Flying Virgin on CO codeshare to UK - tips?
Feb 25, 2002 | 9:41 pm
#16
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 166
Are CO elites permitted FC checkin and pre-board when flying on CO tickets but VS metal?
Feb 26, 2002 | 3:09 am
#17
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Programs: QF Gold
Posts: 148
Yes, continental elites can check-in at upperclass. The security person may try sending you to the longer premium economy line, just stand your ground! I have done pretty much every weekend for the last 2 months!
As for upgrades, getting an operational upgrade on the way out is unlikely. Coming back across the atlantic is a complete different story
(9 out of 10 return flights to london over the last couple of months have been in upper class. One think to note - VS have a policy of NOT upgrading any passenger wearing jeans. I've fallen fould of this a couple of times, and had to hurriedly change into "something more suitable".
There aren't any decent economy seats
If you can, beg and plead for an exit or bulkhead seat (row 40 on their A340s) if you don't want to be eating the person in fronts seat (bulkhead seats are only assigned at check-in from my experiences).Good luck!
Steve
p.s. You won't be allowed to pre-board unless you're a gold elite. Even then, you may need to 'discuss' this with the gate agent
[This message has been edited by steveda (edited 02-26-2002).]
As for upgrades, getting an operational upgrade on the way out is unlikely. Coming back across the atlantic is a complete different story
(9 out of 10 return flights to london over the last couple of months have been in upper class. One think to note - VS have a policy of NOT upgrading any passenger wearing jeans. I've fallen fould of this a couple of times, and had to hurriedly change into "something more suitable".There aren't any decent economy seats
If you can, beg and plead for an exit or bulkhead seat (row 40 on their A340s) if you don't want to be eating the person in fronts seat (bulkhead seats are only assigned at check-in from my experiences).Good luck!Steve
p.s. You won't be allowed to pre-board unless you're a gold elite. Even then, you may need to 'discuss' this with the gate agent
[This message has been edited by steveda (edited 02-26-2002).]
Feb 26, 2002 | 3:20 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Programs: QF Gold
Posts: 148
[ Ooops duplicated ]
[This message has been edited by steveda (edited 02-26-2002).]
[This message has been edited by steveda (edited 02-26-2002).]
Feb 26, 2002 | 9:59 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 152
I took this trip on VS with CO ticket on 2/14. Trip report is in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum81/HTML/002568.html
VS won't be able to do anything with your reservation in their system until the day of your flight - so you cannot change anything about it unless you call CO. And previous posters have this correctly - you can only change your seat to another seat that CO purhased on that plane (the hardblock concept). If you want to upgrade at the airport, it will be very tough, but get there mighty early.
Depending on the equipment, the best seats change. On the 747 we flew, there were several rows of exit seats near doors with unlimited amounts of legroom for the aisle and middle, and no room for the window seat. They may not even sell that window seat on the 747 due to the lack of room. None of these exit row seats were in the block that CO purchased. To get one of the exit row seats, also get there mighty early.
FYI, I felt very cramped on VS with the 30" seat pitch, and I fit OK into most coach seats. Unfortunately, I don't believe there really aren't any good coach seats on VS.
[This message has been edited by jginnyc (edited 02-26-2002).]
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum81/HTML/002568.html
VS won't be able to do anything with your reservation in their system until the day of your flight - so you cannot change anything about it unless you call CO. And previous posters have this correctly - you can only change your seat to another seat that CO purhased on that plane (the hardblock concept). If you want to upgrade at the airport, it will be very tough, but get there mighty early.
Depending on the equipment, the best seats change. On the 747 we flew, there were several rows of exit seats near doors with unlimited amounts of legroom for the aisle and middle, and no room for the window seat. They may not even sell that window seat on the 747 due to the lack of room. None of these exit row seats were in the block that CO purchased. To get one of the exit row seats, also get there mighty early.
FYI, I felt very cramped on VS with the 30" seat pitch, and I fit OK into most coach seats. Unfortunately, I don't believe there really aren't any good coach seats on VS.
[This message has been edited by jginnyc (edited 02-26-2002).]
Mar 21, 2002 | 12:22 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Varies :-)
Programs: AS; AA; UA; DL; VS; BA; Nat'l Emer. Exec.; AGR
Posts: 2,251
And one more off-topic reply: Check out VS' carry-on allotment - 6 kilos! Won't be doing any Chocolate (and Mileage!) Runs with them!
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/bagga...owance.view.do
------------------
Life's a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death! - Auntie Mame
www.angelfire.com/ny3/globalgourmets
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/bagga...owance.view.do
------------------
Life's a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death! - Auntie Mame
www.angelfire.com/ny3/globalgourmets
Mar 21, 2002 | 11:45 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: New York
Programs: Bonvoy LifetimeTitanium, UA Plat 2MM, LHW LeadersClub, IHGPlat, HiltonDiamnd, AtmosTitm, WyndDiamnd
Posts: 1,307
Virgin has about the worst carry on rules in the business. Continental the best. Unfortunately when you are on the code shares you have to deal with the difficult Virgin people, especially in London.
Mar 22, 2002 | 10:48 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Wayne, NJ USA
Programs: UA 1 Million Miler, Lifetime United (Presidents) Club, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 2,303
Now that I've experienced Virgin coach, it makes me appreciate CO coach to UK:
- on flight out (747), I could barely jam my normal sized butt into the seat (admittedly, this was bulkhead and maybe a bit smaller because of the trays in the armrest, but come on guys, what happens to "large" passengers that have to sit here?). Coming back was an Airbus, also bulkhead, and MUCH roomier.
- I was thoroughly harassed about the weight of my carry-on. Going over, I was detained in the jetway, they lifted my bag (over the limit for sure) and let me go with a warning.
On the return, they weighed me in at checkin and I was over, so they didn't put the "ok" tag on it and said to try getting on with it (which I did without a hitch).
- some of the FA's were quite surly (in one case, I was reading and she was handing out amenity kits or something, and I took it without saying "thank you" so she said "your welcome" to my non-thank you).
The best parts were:
- cool safety cartoon video
- neat amenity bag (the little rubber duckies were a hit with the kids)
No more Virgin for me . . .
- on flight out (747), I could barely jam my normal sized butt into the seat (admittedly, this was bulkhead and maybe a bit smaller because of the trays in the armrest, but come on guys, what happens to "large" passengers that have to sit here?). Coming back was an Airbus, also bulkhead, and MUCH roomier.
- I was thoroughly harassed about the weight of my carry-on. Going over, I was detained in the jetway, they lifted my bag (over the limit for sure) and let me go with a warning.
On the return, they weighed me in at checkin and I was over, so they didn't put the "ok" tag on it and said to try getting on with it (which I did without a hitch).
- some of the FA's were quite surly (in one case, I was reading and she was handing out amenity kits or something, and I took it without saying "thank you" so she said "your welcome" to my non-thank you).
The best parts were:
- cool safety cartoon video
- neat amenity bag (the little rubber duckies were a hit with the kids)
No more Virgin for me . . .