Reply to: Virgin Atlantic (economy)

[Fred Bloggs]

Just got back from Miami with the kids flying VA economy. Legroom is poor and the food service worse. My daugthers a veggie, she got her meal (well I think that's what it was) a good hour before anyone else, and sat there with the tray for a good 2.5 hours before it was cleared away. The only plus was the video on demand entertainment.

Typically Virgin then, in other words, if my experience is typical.

[Badger]

Just got back from Miami with the kids flying VA economy. Legroom is poor and the food service worse. My daugthers a veggie, she got her meal (well I think that's what it was) a good hour before anyone else, and sat there with the tray for a good 2.5 hours before it was cleared away. The only plus was the video on demand entertainment.

[TheFaQQer]

I normally use BMI for short-haul, and I've been known to use sleazyjet.

Depends on who's paying

I fly BMI each week from MAN to LHR, purely because their frequent flyer scheme is better than BA.

Not bad for a no frills airline - might get better when Lufthansa buy them this summer.

[Menelaus]

I tried to use BMI once - turned out it was a codeshare flight and I was on a Lufthansa plane!

I must admit though, BA is very very convenient for me - I can drive to Terminal 5 in no time.

Sweet. Unfortunately I need to fly BA quite a bit and I'm close to City Airport (e.g., about 20 minutes on my bike).

[MPwannadecentincome]

I normally use BMI for short-haul, and I've been known to use sleazyjet.

Depends on who's paying

I tried to use BMI once - turned out it was a codeshare flight and I was on a Lufthansa plane!

I must admit though, BA is very very convenient for me - I can drive to Terminal 5 in no time.

[d000hg]

Ive used Virgin loads of times to the US. The planes used for the Orlando route are the worst. Terrible inflight entertainment, grumpy crew and very stingy with the drinks.

The Miami, San Francisco, LA, JFK planes have the on-demand video screens and dish out the beers non-stop.

Is that a good thing? I'd rather have less beers if it means the idiots who want as much free booze as they can get are less of a pain.

[Menelaus]

If BA is tulip on short-haul - who is better and why?

surely not Ryanair?

I fly BA, Lufthansa and FlyBE short-haul - all much the same except a snack and drink is free on BA and Lufthansa.

Fares are not much different, depending on how far in advance you book.

I normally use BMI for short-haul, and I've been known to use sleazyjet.

Depends on who's paying

[Fred Bloggs]

Ive used Virgin loads of times to the US. The planes used for the Orlando route are the worst. Terrible inflight entertainment, grumpy crew and very stingy with the drinks.

The Miami, San Francisco, LA, JFK planes have the on-demand video screens and dish out the beers non-stop.

What really annoys me about Virgin (and I don't have this "officially" from them) is that they seem to have pinched a couple of inches off the legroom of all the standard economy rows in order to give premium economy more legroom. There didn't used to be a premium economy at all. All economy had the same "just about OK" seat pitch. So, it seems to me that they have retained the same number of seats (sensible for a business to do this) but those who can't afford the premium fare are squashed in much worse then they used to be (bad for punters). Myself, I am only 5' 10" tall but I now struggle to fit into the economy seat pitch and when I'm in there, I struggle even more to get out again. Very poor indeed IMO and I will never fly Virgin economy again as a result.

[stuart_75]

Possibly, the flights to Orlando are different then?

Ive used Virgin loads of times to the US. The planes used for the Orlando route are the worst. Terrible inflight entertainment, grumpy crew and very stingy with the drinks.

The Miami, San Francisco, LA, JFK planes have the on-demand video screens and dish out the beers non-stop.

[Fred Bloggs]

I have to say that for overall comfort and value for money I think Malaysian are hard to beat. Try them if they do a route that you want. They knock spots off Cathay, Virgin, BA, KLM and all the usual sh**te airways etc...

[scooterscot]

Not flown economy for some time now. If I cannot stump the cost for business then I cannot afford the trip and I refuse to by shoe-box.

Saying that I think our last 10 or so international flights have all been business and it's all because of one evil upgrade on emirates.

[MPwannadecentincome]

For short-haul stuff my opinion hasn't changed - BA = tulip.

For long-haul, however, BA are difficult to beat.

If BA is tulip on short-haul - who is better and why?

surely not Ryanair?

I fly BA, Lufthansa and FlyBE short-haul - all much the same except a snack and drink is free on BA and Lufthansa.

Fares are not much different, depending on how far in advance you book.

[Menelaus]

I took a Virgin flight (A340) to Hong Kong last year in Premium Economy.

'twas alright; not particularly special and three weeks later got to fly back with the joy that is BA.

For short-haul stuff my opinion hasn't changed - BA = tulip.

For long-haul, however, BA are difficult to beat.

In the last 12 months I've flown long haul with the following cattle truckers, sorry, airlines either in economy or premium economy, normally to and from China via - wherever:

BA - ***** (most professional and most comfortable)
Qantas - **** (fittest cabin crew)
Air New Zealand - **** (close second to Qantas)
Cathay - ***0.5 (tuliptest business class seats, even when upgraded)
Virgin - ***
Thai - ***
Gulf Air - **
Korean - **
United - ** (going on to US from China)
Saudi - * (seven hours on a plane and no gin? Sod that).
Air France - no stars = absolute tulipe, from start to finish.

HTH

[Lockhouse]

For the last 3 years we've used Virgin to get to Miami. Normally we've gone cattle class but this year we went Premium Economy. The real reason for going Premium economy is the fact that you are a lot less likely to be sitting next to a chavvy family or a screaming brat. If you must go steerage you can always pay £50 for extra legroom if you check in early enough. Next year we've booked with BA Premium Economy as we got a better deal. No issues with the condition of the plane but the entertainment screen definition is poor.

[Fishface]

I went to Hong Kong - first time on Virgin - economy. - it was awful.



The seat was sardines and I was where the plane tapers at the back and NO telly on the back of the seat in front...had to watch the neighbors.

the plane rattled with turbulence.