Virgin's new 3 tier economy..

Tash87

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 1, 2015
Ive just found out about the scheme and not sure how I feel about it?!

For our flight in October I was going to wait to prebook our seats without a fee 72hours before but now as far as I'm aware that has stopped and you have to wait until 24 hours before departure.

With the economy Classic the fee to prebook seats is included but at a slightly higher overall flight cost to the economy light. I know if this option was available to me when I booked I would of chose the classic. Therefore anyone who books that option from now on can chose their seats for "free" making the selection of seats available 24 hours before departure very slim. How can they guarantee my children will be sat "close" to me or my husband :guilty:

I know I can stop this by paying £240 to prebook our seats (as we always have done before) but this time it's not financially viable.

This is just a vent of anger and to see your opinions. What with the news that Disney are charging onsite guests for parking I feel this holiday is causing nothing but stress! ( I know we're not affected by the charges but it still makes me angry ) It just seems everyone is getting extremely greedy!
 
i'm so sorry this has happened to you.
i would feel the same way as you, i'm sure. (probably i'd be foaming at the mouth with smoke coming out of my ears...)
the entire travel industry somehow seems to be charging us more while claiming they're charging us less - and providing fewer services....

.
 
i'm so sorry this has happened to you.
i would feel the same way as you, i'm sure. (probably i'd be foaming at the mouth with smoke coming out of my ears...)
the entire travel industry somehow seems to be charging us more while claiming they're charging us less - and providing fewer services....

.
I just can't believe Virgin can do this to already confirmed flights. At least Disney have stated its new bookings made from a certain date.

After this trip to Orlando I'm not sure when we'll go again as the cost is just getting out of hand :sad2:
 


I've been flying VA for 12+ years to the states, this is the first year I've dumped them. The prices are nonsense now, and twice the dynamic pricing has frozen me out on a good deal for a flight. The 2nd time I phoned customer services and in the 10 mins it took them to take my details, the price of the flights had jumped 2 and a half grand for 4 of us. This just adds to it.

The market is crying out for a reasonably priced (not cheap) airline who can get their act together.
 
We've got ours booked too, but we knew we already wanted Extra Legroom seats so have gone an paid up already. - Difficult to work out if I am better or worse off though!!

I agreed with @londontime the prices are crazy, but the options are slim now. The BA planes from Gatwick are just disgusting, and Thomas Cook don't fly all year round!
 


Yes @Jon84 its hard to judge if you're worse or better off. I feel for those who have already paid to prebook.

I have done a "dummy" run to prebook our seats and the site just crashes :confused3

I have emailed the complaints, I don't expect anything from them, I know what their answer will be :mad:
 
We've got ours booked too, but we knew we already wanted Extra Legroom seats so have gone an paid up already. - Difficult to work out if I am better or worse off though!!

I agreed with @londontime the prices are crazy, but the options are slim now. The BA planes from Gatwick are just disgusting, and Thomas Cook don't fly all year round!
i might be wrong but sure i heard somewhere the ba planes are in the process of being upgraded
 
Norweigan seem to be the way forward for Florida flights. Their planes are new, service brilliant (IMO) and flights reasonably priced compared to others.
 
Their planes are new, service brilliant (IMO) and flights reasonably priced compared to others.
I've heard multiple times they are fine when all goes well, but if something goes wrong they are a nightmare
 
Sorry, I haven't heard anything about this so can I just check... are you saying that, as I booked my flights for this September last October, I will still have to follow what I know as the "usual" procedure, ie if I want to pre-book seats more than 72 hours out I need to pay £60 for them. However, anyone booking their flights now, will have to pay just a minimal amount more if they use this "classic" option? But I won't have an option to pay the minimal amount and will still have to pay the £60pp?!
 
Sorry, I haven't heard anything about this so can I just check... are you saying that, as I booked my flights for this September last October, I will still have to follow what I know as the "usual" procedure, ie if I want to pre-book seats more than 72 hours out I need to pay £60 for them. However, anyone booking their flights now, will have to pay just a minimal amount more if they use this "classic" option? But I won't have an option to pay the minimal amount and will still have to pay the £60pp?!

Thats right, although how minimal the difference is will be unknown as surge pricing always made the prices go up and down anyway.
 
Norweigan seem to be the way forward for Florida flights. Their planes are new, service brilliant (IMO) and flights reasonably priced compared to others.

My friend booked with them and - over 6 months after she booked - they changed the time of the Orlando to London flight by over 6 hours!! They then took well over a month to process her refund after the new times were no good for her. Which has put me off them!
 
I've emailed virgin complaints about this too, we have booked our flights for September at the beginning of the year and didn't book extra leg room seats at the time as had to wait for next pay date. Went on this Sunday to add and it is now going to cost nearly £600 for two of us one way for extra leg room seats. This is madness, I rang to see if we could use our flying club points and this can only be used for upgrades and there are none available on our flights. Wish I'd have know this when we booked as it would be loads cheaper to fly with someone else.
 
I have flights booked for May, to Orlando with miles and money, and have reserved and paid for seats in upstairs economy. I have e-mailed them to ask for confirmation that my seat reservations remain as booked and questioned what my fare will be designated as under the new three tier arrangements. If I get an answer. I will post back.
 
Sorry for posting immediately, but I have just checked my flights under the new tiered pricing and if I want the direct flight, paying cash (no miles) my new flight cost would be £2,040.18 for economy classic (for 1 person), or £2,140.18 for economy delight. I presume this is something wrong with the website!
Edit to add that my original booking, with seat reservation is more in the £550 territory!
 
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I just had a look to see how much our September flights are with the new tiered pricing and I can't believe how much its gone up! Economy classic is £2500 return for 2 people. When I booked our flight in January I paid £1000 less and we're flying premium one way! I won't be using virgin ever again!
 
I just had a look to see how much our September flights are with the new tiered pricing and I can't believe how much its gone up! Economy classic is £2500 return for 2 people. When I booked our flight in January I paid £1000 less and we're flying premium one way! I won't be using virgin ever again!

It's difficult to compare prices due to the time passing. The flight could be fully booked, you could have previously booked during a sale, managed to get the lowest Class for Premium and Eco, or it could be the new tiers. But you'll never really know what has impacted the price change.
 

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