This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
I haven’t flown with VS for well over 3 years now having defected to the dark side.
For some reason, best known to serendipity, I was checking the Virgin Holidays website in mid June and found a deal to Barbados, staying at our favourite hotel (Turtle Beach) for a price I couldn’t refuse.
On proceeding with the booking, I was even more surprised to see that it was in premium economy – so it was booked.
And so, with great anticipation, we arrived at LGW for our first VS flight in quite some time.
I have to confess to a degree of excitement – ok, so it wasn’t UC or anything, but having glimpsed the DS, I was kind of relieved.
The main purpose of posting here is really my impressions of PE on the A330 after a long time away flying WTP, CW and F on BA.
The VS sparkle wasn’t present – the crew, whilst efficient, could have been crew from BA or any other reasonable airline – so no points there.
It was also quite evident to me that they had to work really hard, long gaps between elements of service and rushing around constantly trying to service all cabins.
The PE seat was as remembered – definitely superior to the BA WTP seat.
The food and wine offerings – awful, from the presentation to the quality of food itself, miles behind BA WTP.
The A330 – well, I’ve never been on a plane with such narrow gaps to squeeze through – and the temperature was ridiculously hot.
So, I’m afraid my return to VS really wasn’t what I had hoped and kind of re-affirms my current view that I will just take the best and cheapest flight each time and hang status, it doesn’t really count for anything any more (I have held AG on both airlines, I’m sure the equasion is different if you get to AU or UNIQ). I’m only ever going to achieve AG really, and the “benefits” offered by both airlines is insufficient now to make me want to retain that status.
Overall, the plane felt crouded, the food and drink were dreadful, and the service good but not outstanding.
To save writing another TR, the return was on a parr – no better, no worse.
I have a return to JFK coming up in UC in a month or so, here’s hoping I find some of that VS sparkle again – because I miss it.
Disappointed, to be honest, but I’m saying it like I found it.
Concorde RIP - the most amazing machine to grace our skies