VH Flight Upgrades with Miles

Hi all

We have booked a VH holiday to Antigua over Xmas (16-30/12) and, as we are with the kids, have just booked into Economy (V Class). Having had 2nd thoughts about being able to revert to Y, we now want to upgrade just our two seats (don't worry - the kids are all 17+) preferably to UC (VH have sold out of their UC allocation) and we have enough miles for a Y to UC upgrade. Is there any way we can achieve this? Can we pay the difference between the V fare and an upgradeable economy and then use miles (checking with FC first to ensure UC availability). I called FC for help on this one and they just said VH fares are not upgradeable with miles and said I would need to speak to VH to see if we can pay extra to upgrade fare class but VH won't speak to me as we booked through NatWest Private Travel services but I know from experience that nobody at NW will have any idea what I'm talking about if I try and ask them to find out! If all else fails and we cannot use our miles, is there any other way of paying for UC when VH have no allocation. Any ideas?

Many thanks

[Nottingham Nick]

I think your best option is to shout at Natwest travel services and tell them in Janet and John language what you are trying to achieve.

As you have already booked with them, I think it is their job to sort you out- that is what they get commission for, surely?


Nick

[Neil]

They are right when they say you cannot upgrade any VH booking with miles.

The only thing I can suggest is getting your travel agent to ask VH if they can in turn request some UC seats from VS. If VS however think they can sell the seats themselves then they might just refuse this request from VH and then there really isn't much you can do about it I am afraid.

As Nick has said, NatWest should try and sort this for you.

Thanks for that. Will give them a bell then and see if I can get them to find this out for me.

Many thnaks

As a manager of the Bank in question, I believe our travel service is used in conjunction with Thomas Cook, and we are not totally stupid for Janet and John language!

It is indeed run by TC but I can assure you that their service is not as good as that which I receive from NWB Private banking - I have been trying to call them for 4 days and their phone system puts you on hold for up to 30 mins and then cuts you off. They cancelled my charter CUN flight (in Sept) but would not at first allow a refund and therefore allow re-booking of another flight until I cited the law to them. I have also just booked flights through them for LHR-Miami-CUN in August with VS and they have apparently booked these with Gold Medal travel through netflights and trying to get someone to speak to me and let me have a VS locator number so I can book my seats in UC has taken several days and many hours of tel calls mostly hanging on listening to the same music or they have transferred me to companies that will only speak to TO's! Now I have also had to amend my valet parking booking from LGW to LHR and for slightly different dates and they clearly did not understand Janet and John language as they firstly booked the same dates as for the oriignal flights and then booked correct dates but wrong airport - now they have apparently booked correctly but I was supposed to get email confirmation on Friday ....still waiting. They used to be a very good service - not sure what is going on!

quote:Originally posted by shelly67
It is indeed run by TC but I can assure you that their service is not as good as that which I receive from NWB Private banking - I have been trying to call them for 4 days and their phone system puts you on hold for up to 30 mins and then cuts you off. They cancelled my charter CUN flight (in Sept) but would not at first allow a refund and therefore allow re-booking of another flight until I cited the law to them. I have also just booked flights through them for LHR-Miami-CUN in August with VS and they have apparently booked these with Gold Medal travel through netflights and trying to get someone to speak to me and let me have a VS locator number so I can book my seats in UC has taken several days and many hours of tel calls mostly hanging on listening to the same music or they have transferred me to companies that will only speak to TO's! Now I have also had to amend my valet parking booking from LGW to LHR and for slightly different dates and they clearly did not understand Janet and John language as they firstly booked the same dates as for the oriignal flights and then booked correct dates but wrong airport - now they have apparently booked correctly but I was supposed to get email confirmation on Friday ....still waiting. They used to be a very good service - not sure what is going on!


I am glad you said the first bit as I was a Private Banking Manager (just been promoted to Area Private Manager!), so glad the Private Service is good. Sorry the same cannot be said for TC. To be honest I do get mainly good feedback about their service but sometimes the odd gremlin does get in the wrorks and it seems you have had your fair share.

Try speaking to your Private Manager and he can perhaps pick up the phone to the helpdesk on your behalf to explain they have a very frustraded customer and would like someone senior to sort it out - I have done that before, though not on the travel front.

Sorry again for your problems.

Thanks Ian - will try that. And yes, I have used them for travel probably once/month for the last few years (even in preference to Amex Platinum travel) and they have always been very good and efficient up until the end of May so not sure why the recent change but will see if my Manager can help.

quote:Originally posted by shelly67
Thanks Ian - will try that. And yes, I have used them for travel probably once/month for the last few years (even in preference to Amex Platinum travel) and they have always been very good and efficient up until the end of May so not sure why the recent change but will see if my Manager can help.


Good luck, hope it works out - don't forget the free upgrade to valet/meet and greet parking!!