Phoning Virgin for seat requests

[Hilary]

Does anyone know what time the phone line opens for seating requests?

I can phone Virgin Atlantic tomorrow for our outbound seating requests and I wondered whether the lines open at 9:00am or earlier. I know it's not like tyring to book a PS for Cindy's when I have to get through as soon as the lines open, but the earlier I can phone, the earlier I can get to work!

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Hi Hilary - they're open 9.00am to 5pm weekdays only.

I tried ringing on Friday from 8.30 onwards, but those lines did not respond until 9.03!!

Good luck . . .

 

[Hilary]

Thanks, Annie

Looks like it'll be a later start in work for me tomorrow........

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Hilary - did you get them sorted?? I too was late in to work Friday because of ringing, but there's just some thing a girls gotta do!! Got to go through it all again in two weeks time for the return flight . . . . it falls on a Saturday, so have to ring up the following Monday

 

[Hilary]

Success and I don't think they even missed me at work!

It was quite a strange experience though - I rang the 01293 747205 at 9:00am, but got the message "this office is now closed, our opening hours are 9:00am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday". When I tried again a couple of minutes later I was told to redial 0871 2220050.

It took me several attempts to get this number connected, but when I did get through I was lucky and had an excellent operator who was very helpful. Not only did she allocate our <b>12</b> seats without a fuss, but she also checked our child / vegetarian meal requests and whether we needed any special assistance, etc., etc., without me having to ask about any of it (unlike previous experiences when I've felt I had to get in with my next question before they hung up on me!).

I asked how likely it would be that these requested seats might be changed before we checked in and she said, whilst they were <i>requests only and could not be guaranteed</i>, there was no way that anyone else would have those seats unless there had to be a change of aircraft or departure schedule. It would not be possible for anyone else to switch to 'our' seats now that they had been requested. Why am I so sceptical about this?

She then said that I could phone on <b>Sunday</b>, 5th May to request seats for the return journey. I told her that I thought they were closed on Sundays, but she said the 01293 747205 number is open. The Virgin brochure also gives only Mon - Fri hours of opening. I guess I'll be ringing on the Sunday anyway to see what happens . Annie - maybe you should try at the weekend, too!

 

[bengunn]

Hilary, your experience sounds very like mine - ring one number then another then get a very good operator who checked everything without me even asking. I booked my return seats on Sunday 10th March which was my earliest date and they were certainly open then so I think it is open 7 days a week - I think it was the 0871 number on the Sunday as well.

 

[DisneyBB]

I phone the virgin atlantic number they are open very early in the morning until late at night. 01293-747747. I booked my seats and got a terrible operator and then phoned back and got a really nice one.

 

[neilybealy]

hello

did you book with virgin holidays or direct with virgin??

i booked my 10 adult seats with virgin group sales and got told exactly the same thing about it being a request but very unlikely we'll be moved (we require a skycot so these seats are limited).

neil

 

[Jennie4647]

Hi All,

Is it the same procedure for flights from Mancheser?

Many thanks,


Jennie

 

[Hilary]

Neil,

I booked this fly-drive with Virgin Holidays and the Virgin brochure I have says
<i>"A limited number of seats are available for advanced seating BUT please note: You must ring LESS THAN 180 DAYS before departure, the request HAS to be made DIRECT to Virgin Atlantic on 01293 747205 (Mon - Fri)"</i>

However, I booked a flight only last year direct with VA and had to phone their booking line on 01293 747747 to do the same thing.

Jennie,

I don't know from personal experience, but I guess it's the same for Manchester flights.

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Jeannie

Just booked mine for 27th, July no problem, was asked about special requests and told that downtown check was still closed and it was not likely that it would be open by then.

Ours was booked thro Virgin Holidays and I used 0871 2220050

David

ps phoned the 747747 number about something else and there is an option to book seats on the menu thats read out.

 

[JohnW]

It is exactly the same procedure for Manchester flights.

cheers, John.