Bree

111op, thanks to your tip, I was able to get the deal you mentioned (EWR/LHR on Virgin for $469) this morning, using dates of June 23 - 29, so the deal may still be available for some dates. Thanks!

Should I be concerned that Orbitz let me choose my seat for the return flight, but said that the online seat choice option was no longer available for the flight to London?

111op

Excellent, Bree!

Did you buy on Orbitz, by the way? It looks like I paid $493 or so (taxes included).

Don't know what to tell you about seat assignments -- it's usually not something I worry about. I did notice they assigned me to row 60 on both legs, so it will take me a while to get off the plane. Just what I need when I potentially have to get to Waterloo to catch a train.

flygirl

did you get your hotel settled? sounds like a fun wkd! a bit hectic, but fun.

if it's any consolation my AF/hotel to NYC this past holiday wkd was closing in on a grand I stayed in the same time zone! if ya wanna play ya gotta pay. you'll have a great time, no regrets.

111op

No, I haven't, fly. If I take the train to Paris, I'll try to stay at Tiquetonne. It'll just be 50 euros a night (or a little more -- if they raised the prices between February and now).

If I decide to stay in London, hotels will be a problem. I think that anything will be at least $100 even if I try to be cheap -- so this is almost telling me that I should split my time between the two.

I may have to stay with friends, depending on what I end up doing.

I'm basically repeating what I did last year. I bought a ticket for London on site59 the last minute and then used Eurostar. Unfortunately I got to Waterloo right when my train was pulling out around 1 in the afternoon.

So I didn't get in until 9 or so, if I recall, as my ticket didn't allow any changes (I was surprised they even put me on a train that left four hours later).

This time my inbound flight gets in about 2 hours early but my outbound flight also leaves about 2 hours early, so I'll have the same amount of time to play with.

Bree

111op, yes, I did buy on Orbitz. Just out of curiosity, I checked Virgin's own site, and Expedia, and neither one had the same deal.

I think the extra $24 or so you're paying may be because you're flying out on a Friday. When I was playing around with dates, I saw that it would have cost a little more if I had left on Friday the 24th instead of Thursday the 23rd.

mvor

111op, have a great time in London AND Paris! Don't forget the Live 8 concerts will be held on July 2 so both cities will be extra busy.

Bree: To select or change your seats, go to
virgin-atlantic.com and select the "manage your flight" tab and then the "update your booking" tab. You can also do DIY check-in 24 hours in advance of your flight.

You'll still need to collect your boarding pass, drop off your luggage, and go through security at the airport but it will be in a dedicated line next to upper/premium economy.

Lastly, for $75 (or is it pounds?--I can never remember), VA lets you purchase bulkhead seats. Details should be somewhere on their site.

For tips on seat selection, go to seatguru.com.

Happy travels.

111op

Ah, that's it.

Yes, I did the same -- fare was not available on Expedia or Virgin or FlyEurope or Mobissmo.

I'm still surprised that that fare was available on Orbitz (and for so long too -- if you took advantage of it this morning (when I checked around 10 (?), it was gone).

Obviously, we got lucky! Have a great time!

111op

Aha, interesting.

It's available again at the moment (492.60).

How curious.

I didn't check the other usual suspects, just Orbitz.

Airline pricing is something that I just don't understand. How can the prices change by $300+ within a few hours?

111op

That's for Jul 1-4 (EWR/LHR).

111op

Thanks, mvor. Link to Live 8 concerts (CNN) -- I didn't know about them:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Musi.../live8.geldof/

flygirl

are you flying on Continental? a friend of mine flies for them. not the international routes though.

111op

No, Virgin.

I've actually not flown Continental in a while. For some reason, AA has been working out for me (their flight times for London or Paris are convenient and I've most of my FF miles with them).

I did fly Delta last Oct. and again this Feb. (the return was code share with AF).

Bree

mvor, thanks for the good advice on getting a seat assignment on Virgin's website. However, when I went to the website, there didn't appear to be a way to do it -- so I called them, and spoke to someone who said that the reason I couldn't do it is that "the seat map is closed". When I asked why, I was told that there were "various reasons" why this might be done. The person I spoke to assured me that I do in fact have a seat on the flight (even though I apparently don't have a seat assignment), and suggested that I check back periodically to see if the seat map has opened up again. The ways of airlines are strange indeed.

mvor

Bree, good luck and hopefully you'll be able to check in on line the night before.

111op, we arrived in Paris a couple of years ago on June 21 (Fête de la Musique) and I couldn't believe the crowds. They're expecting a similar sized audience, if not greater, for this event, and of course that's the day we land. Oh well, we'll be in Paris, ah!

111op

Wow, you'll be there too on July 2? Fun fun fun! How long are you staying?

I've not bought my train ticket yet. Trying to spread out my cc bills out a little.

But I'm checking cathedral opening hours and reading up on cathedrals.