Dilemma!! a bit long sorry.

[cherjp]

When we went with TCD before it was their own aircraft and the economy was cramped, now they are owned by virgin and its virgin aircraft.
Last year when we went we were going with TCD then they went bust 3 weeks before we went and the only choice we had was premium seats from Manchester , which were fab. when TCD were around their upgrades were cheap and we have been in the bubble with them, so when I suggested TCD or virgin , we checked the price and the extra for the premium seats was a lot, so with the memory of TCD economy firmly rooted in his mind he said no way hose, so to pacifiy i looked for other choices, and premium seats are avail with First choice but the cheapest choice is from manchester, which was a nightmare coming home last year as we were tired, the overal cost of the holiday from manchester is several hundred dearer that TCD or Virgin from glasgow but i would need to overcome the 'memory' hurdle first.
Can someone who travels with virgin explain what i would do about asking for extra legroom seats, do we do that at the beginning or is it something that has to be done at check in at glasgow, if we do online checkin does that affect your chances of getting these extra leg room seats, if i have all the info before hand then maybe i can work my womanly charms on him !!

thanks for all help.

 

[wicket2005]

So basically it is because your hubbie has experienced a better seat he doesn't want to go back to economy pitches with any company. Tough one. I know Virgin economy pitch sizes are bigger than chartered plane pitches. Is he seriously uncomfortable in economy sized seats?

 

[cherjp]

He just doesnt like being cramped , he is 5ft 9, slightly larger frame although he will be slimmer by the time we go, but yes we have been ruined by charter upgrades and bigger seats.

I feel that the extra cost and hassle of travelling to manchester on this occasion isnt justified, but he just didnt hear anything else after me saying "TCD/ virgin flight from glasgow", if i do more research and get more info i will try to convince him when he knows the full facts.

thanks for everyones help so far. sometimes men are so stubborn!!!

 

[cherjp]

Just went onto Virgin website and now the only seats showing from glasgow on the date we want are premium seats outbound, does anyone know if more eceonomy seats will be released or am i running out of time? please help

 

[wicket2005]

I found this at Christmas time, I thought they were just trying to sell Premium seats instead of the economy but they didn't change after having the economy seats on. I suspect they start with the cheapest priced seats then offer the higher priced ones as they have sold the cheaper ones. What I did do was select another date. I think they will have sold all the economy seats for that date.

I did that this year as it is extremely difficult to see when the cheapest dates are to travel so spent a laborious time inputting every date till I found the cheapest dates. Try different dates if you can. I know weekend dates are more expensive and they do go up and down in price on different days.

As I said before the males in my household are all about 6 foot and the pitch size was just fine for them, on Virgin planes, they are all of a slim build though if it is more the width of the seat that bothers your hubbie.

I hope you get something booked.

 

[cherjp]

In october they only fly from glasgow on a friday and sat , I was hoping that the fact that the VA flights arent released yet would mean that there would still be economy seats left .
the friday flight is still showng seats, so will just have to keep everything crossed until i can lecture oops soory i mean discuss with my hubby the situation.

 

[wicket2005]

Good luck Cheryl. I hope you manage to get it booked up and save some money which you can spend over there. October is a busy time with the half term being in it.

 

[cherjp]

thanks

 

[Trev]

DH flatly refuses to travel in Virgin plane as the price is for economy and premium seats are far beyond our price range, he remembers the economy from TCD when we went before and didnt like it as too squashed etc etc, QUOTE]

have you tried thomas cook - their new economy seats are 33" pitch!

 

[Babyboo]

So is it £400 diff ?? If so I'm with your DH on this. £100 each doesn't seem to bad to me. I would rather be more comfortable on the plane and fly into Sanford. I've flown Premium with FC once and would do it again over Virgin if they didn't restrict us to 7 or 14 nights.

The last couple of flights we've been on were with Virgin from Gatwick and both times we upgraded to PE at the airport and both times we've asked ourselves how Virgin get away with the condition of the inside of the planes.

 

[cherjp]

DH flatly refuses to travel in Virgin plane as the price is for economy and premium seats are far beyond our price range, he remembers the economy from TCD when we went before and didnt like it as too squashed etc etc, QUOTE]

have you tried thomas cook - their new economy seats are 33" pitch!

yip checked that twice, 1st time quoted me nearly £6000 then second time treid told me they didnt have holidays for that time yet. so will try again.

although have to say spoke again to dh tonight and he is not dismissing the virgin flight quite as sternly as before, so hey maybe......

