Pre booking seats

Hi all

When attempting to book seat on the VA website, do you need passport numbers to actually select seats for everyone in your travel group or can you just go in and book if the have all the names in your group.

Thanks

Trevor

I assume you mean booking tickets rather than requesting a particular seat?

No you dont need passport numbers BUT the name on the booking MUST match that on the passport so make sure you know these (first and last names will do so no need for those embarassing middle names to be revealed!)

So in your case if your passport says 'Trevor' thats the name you need to use and not 'Trev' even if thats the name you normally go under.

I speak having had to pay £30 to have my 'Chris' changed to 'Christopher' !

We have a load of problems with people who have mixed Japanese - English surnames e.g Tanaka (Smith). There seems to be a different rule depending on who we talk to but if you look at the machine readable strip at the bottom eg P<GBR<TANAKA<<ROBERT <<<<<< this is the one that gets matched against yout ticket when they swipe your passport at the airport so it is vital that these two match. Doesn't really help the OP but a little tip nevertheless! Ed

Hi

Thanks for the replies

I think I may have confused you with my question....sorry!

I actually mean when you log on to the VA website and enter the "Manage my Booking" section to pre select seats on a flight you have booked, do you need your actual passport numbers or just the names of all who have booked.

Hope this is a little clearer.

Thanks

Trevor

[Neil]

No, as long as you have the booking reference the you can pre-select seats provided that some of the 60% of seats that are made available for pre-selection are still available. Passport numbers are not needed.

Neil

As Neil states, no you don't need passport information to pre-select your seat(s).

Are you perhaps confused by APIS (advanced passenger information system)? That is a quite separate section, although does need to be completed (either online or at the airport, or you can call these details in as well).

APIS info seems to be an option on nearly every VS flight, although not all destinations actually require it!!! E.G., when going to Barbados, I noticed the APIS option on Manage my booking, but was told that I didn't actually need to complete it.....perhaps Virgin should make this part of the website smarter, being sensitive to destination...

Anyway, hope this helps

Al

Hi all

That's great...Thanks for all the replies

Cheers y)

Trevor

E.G., when going to Barbados, I noticed the APIS option on Manage my booking, but was told that I didn't actually need to complete it.....perhaps Virgin should make this part of the website smarter, being sensitive to destination...

Anyway, hope this helps

Al

According to thisthis you need to supply APIS for Barbados as its a caribbean destination

It is also listed on the VS apis page too

oh and just to clarify, even if your DESTINATION country does not require it, the UK e-borders system still does (even if you are a UK citizen going on holiday)

Thanks TontyBear, very interesting.

Well, Virgin A told me themselves I didn't need to complete it, I didn't, and got there and back!

I guess message is, if the option is there, do it anyway! Just a pity you can't bring up those details each time, perhaps linked to FC account.

Al

[honey lamb]

Just a pity you can't bring up those details each time, perhaps linked to FC account.

Al

Erm, you can! Whenever I go into the Manage my Booking page and click on the the Travel Plans and Travel Document menus then on the next page all my details are there except for the address at which I am staying.

Incidentally I notice that included in the Travel Document menu is now listed "Approved ESTA holder" That wasn't there when I did the APIS for my trip in June

Erm, you can! Whenever I go into the Manage my Booking page and click on the the Travel Plans and Travel Document menus then on the next page all my details are there except for the address at which I am staying.

HL - I never even noticed these pages before ! But yes it does remember certain details but it always wants to turn me into an F rather than an M the next time I use it.

[honey lamb]

Erm, you can! Whenever I go into the Manage my Booking page and click on the the Travel Plans and Travel Document menus then on the next page all my details are there except for the address at which I am staying.

HL - I never even noticed these pages before ! But yes it does remember certain details but it always wants to turn me into an F rather than an M the next time I use it.

Obviously I don't have that problem