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Morrs101 flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 3 (12/01/2012 16:16)

This is a review of the return leg following a fantastic initial flight from London Gatwick to Barbados which I posted previously.

I arrived at Grantley Adams airport with my travelling partner at 1530 via a taxi transfer from my hotel. I was again unable to check in online again so joined the check-in queue at the Virgin Atlantic desk which runs parallel to the quick bag drop queue. The Virgin Atlantic area is located in the main open forecourt of the airport, round the corner to the left hand side.

Neither queue was too long but they all led to the same desks so we were held at the front while at least three groups were allowed to go ahead and drop bags. I had attempted to reserve seats before leaving England but these again were not confirmed so I was asked my preference and secured the two aisle and middle seats in the central bank of four that we preferred.

The woman at the desk was extremely friendly, smiley and helpful throughout the process and I was away in no time. I turned around and went straight through to security by 1545 and handed in my immigration slip (maintained from the inbound flight) before going through the x-ray machine (laptop out, shoes off) and was airside by 1600.

There are plenty of shops airside, mostly duty free booze, souvenirs, some clothing and one shop selling magazines, books and papers. In terms of food and drink the selection is meager with an oriental takeaway and a Caribbean takeaway serving tasty looking chicken wraps, salads and other simple fare. There is also a cafe once you pass through to the gates and a small bar for that last Banks beer before leaving the island, if you can get a seat.

There is plenty of seating airside but most areas are always busy. I picked up some souvenirs and settled in and read my book for an hour until boarding was called at 1700. Reading was not as easy as you would expect though as there was a near constant stream of loud speaker announcements, accompanied by an irritating jingle. The gate was not up on the board half an hour before the flight but I could see the Virgin Atlantic jumbo through the windows sat at gate 15 so sat nearby in anticipation.

A 15 minute delay to boarding was announced before priority boarding commenced. From then on people were called forward by row numbers but it seemed that 90% of people ignored this and went up anyway, leading to a horrendous queue which many people then tried to jump as they felt they were in the right rows to proceed. The whole process was frankly a shambles and a bum fight with many people getting extremely irritated. Staff did nothing to try and organise the chaos and may as well have called everyone forward in the first place.

Once we reached the front of the queue our boarding passes were taken and we were told that we had been upgraded to premium, only to then be told that he had made a mistake and that we had been moved forward to row 35 which on this configuration was still located in an economy cabin, the first of the disappointments to come.

Nevertheless we were seated in 35B and C by 1750 for our scheduled 1755 takeoff. These were an aisle and middle seat next to a chatty Spanish woman and I was disappointed to realise on boarding that this was an older plane than that used for our outbound journey. This meant the seats felt more cramped and reclined clumsily. The IFE screens were tiny (around 6” square) and was played on a loop, not on demand as on the way out. The movie selection was poor and out of date (Red Dog anyone?). Some members of staff were good enough but one older stewardess was extremely surly, complaining to her colleagues throughout. The other crew performed their duties but were keen to get them done and get us to sleep, as per usual on a night flight.

We took off at 1830. Menus were not brought round as they had an error printed on them so dinner choices were said over the loudspeaker and consisted of a beef stew with mash, vegetable pasta and green beans or Caribbean chicken with rice, which my travelling partner really enjoyed.

I opted for the beef which arrived at 1930 and was an oily stew with shredded beef which was really very tasty with smooth mash and a few beans. This came with a side salad which was far better than the bland one offered on the way out including red onion, peppers, beans, lettuce, tomato and (shock horror) some dressing. Pudding was not served separate and was a bizarre (not in a good way) and dry apple crumble. There was no drinks service before dinner which seemed cheeky but drinks were served with dinner. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate then came round at 2030 and most people began settling in to sleep. Passengers were irritatingly not asked to put their seats into the upright position for the dinner service.

I dozed for two hours after watching some programmes on my laptop and woke at 0500 for breakfast. This consisted of peach yoghurt, blueberry muffin and some melon served with tea, coffee and juice. We began our descent at 0545 before a smooth landing at 0615. I disembarked via an air bridge and was through a very quiet immigration by 0640, the e-passport lanes were shut, and I had my bag off the carousel by 0700.

VERDICT A very disappointing flight following the great experience I had going out to Barbados. The airline and crew appear to not be so concerned with finishing your holiday as well as they like to start it with the aircraft, seating, entertainment and food all a lower standard, roll on the refit of these dated aircraft.

Morrs101 flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (12/01/2012 16:08)

Flight VS029 from Gatwick to Barbados, Tuesday December 27, economy class.

CHECK-IN I arrived at Gatwick South Terminal’s new exchange area, lit up in blue, with my party of 9 at 0800. We had booked through Hayes and Jarvis and all attempts to check-in online up to and including Boxing Day were met by error messages (we later heard that a similar thing was happening to another family we met who had also booked through an external company).

This meant that we had to queue to check in and drop our bags however there was not much of a queue so this did not seem too bad. The queue was slow and when we eventually reached the front of the desk we were told that the seats we had pre booked two weeks earlier had not been ‘confirmed’ and that they would do all they could to make sure that we were able to sit together as a family making me ask why allow someone to pre-book seats if they are not secure?

After much waiting we were eventually sat together and our boarding passes were printed. All of our bags went off OK apart from my sisters (over by a solid 7kg as per usual) so she had to go to the ticket desk at the far side of the room to pay a £30 fine and receive her boarding pass. We were all finally checked in at 0900, an hour later, and made our way upstairs to the new security area with half an hour until our designated boarding time.

All of the overhead screens in the security area designated a 1 or 2 minute wait and there were no queues for the automated barriers. The new system is simply a case of placing the barcode of your boarding pass on a screen (much like the Eurostar at St Pancras or the E-Passport system) and the doors should automatically open. However some people did have trouble getting through and there was only one very distracted person on hand to help anyone struggling.

From here you can join the shortest queue for the x-ray machines and from here the process was smooth and friendly. You can put all your items (laptop, jacket, belt, keys etc) in the same large tray and the track system is automated. We were airside by 0910 and made our way upstairs to grab some breakfast at Pret a Manger and a few mags from Smiths. At 0930 we made a move for gate 19 which was at the far end of a long hallway, a ten minute walk. Boarding had not begun when we reached the gate and special assistance/priority boarding commenced at 1000.

Boarding was complete by 1020 and we took off at 1035, only five minutes late. The seatbelt signs were off by 1045 and headphones and amenity kits (socks, eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste, pen) handed round soon after. The Virgin crew were all smiles throughout the flight, as per usual.

FLIGHT I was sat in seat 43K, a window seat located four rows back from the Premium economy section on this version of the B747-400 jumbo jet in a 3-4-3 layout. The legroom felt good and spacious although it was very warm on board. I had 4 toilets located just in front and to my left, however two were reserved for the premium economy cabin. The plane looked completely full on a quick glance.

The entertainment system was the V:port on demand system which had over 50 different TV shows and 49 films in total including recent releases Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Friends with Benefits. I opted for The Help. The system felt clunky and slow at times and was not touch screen, with the fast forward and rewind facilities proving almost impossible to use. However the selection was good and kept me entertained with a clear picture and good sized screen.

As part of the revamped dining service in economy menu cards were brought round at 11 along with immigration landing cards to be filled out before landing. The menu consisted of a welcome cocktail of mixed fruit juices with or without vodka as well as a full drinks service starting at 1115. The main meal was a choice of Sausage and mash with gravy and green beans, chicken in a creamy leek and mustard sauce with broccoli and potatoes or penne pasta in a creamy sauce with roasted Mediterranean vegetables and hard Italian cheese. There was then a break allowed before pudding of an Uglies chocolate caramel cup was brought round with tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

I opted for the chicken which was served at 1215 tasty although a little small, the crispy roast potatoes were particularly good though. This was accompanied by a bread roll and a very bland mixed salad that was crying out for a bit of dressing. This was served on the newly designed small trays which gave me more space to manoeuvre but which was determined to slip down onto my lap. Trays weren’t collected until 30 minutes later. The chocolate mousse was a combination of milk and white chocolate mousse with a caramel sauce and was deliciously moreish. A full drinks service with wine was served with lunch.

The flight settled down after this as people got comfortable and ice creams were brought round at 1530 and juice and water at 1630. The seatbelt sign only came on once throughout the flight and even then there was no turbulence. Afternoon tea of a minced pie, a Lindt chocolate bunny and a white cheese and onion finger sandwich was brought round at 1715.

My grandfather asked one member of cabin crew for 2 beers during the flight but was told he could only have one. He asked if he came back for another one after he had finished it if that would be OK and was told yes which caused him a great degree of frustration. Considering drinks should be free throughout the flight crew are very unwilling to hand any out following the single drinks service at the beginning of the flight. This feels like a recent change to me as I have flown Virgin Atlantic almost annually for 10 years and had no problems acquiring extra drinks before.

Sweets were then brought round before we started our descent at 1830 and we landed at 1910, right on schedule before boarding buses to the terminal building. The terminal building was well air conditioned and the queue for security took 15 minutes and we were out of the building in half an hour, impressive considering we had 10 cases. The only thing you must remember at Barbados is to have your immigration form filled out correctly and to maintain the slip for customs after the baggage carousels.

