Flying TPA-LHR Upper Class on the Neo
Jan 27, 2023, 4:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 4
Flying TPA-LHR Upper Class on the Neo
I am looking for info on flying out of TPA to London in terms of club access and quality of the Upper Class ride. I've flown Biz quite a bit, but not on Virgin. Recent reviews of Virgin on a different traveler website were less than complimentary about service staff and now I'm concerned. Can anyone advise of their experience in the lounge (food, drinks, staff?) and the quality of the new Upper Class product on the Neo? Thanks for any help.
Jan 28, 2023, 1:46 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA PLT the rest, Kettle Power
Posts: 667
I'm curious about this too. Am flying MIA-LHR on A330neo and considering purchasing the retreat suite, while the space looks nice, the proximity to the galley gives me concern. I'm planning on mostly sleeping through dinner and most of breakfast so noise won't be welcome. Any thoughts or experiences would be most welcome.
Feb 9, 2023, 7:03 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA PLT the rest, Kettle Power
Posts: 667
Quick follow up - I flew 6K over night and 1A day flight on the return. I'm glad I didn't opt for the retreat suite. It's in the first row and 1/3 of the suite looks into the galley. I only fly J for the ability to rest and sleep and work - I'm less concerned with the meal and such. When seated in 1A I had a larger footwell and was sat right next to the retreat suite. It's definitely more space, I'd do it for a day flight, but for me personally I'd avoid it for a night flight when I'm trying to sleep.
Feb 10, 2023, 8:16 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 3
I've just got back from a trip out to Tampa and back from Miami on the A330neo both ways, having chosen those flights specifically to try out the new Upper Class suite. On the way out I chose a regular window seat (4A) and it was pretty good apart from a lack of storage - there only seemed to be a small cabinet at head height just large enough for headphones or the like. My partner's seat (5A) had an open area under the console but mine didn't - maybe only the seats nearer the aisle have that.
I also wanted to try the Retreat Suite and for me it seemed the extra space would be good for sleeping, especially as the foot area is open without having to effectively put your feet in a box. We booked it for the return overnight flight and overall it was excellent with the extra room making it feel a lot more luxurious. With the doors closed it felt like a really good private space for two and it had more storage than a regular suite with a compartment under the lid of the console which had room for a rucksack and shoes and other bits and pieces but not a carry-on case. We weren't at all disturbed by any noise as the main galley area is at the back of the cabin and the crew kept the curtains at the front shut most of the time so there were no bothersome lights shining into the suite either.
There were a few glitches though, starting with the central divider that the crew said wouldn't go up so it was lucky we wanted it down. Also the screen was superb being so much bigger (27" I think) but it was too far away to use the touch capability and it turns out the remote control can't operate some of the functions like scrolling down a menu when part of it is off the screen. I had to undo my seatbelt and lean right forward when I needed to do that. We tried pairing our phones to use as remotes but that didn't help and annoyingly they unpaired after a while of not being used.
One area we thought the designers really missed out on is that the Retreat Suites are divided by a bulky full-length console so it's not really a double like Qsuites. This is a consequence of the staggered layout so perhaps it would have been better to have alternating rows of two seats together and then two further apart so the Retreat Suite could be made into a double bed.
Finally the service was a little odd. The crew came round quickly after takeoff with a bowl of crisps for everyone and then started the drinks service from a trolley at the front right side. My partner in 1G got a drink first and then the crew worked their way down to the back, then up the left aisle towards the front again. Being in 1D I was served last, some 20 minutes after my partner. The same thing happened when the meal service started so I mentioned to the crew that since it was likely that many of the centre seats would be occupied by couples it would be nice if they could be served at the same time. They said they didn't have enough crew to serve both aisles at once but they did then manage to serve our mains and desserts together which was good, bringing them by hand rather than using the trolley as they had for drinks and starters. I didn't notice if they did the same for other rows though.
Overall though we loved the Retreat Suite and found it a great space for relaxing in as a couple. It was easy to chat and we both slept very well so it was definitely an improvement over the regular suite. We paid for it and although it's not cheap at £200 each we did feel we were getting a significant upgrade for our money.
