howellsy42

me and the wife have just booked to go usa next year and are going with virgin in the upper class woundered what poeples views where on it when they went with them ?

Snazy

We were thinking of doing the same for next years Florida trip, but at the mo cant be arsed, I usually sleep, and arrive feeling well, so no point in over doing it. Will see how the cash is nearer the time.

Allan

iTrader: (1)

Not so sure about Virgin at all at the moment. Have just flown with them to the USA, had a broken telly on the way out and a broken chair on the way back. On top of that we had a 4-hour delay due to the original plane breaking down. We have normally had nothing but excellent service in the past.

Some of the fleet is starting to show it's age, a sign of the tough times I guess.

This was cattle class BTW not upper.

Turbo2

I think my wife used to go on that from LHR every now and again for work. She used to get picked up by a car from our flat in Southend and driven straight to the departure lounge: you just wind down the window of the car and flash your passport and enter a world of unbridled decadence beyond. endless booze, food, massage, dancing girls, ***' milk baths, you name it...

On board, more of the same: well the booze, food and massage bit anyway. You'll love it.

The real businessmen just hanker straight down to sleep though. Seems a bit of a waste to me after spending all that money.

One funny anecdote on this: the last time she flew on this service, she was heavily pregnant (no free booze, bah! ). When the car (Volvo V70) came to collect her from our flat, the driver apologised that he couldn't lift her suitcase into the car because he'd hurt his back, so she had to do it herself!

boxst

Virgin Upper Class is great. Although I haven't flown it for quite a while as when I travel it is usually with British Airways (and sadly in Economy as well most of the time).

You really don't ever wont to take a long haul flight again in anything apart from Business Class (Upper Class). Unfortunately that doesn't match most companies budgets these days..

Steve

wagrain

After long haul to Japan where all I could get at the time was economy, I vowed never to fly economy long haul again.

So when we were due to fly with Virgin to the States I made sue we booked the upper class/club class or whatever it was called ( The top class of the filght anyway so we were at the front bit of the Jumbo).
What a difference it makes to your long haul flight, 'spesh if you want to recline your seat into a bed and have a good sleep on the way home (as I did). Couldn't have asked for more from the stewardesses, they were great.

Oh, I nearly forgot, you get loads more luggage allowance as well, think it was something like 50kg per person, but we didn't need it all.
I suppose if you were considering bringing home loads of stuff from the States, then the extra allowance would be handy, and work out cheaper in the long run than paying for excess baggage!

jods

It's awesome

I met Naseem Hamed on one VA Upper flight - top bloke.
Martina Navratilova on another - moody mare.

Nice being able to sit at the bar and chat, one complaint though - they ran out of olives!!!

Snazy

lol @ the olives.

Im tempted to see if an upgrade is available now. Might see about the home leg of the journey if I cant do both lol. Always bring more back than I left with, and sleeping helps with the jetlag lol

FlightMan

Better from LHR ( I would say that ) than from LGW.

The T3 clubhouse is excellent and the IFE systems on the LHR aircraft are superior. True VOD.

So, if its an LHR flight, yes, if LGW go PE.

jods

Hey Snaz - you got your accommodation booked yet?

Jaybird-UK

I'll second the clubhouse at LHR, love it

Upper on a 747 is turn left only although on the Airbus some upper is to the right meaning the peasants have to walk past

If you want to see what you'll be getting here is one passengers photo blog of flying on VA Upper

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class: VS045 B744 (+Pics) — Trip Reports Forum | Airliners.net

howellsy42

thats quite a good write up im looking forward to my 9 hour flight now !!

boxst

As you should be. To be honest for 'pleasure trips' it is really difficult to justify the quadruple price unless you are very rich.

Steve

LeeMac

iTrader: (1)

i went with an upper class virgin once
only difference is they say oh ya instead of oh yeah

Ooh, you meant........

Snazy

Yup, book the same house every year, as soon as I get back lol.
Sad but nice to know the place you are going to, almost like a holiday home of your own

S3TH

iTrader: (2)

LOL take your missus and you wont get change from 10k!

Whats the difference between normal and premium economy?

jods

Has the place you go to got a website ?? I would like to see it to see how ours compares

If you don't feel comfortable sharing the web address I'll understand completely.

jods

Economy = Aldi's
Premium Economy = Waitrose
Upper Class = Fortnum and Mason

Freak

Virgin UC is ok... T3 clubhouse is stunning, but the crew can be a bit sh!te, the seat is flawed in some design aspects and there are some other niggly things that bug me about it.
Not to say it is bad- I just prefer the BA club world cabin (the new one- or first as a treat sometimes) and service....each to their own I guess. They are very different services & airlines.

Enjoy it- as you will never want to fly in the back again (and probably wont)

boxst

Bigger TV, Bigger seats, pyjamas, proper lie flat bed, better food. I got upgraded to First a while ago.

I think that BA's Club World is superb and First adds some more, but not enough to justify the difference (in my opinion of course).

Steve

Coffin Dodger

Many years ago now and pre the lie flat seats got upgraded from Prem. Economy to First on a LHR to JFK filght.

Very nice, especially as they kept my wine glass full despite my best attempts to empty it for the duration of the flight

Freak

Agreed- F is nice as a treat, or if upgraded with miles (amazing value) or if given an op-up, but it is not as vast a gap as it is from club to premium economy, so the difference isnt as huge and I would never spend the extra, unless it was in a sale or something.
FWIW- I treated my brother to a trip to california not long ago in First class out & club world back- it was his first trip in a premium cabin, and he said he preferred club to F.

spectrum48k

Yes, as someone mentioned its better to fly Virgin UC from Heathrow than Gatwick.

All the old fleet is parked at Gatwick eg. some rather ancient 747's

RRH

I usually fly upper on Virgin to Sydney, but if I'm not on my own I use premium economy.

Upper can be a bit isolated, but is nice long haul if you're on your own; prem economy is great and not that expensive if you book early (Sydney's usually about £1200 prem, £2600 upper).

howellsy42

no where near that price tbh for the two of us the flights are about £4k there and back the only dowm side is flyinh from mancester as the london ones had a massive price tag !!

what would scooby do

answer = tight?

Daryl

Agreed, mainly because the Clubhouse is much better at LHR, although the one at LGW isn't bad.

The 747s aren't that old; five were from a cancelled Alitalia order and are only 7 years old. The others (three of them, I think) were delivered in '97 and '98.

They all have crap IFE systems though, Nova and Odyssey, which aren't a patch on the V:Port system.

I've travelled UC a few times and it is very nice; make sure you use the limo service. In the lounge you can have a nice meal, a few drinks, haircut, massage, shower, sauna, whatever takes your fancy, so get there nice and early!

The wife travels UC quite a lot with work and hates slumming it in PE, but I'm more than happy with it considering the price difference.

We're off to Miami on Saturday using Flying Club miles, so make sure you join if you haven't already, there are some decent benefits.