When you peel through the mktg layer, it was always a bit of a mixed bag airline. It could feel kinda like UA might feel when you find yourself on an old config 777.

The business class experience with the bar with pastry stands and flower vases, the on board massage therapist, the Oswald Boateng amenity kits with super nice, super sturdy luggage tags I still have, the nice, long, proper metal pens I have lots of around the house, the Tanqueray Ten gin, full bottle, sitting behind the bar, which I was free to pour for myself, etc etc, was something else. It's all gone now, and the whole experience feels a lot more like he 742s in Y did - comparatively speaking. I would still be a 2p for my occasional internal flight, and a VS gold with my euro flights, if VS UC was still today what it was when the lie-flat seats were first introduced.

And yes, I do actually prefer UA stile C/F seats, really like the ability to fine tune how much recline I have. It's a major downside with the VS/DL/AC/ANZ style seat.

VS just introduced an I revenue biz class fare bucket, which suggests they might not be looking at *A as an alliance partner. I'd love for them to join *A, I'd fly their premium economy on a day flight from the UK in a heartbeat if my 1K status got me into the LHR clubhouse.