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Virgin Atlantic review by J Kaza
13 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating : 
Orlando - London Gatwick on January 12. Misleading claims of convenient online check in. Attempts
to check in and print boarding passes failed repeatedly when attempted in good time during the
evening of January 11 (US time, well within the 24 hours ahead of the flight when "online" check-in
is claimed but not delivered). With regular check in after online booking, Virgin Atlantic is a
notorious scatterer of families and people traveling together. Virgin Atlantic's online service is
worthless.
Virgin Atlantic review by Maldwyn Jones
13 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating : 
Upper Class to Nairobi and on to Entebbe with Kenya Airways. The clubhouse at Terminal 3 is
amazing. Service on flights both ways was excellent. The staff were attentive and friendly without
being intrusive. Airbus 340-300 does not have the new business suites in it. I was disappointed at
this, but double airmiles goes some way to make up for it. The entertainment system was the old
type which was not very exciting.
Virgin Atlantic review by J Nganga
10 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating :
Virgin is a name and there's nothing special about it - its definitely on the decline. The flight
in economy to Nairobi was cramped - there is not enough leg space. The entertainment was non
existent as my partner's headphones couldn't connect. Inflight service unsatisfactory, as nobody
responds to call buttons. The return flight was a nightmare. Paid extra dollars for the exit seat
for legroom only to get a freezing journey (Me and my partner, were cold throughout, and we had to
get coats to cover ourselves. Service was poor, and again had a problem with the entertainment
system - my partner's couldn't come on and the remote was completely stuck on the side of the seat.
This is my first and last time to travel with Virgin Atlantic review it most certainly doesn't live up to
its name.
Virgin Atlantic review by S Pearson
10 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating : 
LHR- Johannesburg return. The way out was excellent Airbus A340-600 - great food, friendly staff.
The way back service was good, but aircraft was a very old 747. Still has ash trays in it! I was
pushing my headphones against my ears to try and hear the IFE because the engines were so loud. The
seat was narrower than the way out and it was a struggle to eat. A much better flight on the A346.
Virgin Atlantic review by L Axe
10 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-ORD economy return. Online check in, then straight to bag drop at Heathrow worked well and saved
queues. I was impressed with this flight given that it was a busy time of year. Food and service
good. We had vegetarian meals which were very good and arrived first. Only a couple of shops at
O'hare terminal 5, Heathrow is much better.
Virgin Atlantic review by Steve Kent
9 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating : 
Heathrow - Dubai and what a miserable experience. Probably the worst seats on the plane (row 47 -
the toilet seat), surly attendants that seemed upset that they had to work in economy, seat pitch
and width a joke.
Virgin Atlantic review by D Yates
9 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR- LAX-LHR in economy. The plane was cramped and the staff were rude outbound, acting as if being
on their flight was inconvenient. I think I saw the refreshments trolley once during the 11 hour
flight, there was no ice cream as promised and my gluten free meal (basically a bag of fruit and
rice) was disgusting. The elderly gentleman next to me had to sit with his food tray on his table
for 1 hour before they decided to clear it away. Trying to complain post- flight I was told that
Virgin dont take complaints over the phone!!
Virgin Atlantic review by Alan Wan
1 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating :
LGW to LAS return. The flight was booked using miles + money and only cost us £280 and 2,000 Virgin
Atlantic Flying Club miles so was a bargain. I agree with previous comments that planes out of
Gatwick are getting dated, being a bit rough around the edges. Food is nothing special and IFE
system a bit dated. FA's were great, generally cheerful and happy to assist. The only gripe was on
the outbound flight was around 5 hours into the flight they claimed they had ran out of booze, I
happened to go to the galley to ask for some soft drinks and can testify there was plenty of wine
and spirits being packed away. I can only assume they have a drinks quota or there were some unruly
people on board.
Virgin Atlantic review by S Poon
1 January 2008 Customer Trip Rating :
7 of us to Las Vegas from Gatwick on 22/12/07 & returned 28/12/07. The plane was very dated,
delayed for 2 hours for outward journey, ground staff offered no apology for the delay, the flight
is okay but the food is lousy. Return journey is the worst, delayed for 7 hours. No email to inform
the delay & didn't show on web site when I checked before departing to the airport. Ground staff at
the airport is rude. $15 per person meal voucher was offered because of the delay at either Burger
King or Pizza Hut & Burger King was shut by 9pm & 30 min. queue for Pizza Hut. What's wrong with
Virgin? They weren't like that when I travelled with them before. The ground staff from Virgin
definitely went downhill but worst in US. Will never travel with them again if I have a choice.
