Booking biz on AT7 - do SC credit as Biz even tho no Biz seats?

[ozstamps]

Booking biz on AT7 - do SC credit as Biz even tho no Biz seats?

Doing final leg of a SC run in AT7.

Virgin prices this leg in a multi city Biz fare

AFAIK they have no biz seats altho row #1 looks not too bad?.

ATR-72-500 | Virgin Australia

So SC should credit just as if it was a 737?

I am assuming it tickets in Biz fare bucket even if there is none on these planes? (Have not booked yet and want to clarify this.)

 

[Bagpuss]

Booking biz on AT7 - do SC credit as Biz even tho no Biz seats?

It's been commented on before, I forgot who the member was.
They wont post as a business class sector. However, for the member they stood their ground and got credited per the relevant business class fare. (Rightfully so IMHO.)

 

[ozstamps]

It's been commented on before, I forgot who the member was.

They wont post as a business class sector. However, for the member they stood their ground and got credited per the relevant business class fare. (Rightfully so IMHO.)

Thanks - I had a vague recollection of reading something like that - hence the question.

Seems to all say 'Business Saver' on Virgin booking portal in each direction, so can't imagine they can weasel out of it if you booked and flew it?

Same price as starting Hobart, (and same SC hopefully!) but I can catch the train to PQQ in a couple hours!

 

[Mattg]

There will be a message on the next page telling you that the PQQ-SYD flight is in Y due to unavailability. From what I've read, that flight will book into an Economy Freedom fare class and I wouldn't count on getting J SCs.

If in doubt, might be best to get an answer in writing from VA directly.

 

[Jurahn]

It's been commented on before, I forgot who the member was.
They wont post as a business class sector. However, for the member they stood their ground and got credited per the relevant business class fare. (Rightfully so IMHO.)

That was me .The flight was MEL-CBR, flight was an AT7 but was able to be booked and paid for as business through the VA website, e-ticket showed D class for all four sectors (HBA-MEL-CBR return). However boarding pass printed as Economy, which I didn’t notice at first ... until I was initially refused entry to The Lounge in Melbourne, and of course not permitted priority boarding for the flight ether - and yes, SCs posted as Y. I did indeed have to stand my ground and eventually received the J SCs,, but it took some doing and after some reluctance from VA/Velocity to admit that I was entitled to them. It was such a hassle at both the time of the flight, and afterwards that I would probably avoid booking J again on that aircraft.

As I’ve mentioned before in relation to this issue, why can VA continue selling business fares on these flights if pax are not going to receive the correct SCs for them? I wonder how many people have been shortchanged in this regard and haven’t checked the SCs they actually received as they (naturally) assumed they would be paid at the correct rate.

 

[jase05]

There will be a message on the next page telling you that the PQQ-SYD flight is in Y due to unavailability. From what I've read, that flight will book into an Economy Freedom fare class and I wouldn't count on getting J SCs.

If in doubt, might be best to get an answer in writing from VA directly.

Yes, unfortunately I’ve had this happen a couple of times when I visit my parents near Canberra. As a rule we try to get ADL-CBR direct or do ADL-MEL-CBR as they are nearly always 737’s but on a couple of occasions we have gone via SYD and it’s on the ATR72. As you have said the ATR leg books into a Freedom fare and we have got SC’s accordingly. Have never thought to contact VA and ask for J SC’s but as a rule we avoid going via SYD now anyway

 

[Jurahn]

Have never thought to contact VA and ask for J SC’s but as a rule we avoid going via SYD now anyway

I was counting on those extra SCs as I was pooling to Mr J to get him over the line to requalify for Gold, so bought the J fares specifically (thankfully on a great sale fare) for that purpose. It would have left him 30 SCs short, so there was no way I was giving up without a fight!

 

[ozstamps]

Just sent Plat line the following -

I read of the double status credit promo that finishes on this weekend.

Due to that, we plan to book an unplanned weekend in New Zealand tomorrow.

I see Business *SAVER* fares cost less than Full Business. I realise there are change fees etc associated with the lower cost Business tickets and less flexibility - all fine with us.

My question is – if I book a Business *Saver* fare on Virgin website, from Australia to NZ, for flights entirely on Virgin planes, and all with Virgin flight numbers, (i.e. no Air New Zealand flights!) I am assuming from reading the promo rules, that I get double status credits on ALL those flights, if flights are taken within the specified Promo period, and all are booked and paid before the deadline to book.

Please respond ASAP if this is NOT the case, as it seems to be valid as I need to book these tomorrow and will go ahead unless I am advised there is an issue here with my reading of the promo.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bagpuss]

There will be a message on the next page telling you that the PQQ-SYD flight is in Y due to unavailability. From what I've read, that flight will book into an Economy Freedom fare class and I wouldn't count on getting J SCs.

If in doubt, might be best to get an answer in writing from VA directly.

That's correct.