We also liked The Loft and spent some time there chatting to other passengers. On the way out they had ice cream in the fridges which we looked forward to on the way back but it wasn't to be and we were told that's only available on flights from London. There were other snacks though and the crew were happy to bring drinks for us, spending a bit of time chatting with us in between service. They seemed as excited about the new plane as we were!
I also wanted to try the Retreat Suite and for me it seemed the extra space would be good for sleeping, especially as the foot area is open without having to effectively put your feet in a box. We booked it for the return overnight flight and overall it was excellent with the extra room making it feel a lot more luxurious. With the doors closed it felt like a really good private space for two and it had more storage than a regular suite with a compartment under the lid of the console which had room for a rucksack and shoes and other bits and pieces but not a carry-on case. We weren't at all disturbed by any noise as the main galley area is at the back of the cabin and the crew kept the curtains at the front shut most of the time so there were no bothersome lights shining into the suite either.
There were a few glitches though, starting with the central divider that the crew said wouldn't go up so it was lucky we wanted it down. Also the screen was superb being so much bigger (27" I think) but it was too far away to use the touch capability and it turns out the remote control can't operate some of the functions like scrolling down a menu when part of it is off the screen. I had to undo my seatbelt and lean right forward when I needed to do that. We tried pairing our phones to use as remotes but that didn't help and annoyingly they unpaired after a while of not being used.
One area we thought the designers really missed out on is that the Retreat Suites are divided by a bulky full-length console so it's not really a double like Qsuites. This is a consequence of the staggered layout so perhaps it would have been better to have alternating rows of two seats together and then two further apart so the Retreat Suite could be made into a double bed.
Finally the service was a little odd. The crew came round quickly after takeoff with a bowl of crisps for everyone and then started the drinks service from a trolley at the front right side. My partner in 1G got a drink first and then the crew worked their way down to the back, then up the left aisle towards the front again. Being in 1D I was served last, some 20 minutes after my partner. The same thing happened when the meal service started so I mentioned to the crew that since it was likely that many of the centre seats would be occupied by couples it would be nice if they could be served at the same time. They said they didn't have enough crew to serve both aisles at once but they did then manage to serve our mains and desserts together which was good, bringing them by hand rather than using the trolley as they had for drinks and starters. I didn't notice if they did the same for other rows though.
Overall though we loved the Retreat Suite and found it a great space for relaxing in as a couple. It was easy to chat and we both slept very well so it was definitely an improvement over the regular suite. We paid for it and although it's not cheap at £200 each we did feel we were getting a significant upgrade for our money.
We also liked The Loft and spent some time there chatting to other passengers. On the way out they had ice cream in the fridges which we looked forward to on the way back but it wasn't to be and we were told that's only available on flights from London. There were other snacks though and the crew were happy to bring drinks for us, spending a bit of time chatting with us in between service. They seemed as excited about the new plane as we were!
Last edited by Glorified Typist; Feb 10, 2023 at 8:33 am
Mar 22, 2023, 12:19 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 72
I've just got back from a trip out to Tampa and back from Miami on the A330neo both ways, having chosen those flights specifically to try out the new Upper Class suite. On the way out I chose a regular window seat (4A) and it was pretty good apart from a lack of storage - there only seemed to be a small cabinet at head height just large enough for headphones or the like. My partner's seat (5A) had an open area under the console but mine didn't - maybe only the seats nearer the aisle have that.
I also wanted to try the Retreat Suite and for me it seemed the extra space would be good for sleeping, especially as the foot area is open without having to effectively put your feet in a box. We booked it for the return overnight flight and overall it was excellent with the extra room making it feel a lot more luxurious. With the doors closed it felt like a really good private space for two and it had more storage than a regular suite with a compartment under the lid of the console which had room for a rucksack and shoes and other bits and pieces but not a carry-on case. We weren't at all disturbed by any noise as the main galley area is at the back of the cabin and the crew kept the curtains at the front shut most of the time so there were no bothersome lights shining into the suite either.
