I am in the middle of a trip that is combining CO, EK and VS business class rewards, with EK on JFK-DXB-MLE-DXB and VS on DXB-LHR-EWR. The EK segments were built by calling and asking many times if certain flights were available and the VS segments by using a combo of checking virgin rewards online as well as calling. Was it a bit of a pain? Certainly, but well worth it in the long run and, well, co.com is not all that helpful in these types of situations.

The VS segment from DXB was booked under VS and the LHR segment under the codeshare.

I am glad to see Virgin Upper Class rewards now online at co.com. ^

More than just flights to LON? The flights to LON have been there for a while.

Doesn't appear so - I just tried a few LHR-DXB/HKG/JNB flights as a test and no VS options appeared.

Flights to LON in UC have not been on the site. Today is the first day I have seen them appear, though it's still not working well. I have a ticketed reservation on VS that I'm looking to change and the seats don't appear when I try to change the res, tho they do appear on a normal search

The capability to book VS upper class (the CO codeshares) to LHR has been there for at least a few weeks as I've been checking availability (and just ticketed two on-line this morning for travel next May). Not able to secure seat assignments on-line though. Seat maps appeared for the outbound (A340-600) with rows 1-8 apparently blocked. Tried to select from available seats in other rows with no luck. No seat map available for return (A340-300). How have people been getting seat assignments? Calling CO? Calling VS? Is a VS record locator needed? Thanks.

Use your CO record locator on www.virginatlantic.com - it will find the booking (you will need to put in the VS flight number - not codeshare # - and date) and you can select seats, make meal requests, etc. It also shows you the VS locator for future reference.

Do not trust the seat assignment on CO.com for these flights as it does not update correctly in my experience - always do this on the VS flight. There should be no need to call VS, all can be done online.

In my experience, if you have any non-VS segments in the same PNR as the VS flights, the VS website will not allow you to select seats or do online check-in.

Thanks! This seemed to work. The VS site (like the CO site) showed rows 1-8 blocked on the outbound, but I was able to select seats in rows 9-17 and no problem with seat blocking on the return. Seats now appear as taken when I go back to seat charts on the CO site, although the CO record stills indicates no seat assignments. In your experience, do those ever get updated based on the VS record?

No, they don't. Once I've booked a VS reward flight I completely ignore the CO site from that point, and only check on VS.

IIRC, rows 1-8 on the outbound (I assume eastbound redeye from east coast) are blocked because they're offered as part of the "Snooze Zone" service, which is basically take off, have a nightcap and go to sleep. Very limited on board service, which is what most business travelers want on the short flights to LHR. You typically can only request these seats at online check-in or at the airport. I recommend it - you can have a full meal in the lounge (on departure, AND arrival), where the food is much better than what's served on board anyway.

Just booked a CO reward on VS a few weeks ago. My experiences differed slightly from what has been reported so far. I noticed some good availability online, but taking the advice on FT, I called in hopes of finding something better. In particular, the folks on the phone were never able to offer me any routing that wasn't also available online. Each call to the reward desk forces you through a laborious automated process during which your flight details are collected. After going through that on my first call, I got cut off after reaching an agent. My next call reached an agent who I would say was far from pleasant or helpful.

The reward desk has limited hours, so after still finding acceptable VS flights on CO.com, I gave up with that approach and just booked the CO-numbered VS flights online one evening after the reward desk had closed.

I was never able to pull up my booking using the CO number, but I didn't think it would work, so maybe I gave up too easily. Ended up having to phone VS for that.

Spot on with the seat assignment: I chose seats for my VS flights on CO.com, but when I called VS to find out my VS itinerary number, I discovered that I had no seats assigned and had to choose from those left at the time.

My routing is SFO-LHR/LHR-JFK-SFO, with the JFK-SFO on DL. Ever since calling VS for my record locator, I have been able to manage my booking online, including selecting seats. Haven't tried OLCI yet, but I will find out on Wednesday whether that works!

There is no need to use the partner reward desk for VS reward reservations - the regular elite line can make VS reward reservations.

Thanks for the info. Our flight out of IAD departs at 6:40 PM so that would mean a rather early dinner in the lounge. Any insights on the quality of the IAD lounge and food? Is breakfast available in the lounge at LHR upon arrival?

The IAD Clubhouse is nice, with a main seating area, bar, and small upstairs seating area. It has a good selection of wines and liquors, food menus at each table, and servers who will take your order and bring your food. VS replaced the furniture sometime within the last year. The food is airline business class quality, with a selection of a few appetizers, soups, salads, and entrees. Essentially, the food served in the Clubhouse is what you would get onboard if they served a full selection a meals on the eastbound flights (which they do not on flights from the East Coast to London). Food in the main LHR Clubhouse is of better quality with a much greater selection in the various dining areas.

Breakfast is available at the Revivals Lounge at LHR. It is located outside customs and immigration, and serves traditional English breakfast food, buffet-style. If you have time, I would skip the onboard breakfast and sleep in, then eat at the Revivals Lounge.