VERDICT Virgin is updating its entire Gatwick and Manchester based long-haul fleets but following this experience you wouldn’t think they needed to. The little touches and smiling cabin crew really make the effort to get your holiday off to a good start, thoroughly recommended.

topmedsec flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-600 (02/01/2012 07:09)

just back from los angeles on a direct flight vs23.

have to say that going out i was very impressed with the food and the service. i booked premium economy because i had never flown long haul and didnt want to be squeezed in for the 10 hour journey. i had heard various comments about this class and was to say the least sceptical!! i am inclined to agree with other reviews which is that this class does not warrant at all the extorionate extra money that you pay.

firstly the seats are a dark leather purple with wrap around head rests. yes you do get an extra 8 inches wide on the seat and yes there is slightly more leg room, but at at the end of the day you still cannot recline comfortably to sleep, the chair only goes back about 4 inches and you have a leg rest. the only difference with this class is that you get complimentary champagne (a very small glass)! and some extras like an eye mask, ear plugs (which we needed as we seemed to have the brats from hell on the way out and back)! the food is identical other than the fact that instead of a plastic tray you get miniature china dishes. cannot fault the staff at all, they were fantastic, polite, attractive (a must for Virgin!) and could not do enough to help so full marks Virgin for this. the other problem with premium is that yes you get priority boarding.

however you still get the whole of economy trawling past you in the cabin to board and if you dont get up quickly to get off you get caught in the stampede of economy getting off as well!!. all in all i would not fly economy as i always get the screaming brats next to me but then but you will still get the problems of unsavory children and their parents in this class plus you cannot sleep comfortably at all unless you are near to a window so that you can prop your head onto a window.

def not worth the extra £500, i would say vfm only an extra £100.

croomes30 flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (14/12/2011 13:10)

Background: This was a leisure flight booked via Sandals.co.uk originally as an economy ticket, but upgraded to Premium Economy several weeks before we travelled.

Check-In: I checked-in online using the Virgin Atlantic website on my iPad at the hotel. The website worked well on the iPad, despite my previous review about the clunky appearance and method of checking-in.

As on the outbound flight I had managed to pre-select our seats ahead of check-in when they had been released by the airline a month before, and had already selected 78H & 78K upstairs.

When I finally got through the check-in procedure I found that no other seats were available, so opted to stay with my pre-selected seats; I was unable to print out my boarding passes, so we had to collect them from the airport the following day. The process was swift with the security checks being done before you got to the desk to check in the bags.

Lounge: I had opted for the Club Mobay Lounge which is located between gates 9 & 13 at Montego Bay airport. Consisting of three separate rooms, the service was swift and friendly and snacks were available at various locations throughout the lounge, with a hot meal service also being provided at additional charge.

Boarding: The lounge did announce the flights boarding so we were surprised to be called for boarding a good hour before take-off, with the final call coming 45 minutes beforehand. By the time we got to the gate boarding had more or less completed, but we went straight to the Upper Class and Premium Economy queue and the lady who had checked us in greeted us and ushered us through to the aircraft.

Seat: The Premium Economy class on this configuration is of the older fabric type seats with the footrests which flip out from your own seat, rather than from the seat in front.

As with the new purple leather seats, the pitch was 38” and the width was more than sufficient. Premium Economy is split across the two decks, with a small cabin of 16 seats in two rows, configured 2-4-2 on the lower deck between Economy and Upper Class, with 24 seats configured 2-2 on the upper deck.

Although I had found the seat very comfortable on the outbound daytime flight, it was a different story on the night-time flight; even though I slept for the majority of the flight I just could not get comfortable – perhaps the fact that my footrest would not extend to its fullest due to the age of the seat, was the problem.

IFE: As previously on the majority of the Gatwick/Manchester aircraft the Nova system was installed, but as this was a night-time flight, I only watched one film whilst I ate, before going to sleep.

Flight: As soon as we were seated we were offered sparkling wine or orange juice. Menus were handed out along with complimentary headsets prior to departure from the gate. The menu offered one starter and a choice of three main courses – chicken, beef and pasta.

We pushed back from the gate about 30 minutes early and were finally airborne within 5 minutes. However, this did not delay our arrival as the captain announced that instead of 9hrs, our flight time would be 7hrs 40 mins and that we would be arriving at least an hour earlier at Gatwick.

The food and drink service on this flight was not as good as the outbound flight, but this was to be expected considering this was a night-time flight. The first drinks service was served within 45 minutes of taking off, with the hot meal service following within 20 minutes. All meal choices were available and served on crockery dishes with metal cutlery. After-dinner liqueurs of Brandy or Baileys were offered once the meal service had finished.

Breakfast was served about 1 ½ hours before we landed, consisting of hot omelette, bacon, sausage and mushroom, along with tea or coffee. I did not partake but I was reliably informed that it wasn’t the best meal of the flight.

We arrived at Gatwick at 08:35, rather than 09:35, 1hr early as promised by the flight crew.

Arrival: Premium Economy passengers upstairs do tend to get stuck due to the fact that the crew allow the front mini Economy cabin, the lower deck Premium Economy cabin and the Upper Class cabin off first, before allowing the upstairs cabin to disembark. There was therefore a small delay exiting the aircraft but immigration at Gatwick was swift due to the time of day.

Bags arrived within 10 minutes of us getting to the carousel and we were through customs and out of the airport within 30 minutes of landing.

Verdict: Despite the old style Premium Economy seating and the antiquated IFE, the product is still one of the best on the market and the crew worked exceptionally hard. With the 747 Gatwick/Manchester fleet being upgraded in 2012, it will be even better value for money to upgrade on the leisure routes in the future.

croomes30 flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (14/12/2011 12:48)

Background: This was a leisure flight booked via Sandals.co.uk originally as an economy ticket, but upgraded to Premium Economy several weeks before we travelled.

Check-In: I checked-in online using the Virgin Atlantic website. Their system seemed a little more convoluted than some other airline websites I have used in the past (such as Lufthansa, BA & Continental) as I had to pass through several screens before I got to confirm that I even wanted to check-in. The screens were also slightly confusing and the information was not laid out especially clearly. The system also did not recognise that the booking number had my husband on it as well, so I had to manually add him to be checked in.

I had managed to pre-select our seats ahead of check-in when they had been released by the airline a month before, and had already selected 78H & 78K upstairs. When I finally got through the check-in procedure I found that no other seats were available, so opted to stay with my pre-selected seats and printed our boarding passes out for the following day.

Lounge: Whilst customers going with Virgin Holidays have the option to use the V-room at Gatwick South, I had opted for the No1 Traveller’s Lounge. Although smaller than the other lounges on offer, this lounge has a far nicer feel about it and the view is exceptional overlooking the runway and aprons.

You are allowed one hot meal from their set menu and we opted for the Eggs Benedict, which was served within 5-10 minutes of ordering, by waitress service. Drinks are ordered at the bar and other breakfast snacks were available on a large white table at the other end of the lounge.

Boarding: The lounge did not announce flights boarding so it was a case of watching the boards. The flight was due to leave at 12:00 and boarding started at approximately 11:05. The gate was about 10 minutes from the lounge.

By the time we got to the gate Economy class boarding was well under way, but we went straight to the Upper Class and Premium Economy queue which consisted of a couple of passengers and were on the aircraft within 5 minutes and ushered upstairs to our seats.

Seat: The Premium Economy class on this configuration is of the older fabric type seats with the footrests which flip out from your own seat, rather than from the seat in front.

As with the new purple leather seats, the pitch was 38” and the width was more than sufficient. Premium Economy is split across the two decks, with a small cabin of 16 seats in two rows, configured 2-4-2 on the lower deck between Economy and Upper Class, with 24 seats configured 2-2 on the upper deck.

The seat was in fact very comfortable. The overhead lockers were slightly smaller than on the lower deck due to the curvature of the upper deck, but extra storage, albeit too small for any hand luggage larger than a handbag, was available in the side lockers. In our seats (78H & 78K) we had 2 ½ windows to see out of.

IFE: If I mention Nova, then I’m sure most people will know that it is old, plagued with faults and is highly unreliable. It took my husband three attempts at watching Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy until he actually managed to watch it uninterrupted from start to finish – the previous two times had been thwarted by the system in his chair swapping to another channel of its own accord!

Flight: As soon as we were seated we were offered sparkling wine or orange juice. Menus were handed out along with complimentary headsets prior to departure from the gate. The menu offered one starter and a choice of three main courses – chicken, beef and pasta.

We pushed back from the gate about 15 minutes late and were finally airborne by 12:35. However, this did not delay our arrival as the captain announced that instead of 10hrs 20 mins, our flight time would be 9hrs 40 mins.

The food and drink service on this flight was exceptional and I have never seen a cabin crew work so consistently throughout such a long flight. The first drinks service was served within 45 minutes of taking off, with the hot meal service following within 20 minutes. All meal choices were available and served on crockery dishes with metal cutlery. After-dinner liqueurs of Brandy or Baileys were offered once the meal service had finished.

Throughout the flight, in between every meal and snack service the crew were constantly walking the cabin with juice or water for passengers. They were also happy to oblige if you asked for further alcoholic drinks.

A couple of hours after the main meal service we were served with a hot snack – a hot savoury sausage roll, and another drinks service.

A couple of hours after the hot snack we were served with ice cream and another drinks service. The final meal service being served about 1 ½ hours before we landed, consisting of afternoon tea with sandwiches, scone, cream and jam.

We arrived at Montego Bay at 16:50, rather than 17:20, 30 minutes early as promised by the flight crew.

Arrival: Premium Economy passengers upstairs do tend to get stuck due to the fact that the crew allow the front mini Economy cabin, the lower deck Premium Economy cabin and the Upper Class cabin off first, before allowing the upstairs cabin to disembark.

There was therefore a small delay exiting the aircraft but immigration at Montego Bay was well organised with landing cards getting an initial check by staff before they directed you to the immigration desks. Immigration was swift and friendly.

