Review Upper Class from London to Los Angeles with Virgin Atlantic: top service but everything else is...boring
Virgin Atlantic is a unique company in the world. It does not participate in any alliances, but it has strong relationships with Delta [...]
Virgin Atlantic
LHR
United States of America
Virgin Atlantic is a unique company in the world.
In this article:
- Specifications
- Aircraft:
- B787/900
- Class:
- Upper Class
- Treat:
- LHR - LAX
- Price:
- 1250 €
- Book
It does not participate in any alliances, but has strong relationships with Delta (which is a partner), Air France, and KLM. It has a fleet of only long-haul aircraft: A350/1000s, A330/300s, and Dreamliners. The new A330/900neo is expected to join the fleet soon.
The best bonuses
It is based in London and flies to a small number of destinations, mainly the U.S. and the Caribbean, as well as Tel Aviv and India. It was founded by Sir Richard Branson, a visionary millionaire who Now taking tourists into space. The carrier had also thought of targeting the A380 and opening a mess in the skies. Too bad it didn't turn out that way in the end.
Reservation
When I booked this ticket we were in the midst of a pandemic, the figure of less than 1,000 euros for a round-trip ticket, which in normal times was not even enough for economy, was too tempting.
When I pay for a cash ticket I always try to get the most out of the purchase, in this case initially I needed it to maintain my Gold level in Star Alliance. Because the nice thing about VS is that by not participating in any alliance it has so many partners and therefore allows you to accumulate points with companies like Singapore, Delta and Air France.
At the beginning of the year, however. Singapore announced that the 2022 statuses will be extended for 12 months, so I finally chose to move the accumulation to Flying Blue, AF/KLM's loyalty program. I just became Gold, thank you At my first miles run in 2022. With this flight I bring home, miles apart, 72 XP points. allowing me to maintain the SkyTeam gold level until February 2024.
At the airport
Virgin Atlantic's home is Terminal 3 at London Heathrow.
Having gone through the paperwork and check-in procedures, I gained access to fast track, which can only be used by Delta and Virgin Atlantic business class passengers who hold Elite status in their respective loyalty programs.
Everything starts from a dedicated elevator leading to the second floor, where the fast track lane was. There was no one in the queue and in less than 30 seconds I was already in the terminal duty free. T3 at this airport is the most interesting in terms of carriers. So also in terms of lounges.
Here are that of Emirates, Qantas, American and especially American Express' brand new Centurion Lounge..
Of course, I headed without even thinking about it into the clubhouse., this is not just another lounge, it is beautiful and the service is always top notch. Compared to my previous visit it was nice to walk in and see it crowded, not full of course, but crowded yes.
With a 10 a.m. flight, I arrived just in time to have breakfast. The staff is always splendid in this lounge, the service perfect and the quality of the offerings to be the envy of many restaurants.
On board
Getting on board first allows you to be able to look around and enjoy the experience for as long as possible. And drink lots of champagne even if it's 10 o'clock in the morning.
I already knew that this time I wouldn't have flown the new Upper class, but that I would be left with the old 1-1-1 fishbone configuration. Still for a long time this cabin will be used by the company, my advice is to look for routes operated on the A350, it will be a light years better experience.
The few seats per row might suggest a lot of passenger space, nothing could be more wrong.
I can't tell which places are the best. On this trip I was in the 1k. First row. The advantage is a little bit more privacy to other passengers, but not from the crew. On the other hand, it is close to the galley, so the noise, especially during service, can be disturbing.
The chair is ancient, as is the configuration, but the seating is comfortable. Much more than I thought it would be. The problem is precisely that it doesn't tilt as much, and on a 12-hour flight it's nice to get semi-reclined.
Living space is reduced to the bone, literally.
There is no storage except for the space under the footrest. I stuffed the laptop in the pocket where the magazine and safety measure card is put, no space other than the hat rack.
There is a small shelf where a glass can be placed when the coffee table is closed.
Table that is hidden in the base of the chair. It is large and solid enough to allow you to work on the PC without any problems. It moves on a track, and it is possible by pushing it as far forward as possible to get up without having to close it again.
On the flip side, you can't adjust the height, and with the monitor it's all interlocking, if there's a tray you can't open or close it.
The seat has another peculiarity, the way it turns into a bed. Unlike what you find in almost all business cabins, it does not tilt, but rather you have to return to the take-off position and then, by pressing the button on the bulkhead of the seat, you will flip the backrest over, thus making it turn into a bed.
A system reminiscent of that found on Singapore Airlines' A350s, the only difference being that here it is automatic, while on SQ it is manual. The sleeping kit is always one of the best available. Mattress to fit on the seat, large blanket and excellent cushion.
I was not satisfied with the bed position. True, the legs are free and there is space, however, in these situations I feel more comfortable leaving a slight tilt to the legs. Here it was obviously impossible. Also, when lying down you are in view of the corridor and the proximity to the crew gallery where there is access to the crew rest and galley makes everything very noisy.
