Virgin Atlantic Airways Passenger Reviews and Customer Trip Reports

We flew to Orlando in July. When booking Virgin Atlantic we informed them that my wife had a severe nut allergy. We then informed them on check-in and as we boarded. We had no nut free meals and my 6 year old daughter didn't have a meal either. We were also told that we could not sit together despite me informing the customer services manager that my wife may need emergency medical help. The response from the service manager was "oh well, we will deal with it if it happens" followed by a sarcastic and unprofessional smirk. The cabin manager assured us that it was all sorted for the return flight and there would not be a problem. We then got on the flight home after informing staff as we always do about my wife's allergy only to find we had no meals again. After long discussions and complaining to the service manager on board we were told that it wasn't their fault and they were really sorry. Staff were both unprofessional and rude. We will never fly Virgin Atlantic again.

We flew premium economy from Sydney to Heathrow at beginning of July - we have flown this class with Air New Zealand previously so had something to compare with. There is no comparison with the friendly and attentive service of Air NZ! While seating and inflight entertainment were satisfactory, the service was poor. The international staff were disinterested to say the least, offers of drinks was non existent apart from with a meal, service of meal was poor, just no interaction. This was not good value for money and I would not fly Virgin Atlantic again.

I have traveled many times to London on Virgin-Atlantic. After recommending this, I was disappointed at the service we received. The seats are too close together. My husband and I had both had shoulder surgery this year and it was so difficult getting in and out of our seats. One of the friends did not get food on the outgoing flight. First selection not available, nor the second. Only curry left. When he asked for something else he was told abruptly there was nothing else! This was the 5.30 flight out of LAX and it seemed the crew was intent on getting everyone ready to sleep. I have always admired the appearance of the crew and their pleasant attitude. What has happened? Return flight 11.30, July 1st was better organized but the seats just the same. So much emphasis is put on selling upgrades. There was a bar in between the seats in front of us which didn't allow our luggage to be stowed away properly. The moment I sat down the people in front of us pushed their seats back and they pretty much stayed that way for the duration of the flight. The seat in front of me was at such an angle it was almost impossible to see the screen except if I sat very low in my seat which was very uncomfortable. I have read some of the other complaints and it appears they are ignored.

My wife and I have just returned from Barbados - 31 July 2012. On the return flight breakfast was a blueberry muffin and a very sweet yoghurt, as a diabetic I found this most unacceptable as did many other passengers. On the outward journey a cold, near frozen cheese/onion sandwich with no choice despite being offered a menu.

London Gatwick to Grantley Adams September 2011. Flight comfortable with a great choice of entertainment. The new screens filled the width of the seats with on hand instant start movies. The food menu choice of three was very tasty. The aircraft was clean and tidy with helpful staff. Unfortunately due to technical problems the same cannot be said for the return journey. The aircraft was an hour late and did not have the same on board entertainment system. Old reboot entertainment system stalling. The staff were very helpful and friendly. Best chicken curry meal even for an airline. Excellent rating for outbound flight Entertainment.

Heathrow to Dubai. Clean cabin, seats comfortable, great entertainment system, inflight service friendly, food good and several drink runs on both flights. Could have asked for better service.

Flew from London Heathrow to Hong Kong. The economy class seats are extremely cramped in terms of both width and seat pitch, which made sleeping difficult on this 12 hour night flight. The inflight entertainment system seemed difficult to use and the buttons on the remote were temperamental. Considering Virgin's slick advertising campaigns in the British press, I was expecting better and it was disappointing to receive this level of service.

Hong Kong - Sydney. Not by choice, I had to take this code share Air NZ Flight. The seat was cramped, the staff rushed and hardly wanting to help, food served was budget and the breakfast minimal. The entertainment system worn and kept failing. It was more akin to Ryanair and even Easyjet offer better services. The fact you have to pay for extra snacks on board only cheapens the experience and I was glad to be boarding an Air NZ flight from Sydney.

When checking in online all seats allocated, despite being a family booking, all seats were around the aircraft. None of us were sitting together. We rang Virgin on 2 occasions 24 hours before and were told to sort it at check in at Gatwick. On arrival problem could only be resolved with 3 sitting together. 4th person 5 rows away. Bad start to holiday. Expensive flights with poor seating arrangements.