Bags arrived within 10 minutes of us getting to the carousel and we were through customs and into the Sandals lounge within 40 minutes of landing.

Verdict: Despite the old style Premium Economy seating and the antiquated IFE, the product is still one of the best on the market and the crew worked exceptionally hard.

With the 747 Gatwick/Manchester fleet being upgraded in 2012, it will be even better value for money to upgrade on the leisure routes in the future.

Geejay5522 flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (02/12/2011 15:10)

After failing to receive a confirmed upgrade on South African Airways, I decided to pay in the difference to try Virgin Atlantic on a return business-class flight from Cape Town to London. I was interested to see the SAA flight depart with plenty of space in business class - so their loss of the revenue and a business customer!

Virgin doesn't operate its own lounge in Cape Town, but one is invited to use the SAA lounge before departure. Having now experienced the Virgin Clubhouse at Heathrow, I can confidently say that I've never seen anything elsewhere in the league of T3 departures! It was certainly the highlight of my flying experience ever.

Having been very excited to try Virgin, I have to admit at being a little disappointed at the Upper Class Cabin. Its herringbone layout certainly makes very good utilization of space, but one really doesn't get the same feeling of exclusivity as offered in other business class cabins, like SAA's Airbus A340-600.

Service was welcoming and pleasant, but seemed to lack authenticity. The crew were just doing their jobs.

The seats were comfortable and I liked the way in which the backrest converted into the base of one's "bed". The cabin crew were always available to assist with this process and it didn't take two minutes to complete.

The IFE system was switched on just after take-off on both legs, and offered a very good selection of movies, TV programs and air-maps. I found the music offering difficult to navigate - and not much of any interest.

We were offered the usual champagne after take-off and other drinks and a bowl of Dorito's as a snack. Whilst I appreciated the notice that alcohol service would be restricted - I did feel that the service on both legs was a little "tight".

My biggest disappointment of Virgin Upper Class was the food. The menu appeared to lack imagination and not all options presented on the menu were available. It was interesting that my desert choice on both legs was unavailable! The fullhouse English breakfast was worse than anything I've had on SAA's economy class flights over the past 10 years. The egg tasted like powder and I'm afraid that I left most of it.

The interesting question will be whether I fly Virgin again, or revert to SAA or BA on this leg. The real drawcard is the Virgin Departure Clubhouse at Heathrow - but I'm not convinced it is worth an inferior 12-hour flight.

FrustratedRegistration flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (01/12/2011 20:50)

I booked our flight 11 months in advance and took advantage of the free facility to reserve seats.

A week before departure I checked my booking and found that the seat allocation had been scrubbed. I sent two emails which went unanswered and finally a phone call left us with the assurance that similar seats would be provided, though no actual seats numbers. In the event that was true but it put a very sour taste in my mouth before I even started.

On-line check-in was a nightmare. Virgin required personal details (e.g. visa number) that even the US immigration do not ask you to provide. After 15 minutes filling in this data the system appeared to have no facility to print boarding passes. Having arrived at the airport we spent another 15 minutes filling in our details at a self-service kiosk to still not be issued boarding passes!

Mercifully the dedicated PE bag drop was quiet and efficient (as is LGW's new south terminal security).

We boarded late so I can't comment on crowd control.

Upstairs on the 747 for PE has seats in 2 * 2 which is probably the best thing about the whole service (and the reason for all the angst above). I never saw it but I would not have liked to have been in the 2 * 4 * 2 downstairs.

The seats are spacious but very old and they have a curious "lumbar support" that most people agreed were in the wrong place. We received a small but adequate amenity kit and a glass of Champagne on boarding.

The food was adequate but not startling; ditto the wines.

The IFE has a good choice; the screens in PE are tiny by today's standards but they worked well.

The crew on the outbound flight were generally good and helpful.

On the way back we were treated to an address by the Cabin Service Supervisor on alcohol consumption which put me in mind of a boot-camp rather than part of a hospitality group. The boarding Champagne became a very orangey Bucks Fizz because they had run out (this is before take-off).

After take-off (scheduled 16:35) the crew went straight into a meal service with no pre-dinner drinks offered, stating that this was standard procedure. The food was poor. Breakfast was a foil of eggs and potatoes - full stop. We got one round of tea/coffee and even orange juice was on request.

In summary almost the only thing going for this product is the privacy of the seat layout upstairs. The rest of it is very ordinary.

grazza48 flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a B747-400 LHR Config (28/11/2011 17:38)

steveyp flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-600 (10/11/2011 16:27)

I flew Virgin Atlantic from LHR to JFK Fri 4th and returned the following Monday in Economy.

I've never flown with Virgin Atlantic before and have to admit I was very impressed.

Im not short coming up at just over 6ft 3 so leg room is always a big issue and Virgin were absolutely fine, it was a comfortable trip over the atlantic with ample leg room. Though no economy airlines will have fully stretch out leg room, this was by the far best ive seen, far superioir to the airline I use most, BA.

Not just the legroom that was better, the food and IFE were far superior. The attendants were attentive too, drinks and snacks were available almost instantly during the flight.

I will definately fly Virgin again, with possibly the only fault i could find is that the departure lounge was quite small and crowded and the aircraft looked like it could have done with a bit of maintenence with regards to the seats, the one in front of mine's upholstry looked tatty and there was litter in the tray on the seat infront.

I'm a rather excitable flyer so sleeping did not occur during the flight, but again as with most economy flights for someone my height, it probably wouldnt have been the easiest or most pleasant experience

Overall a great flight.

wkspang flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (04/11/2011 10:42)

Flew back from Narita to Heathrow after a week in Tokyo.

The limo pickup was perfect, had to wait a little while in the queue for check in and managed to get to lounge in good time. The lounge was busy, compact but had spaces for everyone with good service and good selection for breakfast.

The cabin was in good order and the food was good although I sometime feel that the flights attendants are not always on the ball. For example, the bedding was put on the wrong way round. Maybe they were just desperate to get home like I was!

My biggest complaint is the bed itself. Once flat, about 2.5 inches of the foam just beneath where you would put your pillow has sank. The bed is no longer level as it dips from your shoulders to your head. It was most uncomfortable and not conducive to a good nights sleep. I have not experienced this before and I wonder whether this is an age thing and just specific to the plane Virgin use to fly to Narita.

anderson_stephen flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-300 (24/10/2011 18:26)

The flight from Montego Bay was extremely good, and the service provided was outstanding, with nothing too much trouble for the crew. A little let down with the food, when it came to our pre-ordered 'Gluten-free' meal!

anderson_stephen flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-300 (24/10/2011 18:21)

This was an extremely good,albeit long, flight. The service was excellent - as was everything else about it.

peterandrew62 flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a B747-400 LHR Config (08/10/2011 10:23)

After connecting from Ithaca, found the virgin check in area 3 hours + before the flight was due to depart. Polite member of staff confirmed baggage was through checked and reissued boarding passes, along with direction to the lounge.

The lounge is situated before security near to duty free shopping. Lounge understandably smaller than at LHR, with no views, but polite staff. Drinks were offered and there was food buffet from 6.45, had some salmon with rice, along with champagne.

Staff very attentive and seemed to spot an empty glass offering a refill. WIFI initially wasn't working, but there was TV and plenty of newspapers. Called about 45 minutes before flight was due and went through security to board promptly. Offered drink and duty free requests were taken.

Post take off drinks were offered, most of the cabin had decided to sleep, so help was offered to let them get settled first. My friend opted to have a hot chocolate and then had the bed made up. I had the tomato and veg quiche with some salad which was light and more than enough, after a glass of wine I changed into the pyjama suit and bedded down.

Though comfortable I'm a poor sleeper on planes and more dozed and felt a bit warm. Chose the muesli and tea for breakfast, though we were told there was poor visibilty at LHR, after circling we were nearly 30 minutes early. Excellent service, very good staff.

peterandrew62 flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (08/10/2011 09:55)

VS11 LHR to Boston (BOS), wouldn't let me check us both in on line, but arrived at LHR to a short queue. Both desks check in staff were on the phone and there was a lady who didn't speak english with a very big case. However the supervisor escorted us to the floor above and we were checked in promptly and got our requested seats.

Through fast track and after some duty free shopping found the Gatehouse lounge. This was excellent with plenty of staff who served us some lovely food and a glass of champagne, I also enjoyed a bramble (blackberry cocktail). We were called about 45 minutes before departure and on arrival at the gate most other passngers seemed to have boarded.

Boarded promply and were offered a drink. We were updated about our departure being delayed slightly by the captain and pushed back about 15 minutes late. I was sceptical about the herring bone formation having read mixed reviews but liked it and could talk to my friend in the row behind still.

After take off aperitifs were offered and food orders taken. I chose pea and basil risotto with prawns and Salmon on a seafood pillow in vermouth, I wasn't disappointed. The dessert and cheese were equally as good.

Service was attentive throughout. Afternoon tea was served a hour or so before landing. We didn't make up the lost time, but this wasn't a big deal. Bagage arrived promptly. An excellent service throughout.

MaxwellB flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-300 (17/09/2011 21:08)

Sydney to London via Hongkong forward on 15/8/11, return on 15/9/11.

VA delivered on seat comfort, legroom, cabin service, baggage reclaimand a high ratio of toilets to passengers in PE.
Priority embarkation only worked at Sydney. At Hong Kong two separate gates funnel everyone into the same hallway, so Economy and PE passengers lined up in a long queue at the aircraft door.