Virgin Atlantic review by Julie Wilson
23 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Hong Kong to Sydney Upper Class. Crew friendly and professional. All my needs anticipated and I
didn't have to ask for anything during the flight. AVOD worked well with a good range of programs.
Seat/bed very comfortable and I got about 5 hours sleep. Inflight treatments offered by therapist
including massage, hand treatments etc.
Virgin Atlantic review by Richard Moss
20 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
MIA-LHR-MIA in Premium Economy. New seats on PE not really an improvement. Meals not as good. Cabin
service and IFE improved. Seating area and lavatories clean. Seat selections were honored on this
trip. Overall, I would fly Virgin again, but they really do their best in UC and the Heathrow UC
arrival and departure lounges.
Virgin Atlantic review by Christopher Bain
20 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Gatwick to Orlando Premium EconOMY return on 747-400. Seats, although old style, were comfy and
plenty of room. Food very good - great curry on the way out and beef stew on the return. Return
leg a slight drama with a passenger taking ill. I assisted cabin crew and for my help received
complimentary bottle of wine and use of the arrivals lounge at Gatwick. Only a couple of minor
faults. Old IFE system not that good. Partner had to have her screen reset a few times. Also
there was a baby 2 rows in front. Not a problem with the baby at all but if I wanted to hear a baby
cry I would have sat in economy. Being sat upstairs in Premium is great as it is a bit quieter as
there is not many seats. All in all this was a great trip.
Virgin Atlantic review by Dharmesh Sheth
16 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Dubai-London return. I am a regular flyer on this route but first time with Virgin Atlantic. The
departure time was 10am and no meals were served until 5pm, only an hour before landing in London.
Most passengers must have left home at 7am for this flight & passengers were only served a tiny pack
of pretzel & a small cup of ice cream before meals. When I asked the crew about this the answer was
a vague 'this is how it is on this flight' ! The quality of food was poor. Upon return my experience
was worse as I was told they did not have my requested AVML meal at the time of booking &
subsequently confirming too. They could offer me their veg option which was a tasteless cous cous
dish. I would not want to fly with them again as other airlines offer better service & attention.
Virgin Atlantic review by Chris Watson
16 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating : 
My wife and 2 children checked into flight VS3, departing at 09.35 on Thursday 13 Dec. After
checking in they were informed that the flight was overbooked and Virgin were seeking volunteers for
a later flight at 14.00 in exchange for free tickets on future Virgin flights. My wife volunteered
and was asked to come back to the Customer Information point at 08.30, and was given Meal Vouchers.
She came back at the appointed time and was then informed that they could be accommodated on the
original VS3 flight. However, by that time they only had less than an hour to rush through Security
and to the gate and had no time for drinks or food, so the value of the voucher had not been
realized. On the flight, they were not able to be seated together, even though they had previously
been allocated on-line seats together, My youngest daughter of 14 was seated by herself next to
strangers 9 rows away - not very pleasant for my daughter. However, excited by the trip and in
anticipation of a booking at Gordon Ramsey's restaurant at the LONDON NYC that evening for a posh
dinner, she had to grin and bear it. On arrival at JFK, yes you have guessed it, no suitcase! So
Posh dinner and no clothes. She was devastated. At the time of writing, I am informed that the
suitcase still hasn’t turned up.
Virgin Atlantic review by B Wainwright
16 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-EWR-LHR economy. I've flown Premium economy before but decided to try economy. Outbound flight
A340-600 which was clean and FA good, food great. IFE the best I've used before with up to date film
- my only concern was legroom. The return flight was 747-400 which had more leg room than A340,
again food and FAs good.
