VS vs BA
 

I have one of those hectic work months in March - travelling LHR - DXB and LHR -PVG with only a day back home in between. VS flies both routes and my company travel agents have presented me with a choice between VS UC and BA CW.

Have never flown VS but the fare difference between the two is marginal. Will miss the TPs if take VS though but in terms of product quality, what choice would you recommend one makes?

The only way to know is to take a flight with VS for yourself.
You will find a mixture of opinions on here.. some will rave about the VS UC suite, in-flight beauty therapist and bar, the excellent Clubhouse and Revivals, etc.
Others will have found VS service not up to the high standard they wish, and prefer the 'devil they know'.

Your busy travel plans to me suggest that ground experiences will be important, before and after flights, in which case it's VS all the way. In the LHR Clubhouse, you can have dinner and a haircut or massage before your flight. Shoot some pool, and have the best mojito this side of Havana...

Depends on what's important to you. For me, espcially on business, VS selling points are:

* the privacy of the seats, with no possibility of a close neighbour as per the BA middle seats in Club. V important if I'm travelling on my own. Am usually lucky getting a window seat on BA, but prefer the certainty with VS
* the duvet and pillow - much nicer, and warmer, than the BA bedding
* the lounge at LHR T3
* complimentary limo service and drive up check-in

I'm usually asleep 10 mins after take off, regardless of flight time, carrier, or class of travel, so no real opinion on relative quality of food. Ditto IFE.

When it comes to redeeming the points, BA network is better, but I've had great redemptions to Singapore and Hong Kong on VS, too, so it's not too shabby.

[QUOTE=McCoy;9125243]The only way to know is to take a flight with VS for yourself.
You will find a mixture of opinions on here.. some will rave about the VS UC suite, in-flight beauty therapist and bar, the excellent Clubhouse and Revivals, etc.
Others will have found VS service not up to the high standard they wish, and prefer the 'devil they know'.

Your busy travel plans to me suggest that ground experiences will be important, before and after flights, in which case it's VS all the way. In the LHR Clubhouse, you can have dinner and a haircut or massage before your flight. Shoot some pool, and have the best mojito this side of Havana...[/QUOTE]

Did you really think so? I had one in the clubhouse last week and found it very ordinary, bordering on poor. The staff, however, are generally fantastic I feel.

I would try VS on the DXB route purely because it is old CW in the 777s on BA's flights. If it was NCW I would go BA for the service and miles. No idea about PVG.

Same for PVG.

I know I've said this before, but as someone who only travels J a few times a year, I thought VS was amazing. The food left a bit to be desired--it was clearly heat and tip, but then so is NNCW. The bed is *amazingly* comfortable for an airline seat, primarily because it flips over to a bed-only situation when you're ready to sleep. So you're not sleeping on a flat chair (with its joints, cracks, and cushions), you're sleeping on a surface that is slightly more like a mattress. As pinkpanther99 mentions, the duvet and pillow are lovely, as is the privacy. Also you get jimjams, unlike CW.

The inflight beauty therapy was nice, but for fifteen minutes of attention I'm not terribly bothered. It was a nice diversion though.

And I found the clubhouse to be brilliant. It wasn't the best haircut in the world but the food was nice, the staff attentive, and the whole experience really quite pleasant. The arrivals lounge (different to the clubhouse) at LHR is *much* nicer than the CW arrivals lounge, IMHO.

The VS seat is unquestionably more comfortable for sleeping than the BA product.

The seat is a great bed, but so-so to sit on. IFE is better, the food much worse. Both have variable crew, but BA are generally better. Clubhouse in T3 is the best airline lounge in the world.

Why don't you fly from DXB to PVG? Less jet leg to manage.

I really don't like the way you have to stand up and flip the seat over on VS. I like to watch movie, recline, watch some more movie, recline, and so on until I am flat out and asleep. The VS does not recline much in sitting mode (very poor in fact) and I have to stand up when I want to go to sleep. Useless as it wakes me up.

I really like the VS seat for sitting as you have the ottoman (ie foot stool) to rest your feet before and during take-off. The seats are in slouch/ slight recline position before and during take-off as well which suits me fine but not others who prefer a straighter or more reclined position.

No decent window views or lockers by the side of the seat (vs 747 upper deck). Also make sure you bring your own empower sockets for the laptop and do not rely on VS having the right tips for your laptop. They never do (just for every other type of laptop that no one uses).

Long haul day flights gives you the opportunity to sit at the bar for a change of scene and sitting position.

On the DXB route, BA offer a very late night flight back to the UK (1/2 am arriving 6/7 am) which VS does not. That is the only reason I choose BA on this route. On VS you waste a whole day flying back to the UK.

... which is a sleeper service but with no pre-flight dining in the lounge.

Sitting at the Virgin bar has been the only time I have felt like I was in a nice room rather than an aircraft for a few minutes.

The clubhouse at Heathrow is fantastic. If you want a treatment at the Cowshed, I would book in advance.

You get a lot of celebs in VS Upper if that is of interest to you.

The onboard treatments are nice, but if the cabin is full there is a fair chance that they won't get to you.

I would say that Virgin offers a 'younger', more style driven, less business orientated service.

It's very easy to attain Virgin Silver, though that doesn't actually get you much.

You must have been unlucky!
My mojitos have always been fab... fresh mint.. plenty of crushed ice.. a double measure of havana club blanco.. yum!

The staff are super.. they seem to enjoy working there.. and why not!

Had exactly the same opinion from my NZ flight (which uses the same seats as VS). Wished the seat would recline a bit further.