Virgin changing pre-booked seats

[cliff]

Just a note for anyone who has pre-booked their seats with Virgin this year to check that they are still ok...

We are flying to Orlando with Virgin in July this year and we logged in and pre-booked our 5 seats as soon as they became available. The outgoing flight was showing as an Airbus A340-300, which in Economy has a 2-4-2 seat configuration. We booked 3 in the middle and 2 by the window in consecutive seats.

Just checked again today and they have changed the flight to a 747, which has a 3-4-3 seat configuration. The nice people at Virgin have decided to re-allocate our seats and not put us all together, as we now have an empty seat between the window seat and the next person. By luck, no-one had pre-booked the empty seat so we have amended our booking.

Suggest anyone flying in the summer with Virgin check their seat bookings to make sure they don't have a similar problem...

 

[RDP]

Unfortunately i have never had our pre booked seat allocation honoured, on our last flight back from MCO they even split up the family, I had to sit behind DW and the children (Apparently VA count this as sitting together!) My expectations have been lowered accordingly, we are just happy if we can be seated in the same row of 4 now!!

 

[queendisney]

Phew...just checked ours and its still ok for September. I am getting quite paranoid about the seats at the moment because I am a dreadful flyer (motion sickness) and if I ever end up in the middle seats its not good news!!! I have heard a few people have had their seats changed. We always book the two seats at the back of the 747 as there is extra space to the sides and you don't have to keep on asking somebody to move out the way when you want to get up. We have always got the seat we have pre-booked but I am going to check every day now until we fly....a tad excessive I know

 

[Elise79]

Unfortunatly they are just requests and in the small print it says thy can be changed for operational reasons and change of aircraft from the A330 to 747 counts.

When the aircraft changes like that it is one by computer and not a human so it just follows the programming hence why it is not always as you would like.

 

[DizneyDaze]

This is our first trip for a couple of years (so exicted we're going back). Virgin are currently upgrading their fleet of planes - specifically on the LGW and MAN to MCO routes, therefore changes are likely especially for PE Flyers -see below:


Restrictions to Seat Reservations in Premium Economy:

We’re refurbishing the aircraft that fly out of Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow; designing new seats and installing state of the art in-flight entertainment to make your flight more comfortable and fun. The cabin on the lower deck will be larger and all seat numbers are changing. The first completed aircraft will come back into service on 01 April 2012, and the whole fleet will be finished by the end of 2012, so any flight you may book during 2012 could well be on the newly refurbished aircraft.

Due to the change in layout and the work taking place, we’re unable to offer advanced seat selection in Premium Economy after 01 April. In addition to this refurbishment programme we’re are also making system changes to the seat request process which means restricting the seats allocated within our booking system throughout the period of development.

We know that requesting seats is important for you and apologise for any disappointment caused; but please be assured that seats will be available when check in opens. We will add any updates on progress to our website and when the system changes have been completed.

 

[match]

On our recent Virgin flights none of our seats 'requests' were honoured despite reserving them 11 months out and doing on line check in. Going out we had booked the 2 together on their own at the back and were told that now Virgin charge extra for these on the day as they are classed as extra leg room on some planes. Coming back the check in person made such a big fuss of getting us seats together (nobody could online check in as the plane was changed last minute as delayed). However I glanced at the boarding passes at the gate and found out me and my son were 30 rows apart albeit in seats J and K .
One of the many reasons Virgin have gone down in my estimation lately.

 

[queendisney]

On our recent Virgin flights none of our seats 'requests' were honoured despite reserving them 11 months out and doing on line check in. Going out we had booked the 2 together on their own at the back and were told that now Virgin charge extra for these on the day as they are classed as extra leg room on some planes. Coming back the check in person made such a big fuss of getting us seats together (nobody could online check in as the plane was changed last minute as delayed). However I glanced at the boarding passes at the gate and found out me and my son were 30 rows apart albeit in seats J and K .
One of the many reasons Virgin have gone down in my estimation lately.

You must have managed to pre-book the two seats that they do charge for..this happened to us in October when we went to Vegas...of the two seats together at the back there is one set on each side that has an extra one inch or so of extra leg room...we had to pay £30 each I think it was for these..they don't miss a trick do they? Somebody must have gone and measured them at one point!!!!!!!! Or maybe they have now realised that lots of people want these seats and are now charging extra for them regardless! I must admid I don't have loyalty to them anymore...but I shall wait and see what happens as we have always on our many flights with them got our requested seat choice

 

[bobbych]

as people have mentioned, Virgin do not accept PRE BOOKINGS. Their system is misunderstood. You can 'Request' your seats online, but thats all they are. Virgin do not allocate seating until OLCI opens, 24 hrs before. They will try and honour as many 'requests' as possible, especially if you have chosen seats that are not special, such as in the middle of the plane etc.

So, please remember, just becuase you asked for them, you are not always going to get them

you best bet, is to get on OLCI early, and even then, get to check in early.