Virgin Atlantic review by Gary King
12 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-JFK LAX-LHR. LHR to JFK Boeing 747-400 in the restyled premium economy. Very pleasant flight
with good food and service, enjoyed the new entertainment system once I got the hang of how to use
it. Seat pitch reasonable for a daytime flight, but would have found sleeping a challenge. Cabin
trendy but very dull. Return from LAX on an Airbus A340-600 in Upper Class. I hated the cabin
configuration with the seats at an angle so you are looking straight at the sides of fellow
passengers. I had a window seat, but had to turn sideways to see out. The cabin was dirty, cluttered
and very dull. Service was a let down compared with other business/first class services I have
experienced. Food and beverage service very slow, and the quality of the meal only average. Virgin
offer gimmicks like a free massage and trendy black jim jams, neither of which are required. The
seat converts to a flat bed but passengers required help from the crew to perform the conversion.
Bed was very comfortable and I could stretch out - a great nights sleep, which made up for the poor
service and surroundings. In my view Upper Class is only worthwhile for long haul overnight flights.
Virgin sees itself as a trendy airline but this is not attractive to every customer. They need less
emphasis on being trendy and more emphasis on service.
Virgin Atlantic review by J Brien
12 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LON-JNB-LON Upper Class. A pleasant experience. Superb lounge, professional crew, great AVOD, and
very comfortable seat/bed. The only problem is the food. It is terrible. Even the crew look
embarrassed to serve it. Other airlines manage to find good food, so I just don't understand how
Virgin can get it so wrong.
Virgin Atlantic review by Lynne Whitmore
12 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LGW-LAS-LGW. Checkin at the PE bagdrop section went very well (this is on the other side to the
economy bag drop and queues were a lot smaller). We had PE seats upstairs on the 747 which is a
more intimate cabin than downstairs. Excellent cabin crew who looked after us so well. PE upstairs
was full and drinks and meals served quickly. IFE was the old Nova system so just roll around. Ice
cream pots served during the movies and a hot sandwich snack was served before landing. The return
journey was uneventful and we had the same seats upstairs on PE but this was a slighter newer plane
(Odyssey IFE roll around though) and we felt the seats had a much closer seat pitch than outbound.
The female FAs were pleasant and did their job quickly. Once the meals had been served, lights were
turned out and water/juice was left on the platform behind seats 79A&C. A panini/muffin breakfast
served about an hour before landing.
Virgin Atlantic review by Neil Harvey
9 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Just returned from a round trip from Manchester to Orlando. The overall experience was good though
food was only just edible. Legroom adequate for economy but I've had better with Malaysia Airlines
and I would upgrade to Premium economy next time. was good as were crew. The big plus is
that they let you check in your baggage at the downtown Disney resort which takes all the hassle out
of the usual scrum you have to endure at the airpor and lets you spend your last few hours at the
resort rather than queuing for hours.
Virgin Atlantic review by K Veersamy
4 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR IAD return. Outbound better than inbound. Meals not great and they did not really do a drinks
round on return leg. Wine served with meal only, but water and juice available on tap. Partners IFE
did not work properly - could not get sound. Legroom usual cramped economy class as with all
airlines. Washrooms very tiny and cramped compared to competitors.
Virgin Atlantic review by R Liddle
4 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-CPT return in premium economy. I was able to get two seats for around £1,000 using Airmiles. The
new premium economy cabin looks smart but no more comfortable than the old version, although vastly
superior to economy. Crew excellent, regularly passing through the cabin with drinks and fruit, and
spending time calming anxious fliers during turbulence. The food was adequate, not great. We have
always had our preferred seats which can be reserved at the time of booking. No problems with IFE.
The service was quick with dedicated crew for the premium cabin. Would use Virgin and fly premium
again, even without the Airmiles reduction.
Virgin Atlantic review by Robbie Barrigan
4 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-MIA-LHR - without doubt the worst flight I have ever made. Peoples comments about the cramped
conditions on Virgin's A340 are spot on. How anyone is expected to endure that sort of torture for a
nine hour flight is beyond me. The seat width is no where near adequate and legroom is just
passable. Service also left a lot to be desired on way out, cabin dirty (had to clean IFE remote as
it was covered in something), food was diabolical and trolley service extremely lax. Had no choice
with travelling with them as part of a cruise package. Will find out next time and if its Virgin
again I won't be booking it. Will travel with AA or BA in future.
