VS251 HKG-LHR 29 Mar - tier point & mileage upgrade queries

I was originally scheduled to fly vs251 PVG-LHR - 30 March PE. I have transferred to HKG-LHR 29 March but downgraded to Econ because there were no PE seats. The new ticket is L class

Questions

1) Will I get my 3 tier points still
2) L class states I can upgrade with miles to UC but I don't know if there is availability. As i am cheap can someone else advise if there is suitable UC class seats for me to upgrade tonight?

As I changed my ticket today I cannot check in online yet so any help would be appreciated.




Edit to thread title by mod for clarity... Nick

[Pete]

Hi Paul,

1) I don't think so, unless it was involuntary downgrade at checkin (ie, you're still ticketed as PE). If you've changed your flight, I suspect you'll get a refund of the price difference, but that PE ticket doesn't exist now.

2) L class can indeed be upgraded. Quickest way to find out if there's availability is to do a dummy booking on http://www.virginatlantic.com

Pete

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the help - tried to make an UC booking - shows availability on first page and then says none available when you continue - suppose I will have to discuss when I check in?

Will have to make do with a glass of bubbly in the lounge.

Paul

[Pete]

If the cabin has space, then you should be able to do the miles upgrade at check in (or the ticketing desk at the airport). Indeed, at the airport, whether there is G (reward) availability is less of an issue - if there are any seats available in Upper, you should be able to upgrade to them.

Even more concerned now. Received an email confirming the ticket and could see my details online. Now when I try and retrieve the details the system says it cannot find the booking ref. Starting to have that sinking feeling.....hope it's there when I get to the airport.....

[Nottingham Nick]

Paul

Hope it all works out for you.
Can you report back whether you are successful on getting your mileage upgrade please?
There have been reports on here of upgrades not being allowed, even when there are suites empty - IIRC the reason cited was lack of catering - VS only seem to load the minimal number of meals they think they will need.

Nick

[fozzyo]

Nick,

I think the at airport mileage upgrade has become a lot stricter on your ticket class. If you are on a restricted ticket they no longer allow it ... so it may have been previous attempts been because of this. Something that has happened to us before.

Mat

[Nottingham Nick]

Yes, good point, Mat, but mileage upgrades at the airport have always seemed to be a grey area to me. I have never done it, so can only go by what I read.

I accept there are a lot of variables, not least of which being loads and ticket classes, but there is anecdotal evidence of the lowest tickets class being allowed, and higher ones being declined, so it is always good to hear first hand experience.

As we well know though, previous success / failure doesn't set any sort of precedent.

Nick

[Pete]

I think they've always been (reasonably) strict about the fare code you're upgrading from - unless they're actively looking to move people (in which case your library card will get you an upgrade ) - but I've never known them to worry too much about whether there are G seats available - any free Upper seat will do if you've got the miles and the right ticket type at the airport.

Nick,

I think the at airport mileage upgrade has become a lot stricter on your ticket class. If you are on a restricted ticket they no longer allow it ... so it may have been previous attempts been because of this. Something that has happened to us before.

Mat

In my (admittedly limited) experience they will allow the mileage upgrade if you pay the difference between the restricted class and the upgradeable class. When flying to ORD this time last year on an aircraft that had only (IIRC) 7 UCS occupied we were told we could upgrade from our sale PE fare using miles as long as we paid £1750 each...

Paul

In my (admittedly limited) experience they will allow the mileage upgrade if you pay the difference between the restricted class and the upgradeable class. When flying to ORD this time last year on an aircraft that had only (IIRC) 7 UCS occupied we were told we could upgrade from our sale PE fare using miles as long as we paid £1750 each...

Paul

That was my experience too - admittedly my first time upgrading at the airport.

Had to pay to get out of K bucket then used miles to upgrade to UC. It was something like £550 return but this was November 2008 (and like Paul going to ORD!), The cabin was only something like 1/2 full.

Have no idea what bucket I ended in but I assume VS were happy to get some ready cash plus the extracted miles. I of course was happy to be in UC !

[
Had to pay to get out of K bucket then used miles to upgrade to UC. It was something like £550 return but this was November 2008 (and like Paul going to ORD!), The cabin was only something like 1/2 full.

Mmm... £1750 one way vs £550 return. In the words of Ben the prisoner to Brian Cohen, "you lucky, lucky b*stard".

BTW, the agent had NSFU scribbled next to our names - what could this have meant :w

Well guys and girls, I am sitting in the clubhouse 30K miles poorer but upgraded after the usual 7 mobile phone calls in hk from the lady on the in town check in desk (no one ever seems to answer the land line). All fairly effortless - haven't quite worked out whether a downgrade from a PE PVG-LHR flight, £120 change fee + 30K miles to UC is good value.......but then again anyone who has ever had to endure the lounge in PVG would probably trade 30K miles to get the HK lounge moved to PVG for 2 hours. Sitting in 1D as it was 1, 3 or 4 D

Thanks for all your help!

[Nottingham Nick]

Result - well done. ^) ^)

Enjoy your flight, and make the most of the HKG Clubhouse - my second favourite, after Boston. LHR is now a poor third!

Nick