obviously a very personal opinion then

I have had several occasions when trying to check in six passengers that the OLCI system fails, even though I'd already given API and I consider that stressful

Many many regulars on this forum feedback regarding worries and concerns about getting seated together as a family, not being stuck in middle seats or being sat near the loos. Judging from the comments I've read over the years, yes I do believe for some people OLCI it is totally stressful.

However reading your last TR, you are one of the lucky ones who obviously does not worry where you sit on the aircraft and if that works for you - jolly good luck to you.

I try not to worry about too much in life, to be honest. 99.9% of things are quite trivial in the grand scheme of things

Traveling with children though is a different matter, so yes I can see the stress in that and making sure everyone is sat together. When I flew to LAX with Virgin back in 1998 as a youngster, there were not enough seats for us all to sit together, we were lucky to be allocated exit row seats free of charge for this to happen.

seat guru and the trip reports on V-flyer are your friend for best/better seats.

as has been said , if you see PE and Ec up in the bubble its a refurbed plane.

flabound wrote:seat guru and the trip reports on V-flyer are your friend for best/better seats.

as has been said , if you see PE and Ec up in the bubble its a refurbed plane.

Thank you