Virgin Atlantic review by Clive Drake
4 December 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-JNB-LHR Upper Class. Upper Class lounge was good, including tasty Sushi. The flight on an A340
was excellent. Loved the color scheme, especially at night. The new seat was roomy and comfortable
although I agree with comments that its seat or bed mode is not satisfactory. The food was
excellent and liked the in flight bar. The return was okau. My IFE was broken, food not that good,
my wife and other passengers all sending back the fish dish. White wine undrinkable as it was warm.
Landed ahead of schedule. Flight crews excellent.
Virgin Atlantic review by D McMaster
30 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LGW-MCO Return Premium Economy. Stress free boarding at both ends with PE joining Upper on boarding
at same time. We were in the upper deck out/return and from reading previous reviews this was the
best option. Certainly a more relaxed feel about the cabin although as previously highlighted, the
Gatwick fleet are still operating the old premium Economy cabin which is looking pretty jaded for a
supposed 4 star airline. Our seats were okay. Not the most comfortable but in comparison to Economy,
we felt paying the extra was a better option. Value for money is a separate debate. Some of the
seats were missing headrests which tended to add to the rundown impression. Whoever contract manages
Virgins cleaning contract may wish to pick up with their supplier. Debris left from previous
flight/flights and inflight mags and Video/TV guide were similarly tatty with one of ours containing
chewing gum. Flight out, drink offered on arrival to seat followed after take off with drinks then
meal/drinks/ice cream - plus staff both seen regularly in the cabin clearing glasses, rubbish etc.
Return, the service was efficient if a little mechanical. Overnight so less chance to compare with
outbound people. Meal outbound fine - all choices available. IFE worked although trying to change
volume/stations on buttons in armrest was not easy. Our last flight was Singapore business class in
old cabin, and if that was 5 star, this would be pushing 2.
Virgin Atlantic review by R Hughes
27 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-JFK and SFO-LHR in new Premium Economy Cabin. Impressed with the service, seat is comfortable
and video on demand system excellent. I checked in early (2-3hrs) on both legs and secured
bulkhead/exit seats.
Virgin Atlantic review by Joanne Thorne
23 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LGW-St Lucia. We have always flown to the Carribean with charter airlines and always got premium
seats. We decided to fly economy with Virgin. We pre booked our seats before we left and had good
seats going - coming back we paid for emergency exit seats. I preferred the seats at the back as we
were first to get served food, drinks etc. Overall I found the flight ok, as entertainment, service
good and staff friendly. I do think that the premium economy is very expensive for what you get
(£500.00 return each) when the charter airlines charge half that amount and for similar standard
(only difference is luggage allowance + bit more legroom in Virgin)./
Virgin Atlantic review by Melvyn Chapman
21 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Why do we pay the extra for Premium Economy? It's just not worth it. My wife and I flew on a Virgin
Airbus 340 from Heathrow to Cape Town and were at opposite ends of the PE section although we tried
to pre-book our seats on the internet 24 hours earlier, it wasn't working. There was so much
information, water bottle, pillows and rubbish from the previous flight stuffed into the seat pocket
in front of me that once they reclined I had no extra leg-room. Okay, the seats are slightly wider,
but there was nowhere to stand or stretch on the long haul. The toilets were unbelievably small so
it was impossible to change clothes anywhere for the fligh. The aisles are narrow, so I was
constantly nudged every time a hostess went past, but to cap it all the breakfast was the worst food
I have tasted on a plane. Coming back from Mauritius with Virgin we had more bad experiences, again
we were split because of the stupidity of a 2x3x2 seating arrangement from a holiday destination
even though we were at check-in 3 hours before flight time; the IFE system was not working along my
row, and for those who complained they were instantly rewarded with £25 of duty free, those that
didn't received nothing. No separate toilets in PE meant walking right through Economy to try to
find one that was vacant and contained toilet rolls/tissues. The badly designed interior meant
people crossing in front of me (in the front row of PE) to get past blockages in the aisles. Hot
towels, a cheap glass of bubbly before take-off and unlimited drinks are all very well, but some of
us would rather that money be spent on more seat space, some standing room and a bit of peace and
quiet on a long haul. It seems that too much attention is paid by Virgin in looking after their
Upper Class customers when a better 'in between' upper and economy is needed.
