AC330 From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 331 posts, RR: 0 Posted (11 years 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 2984 times:
Hey Guys!
I was just wondering if any of you airline employees have ever travelled with Virgin on a Zed fare or pass?? I was thinking about traveling on them this summer when I go to London from either Boston or Newark. How have your experiences been?? I have always wanted to fly with them and was just wondering if anyone here has flown with them on standby.
Wilcharl From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1158 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (11 years 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 2969 times:
I did it in the summer of 2000 i flew out of boston, and the flight was oversold I was on an ID-90 ticket, the staiton mgr was going to upgrade me as a courtesy but a full fare customer came and took it away :-( the return I had to go LHR-JFK because BOS and IAD were full.. VS staff were overly nice, but they told me (after i got the id-90) that its very hard and really requires work... going out of london was not fun there must have been 50 non revs in line, and they use the other carriers priorty code transfered to their own and its just a mess.. would i do it again NOPE not a chance! was it fun and great defenlty but not worth the stress when you can get a consolidator/hotwire/priceline ticket for not much more... if you wnat more details let me know and i will email you
Wilcharl From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1158 posts, RR: 3 Reply 4, posted (11 years 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 2898 times:
some of the nicer things about VS i forgot to mention, they gave me a tshirt, and a 747-400 model when i visited their travel office in the virgin record store in london...
DL Widget Head From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 2041 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (11 years 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2884 times:
I did when DL had a code share agreement with them years ago. I flew EWR-LHR (747-400) and LGW-MIA (747-200). DL purchased a set number of seats in Upper Class and in Economy and then sold those seats in the DL inventory. So, according to DL's non-rev policy, if any of the seats that DL purchased were available at departure time(Upper or Economy), then the non-revs were entitled to them. I was fortunate enough to get Upper Class both ways and it was truly marvelous. I especially enjoyed the pajamas and the massage. Have fun!
MEL From Canada, joined Oct 1999, 1082 posts, RR: 13 Reply 6, posted (11 years 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 2869 times:
Flew VS22 IAD-LHR non-rev about 2 months ago, and initially at the ticket counter, they upgraded me into Premium Economy, and gave me a lounge invite to their clubhouse. At the clubhouse, they gave me a boarding pass for Upper Class, on the 340. Treatment was outstanding, and I don't even work for Virgin.
Make sure you call their 800 number and list more than 24 hrs in advance, for meal purposes. I was gonna flew them back to IAD last week, so I called to list and ask for their upgrade policy. The woman said that generally Premium Economy is the highest they will upgrade other airline employees, but I guess it depends on the airport, and station personnel.
Planefreak From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 202 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (11 years 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2802 times:
Do not fly them from MCO-LGW! My friend and I work for different airlines. He got a pass letter to fly on them out of MCO. His "friend" at VS told us he would take "good" care of us. Well, we were UPG into Business, or so we were told. Business class on this 747-200 was right in the front of the a/c. The seat pitch was nothing larger then coach, the movies did not work, audio was one channel in another language and the food was just awful! And to make matters worse, we I got up to go to the lav in the first few rows of coach, I noticed that we were being served the SAME meals in Business as coach!
After the trip to LGW, I told my friend that I was travelling home on my airline and he would have to go home alone on VS.
Note: I called VS in JFK a few days later and was told that the reason for the poor service was that the 747-200 would soon be returned to the lessor. Also, the reason for the poor service in Business was the MCO-LGW is a low business market. The most of the paxs are on holiday to Disney World!
LMML 14/32 From Malta, joined Jan 2001, 2560 posts, RR: 7 Reply 9, posted (11 years 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 2793 times:
Three year ago I flew VS LHR-MIA-LHR together with my family. Not exactly non-rev. I purchased a full fare Industry rate from Touchdown. So I was booked. This was August. I wouldn't have made it otherwise. The flight was completely sold. We were upgraded to Premium Economy on the outbound and inbound we were offered the one remaining Upper Class seat. Not sure whether the upgrade came about thru my airline ID or my wife's IATA Travel Agent's card. The best part was that I sat on the flight deck of G-VXLG (Ruby Tuesday) for take off from LHR and landing in MIA. The staff were great like it's been said above.
United LHR From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2000, 37 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (11 years 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 2781 times:
I recently bought a confirmed LHR-DEL-LHR ticket for the end of August as I didn't want to chance flying standby to/ from India. Does anyone know if I take the ticket to the VS counter at LHR they might upgrade me if they see I'm another airline employee? Or if anyone else has done anything similar? Any help would be great, thanks....