You can actually see on @ozstamps screenshot it says Economy for the sector

 

[Jurahn]

That's correct.

You can actually see on @ozstamps screenshot is says Economy.

They must have updated this - when I booked back in April, it showed business for all flights in the booking summary section, but as @Mattg mentioned, there was a message on the next screen advising that seating for the MEL-CBR flight would be in Economy as there was no business class cabin.

 

[ozstamps]

My screenshot also is headed BUSINESS SAVER vey clearly.

 

[jase05]

My screenshot also is headed BUSINESS SAVER vey clearly.

Yes, it’s a quirk of the system I think.
Going on my past experiences you will get the legs on the ATR72 credited at the Freedom rate. I’ve never tried pushing the issue with VA but I guess you can try

 

[ozstamps]

I’ve never tried pushing the issue with VA but I guess you can try

Hence my email to Plat line to cover myself.

If I do not get told otherwise my assumption holds - booked in Biz hence get Biz credits. x 2. .

No way will I not get Biz Class SC for those 2 sectors.

 

[jase05]

Hence my email to Plat line to cover myself.

If I do not get told otherwise my assumption holds - booked in Biz hence get Biz credits. x 2. .

No way will I not get Biz Class SC for those 2 sectors.

Hope it all works out for you.
I do know of people who have been denied lounge access before a flight on the ATR’s and your BP will actually have Economy printed on it.

 

[Jurahn]

Hope it all works out for you.
I do know of people who have been denied lounge access before a flight on the ATR’s and your BP will actually have Economy printed on it.

I was denied lounge access initially and was told I had booked a Freedom fare which wasn't eligible. I produced a copy of my e-ticket (always carry a printed copy with me) which clearly showed D fare class for the flight, so they went off to look into it with a supervisor. The staff member eventually came back and said that yes, they could clearly see I had booked Business and I was finally allowed access, but it had taken so long by this point that I barely had 10 minutes in the lounge before I had to leave to go through security screening for my flight to CBR.

 

[ozstamps]

Well my humble Platinum card will get the lounge access no probs, but no matter what the paper boarding pass reads, I feel sure if booked as a Biz Saver Itinerary the fare bucket on booking should show as “I” class?

Customers can’t be blamed if Virgin runs small planes on one sector of a 3 or 4 segment booking.

Interesting thought - if the AT7 went mechanical and Virgin swapped in a 737, I am sure Biz Class seating would be automatic on this ticket, correct?

We will take the SYD-PQQ-SYD and v.v. on likely the same plane and crew we came down on.

Only 30 mins turnaround both directions .. hardly makes sense to get off the plane! Last I heard the PQQ Virgin Lounge was still under construction."

 

[Jurahn]

Well my humble Platinum card will get the lounge access no probs, but no matter what the paper boarding pass reads, I feel sure if booked as a Biz Saver Itinerary the fare bucket on booking should show as “I” class?

Customers can’t be blamed if Virgin runs small planes on one sector of a 3 or 4 segment booking.

Interesting thought - if the AT7 went mechanical and Virgin swapped in a 737, I am sure Biz Class seating would be automatic on this ticket, correct?

I'd recently dropped back to Silver, so was looking forward to lounge access and priority boarding due to the J booking. However my boarding pass showed Economy, and when the Lounge staff checked the booking on their system, it showed the MEL-CBR flight as a Freedom fare, regardless of the fact that it was D (full Business) class on the e-ticket - so if the plane happened to be swapped out for a 737, I don't think J class seating would necessarily be automatic, as the booking and boarding pass on the VA system (at the airport at least) shows you're booked in Economy for that flight.

 

[Jurahn]

It's a ridiculous situation - VA shouldn't have these flights listed under J fares at all if pax are not going to receive the J benefits of additional SCs, lounge access, additional luggage allowance and priority boarding. The flights are no cheaper than those on 737s for the same sector, so it's an absolute rort if you ask me.

Good luck with getting your J SCs, will be interested to see how you go.

 

[ozstamps]

when the Lounge staff checked the booking on their system, it showed the MEL-CBR flight as a Freedom fare, regardless of the fact that it was D (full Business) class on the e-ticket

This bit confuses me.

Gate or lounge staff SEE all the data on e-tickets on their screen.

If booked in I or D etc, they clearly see that, and the sum paid. If paid as Biz for whatever reason they need to treat pax accordingly with lounge or early boarding.

At the GATE at boarding scanner, clearly they do not have time to be fair, but at LOUNGES????? A 10 second check of your PNR tells them all.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm not sure I see the issue here? The fare basis is 'I' class, but 'I' class is not offered on some sectors. The passenger accepts they will be accommodated in a lower class where applicable. No different to buying an 'F class fare LHR-BKK on SQ where the LHR-SIN is in F but the connecting flight is in J. or RTW tickets where the fare basis is 'D', but domestic sectors might be in Y.

If there is no 'I' class on the flight I'm not sure how you can get credited for those?