Virgin Atlantic review by P Miller
21 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-JNB-LHR. Traded in my remaining Virgin points to fly Premium Economy. Wanted to fly to CPT but
was told it's virtually impossible to get award tickets on that route, so connected onwards to CPT
with SAA (very good airline). New purple leather seats - found the width good, but legroom remains a
problem and recline is limited so sleep difficult. Enjoyed having dedicated cabin crew who made the
experience a pleasant one, which is more than can be said for the crew looking after economy who
marched through our cabin intermittently, talking as loudly as possible to each other while
passengers tried to sleep. Entertainment system was AVOD and offered a fantastic choice. Food -
probably the most disappointing aspect of all - small portions and tasteless. The full english
breakfast as it was described to me by the flight attendant was laughable - so bland. Must mention
the pre-boarding option with PE - very welcome.
Virgin Atlantic review by S Harris
12 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
My husband and I have travelled many years in Premium Economy, and have had good experiences. But our
return flight from Boston on 9 Nov was very poor. No welcome onboard drink, seat constantly knocked by
trolley with no apology from staff. Poor food, had to request 2nd cup of coffee, no fruit after meal
and no after dinner drink offered. No separate cabin staff for premium cabin. No priority
disembarking. Not what one expects. This was an Airbus, the cabin was very cramped and certainly did
not feel like a separate cabin. Shared toilets with economy passengers. Will avoid using them again.
Virgin Atlantic review by S Hamer
16 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LGW-MCO Premium Economy. Stress free boarding and welcome to the flight by crew. Drink offered on
arrival to seat. Friendly, chatty crew which made the slight delay due to an engine problem less of
an issue. Sat in row 81 by window with husband, so plenty of leg room as these are bulkhead seats.
Efficient crew. Only moan would be the seats. They were not the advertised leather, bigger seats.
Virgin Atlantic review by Paul Chandler
12 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-LAX-LHR economy. Did not get off to the best start with a 2+ hour technical delay at LHR. Pax were
kept informed and drinks / snacks handed out. Once airborne service was good with 3 choices of main
course. Crew attentive and friendly. Return flight was ok but standard of catering from LAX was poor
compared to LHR - only 2 choices of main course. Crew again friendly & attentive. Breakfast service
was rushed due to medical emergency (am guessing a divert was possible hence delay in starting it) and
pax kept onboard at LHR for a few mins whilst this was taken care of. V-port IFE was excellent on both
legs.
Virgin Atlantic review by Charles Shavitz
6 November 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
SYD-HKG in Premium Economy. I had booked the flight using Flying Club points way back in November 2006, and at the time was able
to confirm window/aisle seats, rather than two seats in middle of 2x3x2 configuration in PE. FA in
charge of the PE cabin was on a secondment to Virgin Atlantic from Virgin Blue - she had an infectious
enthusiasm for her job, and went out of her way to make each PE passenger feel special and welcome.
The extra space offered in Premium Economy is worth the incremental price differential over economy
class, especially if one is flying straight through from Sydney to London.
We were fortunate to be able to use Flying Club points to travel in Upper Class London-Hong Kong-
Sydney on or return to Oz, but if I had to use "real money" to pay for a ticket to fly with Virgin
Atlantic from Sydney to London, I would choose PE over UC, and use the $avings to pay for a few
special lunches and dinners in London.
Virgin Atlantic review by Charles Mead
29 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LGW-LAS-LGW. Sat in row 22 on the left-hand side of the cabin outbound - feels like your own cabin as
only 2/3 rows of seats and the rest of economy behind. Had a drink and snack, then lunch, then ice
cream, then hot sandwich and then afternoon tea before landing. Crew worked hard. I am 6ft 4in tall
and found legroom sufficient. On way back the flight was slightly delayed and sat in row 23 (check-in
online if you can) so again felt like our own cabin. Both ways found crew to be attentive and nice to
talk to - only thing that lets Virgin down is that all their LGW planes have very outdated (not on
demand) entertainment system which is a shame.
Virgin Atlantic review by S Berger
28 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LAX-LHR and back. Sorely disappointed in declining Upper Class experience. Husband's IFE broken from
LAX, and his neighboring seat had same problem. Only 1 in-flight massage therapist means that only
1/3 to 1/4 of those in the upper class cabin will get treatments - did not get them either direction.