Meals are apparently identical with Economy, but PE get first pick, so selected choice was always available. The stainless steel cutlery was sometimes provided with the meal listed on the menu, other meals were identical with what is served in Economy.

The last meal was tiny and horrible. It looked and tasted like reheated leftovers. The fruit bowl appeared on two out of 4 flights, shortly before landing, much too late to be useful, also on the last occasion the choice was pears or pears.

Someone has commented about the fruit bowl being leftovers from Upper Class. My experience causes me to suspect this may be true.

The finishing touch was a handout of small packets of Love Hearts lollies, endorsed "For Ever", "Don't Cry" etc. just prior to landing. Initial amusement quickly changed to a feeling of insult.

As for the IFE, it was over 2 hours before it was persuaded to work, when it became apparent that the screen was way past its use-by date, and so badly burned that text was difficult to read.

Buy PE to get extra leg room, because that is about the only advantage ov er economy. Overall it represents extremely poor value for money.

mitchy376 flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (09/09/2011 15:12)

I've known quite a few friends and family that have flown with Virgin in the past and to tell you the truth, they have found the experience very average... Like you get what you pay for. However, this flight from Gatwick to Las Vegas McCarran was a very pleasurable journey. 31 Inch seat pitch though... Smaller than my Thomas cook flight.

Gatwick airport's South Terminal was busy, but similarly to my trip to Florida earlier in the year, I booked myself into the No1 travelers lounge, which again offered great views of the runway and was accompanied by attentive staff and complimentary drinks and a selection of foods. We boarded very near the same gate that we used on our Florida trip so getting lost wasn't a problem.

The cabin crew I must say are absolutely brilliant and work really hard. They are always smiling and never seem to sit down at all. By the end of the flight I am sure they must be truly exhausted and yet they are still smiling and look immaculate in their red uniforms.

I would rate the food much better than that of Thomas Cook, but you can also see the big difference in flight prices between the 2 businesses. Entertainment on this flight was using the old, and quite frankly dated system using channels on a loop. There was a decent selection but having to wait for it to come on was really annoying but very similar to my outbound Thomas Cook flight. The return flight with virgin was very much the same, crappy entertainment and a pretty old-looking 747. They really need to update their Gatwick & Manchester fleets...

Overall, I thought the experience was good, disregarding the entertainment. I would recommend this airline to friends.

flyhighburnavgas flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-300 (08/08/2011 16:18)

Penelopops flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-300 (23/07/2011 17:35)

We flew out on the 10th July from Manchester on the new A340-300. Absolutely impressed with the service from start to finish.Priority boarding was quick and well organised and it is a nice touch to get a little glass of fizzy pre-flight. The new seats are comfortable ,wide and recline further than economy.The new entertainment system is superb esp the fact that everything is on demand and the quality and variety of music was phenomenal. The meal was fine,a good selection ( though one meat course ran out before it got to us) and the after dinner brandy was cute. The staff were fabulous though.I will challenge anyone that says different.They have a hard enough job for 9 hrs serving 50-odd people in our cabin and to be so attentive ,pleasant and helpful all the time made our journey all that more special.We have been flying Virgin Atlantic for over 10 yrs now and have no plans to change this. So all in all,the new Premium Economy experience is impressive but oh so about time .

SHEILABowyer flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A330-300 (10/07/2011 15:02)

Manchester to Orlando on new A330 airbus, eagerly anticipated travel on newest plane, for 3 week holiday in Orlando.

Decent flight price booked 10 days before, just missed out on booking discounted premium economy fare, first big mistake.
Online check in and bag drop easy as always, decided to check out upgrade price at airport £250pp (3 of us) too much me thinks for what you get. So I settle for £50pp exit row upgrade = £150, second big mistake, under no circumstances would I ever do this again, or recommend it to anyone. To be honest VA should be paying you to sit in these seats, the amount of traffic crossing over the cabin during the flight was immensely frustrating.

In hindsight it would have been better to pay £35 pp to sit in the additional legroom seats AC HK rows 51 to 57 I think, which is what I will do on return if I can, if Premium economy is still extortionate price.

Flight itself, took off and landed early, apart from the inconvenience of being stepped over most of the flight the seats were incredibly uncomfortable, the material seemed very harsh almost like sitting on a hessian mat. Food choices were not good at least did not appeal to my taste, only two rounds of refreshments served in a 9 hour flight, no mention of going to collect your own as happens on other flights.

Flight crew pleasant enough. IFE excellent according to my travelling companions who had their own personal headphones, I had difficulty hearing anything through the supplied headphones due to excessive noise at exit row.

Plane was new and clean which was a bonus after travelling previously on VA 747.
On our return I will hopefully get a decent price for PE upgrade, if not will try to upgrade to AC HK extra legroom seats, all our party are over 5' 11 tall even me (mum).

All in all lesson learned in future to book PE when discounted price available, definitely do not sit near exit or on exit row (centre 4 across). Have travelled many times with VA economy and got to point where this was the last attempt and hoped for a better experience than the 747, lets see what the return brings.

If only BA flew from Manchester direct to Orlando or Vegas.

camholgate flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-600 (27/04/2011 04:07)

We recently flew with Virgin to New York. We'd flown Premium Economy in the past, and had always been impressed by the service.

Boarding was quick, and Premium Economy passengers were given priority ahead of Economy passengers - unlike British Airways.

The cabin was clean and the wide purple seats stood out as soon as we entered the aircraft. The seats themselves were very comfy, with adequate incline. We were given menus and 3 choices of meals - unlike BA.

Drinks were served in glass tumblers and the meal - which was nice - was served in china dish-ware with metal cutlery. This was a class above BA. The IFE screens were big, however the IFE wasn't fully functioning on the aircraft. The system had to be rebooted several times.

Overall, a pleasant experience onboard the A340.

JRankin flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-300 (11/04/2011 12:56)

Flew out and back to new York JFK in March, on the A340. The outward journey was fine, uneventful and unspectacular. We were allocated an extra legroom seat because of a mix-up with the booking. One bag had both wheels ripped of it into new York.

On the return journey, however, it was slightly different. The flight departed at 6-15pm. there was no pre dinner drink at all. The dinner took about an hour to begin service, and we received our drink after we had finished eating dinner. When we did receive the drink, the white wine was at room temperature. When this was brought to the crew members attention, they shrugged and carried on with the service.

The breakfast consisted of a hard and stale top of a muffin. No juice or anything else was offered. My partner had a coffee which was served after she had eaten her food and I wanted a tea which was eventually brought around 15 minutes after the food.

The seats were very comfortable when upright. However, being six feet four inches tall (193cm) I need a bit of space. When you recline the seat, Virgin have some new gizzmo to try to gain more recline - the base of the seat lifts up and slides forward at the same time as the back reclines. However, this takes your knees straight into the seat in from, and makes it extremely uncomfortable to sleep. Normally I can get four or five hours on these flights, but I only managed about 15 minutes on this one. Not at all comfortable.

IFE was excellent - so much better on Virgin's ex-Heathrow flights than on the ex-Gatwick aircraft.

Funnily enough, I always enjoy my outward daytime flights on Virgin to the US, but rarely do I find them enjoyable on night-time return flights. Maybe its me, or maybe its the crew rushing to get home!

smokeybacon flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-600 (10/04/2011 12:19)

Does Virgin Atlantic Really Care about Customers?

The Virgin Atlantic brand has been built on the perception that it cares for its customer. It has fought the good fight against the big airlines and played on its role as the underdog. We can all remember the issue with BA using Virgin’s customer data to gain a competitive advantage. Virgin Atlantic cried foul and rightly so according to the courts.

And yet, when the tables are turned, when Virgin Atlantic are pitted against the individual passenger, their corporate value structure is immediately forgotten. In these circumstances, caring seems to be the last thing on their mind, far behind the opportunity to make profit.

Last year, I booked a trans-Atlantic flight with Virgin. Unfortunately my father died the week before we were due to fly. Each of the providers of the services, hotels, car hire, airport parking and theatre tickets all refunded monies in the light of tragic circumstances, ignoring their standard terms and conditions. And yet, Virgin Atlantic referred to the small print and kept their money. To rub salt into the wounds, they also refused to credit any air miles on the basis that we never actually flew – unbelievable I know!! One would think this is one part of the organisation not knowing what the other part were doing, but when pressed and highlighted the situation, their inappropriately named ‘Customer Care’ team stood firm.

I strongly advise anyone to think very seriously about dealing with such a callous, double standard organisation in the future.

disgruntled flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 Config 4 (17/03/2011 23:47)

Virgin's service has been disgraceful to the point that I will never use them again, never recommend them to anyone and in fact go so far as to warn people against them here and on travel forums, my marketing workplace, my friends and family and the various blogging and forum sites I work with.

The signs are there with the insufficient legroom on a crowded plane, yet the "purple" seats with extra legroom are empty! You have to pay extra to sit there, even if they're empty after take off.

I could have noticed the company was poorly guided there but the revelation came when my father passed away - a sad and strange time when the world moves faster whilst you stand still. I checked my terms and conditions and noticed a waver in the case of bereavement, so I relaxed a little. Regular changes cost $275 plus ticket price difference and on "no show" you must pay $375 plus ticket price difference to fly. Under each of these conditions is a reminder of this very sensible waiver. I thought "good on Virgin, that's very decent of them to have thought of this". I couldn't bring myself to do anything as the grief set in but eventually thought I should get in touch with Virgin and explain what's gone on.