 

[wicket2005]

Keep wearing him down, eventually he will cave.

 

[cherjp]

So is it £400 diff ?? If so I'm with your DH on this. £100 each doesn't seem to bad to me. I would rather be more comfortable on the plane and fly into Sanford. I've flown Premium with FC once and would do it again over Virgin if they didn't restrict us to 7 or 14 nights.

The last couple of flights we've been on were with Virgin from Gatwick and both times we upgraded to PE at the airport and both times we've asked ourselves how Virgin get away with the condition of the inside of the planes.

Price diff was around 400 plus 200 for accomm, travel to stay in manchester plus the long 5hr journey home when you are tired and the fact that we would get back on a tuesday and have to go straight back to work the next day.

Since yesterday the only prices shown avail are for premium seats on outbound on the sat from glasgow with both virgin and TCD so those holidays have increased by 1000 approx now, think fri is still avail so trying to push for that one!!
still wearing him down!!!!

 

[Babyboo]

Price diff was around 400 plus 200 for accomm, travel to stay in manchester plus the long 5hr journey home when you are tired and the fact that we would get back on a tuesday and have to go straight back to work the next day.

Since yesterday the only prices shown avail are for premium seats on outbound on the sat from glasgow with both virgin and TCD so those holidays have increased by 1000 approx now, think fri is still avail so trying to push for that one!!
still wearing him down!!!!

OK, I see. Didn't realise you had such a long journey home from Manchester. I can understand why you want the Virgin flights. Good luck in convincing him.

 

[wicket2005]

We fly from Manchester and the journey home is a bit of a killer. We are about 2 hours away so I can understand you not wanting to travel all the way back up to Glasgow.

 

[cherjp]

Last year it took us around 3 and half hours to get there , but on way home it took over 5 as we were really tired and BOTH of us kept nodding off, not an ideal way to drive home let me tell you!
Firstchoice flights were better placed on a sat and sunday last year, next year its fri and mon. friday not so great as thats another day off from school and work, weekends are better for us, though would make an exception for fri from glasgow !!
Been looking at FC from Glasgow but accomm not avail and flights only with them coming in at £3000 just for flights! that price has shot up since last week. and those are economy seats with rubbish baggage allowance.
will keep pluggin away and hoping for the best.

 

[wicket2005]

Not worth it for you that drive back from Manchester sounds very dangerous. Virgin do have a good luggage allowance compared to many others, 2 x 23 kg each. I couldn't pay the extra money you are talking about either.

We have went with Virgin for the past few years staying onsite at Universal. I was just about to book up for Virgin next year when I thought I would check TCD, the same holiday with them and it is exactly the same holiday right down to the flights was £3100 cheaper! I couldn't get it booked fast enough. I would rather save money on the flights and use the money in Orlando.

 

[cherjp]

will keep on at dh and watch for the sat virgin flights if not think we will try for friday, the hol is coming in at just under 3800 flights,hotel and car with TCD from glasgow , so thought about diy , taking the hotel and car off the flights would need to be around 2000 for 4 seats and i am not sure i could get it for that if i wait till the flight schedules come out, i just want to book and know its done, then look forward to the planning, i am too impatient and we are quite restricted to the weekend only poss inc fri and mon if glasgow only. Virgin price is a bit dearer but they give you some extras like free sat nav and other stuff that it said in brochure not so sure thats worth the extra money for those. TCD is still a virgin flight though. thanks for everyones help and comments.

 

[wicket2005]

I am exactly the same, I would rather get things booked up as soon as possible then enjoy the planning and knowing you are going. I book the summer holiday 12 months in advance.

 

[cherjp]

When we went last time we had booked as soon as the TCD info came out around 18 months prior only for them to go bust 3 weeks before we went!! Thats how we ended up with FC from Manchester as that was all that was left flight wise, and that fateful morning when TCD went bust, I had jumped out of bed at 6 when i heard the news and we went straight onto the computer and rebooked with FC, and by lunchtime the same day whatever holidays were left had gone up in price by thousands, ours had gone up by 1500, total rip off!! but hey never mind , will keep looking and harassing DH, eventually he will cave in