Attendants from LAX had a bit of a sarcastic attitude to travelers - like they were pretending to be
nice but in reality were being quite snippy - return trip they were much more pleasant. My seat
neighbor had complaints before we took off of the lack of sleep suits (they did not have enough to go
around even by 1/2). The flight manager accomodated her by getting one before we took off from
elsewhere. Her excessive complaints and demands meant that she was more attended to than others
around her. It is too bad that is what is required when you fly Virgin these days - was not always so.
Lastly, the seats were made smaller from the last time I did Virgin Upper and more narrow seats. The
only upside was the food and bevvies. Will be flying BA going forward between US and Europe (and
planned trip to South Africa will seek alternatives). For the money, does not make sense to have such
negative cost cutting to their upper class/high price tickets.
Virgin Atlantic review by Alexander Simons
28 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Sydney to Hong Kong Return. Flight out in Upper Class was lovely (day flight) with great service from
flight attendants. Good food, great wines. Lounge in HK is a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse - that they
happen to share with Evaair. I was offered dinner in the lounge - declined and had a sandwich. I
wanted to have a shower before my flight but unfortunately one of the shower-rooms was not working and
there were too many people who also wanted to shower before the flight so missed out. Upper class Flat
bed is spacious and slept for approx 5 hrs. Upon arrival into Sydney, bags were one of the first off -
plane to complimentary limo transfer was about 30 mins.
Virgin Atlantic review by Tony Banwait
26 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
SFO-LHR return in Premium Economy. The onboard service in both directions was good. Attentive cabin
crew, meals OK. Unfortunately, the aircraft used on both flights (G-VBIG) was a very tired looking and
worn out 747-400. My seat in the upper deck had a faulty seat back that kept reclining by itself. A
woman seated two rows ahead of me had the same problem and insisted the ground crew fix her seat which
they could not. Got up to use the toilet only to have the door fall off when I pushed it in! Return
flight on the same aircraft and same seat! This time the IFE system broke down and had to be reset
mid-flight which took about 90 minutes. I was hoping for the new Premium economy layout but all I got
was this rotting old rust bucket and very uncomfortable seat.
Virgin Atlantic review by C Choi
26 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
I flew Virgin Atlantic for the first time Hong Kong to London and back on economy. IFE was the best
I've experienced, although on the return flight the volume was warped and controls not too responsive.
Food and service were good. Virgin Atlantic disregarded the seats that I had reserved and assigned me
elsewhere for both trips, although this was not a big problem.
Virgin Atlantic review by Kirsty Gharavi
23 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
IAD-LHR-IAD. Traded in 130,000 miles and paid $660 in taxes for 2 premium economy tickets for what I
was hoping would be a good experience. Unfortunately not. I have travelled Virgin since its first
transatlantic flight from Newark and have always been pleased at the service. I was expecting the
usual standard, plus more, in premium economy. No pre-flight drink, no hot cloths, rubbery food, and
announcements about the evils of over-drinking, just added to an atmosphere that certainly wasn't
welcoming. The crew were fine, but I will never bother with premium economy again. It really wasn't
worth it. Kind of sad really - or perhaps I just expected a bit more from Virgin.
Virgin Atlantic review by S Gilvear
23 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Las Vegas to LGW. Indifferent crew who had to cope with 4 crew short and no IFE for seats A-C and H-K
in economy. The food was inadequate and as usual, no choice by the time it got to my seat in row 45.
The crew really didn't want to be on this flight and had disappeared by the time we came off an hour
late with no explanation. On-line check-in was worth it even though we had problems with boarding
cards!
Virgin Atlantic review by C Shepherd
23 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-NRT-LHR. Out Premium Economy, back Economy. Virgin are a very hit-and-miss airline, in terms of
food, inflight service, and IFE. In Economy, the seats are really uncomfortable, with seatbacks that
seem to force your head to overhang the rest of your body, so that your neck is constantly craned
forward and sleep is eminently impossible. The food is mediocre (quite why their website boasts about
the quality of their food is beyond me - it used to be quite good five or six years ago but now it's
just stodge). IFE is great if you're on a VPort aircraft (mostly LHR flights), but if you've got one
of the older systems (mostly LGW flights), poor you. As for Premium Economy, the new purple seats are
very comfortable, the staff are friendlier and the food seems to be slightly better (but still not
great). Legroom is not spectacular but at least it's possible to get a little light sleep. One gripe
common to all Virgin flights - why is the IFE turned off about an hour before the plane lands? It's
insane.
