Booking extra full fare ticket to block seats / upgrades

[thecatinthehat]

This may be controversial but hear me out.

Has anyone booked a full fare J seat (say in their partners name etc and cancelled just before boarding) just to leave the seat open next to them?

Given the cancellation policies on full fare J with VA are very liberal, I'm thinking about doing this for a long (4 hour flight) to have peace and quiet.

The other situation where this would be useful is to ensure an upgrade goes through -- for an extreme example booking 4 seats and cancelling 24 hours out essentially guaranteeing an upgrade if you are Platinum or using UpgradeMe given the cabin would be more or less empty.

 

[dylarr]

This is a great idea... if you don't mind being added to the airline's do not fly list and having your Velocity account cancelled!

 

[Matty F]

This gives new meaning to the saying "more money than sense"

 

[Must...Fly!]

It guarantees nothing.

 

[thecatinthehat]

This is a great idea... if you don't mind being added to the airline's do not fly list and having your Velocity account cancelled!

I guess, but not sure how it would be associated with me. I guess if it was a repeated thing it might stir suspicions. With COVID I would imagine this happens pretty regularly.

It guarantees nothing.

If I book a seat (or 3) next to me and it is cancelled an hour before takeoff -- or even better a no show, I would say there is a high probability no one will be in it.

 

[aikman]

What if you get distracted and forget to cancel? What if your phone dies or there is a phone network outage at that critical moment that you need to cancel?

 

[serfty]

I would say there is a high probability no one will be in it.

I wouldn't say there is a high probability of that - in fact it is unlikely. There are plenty of staff just waiting to to travel on a space available basis with their ID90 fares.

A couple of years ago I was booked in Business on a VA flight showing I9 with less than half the seats pre-allocated.

At T-59 minutes, every seat became allocated and (sadly) the first 45 minutes of the flight was like a Virgin Australia Staff reunion.

Moreover, with Virgin Australia you need to cancel more than 23 hours and 59 minutes before scheduled departure time for a refund (even on flexible fares).

 

[serfty]

Has anyone booked a full fare J seat (say in their partners name etc and cancelled just before boarding) just to leave the seat open next to them?

Your best bet is to book a "Comfort Seat" - you pay the same base fare (but no surcharges).

Comfort Seats: Enjoy extra space and earn more points on your flight

Many airlines sell "comfort seats", or free neighbouring seats, for a fee.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[thecatinthehat]

What if you get distracted and forget to cancel? What if your phone dies or there is a phone network outage at that critical moment that you need to cancel?

As long as you aren't checked in it doesn't count as a noshow I've already checked with Virgin and Qantas.... At least for full-fare Y and J during these "covid" times.

There is something called "Speculative bookings" which applies to travel agents but not end customers as far as I can see.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Moreover, with Virgin Australia you need to cancel more than 23 hours and 59 minutes before scheduled departure for a refund (even on flexible fares).

Sorry just to point out this isn't true.

Before midnight day prior for Lite, otherwise Choice/Flex/Business is changeable up to departure time.

Cancellations are prior to scheduled departure (not permitted for Lite)

Domestic fares | Virgin Australia

www.virginaustralia.com

Velocity seats however are indeed 24 hours before.

Velocity Reward Seat | Virgin Australia

www.virginaustralia.com

 

[thecatinthehat]

Moreover, with Virgin Australia you need to cancel more than 23 hours and 59 minutes before scheduled departure for a refund (this is for award seats).

The space A travel thing does make a good point. Although in my experience it's mostly Y.

As for the refund/cancellation bit I know the 24 hour thing is not correct, as I have cancelled from inside the lounge before after having checked in and have received a full refund aside from the credit card fee ( a couple months ago). If you are checked in you have to un-check in or call them to cancel, otherwise can just be done online.

This is mostly an thought exercise / speculation because I've just been wondering -- not quite sure I would be brave enough to do it.

 

[aikman]

As long as you aren't checked in it doesn't count as a noshow I've already checked with Virgin and Qantas....

Contradicts their website

All our fares are 100% non-refundable in the case of a no show​

Your ticket will be forfeited and classified as a no show if:

• You fail to board a flight regardless of whether or not you have checked in.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Contradicts their website

The website is correct, you cannot no show and cancel after departure time with VA for a refund or credit unless whoever you are speaking to at VA is being particularly generous/doesn't realise the rules/makes an exception.

 

[serfty]

Sorry just to point out this isn't true.

Before midnight day prior for Lite, otherwise Choice/Flex/Business is changeable up to departure time.

Cancellations are prior to scheduled departure (not permitted for Lite)

Domestic fares | Virgin Australia

www.virginaustralia.com

Velocity seats however are indeed 24 hours before.

Velocity Reward Seat | Virgin Australia

www.virginaustralia.com

It was a reward seat - I was unable to cancel a 2pm booking at 5pm the day prior last month. The change/cancel desktop button was not available and I was informed after calling that I could not change or cancel for a full refund as it was less than 24 hours before the flight.

 

[thecatinthehat]

Contradicts their website

Yeah to be honest it wouldn't surprise me. I probably wouldn't leave it until after the departure in any case. Would cancel a couple hours out at least.

I think due to the covid "hold times" things have changed. Even on Qantas' hold music it says if you are calling to inform us you will not be travelling you will not need to take action. Your fare value will still remain with your ticket.

Virgin's new cancellation system lets you force cancel a booking in about 10 seconds.

Travel cancellation request form

 

[Must...Fly!]

It was a reward seat - I was unable to cancel a 2pm booking at 5pm the day prior last month. The change/cancel desktop button was not available and I was informed after calling that I could not change or cancel for a full refund as it was less than 24 hours before the flight.

Unfortunately then that would be correct per VA policy. Revenue tickets are more generous with VA now. My hope is the conditions stay the same, IMO Virgin Australia's fare and conditions hit a sweet spot for both airline and customer in terms of pricing and flexibility. Certainly when compared to Qantas anyway.

 

[thecatinthehat]

Now that I think about it, I have plenty of colleagues who book multiple flights on the same day because they aren’t sure which flight they will be on (ie the client is keeping them etc) so this can’t be far off.

 

[Matty F]

I assume you’re traveling under your name / FF number. It wouldn’t take much hassle for VA to see that you regularly benefit from last-minute cancellations.

Post automatically merged: Apr 24, 2022

Also, perhaps the seat you cancel is one favoured by another traveller and once it opens up they change seats and undo all your work

Honestly though, this is a really dog move and you take from other travellers who would like the seat. The world would be better off without all of this “me me me” greed

 

[Astro]

Another reason is staff standby but also fly ahead. If there is a seat someone will want it.

 

[Quickstatus]

would say there is a high probability no one will be in it

Nope. I’d say opposite.

But there is no risk to VA FF membership for cancelling “last minute”. Where that happened in past (in USA) was people using the lounge then cancelling ticket. Edit - for last minute cancelling full fare ticket. The other option of booking all 4 J seats then cancelling to engineer an upgrade - that would be risky to membership.