Article: Fly Ahead with Virgin Australia

[stm1sydney]

I've found the Fly Ahead benefit disappointing if flying in paid J. The cabin is earlier flights is usually full of paid upgrades they won't displace them to facilitate Fly Ahead. Worse is when your flight is cancelled and again paid J customers don't take priority off upgrades.

Why on earth should your Fly Ahead benefit be able to bump someone who has paid for and confirmed their J seat (if only via a paid upgrade)?

 

[stm1sydney]

I did this last week BNE - SYD flying J. Asked for and received an earlier flight at the Lounge and told we may not have any food. There was plenty of food which we did not need anyway. Also received our DSC.

Very standard, they have to say "FCNA" because it is not in fact assured: a minute earlier the J seat was not filled and therefore not catered. But a vast majority of the time, they will have a proper meal available.

 

[MooTime]

Why on earth should your Fly Ahead benefit be able to bump someone who has paid for and confirmed their J seat (if only via a paid upgrade)?

I think some people just take the pi, sorry the mickey.....to expect a paid confirmed pax in J to be bumped down back cos somebody wants to Fly Ahead, oh yeah, I can only chuckle.

I'm looking to fly ahead in couple weeks, only minor, but the exact flight I wanted was ~$80 more an hour earlier, only MEL-SYD on a saturday so no guarantee, happy to forego ecoX for row 30.
I understand as a WP I can call morning of the flight before leave home & request it. is that correct, anyone with this scenario experience? Thanks in advance.

 

[simmomelb]

Yeah, that person that thinks they can bump another passenger because he has FlyAhead available must be joking, if not, god help humanity
The whole business model is based on an unsold & AVAILABLE seat at the last minute.

 

[Harrison_133]

I understand as a WP I can call morning of the flight before leave home & request it. is that correct, anyone with this scenario experience? Thanks in advance.

Yes, that’s correct, you can call on the day of travel and fly ahead.

 

[PeterE]

I'm VA Platinum but was unable to fly ahead SYD-MEL on 11 May 2023. I had a Choice fare which I later upgraded to Business using points but the system prevented the check-in staff changing my flight.There were seats available. I'd just flown in from Singapore so I just went and sat in the lounge for an extra 90 minutes.

 

[MooTime]

I'm VA Platinum but was unable to fly ahead SYD-MEL on 11 May 2023. I had a Choice fare which I later upgraded to Business using points but the system prevented the check-in staff changing my flight.There were seats available. I'd just flown in from Singapore so I just went and sat in the lounge for an extra 90 minutes.

That's poor, but no huge surprise. As I mentioned on another thread, airline IT too often struggles with basic rule followed requests.

 

[MooTime]

Can you still fly ahead by calling the call centre on the day for an earlier withflight?f I've had success in the past but haven't done it recently.

Called this morning to Fly Ahead on a MEL SYD leg. 1st call informed me no seats in the same fare class left. Correct as in no choice fares on requested flight, only flex. Was told this was a rule, yet upon reading the T&C's it's not stated at all, therefore can't be said that it's a rule.
2nd call (actual platinum team) had to check with manager but also said no can't be done this time, but no mention of fare class issue.

Both told me check again at airport. 1 agent did say as an excuse that it's in airport hands now.

Certainly seats still available, so it's no certainty, not happy Jan.

 

[Harrison_133]

Called this morning to Fly Ahead on a MEL SYD leg. 1st call informed me no seats in the same fare class left.

That’s just not correct information at all. The fare classes on the flight you want to move to are irrelevant. Platinum on a choice fare should be all good. Unfortunately not surprising you were given wrong information. The last time I called to Fly Ahead, I first got the overseas call centre who pretty clueless about it. Luckily they transferred me straight through to the Platinum line and it was sorted.

Both told me check again at airport. 1 agent did say as an excuse that it's in airport hands now.

MEL-SYD this morning? The fog has cancelled/delayed a few flights, so the flights probably went under airport control only in the system to manage that. Still very frustrating either way.

 

[MooTime]

That’s just not correct information at all. The fare classes on the flight you want to move to are irrelevant. Platinum on a choice fare should be all good. Unfortunately not surprising you were given wrong information. The last time I called to Fly Ahead, I first got the overseas call centre who pretty clueless about it. Luckily they transferred me straight through to the Platinum line and it was sorted.

MEL-SYD this morning? The fog has cancelled/delayed a few flights, so the flights probably went under airport control only in the system to manage that. Still very frustrating either way.

Yes 1st call was overseas call centre, I could tell she wasn't too aware of fly ahead.
2nd call WP team, so much better. I asked for a reason I was denied fly ahead so I'd know for the future. Just told airport control, which I thought airport took control after your 1st flight on a multi sector trip. Ok so fog about. Thanks.

An arvo flight, report back on lounge fly ahead request.
Going to aleague grand final, return tomoz.

 

[MooTime]

Made a 3rd call for fly ahead request, cheap entertainment.

The agent moved my flight no problem, no on hold, just did it. how why who knows.
The ticket price at this point went upto $799, I've never seen this high price for a mel_syd trip.