I was bounced around from one person to the next, each time forced to recall events, each person not knowing what was previously said and not helping. I asked for a supervisor and she was aggressive and counter-productive. I bought the flight with Expedia and she wanted me to call them. She wouldn't listen to the fact that I had already spoken to them and they had been very detailed and helpful in telling me that once a journey had begun the tickets are the responsibility of the carrier.

She discounted the fee to $275 and said she couldn't see any reason why she should do as much as she did. She also said that the rest of the fee was due to Expedia and advised me to call them. Expedia had been so helpful the first time so I wasn't afraid of calling them, but again they advised me very clearly and calmly that the fee was Virgin's. They called Virgin for me and explained the situation for me. They then put me through and I was hopeful, but as soon as the Virgin Atlantic supervisor got on the phone she went off on one about how ridiculous it was that Expedia pass their problems on to her, and that I have to simply pay up.

I never minded paying, I simply wanted the correct info and for the terms of the flight to be upheld in a sensible and humane way. I was met by misinformation, aggression, no sympathy and very little help that in hindsight I'd rather have avoided for the trouble and extra grief it caused.

Whether I had to pay $275 or not, I hope Virgin enjoys it as it's the last penny they will get from me.

kathrynm flew Virgin Atlantic (11/03/2011 16:56)

We're both pensioners and fly to the Caribbean with Virgin at least once a year. We decided to upgrade to a Premium Economy about 8 years ago because economy seats are just so uncomfortably 'squidged' - particularly for one (me) with a rapidly spreading lower half.

Initially, we were made to feel special and felt that the extra charge, not insignificant to us, was worth it. However, these days - particularly the homecoming flight - aside from the fact that sitting in 'the bubble' is undoubtedly a more pleasant atmosphere, it no longer feels very special.

The much vaunted glass of 'champagne' before take-off used to be quite palatable - and sometimes refilled. Now, it's half a glass of some sharp fizzy wine which the staff can't be bothered to even chill. Ours was so bad on the last flight that we couldn't bring ourselves to drink it (believe me, that is BAD-bad!!). Even the stewardess acknowledged it wasn't very good, but was pretty much indifferent to our disappointment.

The food, which I believe is the same as in economy, is usually exceptionally bad - though occasionally it is edible enough to give us hope for the next time. On the return flight, an overnight flight, the staff can't wait to serve you, whisking away the tray almost before you finish. It is so, so rushed - annoyingly so - and we have concluded this must be because then the staff can have a bit of a break while passengers sleep.

Generally the staff are quite pleasant, but sometimes that is not the case. We pay approximately an extra £250 each, each way, for Premium seats, and have to ask ourselves if it's really worth it.

We're going away in April and, because it's a very special occasion, have splashed out (for the first time ever) to travel Upper Class. Sadly, it is likely to be the last time - just too expensive - but we are very much hoping that it'll be significantly better than our last few journeys with Virgin - who seem to be getting just a little complacent.

disneymania flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (27/02/2011 08:21)

we save really hard to buy premium economy seat for a couple of reasons:- My husband is 6'3 and the frame to go with so he does not fit into economy, and I am not a good flyer the bubble seats on the 747 are great for me. We have been to Florida every year since 2002 with Virgin and apart from one set of crew I could not fault the service. The last flight in December 2010 the crew and service were first class. Thumbs up Virgin!!!!

LinguaFranca flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-600 (20/02/2011 19:29)

After being on a recent journey in January to Las Vegas with Virgin in a B747-400 having no complaints in the Premium Economy configuration, that cannot be said for the Airbus long haul.

Departed with one of my favourite airlines to Cape Town 9 Feb 2011 [Virgin Atlantic] in Premium Economy on a A340-600. Designated seats were at the rear of cabin - 23D and 23F - disgusting. No leg room in comparison with Economy row 31 A / C / H & K who pay far less. There is no value in paying Premium Economy for such poor seats on the A340-600.

After being disturbed throughout my flight as the seats were adjacent to the toilets used by both cabins, an email to Virgin prior to my return flight on Friday 18 Feb has still had no response.

Come on Virgin - you can do better than this - get your seat configurations sorted.

angel83 flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-600 (01/09/2010 09:46)

I flew with Virgin Atlantic on the "kangaroo" run from Sydney to Hong Kong in 2009.

My agent had recommended the premium economy seat before I booked, and going with his advice, I grabbed it.

What a great idea! The service upon entering was distinguishable compared to what I had been used to in the economy area of the plane. I was offered beverages the moment I sat down.

The food was also a class above than that in economy, with three options on the menu, compared to that on the regular economy pla.

Cannot also help mentioning the seat pitch and leg room, with the reinforcement in the middle, which makes for a long flight, more comfort.

Definitely would recommend Virgin Atlantic to everyone for the Sydney to Hong Kong leg. Not bad value for around $2000.00 AUD return.

Becky35 flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LHR Config (18/08/2010 14:51)

Premium Economy on Virgin Atlantic is a waste of money, judging from my experience.

Seats were no better than those in economy with the exception of a wider armrest that could accommodate two elbows. Food was dried-out and mundane; legroom poor with typical, standard footrests located on seats in front of you; breakfast not served; entertainment system malfunctioned; seats pictured on their website (the red ones, not even the purple leather ones they're so proud of) are NOT what we got.

No premium economy baggage reclaim as they state; baggage reclaim was like everyone else's; in fact, people in Economy were getting theirs first.

Do yourself a favour, and pay 50 pounds extra for exit row seats in Economy; you'll be more comfortable and you won't be spending exorbitant upgrade fees that can vary from $200 as listed by people on other sites to the $375 per seat I stupidly paid expecting more comfort and service.

Becky35 flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LHR Config (18/08/2010 14:44)

ogedike flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (27/07/2010 17:30)

odedfarhiA1 flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-600 (20/07/2010 08:32)

went on a business trip using economy class. Online checkin was available only 24 hours before flight time. When trying to choose seat, most of the seats were unavailable - these were being held for those willing to pay more for "extra leg room". Airport baggage drop went smoothly, as did the borading. However, we were not offered a seat upgrade option either during check in or at the aiport (possibly the flight was full). Seat space was awful - we were in row 45 in the 4 middle seats and it was impossible to move within the row. The bag compartment of the seat in front of me was permanently lodged between my legs during the entire 10 hour flight. When the passenger in front lowered his seat the IFE screen was barely an inch from my face. Service was acceptable, but the food quality was atrocious and we were not given suffcient food on the outgoing flight. On the flight back we were offered at least 2 more meals/snacks - why, when its exactly the same distance? I would strongly recommend avoiding Virgin economy (cattle) class long haul flight unless you can upgrade your seat to economy plus.

alwaysairbound flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LHR Config (10/07/2010 20:44)

Having flown Air New Zealand regularly some months, Virgin has that feel of a Budget Airline trying to measure up with the best. Gimmicky, with big admirable ideas but nothing quite works. Virgin's biggest problem is their inconsistency. The cabin crew appear more like "gifted amateurs" than professionals. If you're lucky enough to get an A List crew, they are divine, if not, sit back and suffer British service at its dismissive "best". I'm sure the crew on my recent flight from JFK-LHR would have been great if they hadn't been so pre-occupied in their own conversations. Economy crew levels seemed light. They seemed rushed, and the moment the job was done they were back to nattering amongst themselves. Whenever you asked for anything, there was a sense that you were interrrupting a private moment. Unforgivably, on leaving the aircraft, the crew stood talking to one another instead of farewelling passengers. I have to say i would have enjoyed a "farewell" in preference to the conversation i heard: "I was so embarassed. I opened my handbag and my spare tampon fell out on the counter". Yes. Tasteful - Not. Professional - Not. Maybe if their uniforms were of better quality, were more practical and actually fitted those who wear it morale would improve and service would improve. My jury's out on Virgin. I have ahd occasions where they left everyone for dead, but when they're not on form, they are worse than the worst. On this flight, the food was OK, the seat was OK, we were on time, and the service was just slightly below average. I do however think that 4 cabin crew to serve the entire economy cabin on a 747 is too few.

peoplesonrules flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (07/06/2010 16:13)

We arrived at Heathrow after flying BMI from Manchester. We went strait to the Upper class lounge and it was amazing. It's better than any lounge in the world, this is because, other lounges are too business-like, it's great if you're travelling for business reasons, but if you're not, it's too formal.

The Virgin lounge is informal, with great business facilities and a brilliant bar (which I liked using). Boarding was unbelievably quick, however I'd prefer it if upper class boarded last, so you're not waiting on the tarmac as long and people don't look at you like you're the devil. Food was amazing and the seat was a fantastic length.

For sitting the seat was very comfortable, however it doesn't recline that much, so that's a bit annoying. The onboard bar was great for meeting other passenger's, however, on BA you sit side by side with a screen splitting the two seats. This is great for people travelling in pair's or groups and to meet other passenger's, plus, you can still be anti-social if you want. The cabin Crew were perfect (as always) and they were very willing to help.

Davehill99 flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LHR Config (13/05/2010 10:35)

Fly Virgin Premium Economy from London Heathrow to San Francisco return. Originally had only booked the return leg Premium, but they upgraded my outward trip at online check-in for free, which was a nice touch.

Virgin Premium Economy feels to me like the old style business class, pre the days of fully flat beds. Seats are very wide, and very comfy. The arm rests don't intrude on you like in economy. There is ample leg room. I am 6ft 2 and could stretch my legs under the seat in front without my knees hitting the back of the seat. There is a foot rest that is provided with two settings, which provides nice comfort when watching the TV.

Meals are excellent, you are provided with a in-flight menu, and all food is served on proper plates and metal cutlery is used. During the flight you are offered drinks in glass tumblers, and the service is excellent. This really is the same as the old business class.

