bonniecrail

Which would you pick in Upper Class, if your goal were general comfort? I can fly JFK-LHR on a VS 787 daylight/daytime flight (leaving JFK in the morning and arriving London mid-evening), or I can take a redeye on a VS A350, departing JFK in the evening and reaching LHR early morning. I would intend to sleep on the redeye but read/work/watch IFE on the daylighter. Would love thoughts from any of you who have experienced both options.

bce1

The 350 is a much nicer hard product. Soft product is very similar. It depends on your preference ultimately.
I think if your preference is to work on a daytime flight, the 787 is absolutely fine.
I personally hate red-eyes and if I had the time I would take a daytime 787 over a nighttime 350.

Buster CT1K

I would prefer daytime 787 to nighttime 350. But the 350 hard product is much nicer.

rkt10

I wish I could give you a comparison. My husband and I are booked on the A350-1000 daytime flight in June, JFK to LHR, . I deliberately chose it because I find it really difficult arriving in Europe in the morning after an overnight flight. I just can't shake off that feeling of exhaustion. A younger me could tolerate it. But now that we're both old, the idea of arriving in London at 8 pm and being able to go straight to bed once we check into our hotel is really appealing.

But to get this flight, we're staying at the TWA hotel the evening before our flight, since our departure city of Boston had a very tight connection to the morning flight and I didn't want to risk missing the flight and being stuck with the overnight one.

I've been searching for reviews of this particular flight and haven't found any so far. Since I can't, I intend to write one of my own.

drew.clarke

I prefer the seat on the 350 on a daytime as it lies flat without having to get out of the seat if i want to get some rest.

I prefer the 787 for a night time flight as i get my head straight down and sleep as long as possible.

These are mostly LAX>LHR so significantly longer than a JFK flight to UK.

Paxing

Just bear in mind that VS control the electronic windows at night time. If you want to 'open' the window to look at the dawn coming up? No chance. Then, the use a 'wake up design' and the window changes colour! For this reason alone, I have foresworn riding a VS 787 again - unless there was a family crisis.

If a 787 is in the offing from another carrier - I shall try to find out their window policy. I like to look at the world, day or night, and VS 787 do not allow this.

SFO1974

I would also keep in mind that VS can change the aircraft type at anytime. I have been booked twice now on A350 and ended up on the 787. I would recommend going for the best departure/routing and don't rely on what hard product you might get.

Nottingham Nick

+1. - I was about to post pretty much the same warning

Nick

FlyAO2

I find the A350 to be better both for Day and Night flights. More room around your chair and you feel much less tight. On the 787 there is literally nowhere to put anything - barely a spot to rest your phone.

The ONE exception would be if you have a problem with footwells when sleeping. The A350 has a footwell that your feet have to go into...on the 787, they are free in the air. If that's a major issue for you, then 787 is the answer...for me, that doesn't bother me

Buster CT1K

I fly between NYC and London at least 4x a year on and in business.

I find the VS A350 product much better than the 787 and A330 product. I do enjoy the VS soft product (both ground and air) more than the BA service and really wish I could give VS all my business. But what I find inexcusable is the inability of VS to deliver a reliable and consistent hard product between LHR and NYC with the excellent A350 product often being replaced by inferior 787s and A330s. I did fly VS's A350 on roundtrips in the autumn and in the spring, but am switching to BA for the rest of the year. I booked BA's club suite for the first time this summer and was relieved not to have to keep checking my itinerary for equipment swaps. I also found that I really enjoyed the club suite as much as I enjoy the VS A350, even if the BA soft product was not as fun as VS's.

maxmin

I too suffered from the 350->787 swap twice!

787 UC is rubbish. I would rather go PE on the 787 than upper. I have done a few times, in fact. 787 UC is cramped and you have so stare at other heads very close to yours or direct across the aisle. And they stare back at you.

I even prefer sleeping in PE because it's just a more comfy seat. The UC gets very hot due to the coffin like design. Lack of airflow?

drew.clarke

It's not that bad!

mot29

Yes! I thought my ATL-LHR was a 350 and ended up on a 330. The most uncomfortable business class seat I’ve ever sat in, I think.

maxmin

Maybe I was a bit harsh. Sorry, VS, I do love you! I am such a fan!
But those 787 UC seats are really not worth it to me. I think unless you're someone who finds it impossible to sleep in PE, there's very little value-add, other than Clubhouse access I guess.

PotomacApproach

With BA replacing its super dated Club World cabins with Club Suites over the next three years, would expect VS to refurb the 787 hard product at some point to remain competitive. To the East Coast, there's also added competition now with the B6 Mint Suites, which blow away the UC seats on the 787. Have to think DL might even get involved and encourage this.