The configuration of this seat gives one small advantage. If you are traveling as a couple or with a friend, you can have lunch together. In fact, the footrest doubles as a seat, allowing two passengers to eat or play cards while sitting in front of each other.
On the flip side, however, to look out the window risks a stiff neck, and that's a shame, because on this route, on a daytime trip, you can enjoy some spectacular views.
From the snowy mountains of Utah.
At the Grand Canyon or Sin City, depending on which side you are sitting in the cabin.
The cabin changes color, and heat, depending on the moments of the flight, is a special feature of both Boeing and Airbus new aircraft and here Virgin exploits at 100%.
The old "loft"
What is special about Virgin is that it has equipped its entire fleet with a space where passengers socialize; here it is called the Sky Bar, while in the new Airbuses it is called The Loft. Basically it is a space to drink, chat and spend time with friends or other passengers.
The crew also stops to interact with passengers while keeping the galley stocked at all times. During the entire trip, about 12 hours, there was always traffic in this area. Nothing wrong with that, unless you are sitting in one of the last rows of the cabin since the noise might disturb those who prefer to sleep instead.
Honorable mention for the choice of having the two spacious bathrooms available to premium passengers, where there is also a bench for sitting without having to use the toilet for support.
The service
To my surprise, I found an Italian cabin manager on board, not many of them in Virgin Atlantic. Massimo is a commuter, or rather a frontiersman, living in Rome and commuting to London where he is based when he flies. Along with him is spit the wine list and also a bottle of prosecco.
It's a daytime flight, and that changes the dynamics on board a lot. Passengers tend to stay awake almost the entire flight and the crew is much more present. The service on board has been equal to what is reserved in the lounge. And, it has to be admitted, it is the best thing about the flight, as the cabin is really uncomfortable and "old-fashioned" especially compared to what VS always offers on its flagship, the A350/1000.
The beauty kit is carbon neutral, with biodegradable products and the clutch made of recycled paper. It is not the most elegant of skies, but it is a trend that many companies are now moving in this direction.
Food & Beverage
The paper menu is back, compared to my last flight with this company, and it is a small step toward normalcy. The service is still done by trolley, a very inelegant mode, not least because it is the same trolley used for service in economy.
For some companies, the "fast" mode of service, used during the pandemic, continues to be the norm, even though it is now established that in airplanes thanks in part to HEPA filters and constant air recirculation, the risk of infection on board is very low.
Lunch was served about 40 minutes after takeoff. Here it is appreciable that the company serves, plate after plate and not all in one tray. The quality of the food offering, however, was not up to par with the rest. Of course, we are on an airplane and one does not expect to eat gourmet, but many airlines manage to offer quality dishes through top-notch catering.
After for a tasteless salad as an appetizer, the meat as a main course was slightly better, but nothing to remember.
Finally, I opted for a chocolate and raspberry mousse, perhaps the best dish of the entire flight.
During the flight, as mentioned above, the staff was very present and attentive to passengers' needs.
With just under 90 minutes to land, a snack was served. I had the classic chickenburger; other options included castrami and a cold sandwich, also chicken.
IFE
The plane is dated and the in-flight entertainment system is also not the most modern.
First of all, the seat configuration makes it impossible to watch TV during takeoff and landing.
The screen is small, the user interface is basic but functional.
In fact, I did not even take the remote control off its stand for the entire trip, the TV is touch and handles the little it offers well without needing the help of the second screen.
The offer is quite rich, more than 120 films, nearly 100 contents including documentaries and TV series.
It lacks webcams to see what's going on outside, it lacks live TV channels, and the games are commodore 64-like.
There is wi-fi, and it works very well. It is not cheap, however, since the messaging feature, which other airlines give away to business class passengers, is charged £3 here. Also expensive and charged by traffic are the surfing packages.
There is a USB socket inserted under the TV screen and a power outlet, located in the most inconvenient place possible.
It is hidden in the pocket that contains magazines and newspapers.
Average quality headphones, but this is where the 787 and the distance to the engines helps a lot.
In conclusion
The experience on the ground and the service on board make all the difference. Unfortunately, however, the cabin of this 787 has aged "badly," so much so that today this configuration has survived only in Virgin Atlantic, it is even worse than the old Club World of British Airways, its direct competitor.
Being able to take advantage of the space above the front row seat made my flight much more comfortable.
It is not a popular carrier for us Italians, hard to be able to find very competitive prices and easy connections via London. If, on the other hand, you depart from London, the music changes and it is, fare permitting, a possibility to consider.
This is just one of many reviews you can read on our site, covid and restrictions permitting. Every Wednesday we publish a review of a lounge airport, while every Friday you can read the review of one of our flights or a hotel where we stayed.
Pro
- The staff
- The experience on the ground
- The on-board bar
Against
- The chair
- The booth