VS UC v BA CW, which is best (again)

Give you a tip. If you book a BA CW direct DXB-LHR-DXB, compare the price with DXB-LHR-somewhere else-LHR-DXB.

I save a fortune by giving myself a day in Rome, or Brussels or Paris Last time was Munich, CW from DXB-LHR-MUC-LHR-DXB came in at a shade over £1,200.

As someone who moved over to BA earlier this year I was not looking forward to the CW seat. Whilst it is not as good as UC - it was much better than I thought it would be. I have sat backwards and it was fine. I liked being able to move whilst being seated.

If your business or leisure travel is just the US then Virgin is a better option than 12 months ago. If you travel widely outside the US too then in my opinion Virgin is no longer an option.

Overall BA is more corporate, but it's been much better than I thought. Even the new(ish) WTP seat, which I really didn't like when I flew it in 2010 has grown on me. It is more spacious than Virgin - just need to avoid seats with the IFE boxes.

With regards to lounges - the clubhouse is far superior - my only gripe was how long it could take to be served a drink to the extent of feeling invisible at times. Therefore I quite like being able to serve myself in the BA lounge, although the food offering can't even be compared.

VirginLondon makes a very balanced case. If your primary USA focused then VS is a great choice providing you avoid the A330. However if your a business customer or you don't drink and fly all around the globe BA is a better choice. BA can't complete with the lounge /food because they offer a first class service so they have deliberately left the top level of lounge /food for that. Also in BA favour is a better flying club programme and the one world alliance.. Finally once you have flown UC you have nothing left to aspire too where as if you collect your Avios you can save for a first class flight with any of the OW alliance members that offer this service.

[preiffer]

Currently sat in the First Galleries lounge at T5, on leg 4 of a mixed trip. So, I've just done:
BA CW PVG-LHR
VS UC LHR-JFK (dream suite)
VS UC JFK-LHR (original suite)
And now BA CW LHR-PVG

And honestly, every single element of the BA experience has been utterly sh!te. Nothing good to say about any part of it. Even more annoyingly, despite my assertion that VS is still nowhere near the airline they used to be, they did everything right on this trip and in comparison to BA, shone.

As for the seats - much though I dislike the Dream Suite, it STILL beats anything in BA's Club World cabin hands down - and from what I know, even BA's First class cabin is just another "blah" inflight experience.


One part of SRB's slogan was sadly correct : No way BA.


Which is a shame, because they just gave me a gold card for the next 3 years! :-(