 

[henrus]

Made a 3rd call for fly ahead request, cheap entertainment.

3rd times a charm!

Did you move to a flight within 2 hours of original flight time?

 

[MooTime]

Yes 1 hour earlier.

1st agent offered me 11am, 4 hours earlier, weird.

Wifi not bad speed from the clouds.
Just messaging, checking weather & flight radar obviously.

Now to read my book.

 

[im.daniel]

Data point (but I'm sure many know this):

But managed a 2x fly ahead from SYD-ADL the other day. Was booked for the last flight out (VA442), and called first thing in the morning and asked to move ahead to flight directly earlier (VA434)

Returning car hire, and noted that VA428 still open for check in (20min left before check in for 428 closes) - called VA on the shuttle bus to T2 and asked to fly ahead without issue - very happy not to have to wait at airport (especially with a lap infant with me!).

 

[liamsal]

Called at 9am to fly ahead from my 8pm MEL-OOL flight today - moved to 2pm flight no issues. Was my Amex comp flight too.

 

[Milefest]

Called at 9am to fly ahead from my 8pm MEL-OOL flight today - moved to 2pm flight no issues. Was my Amex comp flight too.

Wow that's very generous, I need to test this out more

 

[Paul0050]

It appears Virgin have changed the Fly Ahead rules to no longer allow Fly Ahead on reward fares. Is this correct?

 

[henrus]

It appears Virgin have changed the Fly Ahead rules to no longer allow Fly Ahead on reward fares. Is this correct?

This page still lists it as a benefit, additionally no updates have been made to Velocity T&C's

Velocity Frequent Flyer | The loyalty program of Virgin Australia

Explore the benefits available to Velocity Gold members.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

 

[MooTime]

It appears Virgin have changed the Fly Ahead rules to no longer allow Fly Ahead on reward fares. Is this correct?

I did fly ahead on my J reward yesterday (Sunday) syd-Mel.

You say "it appears".... Where does it appear? Clearly nonsense.

 

[Paul0050]

This page still lists it as a benefit, additionally no updates have been made to Velocity T&C's

Velocity Frequent Flyer | The loyalty program of Virgin Australia

Explore the benefits available to Velocity Gold members.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

View attachment 332539

I see T&C's clause
8.6 Fly Ahead – Platinum and Gold members

Platinum and Gold members with a confirmed booking for a Virgin Australia marketed and operated domestic flight and who arrive at the airport in time for an earlier flight than their booked flight, can request that they and up to 3 accompanying guests on the same booking, be carried on an earlier flight (Fly Ahead).

A Fly Ahead request is not guaranteed and is subject to these rules:

• Members are only able to request Fly Ahead on their Virgin Australia marketed and operated flight on day of travel.
• Not available to members travelling on group bookings or Economy Lite fares.
• For Platinum members, Fly Ahead is available on Business, Economy Flex and Economy Choice fares.
• For Gold members, Fly Ahead is available on Business and Economy Flex fares.
• Can’t be requested at the Lounge for members who have check-in baggage or at a mid-way point of a connecting journey.
• Only available for individual Flight Sectors departing from the location at which the request is made.
• Request can only be made at the Virgin Australia Lounge or kiosk (where kiosk Fly Ahead functionality is available) for members with no check-in baggage, or at the Virgin Australia Priority check-in counter or Service Desk for members who have baggage and have not yet checked in.
• Member and accompanying guests (if applicable) must hold confirmed seats on the same Virgin Australia marketed and operated domestic flight and be travelling to the same place in the same booking as the Gold or Platinum Velocity member.
• Request must be made at least 30 minutes before departure while the flight is still open for check-in.
• Catering is not guaranteed.
• Routing changes to the Fly Ahead flight are not permitted and must remain as a single Flight Sector.
• Seats on the eligible Fly Ahead flight may be available in either the same or lower cabin compared to the originally purchased cabin. In the event you accept to travel in a lower cabin, you will not receive a refund of any difference in air fare. For more information, please refer to the paragraph below.
• No guests on the earlier Virgin Australia domestic flight will be displaced to accommodate a request.
• Fly Ahead is subject to seat availability and this is controlled by Virgin Australia. While an earlier flight may have seats available for sale, these may not be available for Fly Ahead

If the request is granted and you and your accompanying guests (if applicable) are moved to an earlier Virgin Australia domestic flight in a lower fare class (including lower cabin class) than what you originally purchased), you won’t receive a refund of any difference (unless entitled to a refund under the Australian Consumer Law).

Additionally, Platinum members can request to Fly Ahead on a flight between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne departing up to 2 hours prior to their booked flight by contacting the Guest Contact Centre. For all other Virgin Australia marketed and operated domestic Flights, Platinum Members can also request to Fly Ahead on a flight immediately prior to their booked flight by calling the Guest Contact Centre. In each case, a Platinum member requesting to Fly Ahead must contact the Guest Contact Centre at least 1 hour prior to the departure time of the desired flight.

To my knowledge reward fares were previously included in this clause 8.6