Sydney To Hong-Kong on A340-600. Plane was quite clean and the seats were not as bad as some have described, in fact rather comfortable! Food was fair, maybe not the best I've had on a flight but it was acceptable. Cabin crew were friendly, attentive and entertaining and the inflight entertainment was good. Return flight was just as good and you get what you pay for.

Roundtrip from Vegas to Gatwick. Tickets were expensive (around $1400 for this time) but I found really cheap ones for around $800 - so value for the trip definitely contributes to the overall satisfaction. Had I paid $1400 per ticket I would not be quite so kind. We have an infant and two older kids so we requested a bulkhead row ahead of time so we could use their skycot. Of course we weren't told that the weight limit for the skycot was 19 lbs (our baby was 20). She refused to give us the skycot. Had we known this we would have paid for the extra seat. The rest of the trip was okay. The planes currently servicing the Vegas-Gatwick routes are older 747s. They do the job, nothing fancy. The one good thing was the recline on the seat - it reclines more than any other economy seat I'd ever been on. Food was poor for an international flight - totally bland. Inflight entertainment was decent for an old plane, up to date movie choices so can't complain. We chose this airline for the value and the very convenient direct flight route from Vegas to London. Would probably repeat due to this.

Was expecting more from Virgin as the London-Vancouver is a new service for them. Was sadly disappointed. On the flight to Canada, it took cabin crew the first hour to serve a drink (I was in the rear of the aircraft) and by the time dinner was served, two of the three entree choices were no longer available. You might say this serves me right for refusing to pay an additional 30 pounds for seat selection but service should be consistent throughout. The aircraft was dated and the inflight entertainment system failed on two occasions for the duration of the flight. The return flight was slightly better (two of the three entree choices were available) and the service was faster. Perhaps it's just hit and miss with Virgin.

I have been travelling with them since 1996 and the days when they were a cool brand are a distant memory. I travelled Upper Class from LHR to SFO. I prefer to sit on the upper deck on the 747 so imagine my surprise when you find half the top deck is given over to Economy, now that is an odd configuration indeed. There were two crew to cover the Upper Class customers and those in Economy. The food was truly terrible but this was never a Virgin trump card. The seating config is awful, herringbone style, you cannot look out of the windows, you cannot see your companion unless you push up and look over the divider. Wine list was not bad. Crew were all really friendly.

LGW-LAS Return. We flew Economy class to Las Vegas on 747-400. Although the cabin will undoubtedly benefit from the expected refurb, the area we sat in was clean and tidy. Our exit row seats were quite snug, to be expected with non-moveable arm rests, but the extra legroom for my 6 ft + partner outweighed this. Food was edible and drinks readily available from a friendly, helpful crew. Flight was half full and flight time reduced by nearly an hour. Return flight - same seats, flight was slightly busier but we received the same great service, including champagne and extra snacks. Staff service on both flights was fantastic. The only real downside was breakfast on the return flight - a cereal bar and sugary muffin top don't make a good breakfast in my eyes, but it's a small point.

Las Vegas to Manchester on July 15th. The new terminal 3 at Las Vegas was spacious and hassle free. Boarding was conducted by row number with Upper class, premium economy then starting with the rearmost economy rows. The cabin of 747-400 'English Rose' is definitely due its upcoming makeover but no worse than any American Airlines or United cabin one might encounter. There was a brief announcement in reference to alcohol consumption and drinking in moderation but that was it. The flight left on time and dinner was served within an hour. The inflight entertainment was basically 15 channels on a loop and definitely the weak link in the overall experience. A snack box breakfast was served an hour before landing and the crew were accommodating when asked for extra drinks. To top it off there were many open seats and we got 8 seats between the 4 of us. Total flight time was 8 hrs 57 minutes with an early arrival into Manchester.

London-Dubai, Upper Class. The seating plan is great for single travellers or when you want to sleep, but if your flying with a partner it's either a cricked neck or no communication. The seat is not the most comfortable but it does convert to a good flat bed for sleeping. Wine and food good but nothing special, the new Champagne glasses are awkward to hold and drink from. The product overall is ok, but not in the same league as Emirates A380 business class though.

