Virgin or B.A
Jan 8, 2011 | 7:35 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Hilton HH. Virgin Flying Club
Posts: 33
Virgin or B.A
Last year me and my wife flew Virgin UC to New York and we was delighted with the service from both the Club House at Heathrow and the flight itself. I'm now looking to book the same trip in september but upon checking some prices out I have found a big difference between Virgin and B.A, in fact theres a 500 difference with B.A being the cheapest. Can anybody tell me what the main differences are between the two, if you have travelled on both airlines what do you prefer.
Jan 14, 2011 | 5:21 am
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: back to my roots in Scotland!
Programs: Tamsin - what else is there to say?
Posts: 47,843
I like them both. VS tries to be very cool, very chic. BA tries to be more formal, more understated.
BA has a front and back facing seating arrangement, as opposed to VS's herringbone, so if you've never flown backwards, now is the time to try. There are privacy screens so if you are travelling alone, you don't have to spend the trip staring at a stranger. Personal opinions vary as to which is better for sleeping in - I find i sleep in both. BA marginally better for lounging in, as it just reclines and reclines and reclines until it is flat. Better at seat storage on BA - I found VS a bit restricted for cubbyholes to put books and ipods etc in.
BA's IFE is better than VS. Food used to be better, but is declining on BA and improving on VS.
On the ground, VS has a much better lounge in the Clubhouse at LHR, but T5 is a nice terminal now as well, and the Galleries is well above average for a lounge - it too offers treatments, but sadly, no spa pool! Can't speak for the ground at NY.
For 500, I'd fly BA and take my own chance to compare the two.
BA has a front and back facing seating arrangement, as opposed to VS's herringbone, so if you've never flown backwards, now is the time to try. There are privacy screens so if you are travelling alone, you don't have to spend the trip staring at a stranger. Personal opinions vary as to which is better for sleeping in - I find i sleep in both. BA marginally better for lounging in, as it just reclines and reclines and reclines until it is flat. Better at seat storage on BA - I found VS a bit restricted for cubbyholes to put books and ipods etc in.
BA's IFE is better than VS. Food used to be better, but is declining on BA and improving on VS.
On the ground, VS has a much better lounge in the Clubhouse at LHR, but T5 is a nice terminal now as well, and the Galleries is well above average for a lounge - it too offers treatments, but sadly, no spa pool! Can't speak for the ground at NY.
For 500, I'd fly BA and take my own chance to compare the two.
Jan 14, 2011 | 6:32 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 570
I agree with Jenbel on everything, except that I definitely sleep better in the VS seat.
I also agree that BA's food continues to decline. The quality you now get in business is preposterous considering what one pays for such fares.
But definitely not worth forking over an additional 500. So, I agree with the others, book BA.
I also agree that BA's food continues to decline. The quality you now get in business is preposterous considering what one pays for such fares.
But definitely not worth forking over an additional 500. So, I agree with the others, book BA.
I like them both. VS tries to be very cool, very chic. BA tries to be more formal, more understated.
BA has a front and back facing seating arrangement, as opposed to VS's herringbone, so if you've never flown backwards, now is the time to try. There are privacy screens so if you are travelling alone, you don't have to spend the trip staring at a stranger. Personal opinions vary as to which is better for sleeping in - I find i sleep in both. BA marginally better for lounging in, as it just reclines and reclines and reclines until it is flat. Better at seat storage on BA - I found VS a bit restricted for cubbyholes to put books and ipods etc in.
BA's IFE is better than VS. Food used to be better, but is declining on BA and improving on VS.
On the ground, VS has a much better lounge in the Clubhouse at LHR, but T5 is a nice terminal now as well, and the Galleries is well above average for a lounge - it too offers treatments, but sadly, no spa pool! Can't speak for the ground at NY.
For 500, I'd fly BA and take my own chance to compare the two.
BA has a front and back facing seating arrangement, as opposed to VS's herringbone, so if you've never flown backwards, now is the time to try. There are privacy screens so if you are travelling alone, you don't have to spend the trip staring at a stranger. Personal opinions vary as to which is better for sleeping in - I find i sleep in both. BA marginally better for lounging in, as it just reclines and reclines and reclines until it is flat. Better at seat storage on BA - I found VS a bit restricted for cubbyholes to put books and ipods etc in.
BA's IFE is better than VS. Food used to be better, but is declining on BA and improving on VS.
On the ground, VS has a much better lounge in the Clubhouse at LHR, but T5 is a nice terminal now as well, and the Galleries is well above average for a lounge - it too offers treatments, but sadly, no spa pool! Can't speak for the ground at NY.
For 500, I'd fly BA and take my own chance to compare the two.
Jan 14, 2011 | 10:09 am
#6
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 18,250
If you like to take your bags carryon, don't forget there are luggage police on Virgin, especially at Heathrow and especially if you are travelling alone (and can't hide your carryon during check-in). Applies to upper class as well as economy.
Jan 30, 2011 | 1:47 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Hilton HH. Virgin Flying Club
Posts: 33
Thank's for the replies. I'm inclined to agree with you all, 500 extra to fly Virgin cannot be justified especially when the service you get is not that different to that of B.A, will definitely look at booking with B.A, providing there's no strikes on the horizon of course.