Some relief coming for people trying to book Reward Flights.

VS are about to start a trial from 03 Nov onwards, where if there is reward seat availability outbound from UK to US, but no availability for the return, you can book a one-way mileage seat and come back at a lower priced published economy fare, rather than a full fare one-way ticket price on the return leg.

My understanding is that this is a trial however, and is only initially going to be available for UK to US round trips at the moment - also not fully aware of all the ins and outs at present... thought you guys might like to know!

This should make many Flying Club members very happy!

This is an interesting development, will definately test this out when it is released. Thanks for the update.

[Nottingham Nick]

Interesting bit of news, Jay - many thanks ^) y)

Will watch with interest, make good business sense for VS IMHO. Hope they extend the trial to PE and UC rewards / one way returns and also to non-US destinations.

Nick

Interesting bit of news, Jay - many thanks ^) y)

Will watch with interest, make good business sense for VS IMHO. Hope they extend the trial to PE and UC rewards / one way returns and also to non-US destinations.

Nick

They will be dubbed "Combination Rewards", and WILL be available for rewards in T, U, or G class, but are only combinable with a discounted economy ticket for the return leg of the journey for the moment.

Hmmm,

Thanks for the news!

Have to mention two thoughts that struck me ... (in cynical mood tonight and I'm not really trying to be negative and I know Jay you're the messenger not the creator of the service so really asking the ether)

a) Will VS use this to reduce the availability of reward tickets on that return leg from the US?

b) Having flown on a round trip G recently from the UK - US - UK, I really appreciated the return leg being in UC - not only for Revivals but just for the ability to doze in comfort... (am already whimpering at the thought of being in economy round about next Easter time coming back from LAX on a paid trip!)

just my two pence worth!

Mandy

Hmmm,

Thanks for the news!

Have to mention two thoughts that struck me ... (in cynical mood tonight and I'm not really trying to be negative and I know Jay you're the messenger not the creator of the service so really asking the ether)

a) Will VS use this to reduce the availability of reward tickets on that return leg from the US?

b) Having flown on a round trip G recently from the UK - US - UK, I really appreciated the return leg being in UC - not only for Revivals but just for the ability to doze in comfort... (am already whimpering at the thought of being in economy round about next Easter time coming back from LAX on a paid trip!)

just my two pence worth!

Mandy

I think the main idea behind it is to increase the amount of flights people can use their miles with - as generally - from my experience anyway - there are sometimes plenty of reward seats available outbound but nothing on the return sector. Normally in that case the passenger has two options:

1) Book a one way reward ticket, and buy a full fare ticket (J, W or Y) for the return sector

Or

2) Not use their miles and book a normal revenue ticket

In both of these cases it can be very frustrating!

there is another option that some peeple have used and that is to book a return back to the UK (so USA-UK-USA) but then not use the outbound leg back from the UK to the US - a lot cheaper than a one way ticket.

Do that many people really book out in UC and back in Y on reward fares? I don't see it myself, so view this as being of very limited benefit ... not sure really what the point is?

So what happens if you buy a cheap (ie non-refundable)ticket for the return and then a reward seat becomes available? Can you redeem the "paid for" ticket for a full refund and purchase the now available reward seat or are you stuck with a non- refundable ticket?
DL

Jay,

Normally in that case the passenger has two options:

1) Book a one way reward ticket, and buy a full fare ticket (J, W or Y) for the return sector

Or

2) Not use their miles and book a normal revenue ticket

In both of these cases it can be very frustrating!

Or there's the third option - only choose to travel when you can get a round trip reward. Not being argumentative but the way I use my rewards is to fly on a round trip and only pay the unavoidable charges. So if there are no round trips available then I'll keep looking to see when I can get a round trip.

TBH if I have to fly on certain dates, I'm usually going to be flying either with friends or family and I will never have enough reward capability to cover them all so will be flying economy on a regular ticket anyway.

Again, not getting at you Jay - just don't see what the value of this scheme (to me at least) is unless the aim is to send the message that reward availability in any other class than economy coming back from the States is going to be zero.

everybody else's mileage may vary ...

