Originally Posted by Internaut
I'm sure this has been asked before but I made a point of taking a good hard look at the WT+ seats on Friday night and considered my experience of PE on the bearded one's airline. My only comments (from a look) are:
-They look a bit narrow (four accross in the centre; ouch)
-Legroom looked a little poor compared to my actual experience of PE when flying the "bearded one's" airline.
What are they like in practice?
Does the legrest add anything in terms of comfort in these seats (the beared one's product only had a foot rest that was actually quite adjustable)?
What's the legroom actually like (yup, looking is no substitute for sitting in one)?
Is the amenity kit any better (with bearded one's airline, got the UC amenity kit LHR-NRT but nothing LAX-LHR)?
Is the service/food any different?
Lounge access (none with the bearded one)?
Priority check in (yes, definitely with the bearded one, and priority security line at LAX)?
Regards
I
I've not flown PE with BA, but I have with VS; I can answer some of your points.
Lounge access - none, unless you have EC silver or gold.
Priority checkin - none, again, unless EC gold/silver
Amenity kit - same as Economy
Legroom - 38", same as VS PE seats
Seat Width - 18.5". Wider than standard economy, slightly narrower than VS PE
Essentially, with BA you are paying for the extra room and that's it. Although you do get more Tier Points, and you get a bonus for the miles flown (an extra 25%).
With Virgin you get a glass of fizzy paintstripper (this masquerades as champagne). You also get the opportunity to be in the pod on a 747, as some PE seats are there. With BA you'll be in the main bit of the 'plane no matter what.
On paper, the VS offering is marginally better, but in practice, as ever with these things, it's down to the staff - and my experiences with VS are that their product is far more variable than BA's; VS can be downright dreadful at times.
As ever, you pays yer money...