Hi

I have just booked a return flight (in Economy) on a Continental ticket on a Virgin plane from LHR to JFK this June. I am a Onepass Gold Elite.

My question is, what - if anything - can I expect for Gold Elite status on Virgin metal since the start of the new codeshare agreement?

- Can I check-in at Upper Class counters (i.e. Business Class)?
- Priority baggage handling?
- Priority boarding?
- Anything else?

Or will me eilte status give me nothing under the current agreement?

I assume that I cannot use miles to upgrade codeshare flights anymore?

Also I have President's Club membership. What lounges will that allow me to access at LHR and JFK and canm I take a guest? Will the lounge at JFK have a shower (I am competing in a sporting event on the Sunday, so need to thik about where to take my pre-flight shower...).

Thanks,
Boo

In coach...

Expect nothing mentioned. Also be aware carry on rules for coach are very strict, I think around 10lbs...

I've taken a few virgin codeshares from LAX > LHR as a silver over the past couple of months, and in my experiences its hit & miss.

I've always been allowed to check in at upper class. In LAX they usually know and let me through, in LHR they agent always tries to send me to coach, but after telling them, they have always let me through (which is useful because virgin coach lines are long at Heathrow)

As for pre-boarding, sometimes the agents in LAX call for "Virgin gold flying club members and Continental onepass elite members" to board, other times they leave out the Continental part. It�s luck of the draw really, and I've never tried to board early unless they call for continental elites.

Baggage handling, don�t expect "priority handling". But then again, you cant expect this when flying on CO metal either

Overall, the free alcohol in coach, better food, entertainment & service far outweigh any negatives from it being a codeshare (in my opinion).

14lb limit for carry on.
Policy is strict and loose.
We got burned in EWR.

CO --should-- have a rep to help with the flight. In my experience, however, that agent is often useless.

At least the flight gets you there.
And, in the end, I guess that's all we're really supposed to get.

The extras are nice.

As Plat, I go no special treatment.
Back of the bus on an A340. MissBumpMe! and I weren't even on the two-seat side of the aircraft.

Oh well.

We got to LHR just fine.
The only bonus would be the 125% mileage bonus. That's all.

Good point, I've been caught out by the 14lbs carry on before. In LHR they are very strict, in the US its hit & miss. No advantages to being elite here.

This is also true, CO do usually have a rep standing there looking pretty behind a podium near checkin, but if you ask him/her anything more complicated than directions to the nearest bathroom they will just give you a blank look, tell you theres nothing they can do and to go talk to the Virgin people.

The 14 lb limit is difficult (a lot of roll-ons weigh half that empty), but it keeps the overheads empty. We used the elite check in at IAD and at LHR. They had no problems and gave us bulkhead seats. If you see a line, try the elite line.. .you never know.

P.S. I was also able to check in on the elite line at MUC with KLM. . . .no problem with a OP silver.

i had the same experience. why are they even there? are the gate trained or are they trainees?

Our CO/VS liason barely spoke english.
So, getting him to understand the difference between CO and VS carry-on policies was a treat!

It was first and last time we fly that way.
Either CO, NW, or KLM metal please.

I was trying to get them to let me carry on my 25Lbs bag in LHR... I think I posted this before somewhere so I wont go into it. The CO rep working the VS flight assured me that the 40Lbs carry on limit printed on the ticket jacket was a mis-print! He told me, that infact CO's carry on limit is 14Lbs system-wide, so I would have to check my bag. I just walked away... what can you do when dealing with people like that!

I'll still fly the codeshares though because its the only onepass earning non-stop from LAX to LON.

Same horrid experience in Lower Class. In upper class things seem to be more flexible. Forget about any help from the Continental rep.

Rule is two bags to total 16kg/35lbs in Upper Class, one bag 6kg/13lbs in Prem Econ/Econ.

Codeshare irrelevant - operating carrier always sets the rules for such things.

I have yet to comprehend why (a) my heavy overhead bags are less dangerous to myself and others if I paid for a higher fare clase, or (b) the Europeans are so bloody more uptight with carry-on restrictions than the Americans.

Agreed with the previous poster - I swear my case is within 1 kg of the limit when it's completely empty!

Just about to take my first VS metal flight out of LHR - do they actually weigh your carry-on as a matter of course, or is it only if it looks heavy?

They'll usually only weight it if you check-in at the Y line and it looks heavy. If you can, try checking in at the UC line, they'll be less likely to weigh your bags there.

This was my experience when flying LHR-IAD every weekend last year.