Virgin Atlantic review by Susan Bezer
23 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
We travelled to New York on 10 October. My daughter was getting married there so it was a special
trip. I have flown with Virgin before and everything was fine but I have to say that both the flight
out and back were extremely disappointing. The food in particular was atrocious. No-one expects
gourmet dining on an aircraft but this was inedible. The crew on the flight out seemed like they
didn't want to be there and we had to ask for water and were told to get it ourselves. We have been
treated better on charter flights than on these flights. I do not understand how, in the space of a
year, the last time I used Virgin, the standards can have deteriorated so much. I would have to think
twice before booking with your airline again.
Virgin Atlantic review by C Slaymaker
18 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-MIA return in economy. Aircraft A340-600. First time flying with Virgin and a disappointing
experience. The economy seats were awful. Felt like you were sliding forwards off the seat all the
time. Flights in both directions were delayed (2hrs at LHR and 5 hours at MIA). Both times by a 'sick
pilot'. Started to sound like a Virgin stock excuse for some other reason, even the ground staff
didn't sound convincing when they told us the reason. Food was just about average, which in economy
equates to just about edible. IFE was excellent, especially the games where you can play against other
passengers. FA's good and helpful. But I would have traded it all for a seat on a BA or AA aircraft.
Overall I give my experience a 2 star rating -I would say they feel like a 3 star airline, not a 4
star one I was expecting.
Virgin Atlantic review by S Newbroke
11 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LGW-MCO. The aircraft seemed new and cabin crew happy to help. I flew in upper class and the seating
was very weird. On the way back was fine because my wife had been placed next to me and we could just
about speak to each other over the 'walls' that keep seats/beds apart. Food both ways was excellent
and better than previous flights with virgin.
Virgin Atlantic review by J Keller
5 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
My wife and I had booked Maxjet, IAD to London Stansted, but the flight was cancelled and we were
offered Virgin Upper Class, IAD-LHR. My wife had flown Maxjet a number of times and raved about the
on board service. By comparison, in her words, Virgin Upper Class was "awful". I would have to
agree. The seating arrangement is cramped. If you're travelling with someone, it is impossible to
sit and chat - you might as well be at the other end of the plane. The food was skimpy and terrible -
certainly not up to business class standards. The lie flat seat was hard and made me feel that I was
in a cage. There are many other negatives I could go on about, but suffice to say that I'm glad
Maxjet gave me the opportunity to experience Upper Class at Maxjet's competitive prices so I will
never waste my money on a full fare Upper Class ticket in the future.
Virgin Atlantic review by P McDermott
5 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Virgin seem to have made a major mistake with their new premium economy seat. Flew London to Las Vegas
in May 2007 on the old style seat - the most comfortable premium economy seat with plenty of leg
room. Flew September from Shanghai to London in the much hyped new premium economy seat - I selected
the right hand window seat which had very limited leg room. I am not sure if the leg room is better on
the left side of the cabin. Staff professional, however if you opt for premium economy for leg room
reasons you will want to ask questions when you book with Virgin - certainly avoid the right hand side
of the cabin.
Virgin Atlantic review by Elizabeth Grayton
5 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
I flew Virgin Atlantic economy class for the first time LHR-LAX enroute to HNL. The equipment was
Airbus A340 600. Flying with a young child, we had been led to believe from their website that she
would receive a back pack with toys etc. to entertain her on the flight. Having flown with Qantas
LHR-SYD earlier on in the year, these packs can be very helpful! We got onto the plane, settled in,
were each handed an 'amenity kit', but no backpack for my daughter! In short we were not going to get
one as apparently, this should have been presented to us prior to boarding. We were told that they
were not carried on the aircraft and that they were only handed out in London. This was actually only
the most minor gripe we had. My husbands IFE did not work until halfway through the LAX flight and on
the return flight to LHR, the entire row suffered intermittently working IFE for duration of the
flight. The food was poor on both flights, with the exception of the dessert on both legs. A340 was
OK, It felt airy and spacious. I would have to say the seats were not as comfy as I would have
expected although there seemed to be more leg-room in economy than on BA 747-400 which I had travelled
HKG-LHR in April this year. We found the flight crew a little surly and bossy. I wouldn't go out of
my way again to fly Virgin Atlantic. I have experienced a lot better service and more comfort on
other airlines, they do not compete with the likes of Emirates or Singapore (or even Qantas!) for
service (especially in terms of travelling with a small child.
