Flight / check in questions

[tttessa]

Hiya,

just paid the balance for our holiday today !!!!

Now, some (perhaps silly) questions come to mind....

1. We tried to get seats together on the plane - 4 of us - no chance - this is for April - can anyone tell me which seats get kept back for on line check in or twighlight check in, or even just normal ordinary bog-standard check in??? (does anybody do the normal one any more??)

2. We plan to use the twighlight check in - is it worth doing on-line before we leave? Then could we use twighlight check in as a bag drop?

Got the kids meals booked out and back, so happy there.

3. We don't have an address for the visa waiver or advance passenger info - do Virgin provide the US address on the tickets? Or is there anywhere it would be available on-line - complication is we have booked their "cheaper" 3 bed Florida homes, so don't even know the resort....

I called virgin - got through in 2 rings - is this a record!! They said APIS is informed electronically by virgin holidays - but flustered me before I could ask about the visa waiver form....

Any help for a nervous traveller greatly appreciated-only nervous travelling with the kids - not when I'm on my own for some reason

Thanks,
Tessa

 

[scottishsue]

You need to get in touch via PM with Obi Wan Kenobi. He's the expert on everything.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Hiya,

just paid the balance for our holiday today !!!!

Now, some (perhaps silly) questions come to mind....

1. We tried to get seats together on the plane - 4 of us - no chance - this is for April - can anyone tell me which seats get kept back for on line check in or twighlight check in, or even just normal ordinary bog-standard check in??? (does anybody do the normal one any more??)

2. We plan to use the twighlight check in - is it worth doing on-line before we leave? Then could we use twighlight check in as a bag drop?

Got the kids meals booked out and back, so happy there.

3. We don't have an address for the visa waiver or advance passenger info - do Virgin provide the US address on the tickets? Or is there anywhere it would be available on-line - complication is we have booked their "cheaper" 3 bed Florida homes, so don't even know the resort....

I called virgin - got through in 2 rings - is this a record!! They said APIS is informed electronically by virgin holidays - but flustered me before I could ask about the visa waiver form....

Any help for a nervous traveller greatly appreciated-only nervous travelling with the kids - not when I'm on my own for some reason

Thanks,
Tessa

Aww shucks Sue (Blush)

First of all, API. You need an adress for the first night at least. Without an address you cannot fill in the Visa Waiver Form nor the API on the web site. I do not know if they provide an address nearer the holiday date, does anyone who uses this service know??

Whats your flight details? (date, flight number) I will have a look.

We always do on line check in then twilight checkin for bag drop.

many people still do day of flight checkin, many are not yet computer savvy. Also, Online opens at least 2 hours before twilight. All available seats (with a few exceptions) are available at 24 hours before the flight take off time.

Only at twilight check in are the emergency exit seats made available, but if you have young children, theoretically you cannot have these.

 

[UKDEB]

You need to get in touch via PM with Obi Wan Kenobi. He's the expert on everything.

Obi is an extremely valued contributor to these boards, particularly on the subject of Virgin Atlantic, but, without doubt, it's more helpful to everyone if questions are posed to and answered by the whole community. If everything was conducted by PM, what would be the point of the forum? Open discussion is more conducive to the dissemination of information than behind the scenes conversations. Everyone here wants to either air or seek knowledge in a public environment, otherwise none of us would be here - we'd all soon lose interest. Sue, I'm at a loss to understand the purpose of your post.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Whilst I can see your point of view Debbie, it may be that not everyone wants to broadcast their flying dates and times for example, for home security reasons etc. Also there is some information that I do not want to publicize outside the individual poster.
But yes, for general questions they can be better served in public.

 

[Jakey Rowling]

Only time I've booked a virgin villa a few years back I gave the address of the pick up point for the villa keys as supplied by virgin as I had a unknown villa as you have.
I didn't see what else I could do and thought I could always be traced via this if necessary.
It worked out no problem.
To be honest I don't think the actual address is that important.

It's worth taking a print out of the kids meal confirmation.
I have had a few problems with virgin on the way back with getting the kids meals and the staff are pretty have a different attitude if you show them the confirmation as there must be quite a few people who don't plan ahead and chance their arm.

 

[tttessa]

hiya - many thanks -will take print outs of ALL the stuff they have given us!!

Obi - glad you are there - don't go blushing again - Sue is right, it is nice to have an expert around.

Flight is on Sun 6th April from Gatwick at 12.30 - was a travel agent booking, but they kindly gave us the code to do our own booking updates (meals etc) - so looked at the seating and they had only the odd single seat and one row of 3 with nothing else nearby.
Thanks for the info -we will also do the online check in followed by bag drop at twighlight check in - now we know we can!!

I just cannot wait!! It has started to be exciting now we've paid for it - seems more "real"

Thanks again,
Tessa

 

[UKDEB]

Whilst I can see your point of view Debbie, it may be that not everyone wants to broadcast their flying dates and times for example, for home security reasons etc

I don't doubt there are some occasions when this is so, but that doesn't appear to be the motive for Sue's post. It was reported by another member who made the following comment, hence my remarks.

...the reply felt incredibly "exclusive" to us normal posters... was annoying cos I just couldnt help thinking "interesting questions, I wouldnt mind knowing the answers too"

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

hiya - many thanks -will take print outs of ALL the stuff they have given us!!

Obi - glad you are there - don't go blushing again - Sue is right, it is nice to have an expert around.

Flight is on Sun 6th April from Gatwick at 12.30 - was a travel agent booking, but they kindly gave us the code to do our own booking updates (meals etc) - so looked at the seating and they had only the odd single seat and one row of 3 with nothing else nearby.
Thanks for the info -we will also do the online check in followed by bag drop at twighlight check in - now we know we can!!

I just cannot wait!! It has started to be exciting now we've paid for it - seems more "real"

Thanks again,
Tessa

Just had a look, I take it it is VS15?
Yes, the flight is quite full, the held back 40% have been released and only 14 seats are available currently.
PE is showing 21 seats free and Upper class 3 seats

If you wait until the morning of your flight, you may be able to grab one of the sets of seats that come available at that time (rows 21-28)

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Click, click click

 

[tttessa]

Many thanks - thought there would be a block of rows, but hard to get the info on which ones!!- have the feeling we are going to have to be quick!!

Mind you if we have to do 2+2 or 3+1 wouldn't be so bad I guess, just panicking a bit cos it's the girls first flight. Done it a few times as a couple but only twighlight check in (no probs getting 2 seats together)

When you do on-line check in, do the seats become available for check in exactly 24 hours prior?? Are there any of those seats to avoid, or to try for?? I'm hopeless at plane layout!!!

Thanks again,
Tessa