V-Flyer

Please can anyone tell me if it is possible to use a companion voucher for a mixed cabin flight - so outbound in PE and inbound in UC? If I've done the numbers properly, then in peak season this would save more points than using the voucher for 2 x 1 way upgrades but I'm not sure if it is possible?

Apologies for bumping my own post but can anyone help? I know I can phone VA and ask but sometimes you get someone on the phone who knows less that you do!

EstelleB wrote:Apologies for bumping my own post but can anyone help? I know I can phone VA and ask but sometimes you get someone on the phone who knows less that you do!

I have a vague recollection that I have successfully done this in the past.. but.. it was a long time ago and much has changed at VS since then (and my memory is fuzzy so I can't be 100% certain). Certainly the call centre team used to be excellent at finding creative ways of making these type of things happen even when it's not always clear whether it's possible or not. My advice would be to give it a go - and make sure you get someone on the phone who sounds like they know what they're doing, otherwise call back and try again!

Hi
I hope that you are successful and please feedback if you are.
Does anyone know if I can use one of my credit card vouchers by using points for my son and the voucher as a companion for his girlfriend ?
My husband and I would be on the flight but we are looking to fly upper and put them in PE . I don’t have enough miles for us all to go upper but if they can go as companions that would help. Is it possible? I’ve been through all the terms and can’t see anywhere that says I can’t. Any help appreciated

Bluebear wrote:Hi
I hope that you are successful and please feedback if you are.
Does anyone know if I can use one of my credit card vouchers by using points for my son and the voucher as a companion for his girlfriend ?
My husband and I would be on the flight but we are looking to fly upper and put them in PE . I don’t have enough miles for us all to go upper but if they can go as companions that would help. Is it possible? I’ve been through all the terms and can’t see anywhere that says I can’t. Any help appreciated

I can't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to do that, I've used points before to book tickets for others, and there shouldn't be a problem using your voucher as a companion reward for a second PE ticket, so long as there are reward seats available for both.

Shouldn't be an issue, the main thing with the companion voucher is that the owner of the voucher must be travelling with the companion. This should also leave the door open to an upgrade at a later date, should you desire.

Remember as well, if need be, you can gift the upgrade/companion vouchers to others to get around the "you have to be with them" rule.

Hi Commander - please can you tell me if there is a charge to gift a voucher like there is to gift points?

This has made me think now - my plan was that I was travelling UC both ways (I have 2 vouchers so would use one here), but my adult kids (who are really not bothered) would do 1 way PE and one way UC using the other voucher for a companion seat. It has now struck me that maybe the companion has to be a companion to be to my ticket only (?), so I couldn't do it this way?

May have to go with the more simple 2 one way upgrade option, but it doesn't save quite as many points!

EstelleB wrote:Hi Commander - please can you tell me if there is a charge to gift a voucher like there is to gift points?

This has made me think now - my plan was that I was travelling UC both ways (I have 2 vouchers so would use one here), but my adult kids (who are really not bothered) would do 1 way PE and one way UC using the other voucher for a companion seat. It has now struck me that maybe the companion has to be a companion to be to my ticket only (?), so I couldn't do it this way?

May have to go with the more simple 2 one way upgrade option, but it doesn't save quite as many points!

AFAIK no charge. But you may need to be silver/gold to do it. Can’t remember.

That’s what I was getting at in regards to being the lead traveller. Gifting the vouchers would get around that. If your kids need access to your points you can also authorise one on your account to spend the points they need for the upgrade. Although there shouldn’t be a reason you cant do this all in one phone call - assuming you get a half decent agent.

Let us know how it goes.

EstelleB wrote:Hi Commander - please can you tell me if there is a charge to gift a voucher like there is to gift points?

EstelleB, Earlier this year I gifted a credit card voucher to my grand daughter.

I was silver at the time. There was no charge. I wasn’t travelling with them when they split the voucher on their outbound flight to upgrade from economy to PE. The ‘receiver’ has to be a FC member too.

Yes you can, I booked UC one way then PE return on miles and used the companion voucher as well.

Does get a bit complicated dependent on your status, depends what value the voucher has, and any extra miles needed.

I had to speak to 3 different agents to get it booked before I had an agent who could do it correctly.

Thanks everyone.

Seems like it could be tricky, I can gift the voucher to my daughter but she won't have enough miles for the initial reward seat so would also need to be authorised to use mine. I can imagine that this would be beyond some of the people that you get on the phone so I'd need to tread carefully! A few years ago one of these operatives made such a mess on a booking that I nearly lost a lot of points and a voucher with no flight ticketed, so I am always wary, and even last week one of them insisted that you don't earn tier points for reward flights!

I will report back though if I manage it!

EstelleB wrote:Thanks everyone.

Seems like it could be tricky, I can gift the voucher to my daughter but she won't have enough miles for the initial reward seat so would also need to be authorised to use mine. I can imagine that this would be beyond some of the people that you get on the phone so I'd need to tread carefully! A few years ago one of these operatives made such a mess on a booking that I nearly lost a lot of points and a voucher with no flight ticketed, so I am always wary, and even last week one of them insisted that you don't earn tier points for reward flights!

I will report back though if I manage it!

One of the ways to mitigate this risk is do it in parts.

Phone call 1 - gift the voucher away.
Phone call 2 - authorise daughter/son/other person.
Phone call 3 - have daughter book the flight using the voucher and your points.
etc

Annoying, I admit. But it keeps control firmly in your grip. This way only works if you yourself know the workflow 100%.

Thanks CommanderB, will give it a try!

EstelleB wrote:Please can anyone tell me if it is possible to use a companion voucher for a mixed cabin flight - so outbound in PE and inbound in UC? If I've done the numbers properly, then in peak season this would save more points than using the voucher for 2 x 1 way upgrades but I'm not sure if it is possible?

Had the same question myself last week! Spoke to someone on live chat and they told me it is possible to do a mixed cabin flight