Problems with the Virgin atlantic website and seat maps

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

there is currently a problem with the Virgin atlantic website and the seatmaps.
If you login to your flying club account and then go to my booking, if you then clisk on the link for your flight, then the seat map/change your seat does not appear.

What you have to do is go to my booking and then on the right hand side, input teh details manually then the option appears on your booking.

VA are awraee of this and are trying to work out why its happening

 

[UKDEB]

Thanks for the heads-up, Obi. I booked dd's flights this morning, so I guess trying to get some seats allocated is next on my list of things to do.

 

[UKDEB]

The option isn't even showing on "my booking". With the flight only 6 weeks away, I guess all the pre-bookable seats have been. Not to worry, I'll see what I can get at online check-in. Obi, can you remind me what time the small cabin usually shows up online on the day of the flight?

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

PM sent Deb

 

[Lisa x]

Thanks Obi I wondered what the hell was up with that!

Obi, can I just ask, if we have prebooked seats for our family, there will be 14 of them in economy, will we get these for definate?

I have no idea about this online check in business either, can you do this from Manchester? Do u recommend it and are there any 'cons' of doing this?

Thanks so much in advance!!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Thanks Obi I wondered what the hell was up with that!

Obi, can I just ask, if we have prebooked seats for our family, there will be 14 of them in economy, will we get these for definate?

I have no idea about this online check in business either, can you do this from Manchester? Do u recommend it and are there any 'cons' of doing this?

Thanks so much in advance!!

A simple answer would be no.
All you can do on Virgin is pre request. This can change right up to cheking in and sometime beyond that.
Virgin never know more than 48 hours in advance which version of the 747 cabin will be used and this can throw the computers way off if the seating does not match their profile.

Yes you can do On line checkin for manchester. this can be done from 24 hours before your scheduled take off time, by going to the Virgin atlantic web site.
I would reccommend doing this as you have a better chance of trying to keep your party together.
Are they all on the same booking?

 

[Lisa x]

No, unfortunately they are not. When we rang VA to book, it was a weekend and the guy on the phone told us that 'Groups' was not open until Monday but that he could do the same deal and cross reference the 2 bookings as there were too many to go on one!!

Since then, 2 drops outs and 1 late comer, they couldnt put the new pax on the other bookings so she is alone on a 3rd booking now!! They say 'cross-referenced', I dont know whether this is actually done or whether it is a just shut up and book its fine!!

Thanks for your help, I will do the online check in for them all and see what happens, DF and I will be in another part of the aircraft so if all hell breaks out, we will be oblivious until we get to Orlando! for us and for them I imagine!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I think that they probably will be single line bookings.
the way to check is see what Booking ref they have and who is the lead name (you will need that for the OLCI)
have a look here
https://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/manageyourflights/diycheckin/index.jsp

Have they all done
a) API
b) ESTA

You need to do both for every passenger

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

there used to be a page with how to do OLCI but I can't find it now
anyway the process is:

Online DIY ONLINE Check In


Flights are opened for Online Check In from 24 hours to 2 hours prior to scheduled departure times.

Log on using name, booking reference, flight number and date of travel.

Confirm your flight details and add your email address.

Add any additional passengers you wish to check in with you. (on the same booking ref)

Confirm, amend or add any details required for immigration purposes (you will need your passport to hand to complete this).

A seat will be allocated to you but you can change this by selecting the 'seat map' button.

An Email will be sent to the email address you provided to confirm you are checked in.

Go to the airport. Due to enhanced security screening at the airport we recommend passengers to arrive at least 2 hours prior to scheduled departure. Passengers who have failed to drop their bags and collect their boarding documents 60 minutes prior to scheduled departure of their flight will not be able to travel.

At the airport go straight to a Virgin Atlantic Bag Drop, including passengers with hand luggage only.

At the bag drop passengers are required to show their passport, paper tickets or E-ticket to collect their boarding documents and check their bags in.

At London Gatwick, Twilight check in can also be used for online check in bagdrop.

 

[Lisa x]

OMG...thanks so much for that, we did the ESTA but had no idea about API

Last year we did the ESTA only for the first time, all times before we just went without doing all this!!

No problem though, I like doing anything relating to our DisneyWorld holiday!

Thanks again for all the info about OLCI, as my DF and I booked and paid for all of the other passengers, we have all the booking refs and e-tickets here so we will sort it out for them!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

If you did ESTA last year you don't need to do it again for another year, It lasts for two years. just take a copy of your approval with you.
Some say you go in and change your dates, you don't have to.

 

[Lisa x]

Just done our API...phew!

So now we are wondering if we did actually do the ESTA last year or not, we think it may have been before it was compulsory as a 'practice'!

We havent got any print outs but we have taken note of our confirmation numbers and put them on a spreadsheet to print out, do u think this will be ok? Who asks for them/Who do we show them to? TIA!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Just done our API...phew!

So now we are wondering if we did actually do the ESTA last year or not, we think it may have been before it was compulsory as a 'practice'!

We havent got any print outs but we have taken note of our confirmation numbers and put them on a spreadsheet to print out, do u think this will be ok? Who asks for them/Who do we show them to? TIA!

You can check with those numbers on the ESTA web site.
Input those and it should bring up your ESTA approval
but its not a problem to re-apply and get new numbers/Printouts

 

[Cochise]

Just done our API...phew!

So now we are wondering if we did actually do the ESTA last year or not, we think it may have been before it was compulsory as a 'practice'!

We havent got any print outs but we have taken note of our confirmation numbers and put them on a spreadsheet to print out, do u think this will be ok? Who asks for them/Who do we show them to? TIA!

side question and off topic, your ticker is the same as ours and we too are virgin from man. Is it the 9th october for you? If so is it the early vs075 or vs073 later on?

 

[Lisa x]

side question and off topic, your ticker is the same as ours and we too are virgin from man. Is it the 9th october for you? If so is it the early vs075 or vs073 later on?

Thats my wedding day ticker, I get married there on 8th October!

I just added my trip ticker....3rd Oct VS075 10.25 flight from MAN!

 

[Cochise]