LMML 14/32 From Malta, joined Jan 2001, 2560 posts, RR: 7 Reply 11, posted (11 years 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 2772 times:
It helps if you get a recommendation. But if you see my post (ahead of yours) you will see that I got my upgrade just by simply showing ID's. Mind you, I tried it before with other airlines by it never got me anything.
Nonrevman From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1289 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (11 years 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 2756 times:
Virgin Atlantic sounds like a good airline for nonreving. I will try to keep them in mind. Although my own airline can get me to London for cheaper, VS could come in handy for points beyond London.
EWRvirgin From United States of America, joined May 2001, 358 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (11 years 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 2742 times:
Planefreak,
Non-revs aren't guaranteed a meal anymore than they're guaranteed a seat. VS caters flights to the "t" so even if you listed for the flight you may not get a meal if more pax turned up for the flight than expected. Revenues come first. Too bad your IFE wasn't working but as someone in the airline industry you should be able to understand that s#$t happens.
FutureFO From New Caledonia, joined Oct 2001, 3096 posts, RR: 23 Reply 14, posted (11 years 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 2738 times:
I flew them about 2 years ago out of IAD to LHR. It was a 343. they did not upgrade any NRSA's to UC. event thought there were about 8 seats open. I asked at the gate and they told me they do not upgrade other airline employees. The seat was the middle of the middle section. The seat was really uncomfortable and I could not sleep. The food was horrendous and the service was also horrendous. Therefore I will probably only them again when the 340-600 starts the LHR-NRT.
Jetstreamer From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2001, 329 posts, RR: 4 Reply 15, posted (11 years 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 2725 times:
Planefreak,
Just to let you know that the class you travelled in was not "business". It was in fact Premium Economy which used to be in the nose on the 747-200 on that particular route. That's why the meal you were served was the same as regular Economy.
The MCO route is now operated by the 747-400s and Premium Economy is on the upper deck (with a much more reliable IFE system).
Wilcharl From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1158 posts, RR: 3 Reply 16, posted (11 years 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 2697 times:
You flew non rev and coplained about an INOP PTV.... if i was the agent that took your complaint I owuld have told you you werent welcome to non-rev again on them and call your own airline and tell them that you were complaining.... non-rev flying is a privlage...
I think if I was flying off season, I would have had a better time getting upgraded, but transatlantic travel during peak season is hard, from what the VS staff told me BOS has (had) the lightest loads
another problem i ran onto was the schools in the UK went on summer holiday shrotly before my return, so i was competeing with full school kids flights.... while in london pay a trip to their ticket office downtown in the mega store... like i said the staff there were awsome and gave me the -400 model and the t-shirt
Wilcharl From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1158 posts, RR: 3 Reply 20, posted (11 years 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 2664 times:
Jeremy had it right... that was the one... i guess it was closed... they were most helpful they listed me on every possible flight since they were oversold on every route, the guy spent enarly an hour with my itinirary and i got the gifts
Leezyjet From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2001, 4041 posts, RR: 55 Reply 21, posted (11 years 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 2625 times:
VS upgrade policy is really strict since 11/9, costs etc, and as a non-rev you ain't even entitled to a meal now - even if you have listed.
At LHR the u/g policy is done 'by the book', so not much chance of other airline staff getting u/g, but I know that at the out-stations (especially in US) it all depends on who is working that day as to whether you would get an u/g.
"She Rolls, 45 knots, 90, 135, nose comes up to 20 degrees, she's airborne - She flies, Concorde Flies"
SAS23 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (11 years 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2617 times:
Have flown VS many times - easiest way to get an upgrade is to buy the cheapest revenue ticket and request an IATA 788 courtesy upgrade. Have been rarely successful ex UK with this but have always (more than 10 occasions) been upgraded from Y to J ex MIA.
EWRvirgin From United States of America, joined May 2001, 358 posts, RR: 2 Reply 24, posted (11 years 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 2592 times:
I can't understand certain members' sense of entitlement on here. VS doesn't even give its employees J-class authorization until a certain number of years of service much less employees of other airlines. What's the beef? As someone already said, non-revving is a privilege.
There does exist a "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" philosophy in the industry with regard to non-revving on other airlines. Virgin is no exception but if you don't get what you want too bad. Agents are accountable for their actions, you know.
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