Any recent experience of losing your seats on Virgin?

[SuzieG]

Hello Dibbers

We've all heard the horror stories of families being split up and not getting their chosen seats, being moved at the last minute. I was just wondering if anyone had any more recent experience of this? I know Virgin have recently changed the way they do their online seat allocation thingy, and wondered if this had made any difference?

We've chosen our seats online and I keep checking to make sure we haven't been moved ... just have a slight panic that we'll be split up and DS (11) (and DD who is 14 - she would hate it!) will be left sitting with strangers! Half of me would think "Yes!" and I'd hand over the sick bags and wish them luck ...

[swiper]

Try and do OLCI the night before... Once checked in I don't think they will move you...they will move the ones that turn up at the airport for check in!... hopefully!

[SuzieG]

Yes, I plan to do OLCI the day before ... I've heard stories of people having done this and having their seats changed at the gate or even on the plane! I used to be a very relaxed traveller but lately I seem to be panicking about everything! Just want to be on my way now, then I can relax

[Mary A]

We've been moved at the gate before, nothing guaranteed I'm afraid, also we always do olci

[SuzieG]

Originally Posted by Mary A

We've been moved at the gate before, nothing guaranteed I'm afraid, also we always do olci

See more...

Can I ask when this was?

[mandco]

its pot luck really we've been moved twice from our requested seats but both times managed to get seats together eventually.
the 1st time was on our return flight when they'd changed planes due to an issue and we were split up all over the plane (kids were 5&8) luckily we were at the front of the queue for dtd checkin and after a bit of sorting they sat us together but I know quite a few families ended up being split up on that flight and weren't happy about it.
last time we were moved on our outbound flight now I'd requested seats and had tried doing online checkin where we had the same seats but it came up with an error and told me I had to checkin at the airport.got to the airport for twilight checkin to be told we'd been moved and the seats I'd requested had been allocated to someone else who'd checked in online.the seats we had were pretty spread out including my youngest being several rows away from any of us so given his age they rearranged the seats we were given so we were sat together. tbh they do try to sit families together where possible even if that means either the row behind or across the aisle.
try not to worry and enjoy your holiday

[ChrisS]

I've seen so many saying over and over they wish VA would charge for seat allocation, as BA do, but what many don't seem to comprehend is that too is still no guarantee you will sit where you request - it simply becomes a paid for request. At the end of the day the airline has to seat passengers the best they can to utilise all seating. I don't really see the point in paying for something with no guarantee

I checked our booking about 5 days before we flew, last November, and noticed we had been moved from a row of 2 around 34 right to the back, backing on to the loo - we found this hilarious as I had requested that row to avoid being near the loo - we weren't bothered tho as it was still a row of two and decided to upgrade to PE at the airport. When I rang up about upgrading I had a laugh with the bloke on the phone about it and he said that VA had moved so many and their phones had been non stop over the weekend leading up to the flight about requested seats being moved.

In our instance we've always had our seating moved, but it's not a worry as we achieve our main aim... the sun and warmth of Florida

[Guest]

We nearly moved on way out in 2011, did online check in and twilight but when we went to the gate the next morning we got moved, but I made a fuss as I asked why they had moved us and it was to keep 2 adults with 3 other adults 3 in one row and 2 behind at which point I got a little cross as we were 2 adults and a child and we did get given our seats back. But I did point out that we did online check in and travelled up to London the night before to do twlight check in so that we could keep our requested seats together and they hadn't moved us because of special assistance or to keep a family with little children together.
Also got moved on a flight to Tenerife after paying to request seats but that was for somebody that was special assistance and we got refunded our money and complementary drink each. I don't mind if I am being moved for special assistance or young children.

[holidaysaver75]

What criteria do they use to decide who to split? You would think it would be common sense to keep parties with young children together. I'm a nervous flyer plus we have 3 boys who will be 4, 7 and 10 when we fly. They would be really nervous if they weren't sitting with a family member and so would I!

[dvc]

We've been 6 times with Virgin and never been moved. Mind, now I've said that we probably will be next time!