There were a few glitches though, starting with the central divider that the crew said wouldn't go up so it was lucky we wanted it down. Also the screen was superb being so much bigger (27" I think) but it was too far away to use the touch capability and it turns out the remote control can't operate some of the functions like scrolling down a menu when part of it is off the screen. I had to undo my seatbelt and lean right forward when I needed to do that. We tried pairing our phones to use as remotes but that didn't help and annoyingly they unpaired after a while of not being used.
One area we thought the designers really missed out on is that the Retreat Suites are divided by a bulky full-length console so it's not really a double like Qsuites. This is a consequence of the staggered layout so perhaps it would have been better to have alternating rows of two seats together and then two further apart so the Retreat Suite could be made into a double bed.
Finally the service was a little odd. The crew came round quickly after takeoff with a bowl of crisps for everyone and then started the drinks service from a trolley at the front right side. My partner in 1G got a drink first and then the crew worked their way down to the back, then up the left aisle towards the front again. Being in 1D I was served last, some 20 minutes after my partner. The same thing happened when the meal service started so I mentioned to the crew that since it was likely that many of the centre seats would be occupied by couples it would be nice if they could be served at the same time. They said they didn't have enough crew to serve both aisles at once but they did then manage to serve our mains and desserts together which was good, bringing them by hand rather than using the trolley as they had for drinks and starters. I didn't notice if they did the same for other rows though.
Overall though we loved the Retreat Suite and found it a great space for relaxing in as a couple. It was easy to chat and we both slept very well so it was definitely an improvement over the regular suite. We paid for it and although it's not cheap at £200 each we did feel we were getting a significant upgrade for our money.
We also liked The Loft and spent some time there chatting to other passengers. On the way out they had ice cream in the fridges which we looked forward to on the way back but it wasn't to be and we were told that's only available on flights from London. There were other snacks though and the crew were happy to bring drinks for us, spending a bit of time chatting with us in between service. They seemed as excited about the new plane as we were!
I also wanted to try the Retreat Suite and for me it seemed the extra space would be good for sleeping, especially as the foot area is open without having to effectively put your feet in a box. We booked it for the return overnight flight and overall it was excellent with the extra room making it feel a lot more luxurious. With the doors closed it felt like a really good private space for two and it had more storage than a regular suite with a compartment under the lid of the console which had room for a rucksack and shoes and other bits and pieces but not a carry-on case. We weren't at all disturbed by any noise as the main galley area is at the back of the cabin and the crew kept the curtains at the front shut most of the time so there were no bothersome lights shining into the suite either.
There were a few glitches though, starting with the central divider that the crew said wouldn't go up so it was lucky we wanted it down. Also the screen was superb being so much bigger (27" I think) but it was too far away to use the touch capability and it turns out the remote control can't operate some of the functions like scrolling down a menu when part of it is off the screen. I had to undo my seatbelt and lean right forward when I needed to do that. We tried pairing our phones to use as remotes but that didn't help and annoyingly they unpaired after a while of not being used.
One area we thought the designers really missed out on is that the Retreat Suites are divided by a bulky full-length console so it's not really a double like Qsuites. This is a consequence of the staggered layout so perhaps it would have been better to have alternating rows of two seats together and then two further apart so the Retreat Suite could be made into a double bed.
Finally the service was a little odd. The crew came round quickly after takeoff with a bowl of crisps for everyone and then started the drinks service from a trolley at the front right side. My partner in 1G got a drink first and then the crew worked their way down to the back, then up the left aisle towards the front again. Being in 1D I was served last, some 20 minutes after my partner. The same thing happened when the meal service started so I mentioned to the crew that since it was likely that many of the centre seats would be occupied by couples it would be nice if they could be served at the same time. They said they didn't have enough crew to serve both aisles at once but they did then manage to serve our mains and desserts together which was good, bringing them by hand rather than using the trolley as they had for drinks and starters. I didn't notice if they did the same for other rows though.
