US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Airbus - Best seats Envoy and Coach?

I will be flying in coach and Envoy on new Airbus. I have never flown this plane before. What are the best seats PHL-MAN?
Is there a lounge in MAN?

Why flying in coach and then in Envoy? I can use SWU against K fare but I can't against the V fare. I wish these rules were posted clearly when buying online. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

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"Fly me to the moon and let me earn alot of miles."

Someone gave you bad information - you can use your SWU against any published fare with the exception of priceline, ESavers and other similar ultra-discounted fares. If you booked your ticket through normal channels(US website, agent, etc.), then you are likely on an eligable ticket. If the agent saw the 'V' and thought 'ESaver', you should clarify that because I don't think all V fares are ESavers(although all ESavers are usually V)

What is likely happening is your current coach segment(V class) of the trip has no upgradable Envoy seats. The question to ask is "how many are available for sale?". This will give you an idea of your chances of getting a seat on day of flight. There are 35 they can sell(1 seat is always held for the relief pilot). You need to do two things:

1. call back and ask to be upgraded. If there are still no Envoy seats available for upgrade, ask to be waitlisted. If the yield management folks go through and decide to give up more upgrades, you'll get moved up prior to your flight day.

2. Get to the airport EARLY that day and get on the standby list. The waitlist is cleared at midnight, so it's a first come first serve basis(in order of elite status). When you check in, ask to use your SWU. If they still can't confirm you, ask how many seats are available for sale, how many of the F pax have checked in, and to please put you on the standby. Finally, ask where you sit on the list. If you are silver and a gold checks in after you, they'll move above you, so don't get your hopes up TOO high if you're first on the list with 2 hours til flight time.

As for seats, people have mixed feelings about Envoy. There's 2 'cabins'. The first has rows 2-5 and the second has rows 6-7. While some people like the intimacy of the smaller cabin, I prefer the larger cabin as it "feels" more spacious and roomy. Then there's the seating preference - I prefer something on the side in row 3 or 4. But I don't think there's any disadvantage between a bulkhead, rear, or other Envoy seat.

They're in a 2-2-2 config, so if you're travelling alone, you might get a seat in the middle section so you'll never have to get up for a stranger (since both middle seats are on an aisle). But, there's so much room between rows that usually a window seat person can typically get around their neighbor without disturbing them. This is a *little* bit tight if the person in front is reclined, but still doable.

There are a few coach seats people prefer. Try to get row 21, seat A,B,G or H - it's an exit row with the most room. As a preferred member, you should be able to get that confirmed in advance. Otherwise, row 8 is the first row behind the bulkhead behind Envoy. Not as good as 21, but still no worries about a recliner in front of you.


Good luck!

Best seats?

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Note that the 'official' way of identifying an 'Esaver' fare is that it has 'VSAV' in the fare code basis.

eg If your fare code is VIOS, then it is not an esaver. Given the recent MAN esavers, its possible that you have a leg or two as an esaver.

Last flight over on an A330 in Envoy we had 3g/h, no complaints at all. On the return flight we had 11g/h in Coach which was quite comfortable and allowed for window gazing.

Last year we did 2c/f, which is a bulkhead. The nice thing is that there isn't a lowered seat in front of you when you try to get up (minor issue in Envoy), but you also don't have a place to tuck your shoes when you kick them off and bulkheads make me feel closed off. On the return flight we reserved 13c/f on the chance that no one would want to book d/e in the middle unless the flight got really full. We lucked out and had the whole row to ourselves.

And if your upgrade does go through, it goes without saying, do not neglect to visit the Envoy Lounge in PHL. Plenty of things to nosh on while you wait for them to announce your flight...

Actually I have visited the PHL lounge. The food was good as was the open bar but I didn't like the idea of a business class lounge underneath the terminal gates and with no windows. I liked the USAir Club as it was bright and spacious with great view of terminal.

I guess I have been spoiled with AA and BA departure lounges. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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"Fly me to the moon and let me earn alot of miles."

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:

Try to get row 21, seat A,B,G or H - it's an exit row with the most room. As a preferred member, you should be able to get that confirmed in advance.</font>

Has anyone been able to get seats in this row reserved in advance?
The one time I tried doing this (about 8 months ago) I was told they cannot reserve it because it´s an exit row - and I was already SP at the time. I think this was when any international res. question was transferred from the SP line to the regular int´l res. line - could the agent have just been unaware, do even elites have to wait until check-in, or does one need to be higher than silver?
Yonatan

P.S. fortunately my upgrade to EC managed to clear so it became a moot point http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by worldbanker:
Actually I have visited the PHL lounge. The food was good as was the open bar but I didn't like the idea of a business class lounge underneath the terminal gates and with no windows. I liked the USAir Club as it was bright and spacious with great view of terminal.
</font>

Unfortunately, the Envoy lounge was an afterthought. Terminal A was completed in around 1990 mainly for airlines like BA and Swissair(who pulled out in 1999). I think AF was there briefly, too, but the point is that the intl. terminal was never intended on serving as many flights as it does now. It's amazing how rapidly things can expand in 10 years. PHL really hated to see Mayor Rendell go http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

SO - in 1997 when US unveiled Envoy class, they had to find somewhere to put a nice departure lounge. I guess this was the only place that would be close to the gates.

You can be sure the new intl. terminal opening next year will have a very nice US Envoy lounge since they have likely had a big hand in the design.

I think 21 AB, GH on the A330 are flight attendant rest seats and therefore can't be pre assigned.

I am not sure if this applies to every transatlantic trip, or when the flight is full, but I remember this specifically on a Rome to Philadelphia trip, the F/As said that passengers were not permitted to sit in those seats.

I distinctly remember there being a small US Airways Club along the connector between B and C (it was closed along with all the other US Airways Clubs at PHL when the new big one above the Marketplace opened). I suppose they considered converting this space into the Envoy Lounge, but, if I recall correctly, it would have been too far from the international gates as US uses the gates at the end of the A concourse, and this was located all the way between B and A. Of course it is very possible that my memory is out of order and none of this ever existed! In any event, I believe the British Airways lounge at PHL is located underneath the gates next to the Envoy lounge, so I suppose isn't much better (I haven't actually been in it, but I do recall the sign). There is also an Admirals Club of AA in Concourse A but I'm not sure where that is. I don't believe it is located at the end of the concourse underneath the gates though.

Indeed there was a US club on the connector between A & B. I actually met a person there for a job interview once. There was also one around the B-C connector. Needless to say, the opening of the Marketplace in 1998 and the larger club was a big plus for US FF'ers.

The AA club on the A concourse BEFORE you go through security - on the connector to the baggage claim and parking garage. It basically sits above the terminal A ticketing counters.