#14068 by slimey_c
24 Jul 2006, 13:19
Trip Report

LHR – DEN – LHR
18th July 2006
Club

Here is a brief (or not so brief now!) summary of my recent experience in Club with BA, I tried to compare every aspect of the trip with my last Virgin trip as I travelled (sad!) [:I].

So starting at check-in
Both O/B and I/B check-in was very easy. I managed to get my exact preferred seat using OLCI both ways :). I used the print my own boarding pass function on BA and this really does help. The BA website has been recently updated and I find it now much more intuitive than the VS equivalent. I checked my baggage in outbound and this was also easy, with no queue to speak of in the Club check-in in T4.

Security
Used “Fast”-track at LHR which as many have stated was not quite as advertised! Security at DEN was rather friendly, and easier than LHR - a first [:0].

Lounge
The BA T4 Terraces lounge on the outbound was really hot, there were no sandwiches left by the time I got there (at 2pm) and it was crowded. It was slightly better than sitting in the normal terminal seating. Comparing to VS – there is no real comparison.
On the return I used the Denver lounge. I really would have liked a shower but there was a single toilet in the lounge which was just about adequate for changing out of a suit. It was a small lounge, nothing really in the way of food (when the 8 sandwiches arrived they disappeared very quickly). The only ray of light was the BA host – a gem.

Boarding
Boarding at T4 was through the priority lane but you might as well not bother as you just join lanes again when through.
Was offered juice or water on boarding at LHR – would have preferred Champagne but this was not offered [?]
From DEN boarding was a complete shambles. We were called to board and then waited for 20 minutes at the gate as the crew had not even boarded yet. Then young children/assisted passengers where boarded. Next it was Club. Then all the Econ passengers boarded but through the club cabin. I didn’t really get the point of this[n]

I received a nice Molton Brown bag each way. Which had cream, lipbalm, toothbrush, socks, eyeshades etc. I used most of the contents [}:)][}:)]

Flight
Both trips were on the 777. On the outbound we had a small club cabin and the service felt very personal [y] Everyone was addressed by Mr. X or whatever with the exception on me (due to my difficult surname!).
The service on both legs was very professional. Food was very good on both legs and drinks were regularly well stocked.
The only complaint I have is that on the return we had a cabin of 60 Club seats. This felt quite cramped, choice of meal was not available, and it took a while to get served due to the number of pax [:?]
Oh, and the Virgin bacon roll is a lot better than BA which is like a microwaved service station burger [:$]

Entertainment
Very poor both ways. The system AND choices of films was awful.

Seat
The BA club seat was great during the day flight. On the return I battled to sleep as it was too narrow and claustrophobic. The VS bed is lots better.
I also find it easier to eat in the Virgin cabin.

SUMMARY
If only VS flew more routes then I would use them much more. On a return from the US the suite comes into its own in terms of value.
However the BA Silver is now a target for me as I would use it quite a lot in Europe and using Club internationally makes this easy to achieve. If Virgin offered lounge access with Silver then I would find it easier to justify an indirect flight!

So a final round-up…….
Seat/Bed: VS hands-down and on a competing route I would fly VS every time, just for the overnight sleep leg. There is more cabin space and it has a modern feel.
Crew: BA seem to be more professional, my last few flights with VS have been disappointing
Lounges: Again VS hands-down
Entertainment: VS from LHR
Food: BA wins this one but I have not yet experienced the new menu on Virgin
#129020 by slinky09
24 Jul 2006, 17:15
Great information and good TR, well-balanced too.
#129110 by jaguarpig
25 Jul 2006, 10:53
The BA T4 Terraces lounge on the outbound was really hot, there were no sandwiches left by the time I got there (at 2pm) and it was crowded.


There are 2 terraces in T4 one on the top level of the lounge pavilion and another near gate 1,the latter is large on 2 levels and seems a lot less hectic.
#129112 by slimey_c
25 Jul 2006, 11:17
Originally posted by jaguarpig
The BA T4 Terraces lounge on the outbound was really hot, there were no sandwiches left by the time I got there (at 2pm) and it was crowded.


There are 2 terraces in T4 one on the top level of the lounge pavilion and another near gate 1,the latter is large on 2 levels and seems a lot less hectic.


Thanks Jaguarpig, that looks much more like the lounge in LGW N terminal which is much more spacious and overlooks the gates. I'll try this one next time [y]
#129456 by VS045
27 Jul 2006, 19:30
Thanks for the TR:D

Although with VS there are many variables, you pretty much know the config of the a/c - as there are only four or five. However, with BA - there are quite a few different configs which can lead to inconsistency as you experienced;)

VS.
#130010 by Speedbird223
01 Aug 2006, 14:28
Originally posted by VS045
Thanks for the TR:D

Although with VS there are many variables, you pretty much know the config of the a/c - as there are only four or five. However, with BA - there are quite a few different configs which can lead to inconsistency as you experienced;)

VS.


To be honest there aren't that many different ones with BA...

747 with 38 J seats
747 with 70 J seats
777 with First
777 without First
767

On the DEN route there is no inconsistency since First was dropped a couple of years ago and it operates the 777 without First all the time.
#130173 by slimey_c
01 Aug 2006, 23:36

To be honest there aren't that many different ones with BA...

747 with 38 J seats
747 with 70 J seats
777 with First
777 without First
767

On the DEN route there is no inconsistency since First was dropped a couple of years ago and it operates the 777 without First all the time.


On the DEN-LHR leg we had a 777 with full 4 class cabins (WT, WT+, J, F), but they put J class into the First cabin too.
Virgin Atlantic

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