Virgin Atlantic Check In

We flew with BA this year and did the on-line check-in. If Virgin work the same, it meant that you could chose your seats 24hrs before flying. We printed out our boarding passes and it seemed to save us time at the airport. Bit nervous on way back as did not take laptop with us, but Guest Services at Disney Hollywood Studios came up trumps for us, booking our seats and printing our boarding passes, again saved time and disappointment of not sitting together on way home.
 
We do on line check in mainly because it saves time at the airport, especially on the way back when there are several Virgin flights checking in at the same time and the line can be quite long. There is never usually a line at bag drop so it is quite quick.
 
Virgin looks a little different. I can't check in online at the moment but when I log onto my flight details, it already shows my seats. I supose different airlines work differenty :confused3

Thanks
 


When you do on line check in you can change your seats if there are some available (more seats open up once check in starts). When we flew a few weeks ago I noticed that there were 3 seats together free nearer the front of the plane (these seats were not available when I paid for our tickets) so I moved DH and I onto 2 of those seats (left the window one free), when we boarded we realised the flight wasn't full and we had a spare seat next to us which was great. On the way back we managed to change our seats again at on line check in to a set of 2 seats at the back of the plane so again we had more room.
Like I already said though, on the way back the best thing about on line check in was going to the bag drop and skipping the very, very long line at regular check in.
 
Virgin's online checkin if you are on the earlier flight out of Gatwick is your first time to checkin and secure your seats. Twilight checkin only opens at 12 midday so as OLCI opens at 24 hours before your scheduled takeoff time, then you ahve the first pick of all released seats before Twilight opens.
 


Would I be correct in saying that you can only book certain seats using OLCI? If not surly people would all be booking Bulkheads and exit seats?
 
Virgin's online checkin if you are on the earlier flight out of Gatwick is your first time to checkin and secure your seats. Twilight checkin only opens at 12 midday so as OLCI opens at 24 hours before your scheduled takeoff time, then you ahve the first pick of all released seats before Twilight opens.

Can I just clear this up then....

When I log onto my reservation. It shows we have seats 73 A & C in PE. I have not checked in yet as we can't.

If we just do normal check in 3 hours before. Are we still likely to get those seats which shows us already in them ?

Thanks :cheer2:
 
Can I just clear this up then....

When I log onto my reservation. It shows we have seats 73 A & C in PE. I have not checked in yet as we can't.

If we just do normal check in 3 hours before. Are we still likely to get those seats which shows us already in them ?

Thanks :cheer2:

Possibly yes, possibly no.

Any request for a specific seat id purely that, a request. If you turn up 3 hours before the flight to checkin, there is the possibility that those seats will have been moved to other seats to accommodate other passengers.

If you carry out OLCI then those seats are reserved under your booking.
HOWEVER nothing is set in stone and they can still be chenged right up to boarding teh aircraft, but the possibility of that happening is much, much less
 
now, this is NOT to scare you, but on busy flights with all airlines it can and does happen.

All airlines overbook seats based upon computer preditcions of how many will fail to turn up, with buisness type flights showing more percentage of overbooking than holiday flights (Known in the trade as Bucket and spade flights) but on the B & S flights they still overbook.

So you can have the scenareo that your particular cabin is overbooked and all passengers turn up or checkin.

The good side; If you are the last to checkin there is the possibility of being upgraded to UC, though travellers on full fare tickets, then Flying Club Gold Card holders, then silver Card holders then red card holders will be ahead of you in the queue

the bad side: If the UC cabin is full, then you will be downgraded to economy and the cost of then ticket difference will be refunded, or you will be transferred onto a different flight either Virgin or an alternative airline in whatever cabin they have available (Normally economy)
 
Wow, Ok, I really wasn't expecting that :scared1:

Looking at previous posts, you have something to do with airlines ? :confused3

Do YOU think it is better to do online check in or just turn up early and do it old school ?

