Virgin - when do you choose the seats?

[torsie24]

We'll be booking in the next few days.

I have 2 seat related questions...

We will be flying out with friends, but willo be booking separately from them, but all want to sit together in a 4 across the middle of the plane.

Can we choose our seats on purchase, or is that just at the time of online check in?

And - we are booking over the phone as we're booking miles+money fares. Is it worth me stating over the phone that I want to be seated upstairs on our return flight?

 

[2Tiggies]

I don't understand why TC do this. I booked with them for last year's trip with VA and it was the same story. First they said 11 months out, then 7, 6,4 ..... until a month before departure when they said we don't get it?!?!?!

They must havesome kind of reference number to use on the VA website. Disney UK told me to use my booking reference with them and sure as ever, 10 months out I plugged it in and pulled up my tickets and pre selected the seats. I would phone VA or better, email them and ask what it is you need to get from TC in order to do this.

 

[babystar]

I have never used miles but as far as I know dont you get a reference number then go onto manage your booking on the virgin atlantic website and use your ref number there to sort out your seats and meal requests?

As far as sitting with your friends, just both get the map up and decide what row you want and book the seats together or take the other persons ref number and do it. You can change your seats even after you have selected them so it is not a problem if you make a mistake.

But it may be completely different if you use miles?

 

[orangetiggs]

if you are booking direct with VA then once off the phone you can log into manage my booking and ppick the seats you want

they will give you the locator ref which is what you need to log in

 

[Helen B]

You can book with miles and money online, as we have done that this year.

As for choosing your seats, I'm not sure but I think when booking direct with Virgin you can select them at the time of booking, certainly straight after booking. I never pre-choose my seats, as I'm not overly bothered, and we've always ended up sat together, but we're just a couple and not a family.

As for wanting to sit upstairs, you can do if you're flying Upper Class. As far as I'm aware Economy and Premium Economy are seated downstairs.

 

[AlexJB]

I am so grateful for this thread!

I booked some flights for July with Virgin (direct) a month or so ago, and must have completely overlooked the fact that you can choose your seats online after booking, I just assumed it was like BA where you choose when you online checkin 24hours before.

I just went onto Virgin's website.. There were literally only a handful of unreserved seats left, luckily I managed to get two together!

So glad I read this, you guys saved me!

 

[paul_toria96]

I am so grateful for this thread!

I booked some flights for July with Virgin (direct) a month or so ago, and must have completely overlooked the fact that you can choose your seats online after booking, I just assumed it was like BA where you choose when you online checkin 24hours before.

I just went onto Virgin's website.. There were literally only a handful of unreserved seats left, luckily I managed to get two together!

So glad I read this, you guys saved me!

When are you going Alex?

We can't pre-book out seats yet as we booked with tcs and there's 8 of us that want to sit together. I'm really dreading it if we can't the kids will go mad.

If flying Virgin again I will def book direct with them

 

[torsie24]

You can book with miles and money online, as we have done that this year.

As for choosing your seats, I'm not sure but I think when booking direct with Virgin you can select them at the time of booking, certainly straight after booking. I never pre-choose my seats, as I'm not overly bothered, and we've always ended up sat together, but we're just a couple and not a family.

As for wanting to sit upstairs, you can do if you're flying Upper Class. As far as I'm aware Economy and Premium Economy are seated downstairs.

I've definitely been on VA flights with PE upstairs. And I think MCO flights have this too.

 

[Elise79]

At the moment PE is usually upstairs on the Mco route however VA are getting new A330 Planes next year and at the mo no one knows what flights these will be doing

 

[AlexJB]

When are you going Alex?

We can't pre-book out seats yet as we booked with tcs and there's 8 of us that want to sit together. I'm really dreading it if we can't the kids will go mad.

If flying Virgin again I will def book direct with them

July 15th - I'd imagine tcs have a block allocation of seats that would show up as booked on Virgins system, but i'm sure tcs will allow you to book them through their own system?

 

[crabbie1]

July 15th - I'd imagine tcs have a block allocation of seats that would show up as booked on Virgins system, but i'm sure tcs will allow you to book them through their own system?

I think they release about 60% or 40%(cant remember which way round) of the seats online but keep some back for people who cannot access the internet/book with travel agents. Obviously I would say get there a little earlier or for some I know that they release more seats at the 24hr before online checkin. I changed ours last time as was stuck in the middle ina four and dont like sitting in the middle just feels cramped. Managed to get a 3 and one on the end of the four opposite.

 

[gemmybear83]

With the refurbishment of the current fleet due to begin early 2011, and there have been posts on other boards that pe will move downstairs following the refurbishment, don't know of if this is true (or if they will even do the refurbishment!!!) but I would just bear it in mind so you don't get your hopes up!

 

[Dave_uk]

We booked with Thomas cook and they told me that they could not book seats until the flight had been ticketed which they said would be 6 weeks before. Fingers crossed we get the seats we want…

the 2 at the back on there own

 

[paul_toria96]

We booked with Thomas cook and they told me that they could not book seats until the flight had been ticketed which they said would be 6 weeks before. Fingers crossed we get the seats we want…

the 2 at the back on there own

Ideally we would like the 4 sets of 2 at the back as we have 4 DA and 4 DK, each with an aisle and window seat.

Hears keeping our fingers crossed

We aren't off till the 2nd Aug so there's plenty of time yet, or is there ?!?!

 

[Helen B]

I've definitely been on VA flights with PE upstairs. And I think MCO flights have this too.

I always thought upper class was upstairs on flights to/from Manchester. Oh well I stand corrected.

 

[Dave_uk]

Ideally we would like the 4 sets of 2 at the back as we have 4 DA and 4 DK, each with an aisle and window seat.

Hears keeping our fingers crossed

We aren't off till the 2nd Aug so there's plenty of time yet, or is there ?!?!

we go in sep and I want them booked now then I no iv got them. Iv herd they charge you £30 now for them tho :-(

 

[Lisa x]

I always thought upper class was upstairs on flights to/from Manchester. Oh well I stand corrected.

On the MAN/MCO route, Upper Class is downstairs at the front, part of PE is behind UC and the other part of PE is upstairs!

Economy downstairs behind PE all the way back!

 

[gemmybear83]

we go in sep and I want them booked now then I no iv got them. Iv herd they charge you £30 now for them tho :-(

That's not true, I think it was just a rumour I have them reserved for our return flight in December

 

[VailaTigger]

I can't remember how many months out it is, but I think it's 10...

We forgot till about 6 months out, but still managed to get decent seats.

We booked with VH, but didn't get a VA reference. However, if you go to the "manage my flights" part of the web page, you can try to find your booking there using your lead passenger name, date, time of flight, flight number etc. That's what I did and it came up straight away. I then took a note of the VA reference for future web visits when I did API, meals etc.

Hope this helps.

 

[torsie24]

Just to say - I called and booked my flights today and then right away was able to log and and choose our seats.

We got on of the elusive pairs at the back on the flight out.

And upstairs on the way home.