Seat selection in new system?

[JohnK]

So how do you change a seat once you have checked in online at T-48 hours? I have no idea.

On hold to Velocity trying to see if I can improve on 7D. Surely it must be easier....

 

[EuroKick]

The chap said that once you've made your booking, and selected seats, there is no way to change. Unless you contact the call centre. And yes, I'm talking about bookings made after 14 January.

 

[JohnK]

After ~18 minutes on hold call was answered and I now wish I had not called at all.

I am in 7D and trying to improve and consultant offers me a seat in row 8. He cannot see I am in 7D already. So yes once checked in you cannot try and improve your seats. Just perfect. And for what it is worth theoretical seats and I guess dummy seat allocations are done at T-48 hours so no real chance of trying improve at T-24 hours as most people with higher status will already have a theoretical seat in front of you somewhere.

At least consultant offered to pre-allocate me 7D for Sunday return flight.

I guess I should just accept the fact that 7D is going to be the best I can do. Only 6 more return flights and Virgin is only going to get the bookings from me where Qantas is showing a ridiculous airfare....

 

[hydrabyss]

Thats good to hear.Just spent the last 10 mins ranting to my partner how the time has come that she can no longer hold me back and all future bookings will be seperate.Surprisingly she understood, not sure if she was listening though to what I was saying.

 

[MH_fan]

I am not liking all these changes I'm seeing since the change to Sabre. The main benefits of flying VA over QF are being eroded away. I used to almost always pick VA over QF if the price was similar because I could get row 3. If that benefit is no longer there, I might as well stick with QF.

 

[flyingjabiru]

I just had a look at my next block of travel (book 3-4 months in a go). I can pick row 3(WP) for my flights by myself but when I travel with my girlfriend I can only pick row 6(SG)! So for a couple that did just under a 100 segments last year now flight together in row 6, crazy!

Also of note all the flights that I looked at had no other people on it, I could pick any seat. And this was for flight only 5-6 months away!

 

[pants]

I just had a look at my next block of travel (book 3-4 months in a go). I can pick row 3(WP) for my flights by myself but when I travel with my girlfriend I can only pick row 6(SG)! So for a couple that did just under a 100 segments last year now flight together in row 6, crazy!

Also of note all the flights that I looked at had no other people on it, I could pick any seat. And this was for flight only 5-6 months away!

Must be a bug with the booking seat map. The seat map for checking in is showing seats for the highest loyalty tier on a booking.

 

[bullerdude]

I just had a look at my next block of travel (book 3-4 months in a go). I can pick row 3(WP) for my flights by myself but when I travel with my girlfriend I can only pick row 6(SG)! So for a couple that did just under a 100 segments last year now flight together in row 6, crazy!

Also of note all the flights that I looked at had no other people on it, I could pick any seat. And this was for flight only 5-6 months away!

Ring up and they should be able to put you in Row 3 - hopefully this is just a system bug.

I suspect all the flights look free because as before Sabre there were never allocated seats before T-14.

 

[bullerdude]

Update!

I have found a way around the issue whereby a the seat map is only showing seats available to the lowest status member - i.e. A plat and a gold can only book row 6 back.

Simple remove the velocity number for the lower tier member - i.e. only leave the number in the Plat member and have no number entered for the Gold member.

I did exactly this and was able to select row 3 seats for myself and a companion passenger when I did not enter his velocity number into a dummy booking.

It would appear that this is definitely a bug.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Update!

I have found a way around the issue whereby a the seat map is only showing seats available to the lowest status member - i.e. A plat and a gold can only book row 6 back.

Simple remove the velocity number for the lower tier member - i.e. only leave the number in the Plat member and have no number entered for the Gold member.

I did exactly this and was able to select row 3 seats for myself and a companion passenger when I did not enter his velocity number into a dummy booking.

It would appear that this is definitely a bug.

Nice hint. Thanks.

So the Velocity can then be added back again straight away?

 

[bullerdude]

Nice hint. Thanks.

So the Velocity can then be added back again straight away?

I think so but with the website being unreliable I not certain.

However, I'm sure it can easily be added when you checkin at the Airport.

 

[serfty]

I think so but with the website being unreliable I not certain.

However, I'm sure it can easily be added when you checkin at the Airport.

The option to change it does exist on-line, but I am not game to use it ...

click:

Update Passenger Details

then click the

 

[Bolthead]

........ odd plat who wedges into 3B or 3C regardless (especially if there are no more aisle/window seats available) which is just too bad.

You are right..... my wife is a Plat and yesterday she moved herself from 4C to 3B. I wouldn't had bothered!!

 

[pants]

The option to change it does exist on-line, but I am not game to use it ...

You can add frequent flyer details at the virgin kiosks at the airport.

 

[Rdarby]

After hunting arounf the new system I saw I was in 7. I have never not been in 3, which helps with long frequent flights.

I phoned the call centre in NZ this morning, as I was there, and was told that all the seats before 7 were taken. When I got to the airport I asked for a better seat and a very nice lady told me I was actually in 4, not 7, and then she moved me to 3.

I am flying again on Monday so phoned the Australian call centre number and got the same story, nothing they can do, seats full. Only row 7 available.

It's frustrating.

Does anyone have a known strategy of getting a different seat? I can't do it online, as it was made before 12 January, and calling the call centre isn't helping.

 

[notzac]

Does anyone have a known strategy of getting a different seat? I can't do it online, as it was made before 12 January, and calling the call centre isn't helping.

Based on your post, I'm going to assume you're Velocity Gold -- with the change of rez systems, it seems that there's a hard block in place until check in that prevents Gold members from getting a seat allocation in Y on a 73* forward of row 7 ... so I'd suggest waiting until right on when the flight opens for check in to grab a seat further forward.

 

[Rdarby]

Thanks for the reply notzac, you have confirmed my fears! Yes Gold, and flying Brisbane to Wellington all the time, and the thought of 7 is doing my nerves in

I will just get there early for the next flight...it's not like waking up at 4am is early enough

 

[EuroKick]

Have been informed row 3 opens for golds (if available) upon check in at the airport.

 

[Rdarby]

I've just got off the phone to what sounded like an Australian call centre. I phoned for something else and the person I got to said I was in the wrong place and transfered me.

What I was told was that the first 6 rows are reserved for Plat members, and that can't be changed.

This sucks. I say good on the Plats, but as a Gold it cuts probably the biggest advantage I had out. So now I have to hope on check in to be able to get 3.

In the past I would have thought they were filling Plat's from the front anyway, and as a Gold I always got row 3, but I fear being back in 7 too often now.

It's small I know, but we all have different things that are important to us when we travel a lot.

 

[flyertom]

The new seat selection system is really eroding Virgin's advantages over Qantas. I used to be able to usually get row 3. Now I'm stuck regularly in rows 7-10.

This is really disappointing and makes me seriously consider going back to the Q.