I have always enjoyed flying with Virgin and cannot believe some of the reviews here - or maybe I have just been lucky. I have just returned from London Heathrow-Tokyo return with them and my only observation is that there should be more check in facilities at Narita airport Tokyo. Both flights were fine with very friendly flight crew who looked after us very well with a professional approach. Some people who complain on here should try flying with some of the more unconventional airlines and then they would realise how good Virgin are.

Having booked Upper Class flights some months ago, it was only after making payment that we were advised online that it was not possible to reserve seats. Assuming this was a temporary problem we were not duly concerned. However, it appears the problem is far more significant. Latest advice from VA is that they don't know when it will be fixed but "you can check in and select your seats 24 hrs before scheduled departure". So much for early booking! If pre-booking better seats is important to you - don't fly Virgin Atlantic - Select another airline with a more accomodating approach to customer care.

Flew Heathrow to Boston on June 22 following a connecting BA flight from Vienna. Boarding delayed for unexplained reason and somewhat chaotic in a very full cabin. Once airborne, however, the service could not have been better. Flight attendants were all obviously well-trained and went out of their way to please passengers. The bar seemed superfluous. As usual, the cuisine offered was somewhat humdrum but most passengers seem to have had their fill in the London Clubhouse. Excellent choice of wines. All in all, a much nicer experience than one might have expected after reading other reviews. I look forward to flying the same route again in September.

Hong Kong - London, Upper Class. Just a joyless experience. Staff are now inhuman automatons with no sense of service whatsoever. Lectured by awful cabin service boss over PA about all the things we can't do. Went on for ever, everything blamed on health and safety. Completely farcical attempt to basically get the passengers to sit down shut up and not interrupt staff from their own self-importance. Years ago, Virgin set the standard, now they are a straightforward avoid.

We travelled to Las Vegas from Manchester. In Upper Class! I have never been so disappointed in a journey in all my travels. The cabins are shabby, the inflight entertainment is a joke.

Recently flew Orlando-London and London-Los Angeles. First flight was on the recently refurbished B747's. Seats are comfortable and the new entertainment system was the best I have seen. The food was of a much better standard than previous flights I had experienced with Virgin Atlantic. Flight from London-Los Angeles two weeks later was on an A340 - I have always enjoyed flying on these aircraft previously - however the leg room is tight and the PA's informing us of upgrades available into the purple seats for more room made the experience feel cheap. Entertainment system was good however the V-Port system is starting to show it's age with screen quality compared to their new Vera system. The airbus was starting to show it's age and felt like it need a good deep clean. Overall enjoyed both flights and felt like Virgin is starting to lift it's standards.

Travelling from Montego Bay to London Gatwick, we had checked in online, and got economy seats in the Upper Deck. When we arrived at the airport, we found airline staff had changed our seats without telling us. Now we were in terrible seats next to the galley. We asked what had happened, and were told (in an offhand manner) that the plane had come from a different airport, as though that was a reasonable explanation, and that anyway all Economy seats were now full. So they couldn't help us. I ask myself what's the point of checking in online if the airline then changes your seats? As to the flight itself, the entertainment was good, though the handsets are worn and the connection wobbly. The food was poor. In the vegetarian option, we twice received rice cakes, rather than bread or rolls. As you'll know, they taste like cardboard. The seats were cramped, and the staff seemed under pressure. There was a time when Virgin was a great carrier. But it's lost its way. I wouldn't recommend it.

Flew Upper Class from Sydney to Hong Kong. Virgin Atlantic is an airline I would not fly in a hurry again. Some of the catering is tasteless. Inflight entertainment failed three times, the plane was dirty, the service heartless, One hour before landing in Hong Kong, the stewardess collected the headsets.

The cabin was shabby and tatty. The seat was uncomfortable, cramped and worn out. The entertainment was rubbish with no on-demand function. The food was revolting with little to drink. The cabin crew could not have cared less. The whole shameful episode was put in to perspective when, on my connecting EasyJet flight, I thought 'wow, what a nice place to be', in comparison.

