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Rating = 1.0 (very poor) to 5.0 (excellent)



Virgin Atlantic review by J Kaza

13 January 2008  Customer Trip Rating : 1 Star 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 : 5 Star 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 : 1 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 5 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 1 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 5 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 5 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 3 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 3 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 5 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 3 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 1 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 3 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 1 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 1 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 3 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 1 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 1 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 3 Star 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 : 4 Star 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 : 5 Star 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 : 2 Star 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 : 1 Star 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 : 4 Star 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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