Virgin Atlantic review by Adrian Watts
5 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LGW - Vegas Premium Economy. Disappointed with the old seat configuration on both legs of the flight -
how long will it be for Virgin to complete the refit? We used the online facility to check in - what a
waste of time. We still had to queue and go through a full check in procedure at Gatwick. The bag drop
was only available for economy passenger who had checked in online. Onboard service however was
excellent and could not fault it - what an improvement since the last time I flew with Virgin - almost
2 years ago. FA's were extremely friendly and worked hard, meals OK and there was no problem in
getting a drink if you asked for one after main service had been completed. There was no priority
given to luggage for PE/Upper class on our return at Gatwick, but was on outbound to Vegas. It is the
inconsistency of staff (mainly ground staff) who let this airline down. All in all I found the Virgin
experience improved on 2 years ago - which made me a little cautious about flying with them again, but
thankfully the caution was laid to rest and I would happily book flights with them again.
Virgin Atlantic review by Chris Hyde
5 October 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-HKG-SYD Upper Class. Club House Lounge in T3 is very good. Onboard layout is strange with seats
facing almost horizontally across the plane. Depending on where you get sat, you may end up facing
someone, yet if you're travelling with someone talking will be difficult over the 'walls' that
seperate each seat. If travelling alone this allows seclusion. IFE very good. Staff attentive and
food good. Brief stop in HK on way out, some time in small but clubhouse there. On the way back from
SYD, Virgin check in staff seemed surly by comparison to LHR and Air NZ lounge was rubbish with some
cans of beer and olives. Arrivals lounge in LHR fantastic with shower, clothes ironing and breakfast.
Highly recommended.
Virgin Atlantic review by S Monk
30 September 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LHR-IAD-LHR Premium Economy. Very disappointing flight out. Food was rice and a piece of chicken,
salad pasta and black olives; no greens at all. Supposed to get a cocktail to welcome us onboard.
Didn't happen. Supposed to be a fresh fruit bowl for Premium Economy passengers; didn't happen. We
got apples in a bag that looks like a childs lunch boxes. Bloody Mary's were FA produced and when we
wanted another one, we felt like alcoholics for asking. Toilet near premium economy had no water with
a Sorry stickit note attached to faucet. Two hours from IAD no meal served; claimed the FA: "We are
only two hours from Washington!" But, sitting behind First Class I noticed they had a snack and we
were still 2 hours from landing. Trip back no Inflight Entertainment System: didn't find out til we
buckled up ready to depart with the announcement "Don't blame the staff." i.e. don't complain about
it. accept it. I traded in 15,000 airmiles for my husband and me and paid £1,000 on top of this for
this flight. Virgin are becoming too nonchalant about their service to their customers. Write and
complain and keep searching for something better.
Virgin Atlantic review by P Peters
27 September 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Flew to Las Vegas by Virgin Atlantic and returned from San Francisco yesterday - both Premium
Economy. On way out, out, special check-out at Gatwick closed - had to go to another one. No
preferential treatment on leaving plane, ended up getting off last (!) and anyone who has
experienced the queues at customs in US knows what that means. Otherwise the service etc. was good
- seated on upper deck. However, on way back, 4 hour flight delay; sat in lower deck; very tired
seating; none of the electrics were working so no lighting, no films, one seat broken so no flexible
reclining position; The crew did their best, offered us DVDs but players malfunctioning - they even
tried to stick tape on one to make the headphones work. Really poor service and definitely not
worth the extra money. At least economy got to see a good choice of films. Don't fly premium economy with Virgin.
Virgin Atlantic review by Steve Wilson
27 September 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Upper Class LHR-DXB. Its not really upper. The Dubai run tends to have a different configuration to
the New York run with larger cabins to Dubai. Virgins cabins are great good flat beds. The only
downer is on arrival at Dubai. On departure the departure lounge is operated by Gulf Air, its basic.
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