LGW-MCO - VS015. 15 years later and a lot has changed. Flew to Orlando last week and the flight was one of the worst I've had in years. I paid for an exit row seat without which the flight would have been unbearable, though my seat being so hard it felt like someone had taken all the padding out of it did make the 8 hours drag. In-flight entertainment system is aged, yes there's a good selection of movies and TV, however not being able to pause or control it yourself is a real pain, and as other people have noted, the fact they don't give any indication the loop is about to restart means you tend to miss the first 10minutes of a movie. Meal was poor quality, and the high-tea is minimal at best. I left the airport very hungry despite having two "meals" on the flight. Due to an onboard mistake I assigned a vegetarian meal (I'm not) and despite asking for a regular meal I was told I couldn't have one as it was a full flight. Drinks were only served twice in the whole flight (shortly after the meals) and when I walked to the galley to ask the stewardess for another drink she said she was limited to how many she could serve me. I fly regularly for work, mostly with BA who I know are hardly world-leaders, but Virgin are closer to RyanAir than British Airways at the moment. Hoping it was a one-off as I have a longer flight to SFO in a couple weeks with Virgin!

Heathrow to Washington and return in Economy. The positive - cabin staff are excellent in comparison to US airlines and the entertainment system is good. The downside - apart from constant delays and awful food, seat comfort is the worst I have ever experienced on a long haul flight (I had more room on my short commuter flight). The woman sitting next to me was probably less that 5'5" and looked squashed - little hope for me at 6'3" nor many other passengers. Virgin should rename it Cattle Class.

This was such a disappointing experience. We booked Premium Economy. Check-in experience was impossible. No advance seat selection available, the web site would not allow us to check in 24 hours ahead. We drove to the airport (the seating assignment was important to us) and there was no staff on site. Then, in spite of all our efforts, when we arrived 4 hours before our flight, they tried to seat us in separate sections of the plane! Only after much fuss did we finally get seats together. Premium Economy was a joke. Yes, I know, they're remodelling the planes right now, but as a customer paying for this, it was disgusting and embarrassing. Seating area was dirty and old, entertainment system is archaic and doesn't work properly, the fabric on the seat was ripped, air filters filthy, dried up gum on seats, they couldn't even wipe down the storage compartments from the last flight. Service was horrible for every phone call we made in advance and after our flight. Service on the plane was just ok. To add insult to injury, they have also failed to properly credit our partner airline with the miles we earned, and now they're pointing fingers and taking no responsibility.

LHR-Miami and back on 747. Premium economy is great, good staff both ways and food was great. Ample supply of alcohol if wanted and nice sized screens. I find them almost identical to BA - better than any US airline.

The whole travel experience with Virgin was shabby and felt second rate. I got from A to B ok but my abiding memory will be the cabin crew on both flights. Talk about pompous and condescending. The raised eyebrows across the trolley to each other. Barking replies to people whose first language wasn't English and who clearly needed a little more 'work' than they wanted to do.

SYD-HKG return. My holiday to Europe via HKG was ruined even before departed. I have travelled 3 times around the world in the last 12 months. Having boarded numerous airlines around the world with the same standard cabin luggage, the check in staff charged me for excess cabin luggage. I do not recommend.

The flight from LAX to Heathrow was dreadful. The flight attendant slammed a huge metal cart into my kneecap, and gave me a look that made me feel as if I needed to say I was sorry. One attendant, probably hit me with something or made contact at least 10 times. Either she's too big or the aisles are too small. The seat cushion was worn out and caused my tailbone to go numb several times during the flight. The guy in front of me put his seat back as soon as he could, and it was in my face the entire flight. I will say that the crew on the return flight was very professional and well mannered (unlike the first crew), I believe that was due to the fact that upon arriving at the gate the entire crew was sitting on the floor (no chairs available) for about 45 minutes before they were allowed on the plane. I will probably not fly with Virgin next time (both my girls live in Europe) and may give Air New Zealand a try.

Flew to and from Havana in May and very disappointed with flight experience. Food choice was very limited and they ran out of chicken after a very short time, so there was no choice for most of economy. 3 hour delay for return flight and then only offered 1 drink after food had eventually been served. Desperate for a glass of water. When some passengers had requests, the staff seemed very dismissive and disinterested. Inflight entertainment poor - films all started at same time, but how do you know when they start?

 
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