VS029 LGW-BGI 21 JUL 16 (Premium Economy)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

So, to recap…

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.

[buns]

Concorde

Thank you for such an honest and illuminating Report. Having been away, you will have noticed the difference far more readily to those who have witnessed the gradual erosion of the PE product.

At its roots has been the changes imposed on crew levels and removing senior status for crew. What this has in effect done is to make a lottery of the service that can be expected

My recent flight in May was a terrible outbound in UC, yet a super return in PE - all down to the calibration of the FSM who often motivates crew to "make the new situation work"

Thanks once again for highlighting a serious problem - we can only hope that VS sits up and takes notice

buns

Thank you for your TR which left me feeling sad. Like buns I do hope VS wakes up soon .

I also hope you had a good stay in between your disappointing flights.

Thank you for the TR - we are doing that flight in April next year in PE and hopefully the situation will have improved .......

Thanks for the replies folks.

Just to ensure I convey the right message, these flights were not “bad” – the crew did what they had to do and the seat, as previously commented, is one of the best Premium seats around.

The crew were polite and did their best, but were not the undefinable VS style crew of old – but then, maybe they didn’t have the time or inclination – hard to blame them.

I found the A330 to feel “crammed” and the food on both legs was awful.

To me, the increased workload on crew is very, very apparent, and on these two flights, made it seem like I was on “just another airplane”.

Again, I have a UC return to JFK in a few weeks, which means I’ll see arguably the two best lounges around; and even better, they are currently not scheduled to be A330’s.
I genuinely hope to see some of the VS difference on these flights.