Virgin Atlantic

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

l5foye

Active Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2003
Messages
926
Location
N.Ireland
Car
ML 300CDI
I recently flew with Virgin Atlantic (Airbus Industrie A340-600) from Heathrow to Hong Kong and back. To say it was the most uncomfortable trip I have ever had is an understatement. It was the first and last time I will use Virgin. I am of average height and size and my knees were touching the seat in front. I ended up with sore knees and hips. I have to make the same trip later this year and I wonder can anyone recommend a more comfortable airline . Budget restraints require me to fly economy class. While in China, I took a number of flights using Chinese domestic airlines and in each case there was greater leg room.
 
Emirates every time for me.

Still an Airbus but it will be the A380. :)
 
definitely A380

trouble with Emirates is you have to stop in the Middle East (and sometimes change plane) ..
 
Singapore airlines with the a380. Flown with them on numerous occasions and never had a bad flight.
 
daveenty said:
Emirates every time for me. Still an Airbus but it will be the A380. :)

+1 for an A380, I flew to Malaysia on one, not Emirates but Malaysian Airlines, loads of space and comfortable seating too.

The only issue was the loading of it, it took almost an hour to get the 600 or so people onto it.
 
British Airways, never had a problem. I'm 6'1" Check in online as soon as it opens a get yourself a good seat. ;)
 
Had the misfortune to fly Johannesburg to Heathrow on Virgin after BA cancelled and offered me a transfer. Should have just waited the 12 hours.
 
whitenemesis said:
British Airways, never had a problem. I'm 6'1" Check in online as soon as it opens a get yourself a good seat. ;)

I'm a BA convert flown their new A380 and 787 dream liners awesome planes and interior equally as good as Emirates and currently cheaper will be on a 787 Canada bound at the weekend

I had the same experience on Virgin on the same route I only made that mistake once
 
This website may help you make a decision.

Seat Pitch Guide for Airlines in Asia | SKYTRAX

As well as IFE, cabin service and food quality, the most important thing for me is seat pitch. Anything 32" or under won't get my money if there are alternatives.

For LHR to Hong Kong, I'd use Eva Air and get the premium economy seats that have a 38" seat pitch. Almost Business class seating.
OK you go via Taipei, but comfort on a 12hr + flight is paramount for me now.
 
definitely A380

trouble with Emirates is you have to stop in the Middle East (and sometimes change plane) ..

But DXB is the best airport in the world - perfect for 2 hours of shopping.
 
I flew to Hong kong and back with BA just 2 weeks ago... Service was outstanding and we were pretty comfortable in economy!
 
But DXB is the best airport in the world - perfect for 2 hours of shopping.

DXB is an OK airport. It's not the best.

Despite the recent expansion it can still get pretty congested with people - and last few times I've been through it's been a bit short on toilet capacity in the main terminal. Wi-fi can be a bit hit and miss.

And I'm not sure how any airport can be classed as 'perfect' for shopping.
 
DXB is an OK airport. It's not the best.

Despite the recent expansion it can still get pretty congested with people - and last few times I've been through it's been a bit short on toilet capacity in the main terminal. Wi-fi can be a bit hit and miss.

And I'm not sure how any airport can be classed as 'perfect' for shopping.

As above, Dubai is OK, but when it's busy nowhere to sit and toilets less than fresh:crazy:

Singapore will be hard pressed to be beaten as a great airport, simply by it's layout. The duty free shopping isn't shabby either.
 
I always choose Virgin if possible, but I only fly Premium or Upper depending where we're going and how many air miles I have. This is mainly as they cater so well for my wife who is a wheelchair user.

BA is the worst experience I have ever had. Despite booking assistance and accessible bulkhead seats well in advance my wife was made to "walk" to row 19 on the aircraft and given a window seat. I basically had to carry her there and lift her in and out of the seat. No assistance or on board wheelchair was available or offered. When we reached destination we were left to our own devices to get off whilst the cleaners waited to get on the plane.

We took this up with BA who basically ignored the complaint and mugged us off with standard pat reports. I took this up with the CAA who told us BA had not breached any regulations treating a wheelchair user in this manner. It became clear we were being stonewalled and I lost the will to take it any further.

We will never use BA again under any circumstances.
 
