NOLAnwGOLD

UGH! I booked LAX-LHR-LAX on the A350s since it's got the newer J seats but my return has a schedule change, same flight number, 40 minutes later but for me the 787-9 is just awfully weird J seats. I avoided that plane in the first place, Do you think they'll let me rebook to A350 for the one earlier or later flights? Also booked via Capital One Travel too....this trip isn't until next July/Aug so....what would y'all do?

territt

They won't let you change without charge, you booked an upper class ticket and that is still what they are offering, aircraft changes happen all the time.

RAPC

100% this. Also, there is still a good chance that equipment will change again before your travel date, so paying to move would be a risk.

fly747first

Whilst I personally believe that it is disgraceful for VS to operate the horrible flat beds it currently has on its 787 fleets, schedule and aircraft changes happen on pretty much every airline so doubt VS will let you change for free unless the actual flight times change significantly.

Paxing

I agree that the 78 J seats are bad but, for me, the WORST aspect of the 78 is that they electronically lock the windows closed at night. I want to see the world and the sunrise! I have just booked up our next trip to JNB and we had been promised the 350 on the route but STILL the horrible 78. I am only booking on it because we have all the points for the upgrade. Usually, we're on BA.

skipness1E

Do Virgin consistently lock out the windows on the B787?

Paxing

I have only done two round trips LHR-JNB on the 789 (PE then UC) and the windows were locked on all sectors during night time. In the morning, there was a pre-programmed colour change from opaque to open, via blues and pinks. Yes!

When we went UC in 2019, they were promoting that the 350 would be on the route and that the 78 would serve CPT. That has not happened and I suspect that Delta want the 350 across the Pond. I have just booked the UC service again for later this year - for the simple reason that we have a slew of points to use for the upgrade. Otherwise, I would not have booked the 78. I pay money to see the world out of the window, not for some LED light show thought up by the kiddies in marketing with their new toy.

HGOLI

Thanks for this. I use BA down to JNB but have also used UC and Premium with Virgin on their A350, a fantastic a/c. The reason I don't use them otherwise, is precisely because of what you have noted, the locking of window 'shades' at night on the 787. I really enjoy watching the fantastic lightning shows mother nature puts on, when flying down to JNB, and so make a point of paying/choosing a window seat.

This trend of deciding that outside the ac is of no interest to anyone really gets my goat. I can watch a damn film or whatever anytime I like when on the ground, when I am 40k ft above it, I would like the option of occasionally looking out of the window and appreciating what mother nature has to offer, and it is for that reason alone, I continue (may I add, not that enthusiastically) to fly with BA down to JNB. for what it's worth, I do't have the shades full up, I am happy to compromise and have just an inch or two open.

lukec1995

Had a swap from the neo to a300 on VS4 today. Shame, as my reason for flying from Heathrow was to try the a350 & Neo, as well as the Heathrow experience. It happens, although would have been nice to get an email saying so, as now me and my wife are opposite ends of the plane

Raffles

I was offered 10,000 points by the CSD when I was swapped (with no notice) from a neo to a 330 in November and expressed my unhappiness. Points never arrived of course and I had no grounds to retroclaim as I never got his name.

To give him credit he did call and try to let me shift to the next JFK flight (we didn't know about the swap until we had boarded) but the best they could do was the 'next but one' and I wasn't waiting that long.

RAPC

Normally I'd put it down to the compensation request not making it through on the system, but I suspect that it was just declined. Pretty sure I saw someone on your HfP forum mention a similar offer being made at a swap a while back, but when following up with CS for the missing miles they were told that a change of equipment was not a compensation issue and something they wouldn't be giving miles for.

fly747first

You don't need to know the CSD's name; VS can look it up on their end. Write to them and mention that the CSD on your flight offered you 10,000 points.

esquiar

Ugh, I got a A350 -> 787 swap on LHR-SFO for next summer. Is there not enough premium demand ex-SFO? Or does some VS exec have a personal vendetta?

ferg2k

Yup, me too, on DUB-LHR-SFO in Feb and back in Dec. I'd been looking forward to the A350. The 787-9 J pods are truly dreadful. My fare is cancellable without penalty so my euros will go elsewhere.

territt

If your in Dub or SFO why are you paying in euros?