If we check in online, what happens with our bags ? I suffer from slight OCD so if its not what I have done before ( i.e check in at desk, get asked the quesitons, see my bag go off into the abyss ) then I will worry about my luggage. :sad2:
 
Would I be correct in saying that you can only book certain seats using OLCI? If not surly people would all be booking Bulkheads and exit seats?

Don't want to mention BA in this thread again, but when our online check-in was done for us at Disney Hollywood Studios, we got two exit seats.

All that leg room was tremendous!:cool1: Luck or Disney Magic I guess!
 
Wow, Ok, I really wasn't expecting that :scared1:

Looking at previous posts, you have something to do with airlines ? :confused3

Do YOU think it is better to do online check in or just turn up early and do it old school ?

If we check in online, what happens with our bags ? I suffer from slight OCD so if its not what I have done before ( i.e check in at desk, get asked the quesitons, see my bag go off into the abyss ) then I will worry about my luggage. :sad2:

Lilybee,
I used to have a lot more to do wth airlines than sadly I do today ( thank you Mr Bankers and that other "gentleman" not allowed to talk about on these forums) :mad:

I would always recommend OLCI first.
You can do this at home 24 hours before your flights scehuled take off time (Unless you have a child who is not in their own seat)

You do this on the Virgin Atlantic web site (have you done your ESTA AND API by the way??)
And then when you turn up at Gatwick you can either
a) get rid of your luggage at twilight checkin the day before between 12 noon and 9pm
or
B) Get to the airport at least 3 hours beforehand and go to the bag drop/Checkin desks and dispose of your luggage then.

I say at least 3 hours as the queues can be long for the checkin desks, then the security lines can also be long to get airside.
 
Lilybee,
I used to have a lot more to do wth airlines than sadly I do today ( thank you Mr Bankers and that other "gentleman" not allowed to talk about on these forums) :mad:

I would always recommend OLCI first.
You can do this at home 24 hours before your flights scehuled take off time (Unless you have a child who is not in their own seat)

You do this on the Virgin Atlantic web site (have you done your ESTA AND API by the way??)
And then when you turn up at Gatwick you can either
a) get rid of your luggage at twilight checkin the day before between 12 noon and 9pm
or
B) Get to the airport at least 3 hours beforehand and go to the bag drop/Checkin desks and dispose of your luggage then.

I say at least 3 hours as the queues can be long for the checkin desks, then the security lines can also be long to get airside.


Damn those ''bankers'' :mad:

Ok, that makes a little more sense. It sounds as though it is easier to do the online check in. Do they put those sticky tag things on at the baggage drop off point ?

Thanks again for your help :yay:
 
Damn those ''bankers'' :mad:

Ok, that makes a little more sense. It sounds as though it is easier to do the online check in. Do they put those sticky tag things on at the baggage drop off point ?

Thanks again for your help :yay:

Yes, all luggage going into the hold has to have a barcoded tag on it, so when you go to Twilight checkin/bag drop they will print the lables off and attach to your bags.

Have you done both ESTA and API?
 
Yes, all luggage going into the hold has to have a barcoded tag on it, so when you go to Twilight checkin/bag drop they will print the lables off and attach to your bags. - So we can still go to the normal check in point to drop the bags off ?

Have you done both ESTA and API?
- Oh yes. Done the API on the Virgin Site and authorized entry on the ESTA.
 
I booked with Continental but am flying with Virgin, shall I check in on the Continental website or the Virgin one? I have reservation numbers for both, but my eTicket is Continental so I'm assuming them..?
Also, if I check in online going to Orlando, do I also have to check in online on the way back? I won't be able to print my boarding passes when I'm there (unless I can find internet access and a printer).

Thanks if anyone can help :)
 
I booked with Continental but am flying with Virgin, shall I check in on the Continental website or the Virgin one? I have reservation numbers for both, but my eTicket is Continental so I'm assuming them..?
Also, if I check in online going to Orlando, do I also have to check in online on the way back? I won't be able to print my boarding passes when I'm there (unless I can find internet access and a printer).

Thanks if anyone can help :)


As far as I am aware. Online check in is only optional so you do not have to do it. Although, I cant help you on the other subject. Maybe, Obi can help. :confused3
 

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