Overall though we loved the Retreat Suite and found it a great space for relaxing in as a couple. It was easy to chat and we both slept very well so it was definitely an improvement over the regular suite. We paid for it and although it's not cheap at £200 each we did feel we were getting a significant upgrade for our money.
We also liked The Loft and spent some time there chatting to other passengers. On the way out they had ice cream in the fridges which we looked forward to on the way back but it wasn't to be and we were told that's only available on flights from London. There were other snacks though and the crew were happy to bring drinks for us, spending a bit of time chatting with us in between service. They seemed as excited about the new plane as we were!
Mar 22, 2023, 2:24 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 3
Thanks! For a relatively short redeye from Boston I wonder whether the Retreat Suite would be worth the extra cost - I did find it great for sleeping as there is significantly more space all around but you might get more value out of it on the longer return flight as you'd be able to enjoy the full dinner service (assuming there is one!) and have time to experience all the benefits of the larger suite. That's probably the way I'd do it.
Mar 28, 2023, 7:18 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 72
Thanks! For a relatively short redeye from Boston I wonder whether the Retreat Suite would be worth the extra cost - I did find it great for sleeping as there is significantly more space all around but you might get more value out of it on the longer return flight as you'd be able to enjoy the full dinner service (assuming there is one!) and have time to experience all the benefits of the larger suite. That's probably the way I'd do it.
thanks! Will try it out on the return.
May 7, 2023, 9:47 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2022
Programs: Flying Blue, MileagePlus, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 2
I am looking for info on flying out of TPA to London in terms of club access and quality of the Upper Class ride. I've flown Biz quite a bit, but not on Virgin. Recent reviews of Virgin on a different traveler website were less than complimentary about service staff and now I'm concerned. Can anyone advise of their experience in the lounge (food, drinks, staff?) and the quality of the new Upper Class product on the Neo? Thanks for any help.
Separately, given this flight arrives just as Revivals closes (very disappointingly!), are there any other alternative arrivals lounge amenities (e.g. through SkyTeam, or Amex Plat)? Amex Plat would give access to the Plaza Premium arrivals lounge at T3, but that seems to be closed "until further notice"...
Nov 21, 2023, 10:45 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2020
Programs: virgin atlantic
Posts: 40
How did/do people manage to book their retreat suites as now I hear you can only book 14 days before your flight is due to depart, plus they have increased the price to $300.00. So being in the states. EST and knowing that the UK is 5 hours ahead, if one has a departing flight on a Sunday, I presume you would be looking at 7pm EST on the Saturday(so 15 days before your flight) in the US to try and get these seats? Any other options ideas?
Nov 27, 2023, 11:50 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2023
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Posts: 3
Upper Class (UC) from LHR - TPA. UC Wing access at LHR?
Booked LHR - TPA in UC for January. Can anyone tell me if access to the UC Wing is possible by taxi from the Sofitel at T5? Staying there night before the flight and travelling with my wife who has mobility issues, hence the need to do as little walking as poss. I understand that there is a separate entrance to the UC Wing for vehicle access. Anyone done the taxi from Sofitel bit?
Nov 27, 2023, 11:58 am
#13
Moderator, Virgin Atlantic
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: www.V-Flyer.com
Programs: VS Red, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium - earned out of our own pocket!.
Posts: 2,392
I haven’t done the Sofitel, but I took an Uber from a Bath Road hotel a couple of weeks ago without any issue - the driver just has to give your name and flight number at the vehicle entrance.
Have a look at this thread for more advice - Upper Class Wing
Nick
Nov 27, 2023, 3:00 pm
#15
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 22
Welcome to Flyertalk
I haven’t done the Sofitel, but I took an Uber from a Bath Road hotel a couple of weeks ago without any issue - the driver just has to give your name and flight number at the vehicle entrance.
Have a look at this thread for more advice - Upper Class Wing
Nick
I haven’t done the Sofitel, but I took an Uber from a Bath Road hotel a couple of weeks ago without any issue - the driver just has to give your name and flight number at the vehicle entrance.
Have a look at this thread for more advice - Upper Class Wing
Nick