Apologies if this has been posted before

I fly out to Newark in 2 weeks with Virgin and i was a bit unclear with regards to my baggage allowance

Am i right in thinking i can take 2x 23kg bags with me that can be checked in?
How many hand luggage can i take?

I will be taking a backpack no heavier than 23kg and a rucksack, sleeping bag (not sure where i should put that)

can i check my sleeping bag into the check in or can i take it onboard along with my backpack?

TThanks Tatty x

emz100,

If there aren't seats available, then there isn't really a lot you can do at this stage. Having 2 seats followed by 2 seats behind is classed as seating together. Although they will do everything they can to accomodate your request, it's not aways possible. I would give them a call to enquire what their policy is but if seating is not available, then I don't think there is much they can do. The cabin crew on the day will try and help but this means moving other passengers, who may not want to move. Can you not pre-assign your seating? It's better to do it sooner rather than later if things are already full. Otherwise, it is recommended to check-in 3 hours prior to your departure time.

Darren

tatty,

Checked-in baggage allowance is listed in Virgins website. Carry on baggage here. Your allowance is 2x 23kg checked-in bags along with a single piece of carry on baggage to the described dimension/weight limits.

Darren

Much appreciated Dazbo!!

Thanks dazbo I'll give them a ring I wouldn't mind 2 and 2 if it wasn't too far apart. It was just when I tried to allocate our seats online there wasn't even 2 together as long as one of is beside each child! I really wouldn't want to upset anyone by taking their seat! Cheers, Emz

Just checked the seating and 2 seats on the return flight had changed from when I originally reserved them. Scary !! I managed to change them back again. I'm sure that I recorded passport details originally on the website. Now I can't find a link to get back into this section. Can anyone shed any light on this?

Not sure what route you are flying on, but many of the Virgin flights, especially those to MCO (and the one I'm on next year from MAN to St Lucia) - the system has wiped all seat reservations from those ever so popular 2 sets of seats at the back of the plane in economy, and these are now effectively blocked from booking. Occasionally it is still letting you book those in row 61 though, which is the first set behind the sets of 3s at the back.

There has been alsorts of speculation as to why Virgin have done this; from changes in aircraft configuration, to charging extra for these seats !
However, from reading through (the extensive) posts on other boards, it would seem that even Virgin call centre staff are unclear why this has occurred (citing numberous reasons to different callers). However, most people have reported as being told that these seats at the back are now only being allocated on checkin for 'operational reasons'.

A minority of people have also reported seats near the front of the plane have also been 'blocked' too and had their pre-allocations thrown out.

Might be worth checking your seats if you are flying with Virgin, and the seat location is important to you and especially if you have 'bagged' any of the sets of 2 seats at the back of the plane.

If anyone with some insider information into the workings of Virgin could enlighten us exactly what is actually going on with the the "back seats in 2s" situation I'd be interested to hear.

There is not much you can do if your allocation has been changed since Virgin reserve the right to change them, and they are only considered to be a 'request'.

PS Since my seats all got thrown out too I rang up to get them re-assigned to be told that the outer seats in rows 45 & 46 are effectively now in twos as there is a 'block on the 3rd seat....don't know how true this is (I won't know till next Feb !) - but may be useful to someone ?

Very interesting post I managed to find my way back into my API and it's still all there fortunately. I did read that they can change your seat allocations so fingers crossed that they stay as they are.We are all together on the outbound but split on the return. I did look at the back rows of seats and think that some lucky people won't have to put up with somebody's little darlings kicking the seatbacks for the entire journey My little darlings are all grown up but they criss crossed the Atlantic twice a year for 15 years and I never let them do that.

I had those seats the last time we flew with Virgin Judy. Couldn't beleive my luck, we were allocated them on checking in as I had booked so far in advance when I spotted a good deal that I forgot that you could select your seats at a point closer to departure. I guess some people just dont know about them, first timers etc or are jsut absent minded like me. They did make a difference to the flight.
Odd they have been pulled. Possibly in these price concious times they may be going to charge a supplement for them.

Emz100

They "keep back" XX% for online check in and XX% for airport check in, so even though it looks like a full flight, that is only the seating they have already released.

Wait until exactly 24hours before departure and log into your booking(not a second earlier/later) and you will get a considerable increase in available seats. Failing that, you can usually check in at least 4 hours before your flight. But online check in is the best.

Thanks for that Tom, I don't think we'll be able to check in online as we are travelling over to Man from Belfast the day before our flight with Virgin and staying at the raddisson at man but I am going to make sure we arrive in plenty of time for check in.

I am so excited only 9 more sleeps to go lol!

emz

they have computers in Manchester (and free wifi in the radisson)

I am flying PE to vegas in august, I have flown PE before with Virgin a few years ago however I heard there PE seats have chnaged since 2005 does anyone know if they have?

vegasone,

Not yet on the Gatwick and Manchester fleets. Still the old seats (but with new seat covers!).

The new PE seats are due to be fitted on the "leisure" aircraft in late 2009.

Hiya I'm travelling to Florida with Virgin Atlantic on 30th June in economy and my partner has a fused spine which means he can be very uncomfortable when in one position for a long time. I have informed the airline and they said they will prioritise front of row (exit and bulkhead seats I assume) the day before the flight. Any idea of our chances? The flight will be hell otherwise for my partner and for me having to put up with him moaning!!!!!
They also said we can't pay extra to the extra legroom seats we can only upgrade to premium economy which funds won't allow. Is that correct? To be honest the info we have had from Virgin hasn't been great from the start so if I need to try totalk to someone different in the special assistance dept to get a different answer I will give it a go.

tracy1,

I'm sure they'll do there best to accomodate your request. For more information, refer to the dedicated Virgin Atlantic thread.

Darren

I wouldn't expect the exit seats. It is a bulkhead seat they will probably try to allocate. The problem will be that these are also often where the sky cots are located and those rows are also in demand from families with young babies.

The reference to not allowing you to pay for an exit seat will be because as you have requested certain seating for a medical condition. Passengers in these exit rows have to be fully able bodied.

I think your option is to either accept a degree of pot-luck and that VA will do there best to accommodate you in the best seats that they can - or pay to travel in Premium Economy.

Flying from LGW to Vegas
We will be arriving at the airport by train how easy is it to cross from the North to south terminal
Whats the earliest we can drop our bags in as we will be arriving the day before our flight out

Gatwick has Twilight Checkin, you can checkin and deposit your bags from 12 noon the day before.
Easy to get to either terminal by the free terminal train shuttle.