Fly ahead - with a fee

[ap_spd]

It's possible to check-in online and on mobile 48 hours before the flight with VA.

sorry kevrosmith, I read it as a month in advance. My apologies....

 

[Demon_fan]

Flew ahead again last night. Never had a problem and probably done it 4-5 times now.

its a great feature of VA Gold and I really enjoy being able to book a late flight and if my work day finishes early then I can fly home early.

 

[MartinMemo]

50 something VA dom sectors in the last 12 months. Flew ahead on prob 80% of them. Was never told there is a rule, a fee, or that it would be an issue.
People travelling with me (on seperate PNRs, no status) were also flown ahead no questions asked.

 

[Revolio]

hearsay OP

 

[smit0847]

I need to fly ahead on Sat. I'm booked on a Saver but there are only Flexis left for sale. I've never had trouble flying forward except where the flight is completely full (done it prob 12 times).

Can I still fly forward where there's only a different fare class available?

2 SGs travelling together btw

Happy to report we were moved forward with no problems at all. I love this benefit!

 

[Edge]

Was booked on the 5pm SYD-MEL yesterday. Arrived at Sydney airport at about 2.35 or 2.40pm and was able to fly ahead on the 3pm flight

 

[Justinf]

would be better if they put a timeframe on it. ie you can only fly ahead, say, 1.5 hours before your oringal booking. That would eliminate the 10pm payers and 6pm flyers.

 

[SimonF]

would be better if they put a timeframe on it. ie you can only fly ahead, say, 1.5 hours before your oringal booking. That would eliminate the 10pm payers and 6pm flyers.

How does that help exactly

 

[Justinf]

How does that help exactly

I worded it poorly. If VA implemented what I suggested, then it eliminates the abuse of those who book the cheapest fares at the later timeframes with no intention of travelling at that specific time. I was more just 'thinking out loud'.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I was more just 'thinking out loud'.

Well please don't do that again! I regularly book the late flight as I never really know when the work will finish and if it does finish early I don't want VA to tell me I can't fly ahead because Justinf said not to let me! :shock:

Another example was a flight I had booked for BNE-CNS in the later afternoon timeslot. A client needed to change the appointment time to morning so I went from the 4pm (or thereabouts) to the 9am mark to fit in with him. To change the J booking would be no trouble, but it was a more expensive fare so I just used fly ahead which worked a treat.

This VA benefit, along with family pooling are the only two real benefits of flying VA these days......please don't suggest VA enhance them like they did ATA!

 

[Justinf]

Well please don't do that again! I regularly book the late flight as I never really know when the work will finish and if it does finish early I don't want VA to tell me I can't fly ahead because Justinf said not to let me! :shock:

Another example was a flight I had booked for BNE-CNS in the later afternoon timeslot. A client needed to change the appointment time to morning so I went from the 4pm (or thereabouts) to the 9am mark to fit in with him. To change the J booking would be no trouble, but it was a more expensive fare so I just used fly ahead which worked a treat.

This VA benefit, along with family pooling are the only two real benefits of flying VA these days......please don't suggest VA enhance them like they did ATA!

I shall no longer wonder out loud. Consider it done.

 

[Eggsbenedict]

I shall no longer wonder out loud. Consider it done.

Thank you..

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I shall no longer wonder out loud. Consider it done.

No worries, I'll tell the 'drawn and quartered' team to stand down again! :mrgreen:

 

[SimonF]

Next someone will be suggesting virgin should just increase their fare prices by 10 times what they are now because that would reduce number of people flying on their planes so they can always fly ahead

 

[grilled_cheeze]

I noticed in a recent trip report on this forum that an AFF member was told at a Lounge that Fly Ahead is no longer available on Saver fares or points bookings. Has anyone else encountered this? I had a check of the Fly Ahead T's & C's on the VFF site and it doesn't appear to say that.

Would be a massive disappointment if true

 

[Mogul]

I noticed in a recent trip report on this forum that an AFF member was told at a Lounge that Fly Ahead is no longer available on Saver fares or points bookings. Has anyone else encountered this? I had a check of the Fly Ahead T's & C's on the VFF site and it doesn't appear to say that.

Would be a massive disappointment if true

Not true, did it a couple of weeks ago Melbourne to Sydney on Friday afternoon. Originally booked on 5.15pm moved to 4.30pm with no dramas.

 

[medhead]

Flew ahead on a saver lite last week. But did check the earlier flight had some fare class availability.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Flew ahead on a saver lite last week. But did check the earlier flight had some fare class availability.

My previous experience has been Fly Ahead is OK provided there are any seats at all available. The only times I've been refused is a) no seats left at all or b) flight closed off. Hopefully it's still the same. Admittedly I have not been given a J seat in lieu of a saver, but I have certainly had flexi seats in lieu of saver/saver lite, so I too would be a tad disappointed if savers were "enhanced". (I've never tried a reward fly ahead so cannot comment on that)

 

[medhead]

My previous experience has been Fly Ahead is OK provided there are any seats at all available. The only times I've been refused is a) no seats left at all or b) flight closed off. Hopefully it's still the same. Admittedly I have not been given a J seat in lieu of a saver, but I have certainly had flexi seats in lieu of saver/saver lite, so I too would be a tad disappointed if savers were "enhanced". (I've never tried a reward fly ahead so cannot comment on that)

That matches my experience. that was before this thread. But to be safe this time I checked fare class. I was once upgraded and then flown ahead. But I think they took points.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I was once upgraded and then flown ahead. But I think they took points.

Yes, that has happened to me too......at my suggestion to upgrade....when there was just one seat left and it was a J seat. I doubt I would have been granted fly ahead without the upgrade but I didn't wait long enough to find out before suggesting the upgrade.