Red C220:
I had a similar experience returning from San Francisco to LHR on BA. I had become temporarily disabled (back problems) in California (solitary traveller) and requested a wheelchair on arrival in UK. I waited till everyone disembarked as I could barely walk. Guess what...no wheelchair. no attendant, cabin crew had left. I managed to drag myself up the exit ramp and onto the big hall; by the time I got through my booked taxi had given up on me and left. Finally got another back to Portsmouth. What a nightmare.
 
Red C220:
I had a similar experience returning from San Francisco to LHR on BA. I had become temporarily disabled (back problems) in California (solitary traveller) and requested a wheelchair on arrival in UK. I waited till everyone disembarked as I could barely walk. Guess what...no wheelchair. no attendant, cabin crew had left. I managed to drag myself up the exit ramp and onto the big hall; by the time I got through my booked taxi had given up on me and left. Finally got another back to Portsmouth. What a nightmare.

Would totally agree and my wife who had suffered knee problems over the last 2 years experienced exactly that. LHR (T5), is particularly bad (any airline), if you need assistance, in fact we would say pathetic. Its the airports fault, but am surprised the airlines haven't picked up on it. The assistance in the USA air ports have been exemplarily, and we always gladly give a generous tip to the wheel chair handlers, (not so in T5). In fact Spain has far better assistance support than UK. Its marginally better at Gatwick but it still seems to be a problematic task for UK airports which they seem to approach with sufferance.
Thankfully wife's knee problems are now over after having both replaced under NHS and experience under the NHS was excellent, can now walk miles .
 
IME, no one airline stands out on all occasions.

Last October we flew to New York on Virgin Upper Class (upgraded using air miles). Check-in was slower than adjacent economy passengers, poor directions to supposedly the best lounge in the world after fast track security, and once in the OK lounge I wasn't allowed to "donate" my spa treatment to my wife). We had the best seats on the 747-400 right in the nose: comfortable, close enough to chat and undisturbed. My pregnant wife was sick as we approached NY but we couldn't get cabin crew's attention for extra sick bags. Even on landing they were more interested in handing out coats to other passengers than my wife's dilemma. Return leg on A340-600 was OK apart from long queue for "fast track" at JFK.

Last month we flew to Barbados with Virgin, this time economy on the way out and Premium on the way back. The pitch for our seats on the A330-300 felt like more than the quoted 31", no problem for my 6' frame (no doubt helped by those in front not reclining their seats). The 38" in premium on the return were much better though. But it was hard work getting them! It took a total of 10 hours sitting at my PC and/or on the phone to pay for an upgrade from Economy. Computer problems their end apparently, but they didn't even apologise let alone offer some sort of compensation. I did mention this when checking-in at both ends, but again barely any recognition and only offered upgrades if I paid the full rate!

As far as special assistance goes, the best has been Korean Airways. Flew via Seoul (Incheon - IMO the most comfortable airport in the world) with the ancient outlaws. It was too far to walk for them at the airport so when we arrived I asked for assistance. A motorised buggy arrived almost instantly. But best of all, without asking them they arranged for wheelchairs when we arrived at LHR. Amazing service and I now know the fast way to bypass the long non-EU passport control queues. :)

I've found that comfort and service varies between individual flights, no matter what the airline. I've had great experiences on Aeroflot and rubbish with Singapore Airlines, and vice versa. Best of all though was a free upgrade to First Class with Gulf Air on a flight to Bangkok: impeccable service on the ground and in the air.
 
^ I agree with this I take over 50 long haul flights a year with most of the worlds flag carriers and there's good and bad examples on all of them

The ones that stand out for me

Singapore
Air Canada
BA
South African

The bad ones I wont fly

Turkish
Virgin
KLM
Air france


Have to say I'm a BA convert I've avoided them at all costs until last year when they plummeted their prices and I was forced to fly them, I must admit it was a welcome surprise to see how they had upped their game and as a result I've been a repeat customer, they dont get it right everytime but its better than most
 
I've found that comfort and service varies between individual flights, no matter what the airline.

I think that does rather sum things up.

Aircraft fit and refurbishment and crew attitudes can vary a lot within the same airline.

I also think airlines go in phases. They try hard - improve their rep then the good rep makes them complacent (marketing and customer service) and then they decline for a bit and the cycle repeats.

Airports come and go a bit as well.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom