Virgin to charge £25 seat selection fee for Economy

April 1st, you really would have thought that even their marketing department would give that date a miss !

The dears are really endearing themselves to me this time:
"As your flight departs between 30 January and 31 Mar 2014..."


My flight is April 7th.

So if I find I cannot book my seat 30 days before without paying, then VA are changing a contract halfway through. I think that stinks.

I am booked through Virgin Holidays and it had crossed my mind to go on that angle with them as T-90 for me is Jan 10th.

I am pretty miffed to be honest not a great start for us with Virgin.

I am so completely confused. I just booked 2 reward UC flights for 24th April and happily went to the Manage Your Booking page to choose seats to be confronted with the most confusing information. I have read it but still can't work out what it means for us other than I can't book them today!!!

Can anyone let me know if UC reward flight seats be booked at all and when can they be booked for a 24th April flight?

Which is their Facebook page? The one I had 'liked' doesn't seem to have questions from passengers on it.

You will be able to request seats 30 days beforehand, so March 25th.

Can see why they've done it. Easy extra money.
Annoying that it's only 30 days before now instead of 90, but at least they aren't charging for pe or uc.

Remember T-30 is only temporary. From June (earlier on some routes) you'll be able to request seats from the day flights open for booking, T-336, like in the good old days.

For PE, UC and Au pax that's a definite improvement. It's just annoying that it'll take 6 months to implement.

[preiffer]

Can see why they've done it. Easy extra money.
Annoying that it's only 30 days before now instead of 90, but at least they aren't charging for pe or uc.

...yet.

As you say, it's easy money. So, if it doesn't lose too much business for the Y wave, if you're a bean-counter, what would be your next suggestion to the rest of Crawley Towers...?

They won't charge for anything BA doesn't charge for - but surely free alcohol in economy can't last forever.

BA, of course, also charge to request seats in WT+ and CW - and the fee is significantly higher than in Y. It's still free in F though, so VS might leave UC alone. I'm surprised they're not charging in PE though.

....charging for food next. Delta do.....

Not on my MAN-ATL flight (in Economy) last October, they didn't. Nor on the return. One meal, one snack each way. Is it new?

I am flying LGW - BGI on 5th June and I certainly still have "seatmap unavailable" looking at the Virgin Atlantic website. Booked through VH but not clear if that would affect seat choice being visible on virgin-atlantic.com.

as a loyal virgin atlantic customer who has been flying with them since they had one chartered 747 (and gold fc member) i am very disappointed with this charge for seat selection business, it so reminds me of the dull,boring experience that is budget airline travel, i live in northern ireland and one of the main reasons i choose to pay more to fly BA on my frequent trips to london as opposed to budget airlines is i dont have to pay for such things as an extra, i.e;
seat selection, in flight snack/coffee, e.t.c. , so i guess the bottom line is, if virgin are in need of raising extra revenue then make a slight increase in the ticket price and keep the service 'flying in the face of ordinary' would be fine with me and i suspect most others, i have even noticed a few simple but noticeable things have gone from upper on my last few flights, c'mon virgin, get with the programme ! whats next, no walkways (stairs to the tarmac,and a bus/300 yard walk) and orange livery ?

as a loyal virgin atlantic customer who has been flying with them since they had one chartered 747 (and gold fc member) i am very disappointed with this charge for seat selection business, it so reminds me of the dull,boring experience that is budget airline travel, i live in northern ireland and one of the main reasons i choose to pay more to fly BA on my frequent trips to london as opposed to budget airlines is i dont have to pay for such things as an extra, i.e;
seat selection, in flight snack/coffee, e.t.c. , so i guess the bottom line is, if virgin are in need of raising extra revenue then make a slight increase in the ticket price and keep the service 'flying in the face of ordinary' would be fine with me and i suspect most others, i have even noticed a few simple but noticeable things have gone from upper on my last few flights, c'mon virgin, get with the programme ! whats next, no walkways (stairs to the tarmac,and a bus/300 yard walk) and orange livery ?

I understand where you are coming from, but observations are that a few more pounds will make people pick another airline.

It's very odd. According to Which?, Trading Standards etc. price matching is wrong, and yet, as passengers, all we want is our favourite airline to price match the cheapest. Which makes it very difficult to increase revenue in a real way.

[mitchja]

There are still plenty of airports where VS use steps/buses (and at least 1 is in the UK as well!!)

http://virginatlantic.custhelp.com/app/ ... il/a_id/86

Could be worse! This is (and I've had a few glasses of wine) what I'm seeing:

After 1st April, all FC Gold, UC, PE and Eco Y PAX will be able to select seats from time of booking (an improvement on 90 days out). This will remain free. Other Eco ticket holders will be able to do for free at T-24 hours or they will have to pay a fee. In any event, children travelling will be guaranteed to be assigned a seat next to one parent.

The down side is that there's an interim period where seat selection (whilst remaining free) will be 30 days before departure. Not quite sure what the logic of this is?

Paul

http://virginatlantic.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/86


After 1st April, all FC Gold, UC, PE and Eco Y PAX will be able to select seats from time of booking (an improvement on 90 days out). This will remain free. Other Eco ticket holders will be able to do for free at T-24 hours or they will have to pay a fee. In any event, children travelling will be guaranteed to be assigned a seat next to one parent.

That's what I read. I then had this conversation on chat

Matthew: Hi, you're chatting with Matthew. How can I help you?

Dave: I've just been looking on the FAQ around seat requests. We are flying 18 July 14 in PE, when we we be able to request our seats.

Matthew: Hi Dave! You will be able to pre-request your seats for free from 1st June 2014, via the 'Manage your Booking' part of our website.

Dave: So the 90 days rule has changed. The FAQ seems to suggest if I booked the tickets in April I would be able to request immediately then (hence my confusion)

Matthew: Yes, we're getting this updated as the information that's been put on the website appears to contradict itself.

Dave: Updated to say what?

Matthew: To state that what I've advised you is correct, Dave.

Dave: OK so the bit about booking in April and being able to request seats 336 days in advance (i.e. someone booking in April for the same flight as me can book the seats immediately) is incorrect?

Matthew: That's correct, Dave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qnd-hdmgfk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qnd-hdmgfk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qnd-hdmgfk

How much to open the pod bay doors, Hal?

So I assume we all received the notice from VS about seat changes beginning in March? I actually deleted that note so checked in again with VS chat and was told: There will be a hold period where no one can book (seems to be in place now). Was told could book economy seats 30 days prior for the fee (and Y no fee) after April1 but although there is no fee for seat selection for PE or UC no seat selection available til 30 days prior as well. No courtesy fee waiver for Gold unless booked Y.

I'm not entirely sure that is what the e-mail I received said though--as I thought it said Gold was exempt and that certain class tickets in PE would in fact be charged. Note though if the same tickets are booked (currently) through Delta one can select seats on site for the same seats that are blocked on VS, including awards seats.

What a total bloody mess - oh no sorry its the usual VS IT way isn't it !

It will now cost us £200 to book seats as a large family and after just flown on vs75 and vs76 upper deck which was amazing I guess it won't be a problem as I would not fly any other airline long haul

I have just been told that if I make a booking today for November then from April 1st for PE seats I can go into MMB and select my seats.

Hmmm... let us know if that works as unable to do so in UC for spring and summer flights.

Can I add a question. I'm all booked to go to Orlando on the 2nd May, economy class. Booked it way back in July. When can I book my seats and will I have to pay £200 for 2 adults and 2 kids. I really want to give the kids the experience of the bubble, at least one way. Preferably on the way out. Would I be right in saying that upstairs exit the aircraft before the main economy section.

Can I add a question. I'm all booked to go to Orlando on the 2nd May, economy class. Booked it way back in July. When can I book my seats and will I have to pay £200 for 2 adults and 2 kids. I really want to give the kids the experience of the bubble, at least one way. Preferably on the way out. Would I be right in saying that upstairs exit the aircraft before the main economy section.

You will be able to request seats from T-30 days