CO or VS: which would you fly?
 

Given the chance to take either CO or VS which is to be preferred in Y? When doing a code share how does one get into Premium Economy? Does CO elite status matter for VS? I will be Gold when I travel next Jan. Should that be a factor in my decision?

Sorry, this is not an answer as I have never taken VS, but I'll like to post a similar question on CO's BF vs VS'Upperclass

The price of a UpperClass ticket is around $2000 more than a BF ticket from NYC to London. Is UpperClass that much better???

I know that the new VS' sleeper-seats are not yet installed. any comments?

Same question as the original poster, I did a quick search and the answer wasn't found.

Since Seatguru doesn't cover VS, what are some of the better Y seats to recommend trying to get.

Will VS recognize plat status for aisle seating in the front of Y?

Do you get to board with elites, etc?

thanks

I have never flown Premium Economy on VS, but if I could get a seat there, that would probably be my choice. If it were between LowerClass on VS and economy on CO, I would go with CO, as VS has some of the most passenger unfriendly carry-on rules in the industry. Because of VS, I have had to check my carry-on bag containing essential items and then I have been delayed at the airport waiting for them to arrive.

Of course, if you fly UpperClass, that is not usually as much of an issue. Between Business first to London and UpperClass, I could not comment, as I have only flown UpperClass and not with the flat and horizontal bed. The VS Lounge is definitely better. Up in the air, I doubt it is worth $2,000 though.

If you buy a CO ticket, I believe BF and UC are the same price.

Between CO BF and VS UC, no question, VS UC. Not even close.

In Economy, it is a toss-up. Do you have a carry on that might be OK in CO but suspect at VS (and they are very strict about it), then go CO. Waiting for your luggage at LHR/LGW can take longer than your flight.

Hi there!

My friend just got back from a trip NYC to LHR on VS then ZRH to EWR on CO last week.

I'm assuming that he was just in "regular" VS coach.

Between the two, CO and VS, he preferred CO on the way back. Not sure if he got really good seats on CO, but he thought that there was more "room" on CO for some reason. He somewhat felt cramped on VS.



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SFnFlaGuy

Can anyone tell me what this means? Is this a problem?

! Note: You are arriving London/ Heathrow GB (LHR) and departing LHR.


I've never been to LHR and this popped up on one of my reservations using a CO code share on VS

thanks

That's no big deal - CO's "award-winning, advanced" website doesn't recognize the fact that LHR is the same code as LHR. You are going into and out of Heathrow. Don't worry.

I just did VS to LAX recently on a CO code share. I had no problems with carryon luggage. There was plenty of room for it on a sold out flight. I don't think you can get premium economy on VS when you purchase through CO. I found out about it at the airport and you can only use CO miles to upgrade on certain fares. I found that being CO elite on VS made no difference. I was given no benefits at all. Wasn't too happy about it either.

when i flew Virgin, i got a major hard time about my carry-on. they were very gung ho about weighing the bag. it wasn't a big bag but i still had to check it. i was shocked. also, believe it or not, my virgin coach seat was smaller than a comparable continental seat.

aside from the seat and the luggage, as a onepass platinum, i think i would have a better shot at the operational upgrade on Continental. so, unless i needed heathrow, i would choose continental.

(plus, it's easier to get an exit row seat on continental as a continental elite. i heard that virgin charges for exit row seats on certain flights.)

For the facts, I would second what everyone is saying here. VS is -- if it can be believed -- more uncomfortable than CO in Y. In F, I'd give VS an edge.

For the opinion, I've never been really happy with the service on VS in Y. Checking in for a flight in August, my sister asked about putting her CO OP number in. "This is a CO codeshare right?" "Yes, unfortunately," was the response. I could go into detail about just how bad VS is in Y, but that story pretty much gives you an indication of how welcome CO passengers are.

Are you planning on flying into LHR which is London Heathrow, or LGW London Gatwick?
Continental does not operate Continental aircraft into Heathrow. You can buy a CO ticket to Heathrow, however you will always be on a Virgin codeshare flight.

FYI--
Extra CO Miles on VS in UpperClass... http://www.continental.com/onepass/n...030910_03.asp?

...I was hassled about my carry-on too.
In the end, MissBumpMe! and I had to check our roll-aboards... which cost us NEARLY AN HOUR AT LHR as we waited for them to roll off the baggage claim.

That was terribly disappointing.
The in-cabin service was decent.
The seats were very, very close.
And, despite my CO Plat Status and her CO Gold, we STILL ended up in the CENTER section of an A340... 2 - 4 - 2.

That also was disappointing.

The "poor" treatment of CO elites on VS flights likely has to do with the fact that CO and VS are FF and code-share partners only, not alliance partners. CO elites on CO flight numbers but VS metal arguably should receive some preference, but I would expect that VS would put its own elites first. To my understanding CO elites traveling on VS flight numbers should be treated as any other member of the mob. But the same would work the other direction--a VS Gold on a Co flight number should get nothing, and a VS Gold on a CO-operated VS flight number should again be behind CO elites.

When I flew the CO/VS code-share a few years ago (as a CO pax on VS metal), at the time CO contracted for a limited number of standard coach seats from VS. Anything special (exit rows, etc.) were reserved for VS pax--regardless of one's status on CO. There was some flexibility between the two blocks for rebooking passengers in special circumstances, but they were generally fairly rigid.