You are in your own cabin, cordoned off from Economy, and there is even private toilets marked "Premium Economy Only", just a pity people don't pay attention to this. Priority boarding is also an added bonus, so you are not involved in the economy "Queue".

In my opinion the service is excellent, and for any frequent flyer who's company will no longer pay for Upper Class, this is an excellent substitution.

The only complaint is the limited 6KG weight restriction for hand luggage! This stops you from taking your small carry on suitcase, and briefcase, which BA always allow.

frequentflyer1969 flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (11/05/2010 09:04)

Travelled from LHR to LAX with my family on VS07. Check in was busy on arrival to T3 - so we were quickly taken upstairs to the drive through chauffeur check in and processed quickly. Arrived at the Clubhouse lounge shortly after to have some breakfast. Tried to book a treatment at the spa for me and my wife - but all appointments were gone which was frustrating as the online / phone booking service has also been stopped - so it pot luck on the day if you can get in or not. Flight was boarded on time and we departed from London 10mins behind schedule. We had prebooked our seats 4A, 4D, 5A and 5D. This is a nice part of the plane as its up the front and away from the noise of the engines. The seats are slightly offset between A and D with A sitting slightly rearwards of the D seats. For us - this was perfect as it allowed my wife and I to keep an eye on the children without having to break our necks. Seats were very comfortable for both sitting and sleeping - though talking to the person next to you can be hard due to the divider unless your seat is upright. The cabin service from the crew and the food was excellent and the eat when you like concept is great when travelling with children. Arrival into LA was on time and by the time the customs clearance had taken place the Upper Class bags were on the carousel. All in all - the best flight we have ever done as a family

debrablakemanbarratt flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-600 (01/05/2010 12:48)

UflyRight flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LHR Config (26/04/2010 13:55)

The vs150 was a rescue flight from Orlando to Gatwick. The TVs were new and clear, also you could choose what you watch and when.

There wasn't the variety of drinks available and no duty free which is understandable, but the meals where awful - the cottage pie was very watery and there was no meat in it at all.

The seats were just as bad as the outbound flight on VS28, and I still have back ache four days after returning.

The exit seats are even more uncomfortable and would not want to give the airline my money - I have never been more uncomfortable in my life.

UflyRight flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (26/04/2010 13:38)

This was the the sort of thing that I expect from Ryanair and Monarch. The in-flight entertainment system was difficult to work and the TVs were old and flickered, and some didn't work and the crew ignored this fact.

The seats are not leather and are very uncomfortable, and the exit seats are even worse. Also some of the seat reclines didn't work.

Where most airlines have different sections of the aircraft so everyone gets served quickly, Virgin didn't so food and drink took a long time to get around.

I won't fly with Virgin and if I return to Orlando I would use another airline.

skyguyj flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (24/04/2010 04:21)

A tip for Virgin Lovers (like me). Book Premium Economy out of Las Vegas to Gatwick. It's the only 747 in thier fleet with Premium UPSTAIRS in the bubble. It's 2 and 2 seating (it's thier old "Upper Class" seats) and it's very civilised. I recommend ANY window seat upstairs.......Row 70 is the bulkhead. It's the best!!!! Enjoy all.

EdwardFerrell flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-600 (21/04/2010 11:55)

Virgin Atlantic's A340s - window seats in coach. With the 2-4-2 configuration and several extra inches between the window seat and the wall, this is one of the most comfortable economy seats available (esp when compared to 747s and 777s).

peoplesonrules flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-600 (01/03/2010 16:49)

I finally got a Virgin flight with the V:Port IFE, and what a system. It is the best IFE system of any airline I've ever been on! The service and cabin crew were impeccable (as always) and the food was pretty good. However the legroom is a little small and the chair doesn't recline that far back. Boarding was quick, however, the gate closes 30 mins before departure, you only have to wait 20 on BA and less on United. Overall though, an excellent flight.

simonallardice flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (22/01/2010 18:30)

A first class experience!

From the lounge to the staff onboard, flying as a UC Pax with Virgin is an experience to behold. Spacious seat with plenty of room and comfort for sleeping whilst hurtling toward your destination, all in the the A346 is also a much quieter aircraft than the lumbering 744 - hopefully they'll keep it on the SFO-LHR route for a while.

serenawell flew Virgin Atlantic (02/01/2010 21:08)

LindaCrowfoot flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-300 (11/12/2009 11:46)

I had the honour and privilege of flying Virgin to Boston on the 3rd December. I chose to pay double the economy price and fly premium economy. I expected something a bit better than economy but I was under no illusion it would be anywhere near Upper Class. I was very wrong in expecting anything to be different.

On reflection I should have kept the extra money I spent on the PE fare and flown economy which would have given me more money to spend in Boston. The flight out was ok, a nice glass of champagne of bucks fizz when you board which was most welcoming. I can honestly say that having chose two seats at the back the only difference to being in economy was the fact that our food came with proper knives and forkes and we had glasses to drink out of.

The food on the flight out was ok, nothing to shout about. The service was ok too, again nothing to shout about.

The flight back was the worst I have ever experienced - worse than any economy flight I have ever taken. As I said I thought flying PE would be much better than economy but it wasn't. There were no packs on the seat when we boarded so I had to ask for one so I could take off my boots, the food on offer (bearing in mind it was an overnight flight was BBQ chicken or a curry - who wants a curry just before they go to sleep? There was supposed to be cheese and biscuits on the tray I had both, my sister had the biscuits but no cheese. People around us also had a carton of water but we didn't. When we asked the steward he said he would get some for us - obviously he didn't. Then my sister asked for decaf coffee and it was like she had asked for Cristal Champagne - he said he would get it but it was with reluctance.

Breakfast was a joke, orange juice and a sponge cake - oh I almost forgot the steward came round with some fresh fruit (probably leftovers from upper class).

The tv screen was too small to watch and flickered and flashed the whole way through every film.

My lasting memory was about four hours into the flight, everyone asleep, I got out to allow my sister to go to the toilet and stood by my seat - a stewardess barged passed me - although I was attempting to move behind my seat to let her pass - not a thank you or excuse me - nothing. Little did I know that she did exactly the same to my sister who was returning to the toilet - no way do I think stewards/stewardesses should be treated as royalty - why do we have to step aside and let them pass - my sister was met with the same blank look and no comment for being allowed to pass. They were awful.

I know Sir Richard Branson is proud of his airline, well he wouldn't have been on this particular flight! I was given a questionnaire to fill in which I did openly and honestly - I doubt that reached Sir Richard, they probably put it straight in the bin.

The Virgin webside advertises Premium Economy as having fine dining - wrong, served on china dinner ware - wrong - the food was just the same as economy, heated up in plastic trays with the foil on top.

Massig1 flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-600 (28/11/2009 17:33)

Terrible service, uncomfortable seat, poor food ... Virgin seems to me is all marketing and not much substance.

Jaysdave flew Virgin Atlantic Economy (14/10/2009 05:56)

Below is a letter I wrote to Virgin after one of the worst flights I have ever been on......their rather unsatisfactory response is copied below the letter:

Dear Sir/Madam, It is with considerable sadness that I have to write this letter of complaint to you about our recent flight with you, (JFK - LHR , 15th August 2009, VS046, seat numbers 58A & 58B). I will itemise the points below as to why we are so unhappy, but I say it is with sadness that I write as we feel that Virgin Atlantic rightly sets its' own high standards, thereby compounding the disappointment that they were not only not met, but fell far short of those set by other airlines. In the last 12 months, we have flown by Jet Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways & Air New Zealand, and not had a comparable experience with any of those operators. In-Flight Entertainment This didn't work in our seats, or I believe in 10 other seats for the entire flight. tThe flight attendants were aware of this, and to their credit did 'say' they were making efforts to fix the problem.....however it was not until at least 2 hours into the flight did a senior stewardess come to our seats, and when she did, it was to tell us that the problem should be fixed within 10 minutes. I and my girlfriend fell asleep within 30 minutes of her telling us this, (in which time, we were told nothing and needless to say, the system was still not working). At the end of the flight, we were given a voucher for 4,000 miles or £20 off a virgin holiday along with an apology. Were that the only incident, we could accept that occassionally these things happen, although I am unsure why checks aren't made on the systems while the plane is being prepared. As a result though of the overall level of service we received through the flight, I have to question the veracity of the crews efforts to fix the problem, and the sincerity of what we were told. In-Flight Service This aspect of our flight was the most disappointing. At no time in the run up to dinner being served were we offered a drink or a bag of nuts, and when dinner was served, we were not offered a drink until dinner was completed. When we were offered a drink, I asked for a bloody mary which was given to me as a vodka & tomato juice with a dash of worcester sauce. I asked for some tabasco, which I was told they didn't have. I asked for some salt and pepper, to which I was told that I had been given some with my cutlery and that there was no more available. How foolish of me not to have pre-empted this situation and saved some for my drink, rather than use it on my chicken & pasta dinner. (On which point, I would add that it was, apart from my LHR - JFK flight, the worst bit of airline food I or my girlfriend have eaten. It actually takes more talent to make a piece of chicken taste that bad than it does to make it taste delicious). Back though to the salt & pepper. As I say, this seemed a request too far for the stewardess making my drink, (incidentally, I believe her name was Caroline). In the disappointment of no tabasco sauce, or salt and pepper, I forgot to ask for a slice of lemon....but at the same time, she didn't ask whether I would like one which even the most amateur of staff would have done in a fourth rate hotel. As I said earlier it was while our trays were being collected that a senior crew member informed us that our entertainment systems would be working within ten minutes. This is important to bear in mind as I had been waiting for the Duty Free trolley to be brought around which we had been told at the beginning of the flight would happen after the dinner service. I was therefore very much awake for a full half hour after our trays had been collected hoping to a) watch a film, or listen to some music and b) buy some cigarettes. In the boredom, I did eventually fall asleep. When we were awoken with the breakfast offer of a muffin, I asked the stewardess whether I could buy some Duty Free goods. I was told that the time to buy Duty Free had come and gone, and (once again, Caroline) said that she had come round after dinner herself, offered Duty Free products and now all the products had been sealed in their containers and it was impossible for me to buy anything. I do not doubt that she did come around, but her assertion that she did so immediately after dinner was patently untrue as I had most definitely been awake for 30 minutes with cash in hand. My girlfriend, by this time extremely angry about our whole experience asked for a complaint form, at which point a stewardess, (not Caroline, although she was the one closer to the galley area) went to speak to a colleague who came back to us and said that rather amazingly Duty Free was still available though they may have sold out of some products. As it was, I managed to get some cigarettes, (but no complaint form). I earlier said that I question the sincerity of your crew simply because I was told that Duty Free was offered immediately after dinner, (not true) and that after the Duty Free service had finished, all products were stored in their container, and the container was sealed immediately thereafter. Having threatened to complain, I managed to get some Duty Free at least two hours after the service had apparently happened, and therefore at least 90 minutes after the containers had been sealed. It is, I hope you see, irrefutable that there is at least one mutually exclusive fact here, which unfortunately casts a shadow over all other assertions made. I hope you can understand our anger over the service you offered us. I have only flown Virgin once before many years ago to LAX and I was extremely impressed at the time, though my girlfriend has flown with you more often and she was the one who very much wanted to fly with you specifically because of your famous in-flight entertainment. Sadly, it seems time has taken its' toll on your standards. I completely understand that the current economic climate, increased airport taxes, fuel surcharges etc., have made the airline companies work extremely hard to maintain reasonable prices, and cut backs have had to be made. However, as I said earlier, we travel very often, mainly to India, Sri Lanka & Hong Kong and have in the past year used 4 or 5 different airlines, and none of those companies have left me feeling even the slightest bit angry. It is with eager anticipation that I wait to hear your reply. Their reply:

Thank you for taking the time to email us about your flight from New York.

I'm sorry to hear that your personal TVs weren't working on this flight. I can imagine how frustrating this must have been for both of you, especially as you were looking forward to enjoying it.

We know what an important part of the flying experience our in-flight entertainment can be. So, our engineers do a pre-flight maintenance check and complete any repairs required before departure. Unfortunately, sometimes there's very little time between the plane arriving from one flight and leaving on another. It's not always possible for problems to be located and repaired within the limited time available.

Also, if we have a problem like this, we do everything we can to fix it on the spot. But because our in-flight entertainment system is so state-of-the-art, we do sometimes have to call out a specialist engineer - which is fine whilst the aircraft is on the ground. However, once airborne our crew have to do their best with the resources they have.

I quite recognise your annoyance with the on-board drinks service. As you know, we offer everyone a drink at the beginning of our flights. Sadly, we can't always come around again after that because there's not always time. But passengers are welcome to go to the galley any time during the flight and ask for refreshments. Also, if you ask our crew for anything during the flight, they'll be happy to give it to you. I apologise if this wasn't your experience.

We realise the importance of having good food when flying, so we've hired the best caterers in business. It's therefore concerning to read your comments. It appears that something went wrong here. Obviously, this was distressing for you, and I apologise.

I do acknowledge your disappointment when you were informed that you couldn't buy anything from our duty free. While I'm glad that you were eventually able to buy the cigarettes you wanted from our duty free, I appreciate your annoyance with the information and lack of assistance you got from our crew. Their attitude must not have made you feel any better.

We train our staff to be warm, friendly, professional and give correct and clear information at all times. We're sticklers for making sure that we listen to all your needs as sensitively as we can. So, it does worry us to read your comments. It looks like our standards slipped, and we clearly fell short of both your expectations and ours on this occasion.

This certainly isn't the experience we want you to have. I've therefore let our in-flight services manager know what happened. Also, I've passed on your feedback to our catering team. They'll discuss this in their review, and do everything possible to ensure that we get things right next time.

From your email, I understand that our crew offered you vouchers as a gesture for the faulty entertainment system. Please fill in your details in these vouchers, and send it to us at the address mentioned on it. We'll action them accordingly as soon as possible.

Having experienced our services in the past, I quite appreciate your annoyance on this occasion - I promise you it's not something we make a habit of. I do hope you won't judge us on the basis of these incidents, and will give us a chance to win back your confidence. We look forward to welcoming both of you on one of our flights again soon.

Kind regards

Nancy Paul [Miss] Customer Relations Executive

gingermitten flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 3 (12/10/2009 12:59)

My experience with Virgin was fantastic. I am a nervous flyer and they were very understanding of this and continued to ask after my wellbeing the whole trip.

Our flight was eight hours and the on board drinks and food were very good indeed.

Nothing is to much trouble for the staff.

We also had entertainment on the seat in front and had so many things to watch and games to play that we were busy for the whole flight.

I would receomment Virgin to all ages as there service is second to none.

sarahpedder88 flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 2 (22/08/2009 09:50)

From LGW-MCO (Orlando) Easter 2009. Excellent service throughout, very good food. Kids loved the in-flight entertainment, current box office films on offer. 8.5hr flight seemed like 3hrs. Great service Well done Virgin.

peoplesonrules flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-300 (12/08/2009 23:54)

the only time we fly virgin we get the odyssey IFE and the old style seats, still could be worse. The meal was pretty good for economy and even though we got the odyssey IFE it was still leaps and bounds better than United's economy IFE. However the legroom came as a bit of a shock as we'd just flown united's eco. plus. Overall though, a decent flight.

inthelounge flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a B747-400 LHR Config (23/06/2009 22:00)

Generally excellent, even after all this time, though after flying some other business/first classes which are more recent you notice things like the small IFE screen and the fact you need an adaptor for the in-seat power.

The film choice is good, but not quite as top of the range as it used to be. The staff are still remarkable, it must be hard to make us all feel like we are pop or film stars when we're just overwieght business travellers. but they manage it on most trips.

During a day flight I'd pick cabin 2 close to the bar, on night flights cabin 1 or upstairs. Avoid 24 and 25 unless you enjoy listening to people explain to the barman how cool they are.

jimmcgreg flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a B747-400 LHR Config (21/04/2009 21:59)

Arrival at the airport, there are special desks for Premium Economy which speeds the process. Once you arrive for departure, you're allowed to board early along with Upper Class passengers, but after "families with chldren". I hate to think what that means on a flight to Florida - probably that you're last on. As it was, we got on fairly early and stowed our baggage.

Seats are wide, leather (or maybe fake leather) and initially feel pretty roomy. That's until the passenger in front reclines their seat a millisecond after the seatbelt sign goes out. It then feels rather cramped, but the width still makes a difference.

I slept a little, using the adjustable headrest to lean against, but I can't say they were fantastic and nowhere near Business Class standard. Neither are the prices of course.

Service was friendly although they forgot to bring me my pack containing earplugs, socks and eye covers. In flight entertainment was wide, varied, on-demand and should have something for everyone. My screen was rather fuzzy, but it was big and still watchable.

Food for dinner (beef borgingon or chicken creole) was not too bad, but breakfast - an orange juice and a sponge cake -was poor. I wasn't drinking after the complimentary pre-flight champagne or juice, always a nice touch, but it seemed to me that drinks were rather slow on coming for other passengers.

Flying from JFK to London was fast with the aid of the jet stream, but we were an hour late taking off. This translated to half an hour late at London Heathrow Terminal Three, which is somehere near Birmingham. It took us half an hour to walk to baggage reclaim.

I've got to be honest here, I'm not sure I'd pay much extra for Premium Economy for a six hour flight as this was. It's okay, but I'd almost rather save the extra to try and get into Upper Class, especially if was a twelve hour slog.

We were upgraded into this on the outward flight, and I thought that maybe with Premium Economy this was a perk - a better chance of shuffling up the 'plane. But as I stowed my bag in Premium, a lucky young lady from Economy was being upgraded to Upper Class. "Awesome!", she said as she passed, and she was right.

jimmcgreg flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (21/04/2009 20:28)

Boarding: We turned up at the Virgin departure area at Heathrow for our afternoon flight to New York to find it pretty crowded. There was only one door available to board through on the A340-600, whereas when I've used Lufthansa from Munich there has been a separate skybridge for first and business class. There was priority boarding for Upper and Premium Economy, but this was also with "parents with children" and it seemed a bit of a free for all, to be honest, because as soon as we reached the check-in the standard boarding was also called.

Seat for Sitting: Okay, I guess I should admit this now, but we were upgraded from Premium Economy! Ya beauty! I was given seat 16 and my wife in 17 - she was right next to the washroom and bar - but neither of us were complaining.

The seats are laid out in a herring bone pattern meaning they are very private and excellent if you’ve fallen out with the wife and don’t want to speak to her for seven hours. Otherwise you have to stand up to chat, or sit perched on the edge of the footstool, which feels slightly awkward. In standard position, the seat feels slightly laid back and is facing away from the window, causing me to strain my neck ‘round at take-off, when I like to look out as we soar into the blue. But you’re not directly facing anyone and privacy is ensured. This means you can fiddle with the buttons to find the optimum seating position for yourself. It was very comfortable.

