How does this work?

Old Jul 21, 2012, 10:04 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 36
How does this work?

UC out of my price range for the dates in question and found decent prices for premium economy. Then contacted Flying club and asked if I could use my miles to upgrade to UC and obviously pay the extra taxes, etc. She said on the dates I had in mind, nothing was available. Have done this several times,,,brought economy or premium and at the airport.....Miami(always go to LHR) have had no problems in using my miles to upgrade to UC. In June I had to quickly go to the UK, brought economy, called the Flying Club and upgraded with miles and money without a problem? Did I get an incorrect answer originally?

Also, I am staggered how Virgin play with you. I was looking online and couldn't belive it when I saw a really fantastic price for Premium and stupidly decided to quickly check what the UC price would be. By the time I returned(say 2 minutes) the price had gone up by $700.00???
branmin is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2012, 10:44 am
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,141
Once you are in PE there are no extra taxes (i.e. APD as it is the same rate as UC), the extra will be the VS fuel surcharge (so not a tax).

Whilst there may not be reward inventory at the time you called it does not stop it being released at a later date and that includes at the airport. So no you didn't get an incorrect answer.

And in the second point no they are not playing with you - someone else got in before you and bought it. I bet you ended that particular session, made the dummy booking and then went back to manage your bookings. IF you had opened up a new browser tab for the dummy booking and kept the existing sesion opn it is unlikely that you would have lost the original offer.

Something similar happned to be with a train booking but in that case I had kept the original search open so it was not lost and still managed to buy at the lower price.
UKtravelbear is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2012, 11:42 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: VS Au, Skywards Au, BA Exec Ag, HH Diamond, Taj Au
Posts: 1,389
No you would not have been given an incorrect answer, redemption seats are released at different stages and when you first asked, if there were none, then there weren't, it's just that some more were released later.

As Mr TB pointed out, it's also highly likely that when you scanned online the database was holding an upgrade in a lower cost fare class while you were searching, so again, nothing personal!
slinky09 is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2012, 9:39 pm
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 36
further update to prices in UC MIA/LHR

Thx for the replies. So I think(hope) I got lucky. Thought I would try again and couldn't believe it when for the exact dates I wanted and the other dates were far more, I managed to get an UC fare for $3,000. Still say they track you and know exactly what you are after(even though I delete my cookies and start again each time). After booking, went back and sure enough the dates in question and within 2 weeks of each other were $5300.00. But this is definately the cheapest I have seen apart from last year when I saw a price of around 2K which lasted 5 minutes........

As a matter of interest, never saw this before from my confirmation....

Thank you for choosing to fly with us. You might be surprised to know that you have just paid the highest air passenger tax in the world to the British Government. Please join us in supporting the Fair Tax on Flying campaign. Visit www.afairtaxonflying.org and, if you live in the UK, please take 15 seconds to email your MP to tell them that Air Passenger Duty is now far too high.
branmin is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2012, 9:43 pm
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 36
Originally Posted by UKtravelbear
Once you are in PE there are no extra taxes (i.e. APD as it is the same rate as UC), the extra will be the VS fuel surcharge (so not a tax).

Whilst there may not be reward inventory at the time you called it does not stop it being released at a later date and that includes at the airport. So no you didn't get an incorrect answer.

And in the second point no they are not playing with you - someone else got in before you and bought it. I bet you ended that particular session, made the dummy booking and then went back to manage your bookings. IF you had opened up a new browser tab for the dummy booking and kept the existing sesion opn it is unlikely that you would have lost the original offer.

Something similar happned to be with a train booking but in that case I had kept the original search open so it was not lost and still managed to buy at the lower price.
Forgive my stupidity..but how do you make a dummy booking(in plain english please) and is there a way of making a booking but putting it on hold over the net?
branmin is offline  
Old Jul 22, 2012, 6:50 am
  #6  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,141
You make a dummy booking by doing the search for your dates/ route so that it displays the fares (and flight options) so you can see how much they cost but you don't progress onto the confirmation pages and just end the session or use the 'back' button.

You can make a provisional reservation which they will hold for 24 hours but that has to be done over the phone - if you don't call back in the 24 hr period it lapses. I think they will hold it for a further 24 hours (but that is the limit) but you have to phone within the 1st 24hr period.

It is not a facility available over the internet


BTW ignore the VS bull about APD. The Government won't get rid of it or lower it and it is just a smokescreen that VS use to hide their own exhorbitant fuel surcharge.
UKtravelbear is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.