scottsinct

In the past, DL platinum and diamond members could freely reserve the extra leg room seats on Virgin Atlantic flights right after booking.
This month, VS introduced "Economy Delight" (https://blog.virginatlantic.com/virg...s-fly-economy/).
It doesn't appear there's a way to reserve an ELR seat on their website anymore with a regular economy fare. Is that true? Has someone had success calling in to get one?

CPMaverick

Most likely the benefit will be gone. When VA went to their 'EconomyX' product, the same thing happened.

rwoman

Went to the chart on the DL website

Economy Delight (V fare):
Base miles - 100%
Class bonus - 25%
MQM - 125%
MQD - 25%

Economy Light (T fare):
Base miles - 25%
Class bonus - 0
MQM - 100%
MQD - 5%

SlimpyJones

I would expect so yes. As VS Gold it doesn't look like I can select an ELR seat in Economy unless I buy a Delight fare. Although I'd be tempted to do so anyway.

rylan

Thats disappointing if they've killed the 'upgrade' into an extra legroom seat. Basically its like the DL econ comfort W fare, except DM/PM can select those seats after booking. Hopefully they extend/keep the benefit of the 'upgrade' into V for DM/PM.

rwoman

Knowing there's extra MQMs involved, I'd definitely consider the difference.

hi55us

100% of distance flown for RDM, 125% MQMs and 25% MQDs makes "Economy Delight" absolutely fantastic for us kettles paying cash...

bennos

So for random dates in May, on JFK-LHR Light is $588, Classic is $678, Delight is $856, and Premium is $1145. If I'm already paying $200-$300 just to get slightly more leg room and the MQM bonus, I think I'd go all the way to Premium and get the actual better class of service.

ElmhurstNick

I've already moved all of 2x/year transatlantic vacations to VS PE out of either IAD or JFK. But if PE prices were out of whack, I could see booking Economy Delight on BOS-LHR, or on the JFK-LHR daytime trip.

For those with less need for shoulder and leg room than I do, Economy Delight is a great MQD deal while it lasts.

urww

It would be indeed. Yet it's not all that clear (at least for me) when it comes to earnings for Delight fares.

As I posted in other thread:
With mileage earnings it's even more confusing. VS Flying Club would give you miles depending not on a fare class, but based on the experience you choose:
- economy Light 25% (can be booked into O and higher), fare basis OKUL9SBN
- economy Classic 50% (can be booked into O and higher), fare basis OKUL9SMN
- economy Delight 150% (can be booked into O and higher), fare basis OKUL9SCN

So any experience is booked into same booking class, what matters is the last 3 letters of fare basis and that component dictates the number of miles you earn.

Delta has updated mileage earning chard for VS starting April 10, 2018, but I struggle to understand what they meant.
They list T as economy Light, when in fact any economy booking class could be booked as light, not only T.
They list N O just as deep discounted when they could be light, classic and delight.
They list V as economy Delight, when again it could be light or classic as well.

jamespvg

Worth checking the receipt after booking, of course, but I think the fare basis and booking class are distinct on these tickets. (I've noticed a similar phenomenon on my BA WT+ tickets, which always end up booking in T.)

urww

jamespvg, why, expensive wt+ is booked into W, but I got what you mean. You think all delight fares might be booked into V. Well... we need someone to try and report .

xliioper

First letter of fare basis code and the booking class are not always the same. DL BE and Comfort+ fares have basis codes that start with one of the regular coach fare classes, but the booking class on all of them are E and W. I just did a search on ITA Matrix for VS flights by booking class, and specifying V booking class only shows fares with the Economy Delight basis codes. Economy Delight fares are identified by the C in the seventh letter of the basis codes. The fare basis codes for Economy Delight fares can be any one of the other coach fare classes. DL uses a C in the seventh letter of the basis code to identify it's Comfort+ W fare booking class.

scottsinct

To follow up here, the gate agent was able to put me in an extra leg room seat for free as a DL PM. So I guess if there are any of these free on the day of the flight, you can get them.

UVAhoo06

What about getting ELR seats ahead of time? Anyone have any reports of success (or pushback)?