Seat for Sleeping I asked the stewardess to flip the seat into the bed position, and she kindly obliged, making it up with sheets too. She didn’t offer to “lie with me”, as a friend of mine swears happened to him on a flight to Japan with an Asian airline, but I was more than happy to sprawl out on it. It’s roomy, doesn’t feel claustrophobic at all, and does feel more like a mattress than a seat. I was asleep in minutes, despite feeling it was a bit of a shame not to stay awake and enjoy yet another glass of chilled white wine.

Service: I found service very friendly and not at all as formal as I sometimes feel on BA or Lufthansa. I took the champers before take-off and my first glass of wine arrived pretty quickly. The second was longer in coming, so I nipped to the bar area for that. Subsequently, the wine seemed to arrive every five minutes – or had they sussed me out? – until I felt I was verging on bad form, or an amateur flier, instead of the card carrying BMI Gold Card member that I am. (I wondered if my Gold Card had got me the upgrade, but I never asked. There is some sort of affiliation between Virgin and Star Alliance on rewards.) But I really enjoyed the relaxed and attentive service from start to finish.

In-flight Entertainment: It looked pretty comprehensive, but I couldn’t be bothered watching one of the many films on offer. I opted for a Horizon documentary, and spent it wondering who had selected this episode as it bored me rigid. Hence the need for bed. Screen was big, easy to see but I was disappointed that they didn’t have the nose camera that I’ve enjoyed watching on Emirates. The “interactive map” promised to be fun, but turned out to be not much more than the standard stuff you see everywhere else.

Food and Drink: Yes, really nice it was, whatever it was. I can’t remember now. Served on a white tablecloth, presentation was immaculate, and I ate everything on offer. The table itself, which folds out from the back of the neighbouring pod, was big and quite heavy to put in place. Best letting the staff do it for you.

Punctuality: Heathrow and JFK? It might have been punctual if there hadn’t been fifteen ‘planes in front of us for take-off (on the return, JFK managed to double this queue on the tarmac.) I don’t blame Virgin for this.

Baggage: No problems. The only good thing about American immigration is that by the time you’re through it, your bags have long arrived.

Summary: Overall, I thought it was superb. I’ve flown BA and Lufthansa Business long-haul a couple of times to compare against, and Virgin just edges it with the privacy and friendly service. I also have done First Class on South African to Cape Town in 2008, and Virgin was better than this service.

I was looking forward to using the wee bar at the rear of the Upper Class section, but it seemed to be used by the staff for stacking empty glasses and bottles most of the time, in ugly big orange crates. In the last two hours of the flight, they brought three passengers from cattle class to sit at the bar who, I think, had been feeling unwell. They were still there as the undercarriage dropped for landing and had to be prised out the seats. But I don’t blame them. Once you’re in Upper Class, you really do not want to leave. In fact, it was so good, I’d even be prepared to pay for it out of my own money, and that is saying something!

So thanks for the Upgrade Virgin, you’ve won a future customer.

tartanterror flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (25/02/2009 09:56)

I arrived at HK International Airport in plenty of time and since the Upper Class queue was empty I headed straight there with a colleague.

Check-in was a little convoluted due to some ticketing issues but they were resolved by a friendly enough check-in employee and we headed off to the lounge.

Although small, the lounge is one of the best in HKIA, with waitress service and some genuinely tasty snacks. There was no announcement but we headed off in good time and boarding was smooth.

Once on board, we were greeted (although not by name) and offered a welcome drink. I was in seat 16G, which is a middle seat at the very back of the UC cabin. The ottoman seat allowed me to have dinner with my colleague and plan our schedule for arrival.

Not feeling too tired, I spent half an hour at the bar chatting to fellow passengers and once we entered some turbulence and the bar service was halted I headed back to my seat. The flat bed worked a treat and I even slept through breakfast service, arriving in Australia refreshed and able to handle a series of meetings without the normal mid-day drop in energy levels.

The only caveat about the seat is that it is close to the bar and while flight attendants keep good order, I'm sure there must be occasions when it gets a little noisy.

frustratedflyer flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-300 (06/02/2009 07:49)

Was in 18C which had the advantage of extra legroom. IFE was not great and some channels did not work, food was average and service was not the best. I had to request a newspaper which you are supposed to get in PE and was the only person to get one. I sat with an empty glass at my seat from the first drinks service until just before we landed (about 9 hrs!). On a positive note the seat is better than BA's and the decent arm rest means that you do not nudge your next door neighbour. Row 18 does not have a built in foor rest and soft 'wedges' are available in the overhead locker to rest you feet on instead.

BAGoldcard flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a B747-400 LHR Config (03/01/2009 21:53)

The seat is great for sleeping, although it is annoying that there is a vent at the back of the seat that one is not allowed to cover, so there is less room than first appears.

It is not good for sitting in, as it does not recline very far - very poor.

Cabin crew quality is mixed; the food and wine generally poor and champagne generally runs out!

The bar is ok but is often used for serving the cabins and is not always relaxing.

The car service to and from the airport is excellent and the Clubhouses are pretty good.

Boarding is far from premium, especially at LHR T3.

The UD [Upper Deck] is probably good. I found the forward cabin on the main deck quite relaxing and the extra space is good.

High-Flyer flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-600 (14/10/2008 10:34)

I travelled with Virgin Atlantic to New York and was very impressed. The check in was quick and efficient, especially as I'd already checked in online. We boarded quite quickly and the cabin crew were very helpful throughout the flight. Virgin's onboard entertainment has always been the best, and on the basis of this flight, it still is. I could choose which films or TV programmes I watched and when I wanted. Given that I was in Economy, the seat was comfortable enough, I just wished that I'd paid to sit in an exit row seat as they have so much more space.

slinky09 flew Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy, on a A340-600 (02/10/2008 09:33)

Comfortable, spacious, good IFE to while away the time, PE on Virgin Atlantic is IMO a very good offering. Recent service improvements have added to this. Areas for improvement still include the breakfast service though, and on the 343 planes it doesn't seem as good as on the 346s or 747s. Overall, beats most of the competition in this class hands down.

slinky09 flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a A340-600 (02/10/2008 09:30)

Of all the business class long haul airlines I have tried, Virgin Atlantic still stands above the rest. Of course, it's not flawless, but the UCS and bed and all aisle layout is fantastic, the interiors especially of the 346 are great for working and relaxing - and the ability to relax at the bar a perfect antitode to a long flight and work.

goswrang flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a A340-600 (30/09/2008 11:55)

Virgin Atlantic // London - New York (June 2008) return. Virgin Atlantic promotes itself as an airline with award winning service. Unfortunately this is far from the truth.

Even seated at Economy you should expect not to have to "fight" your way onto the plane. I fully understand that Upper Class and Premium Economy are prioritized before economy, but when Virgin do not manage to get their Upper and Premium passengers in their own line it is bound to cause trouble. It all ends in chaos.

Finally onboard Virgin staff served good food and offered great entertainment on their video on demand system.

Landing in New York two hours delayed the airline managed to lose our luggage. Things like these sometimes happens, but at least you expect to be met with some sort of decent service. No help, no toiletries, no instant compensation. Just a number to Virgin Atlantic Baggage Service. A help desk you might as well not call. No help whatsoever. They never called back, and never did anything to help us. We started our holiday with no luggage at all. Today (September) Virgin Atlantic has still not called us back, or showed any sign to help us. We have called them about fifteen times.

On the way back the flight was over four hours delayed and they managed to lose our (newly bought) luggage once more. Virgin Atlantic did not manage to book us on a connecting flight, which in the end was done by very helpful British Airways staff.

So Virgin Atlantic did not impress much...

annievtaylor flew Virgin Atlantic Economy, on a B747-400 LGW/MAN Config 3 (30/09/2008 01:54)

I found seats in row 41 were awful, but further forward in rows 28 much better... basically the further back you are, the more bumpy the ride and the less chance you have of getting the meal you want as they run out.You also have the loos and the smell to deal with. In 28, you have a galley next to you, so no one on one side. I was in row 21 once with the bulkhead seats and that was great for legroom, but with only a curtain between you and PE, it was torture watching them eat and drink proper food and be treated a lot better...we also had to walk back miles for the loo. We are going PE next time.

Rumpole flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class (29/09/2008 18:46)

I've been flying Upper Class with Virgin intermittedly since they started out in business including the new Upper Class suite - 6 sectors in the last 8 months - and I have to say that the current configuration is my least favourite to date. As a former swimmer and rower I have reasonably (but not excessively) broad shoulders and sitting in the seat they touch both sides of the "suite". Those plastic walls are solid with no give. I stand 5' 10" and sitting down the suite walls come just above my eye line. With only a (sideways) direct line of sight out of the suite, being pinned in on both sides made me feel the most claustrophobic I've ever been on a plane. As a bed, the seat was more comfortable (I guess the seats are wider further out from the cabin wall) but if I have to take Virgin again I'll be "downgrading" myself to the very comfortable Premium Economy seats until the next Upper Class revamp. That will be a shame as the Clubhouse (in LHR) is great and the onboard service and IFE both very good. The on-ground Upper Class facilities in both Delhi and Mumbai are both way below what one expects from Virgin. Cramped, hot and with poor catering. The Mumbai lounge even had a collection of mosquitoes droning around untroubled by any attempt to spray them.

Diplomat flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, on a B747-400 LHR Config (29/09/2008 17:28)

Great lounge at LHR. Row 2/3 are best on the upper deck for getting some undistured sleep!