[Nottingham Nick]

Like Mandy (and others) I do not think the scheme will be for me, but I still think it is a good idea and a step in the right direction. There will a lot of people who don't have too many miles that it will appeal to greatly. A one way redemption and a cheaper return is much better than not being able to use your points at all.

Jay has gone to great lengths to point of that it is a trial and, as such, may be subject to some tweaking.

If, after customer feedback, they decide to extend it to enable PE / UC one ways to be bought then it may be even more useful.

Nick

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I could see myself booking PE with miles and paying for Y on the VS18, Y wouldn't bother me too much on a 6 hour daylight.

Jay has gone to great lengths to point of that it is a trial and, as such, may be subject to some tweaking.

I know Nick, and I hope I've made it clear I'm not getting at Jay for being the messengere and in some ways it is good that VS are looking at different options on the reward scheme.

As I said I'm probably too much in cynical mode right now ...

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I could see myself booking PE with miles and paying for Y on the VS18, Y wouldn't bother me too much on a 6 hour daylight.

Seams though, from what Jay states, that you can only have a reward outbound and pay in bound but not the other way round (which is what you want to do).

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I could see myself booking PE with miles and paying for Y on the VS18, Y wouldn't bother me too much on a 6 hour daylight.

Seams though, from what Jay states, that you can only have a reward outbound and pay in bound but not the other way round (which is what you want to do).

I'm not too sure at the moment as I'm off today but will check this tomorrow - it may work both ways but need to double check this.

I'm not too sure at the moment as I'm off today but will check this tomorrow - it may work both ways but need to double check this.

Thanks - might make a big difference to some people and how they plan things,

[Neil]

So what happens if you buy a cheap (ie non-refundable)ticket for the return and then a reward seat becomes available? Can you redeem the "paid for" ticket for a full refund and purchase the now available reward seat or are you stuck with a non- refundable ticket?
DL

I wonder this also, but with the restrictions on the low fare codes, I can't see it being allowed without some sort of change fee.

The most restrictive fare rules will apply on these tickets.

[honey lamb]

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I could see myself booking PE with miles and paying for Y on the VS18, Y wouldn't bother me too much on a 6 hour daylight.

Seams though, from what Jay states, that you can only have a reward outbound and pay in bound but not the other way round (which is what you want to do).

Er, Tonty, the VS 18 is an inbound flight - it's the day flight from EWR. As I read it, clarkey was thinking of booking a reward in PE to NYC and returning on the day flight in Y

[ As I read it, clarkey was thinking of booking a reward in PE to NYC and returning on the day flight in Y

Damm those day flights !

The most restrictive fare rules will apply on these tickets.

So you get no refund due to the restrictions.
Better ways of viewing reward availability would be much more useful IMHO. Other airlines manage this very well and it's always puzzled me why VS can't /won't.
DL

The most restrictive fare rules will apply on these tickets.

So you get no refund due to the restrictions.
Better ways of viewing reward availability would be much more useful IMHO. Other airlines manage this very well and it's always puzzled me why VS can't /won't.
DL

Well at least it's ANOTHER option when trying to use miles with Reward tickets, you can't please everyone all of the time I guess.

It's only the same as buying revenue tickets at £350 and then seeing a sale on the next week for £325 - thems the brakes I'm afraid!

Where it would be useful is booking an outbound when flights are first available - safe in the knowledge that if you can get the inbound on a reward (when they become available) then great - otherwise you wont have to pay the earth.

I can see the usefulness - certainly for travellers with less miles to spend or families trips to organise. Maybe less so for those who have the ability to choose dates based on availability of both legs and upgrade if necessary.

FM

Seams though, from what Jay states, that you can only have a reward outbound and pay in bound but not the other way round (which is what you want to do).

Ah, and there it is.

Doing rtn trips from UK, my preference is to get the upgrade on the return leg, if I'm only doing a single leg upgrade.

So, VS by trialing this are not necessarily doing what I would want, but they are "equalising" demand for reward upgrades on the outbound and inbound journeys - or is that me being cynical!

Of course, if I were buying a rtn trip from US, I'd want the reverse, but I'd imagine there is less demand in that direction than there is from UK.

So, works for VS - not so much for me...