V-Flyer

Hi All

How are you all - in 2012 I had a few trips I needed to make to Bangkok so knowing this and the lack of Virgin flights there opened an Amex rewards gold card and started to collect their points which can be moved in to the BA and VS scheme...

Also became a BA Silver Member. I have to make a few observations on the two schemes.

1) Getting upgrade seats with BA is far easier. Either using points or a cash upgrade from PE (all classes) at checkin for £399

2) They look after their silver members better - twice in 2012 I was upgraded to First from Club (one cash and one points upgrade from PE club seat)

3) I actually find the club seat as comfortable as UC - I miss the bar and lounge but the onflight experience was just as good.

I love the Virgin brand but do think the BA scheme is edging ahead.. any views?

Nick

Having boycotted BA for long haul for a few years after having a few bad experiences in a row to and from SFO I was greatly surprised when flying with them to Tel Aviv earlier this year in Club World. Couldn't complain about anything, service, food, seats and entertainment all excellent. (Ok, the BA lounge is not the Clubhouse) Even better on the return was a upgrade to First which was a very nice surprise. I think BA have definely upped their game. I've also heard of colleagues getting upgraded more frequently with BA flying to the US which all makes me wonder if I should switch allegiance....

Npe81 wrote:1) Getting upgrade seats with BA is far easier. Either using points or a cash upgrade from PE (all classes) at checkin for £399

2) They look after their silver members better - twice in 2012 I was upgraded to First from Club (one cash and one points upgrade from PE club seat)

Here's a thought ... perhaps VS finds it easier to fill the UC cabin than BA their Club World cabins ... hence you find it easier to upgrade or get a cheap upgrade if paying?

Npe81

The VS equivalent level to BA silver is really VS gold, which offers very similar benefits (access to revivals for non-UC pax is a significant advantage of the VS scheme), although it requires a bit more flying to achieve.

I don't generally have too much problem upgrading with miles on VS, but maybe it varies on the routes you fly.

I think the two things that give the BAEC the edge are the ability to MFU/UUA from any WTP fare bucket, plus the Amex 241. VS doesn't match those at present but on the other hand they do offer the double-cabin upgrade, which can be truly excellent value.

Swings and roundabouts... ?

PS it seems a bit unfair to compare the two schemes on the ability to upgrade to First (though I agree it is an undoubted attraction of BA!)

Having said that, VS does have a very exclusive upper-deck cabin on the 346 -- quite airy but does get a little cold from time to time.

at240 wrote:
Having said that, VS does have a very exclusive upper-deck cabin on the 346 -- quite airy but does get a little cold from time to time.

I think you mean the 747. All of the 346 is on one deck

CHill710 wrote:

at240 wrote:
Having said that, VS does have a very exclusive upper-deck cabin on the 346 -- quite airy but does get a little cold from time to time.

I think you mean the 747. All of the 346 is on one deck

I think he was joking. References to airy and being cold :w

I have both VS AG and BAEC AG (thanks to the BMI status match thing) here. I much prefer VS over BA though.

I simply will not fly BA long-haul. Thankfully from March when VS start domestic flights I can ditch BA completely.

Yes OK, you get lounge access with BAEC AG. Having used the Terraces North lounge once now at LHR T5, never again. I'd rather sit and wait in the departure lounge. There was nothing what so ever premium about the experience as it was standing room only and the bathrooms where a disgrace.

VS get my money and custom every time, even if that means I don't get as many privileges with VS AG.

BA is nothing more than a faceless, characterless, corporate bus service as far as I'm concerned

mitchja wrote:BA is nothing more than a faceless, characterless, corporate bus service as far as I'm concerned

It's a shame that virgin seem to be heading in that direction though.

Plus I think you mean Galleries Club not Terraces.

Pros and cons a plenty, but I do think that which is "best" is so subjective and dependent on individual needs/priorities that this particular discussion will probably never reach a conclusion.

I have personally chosen to switch to BAEC (and hence BA) for the foreseeable future, but this has been based on very specific priorities together with my own view on how the BA game is on the way up, and the VS game is on the way down - and patchy.

Household account plus increased route network plus recent consistent experience of good service plus my personal liking for the CW experience plus a usable companion reward plus my own perception of great upgrade availability and flexibility have all lead me to feel that the BAEC works better for me than does VS FC.

The discussion will go on I hope, but I firmly believe it's entirely dependent on your personal needs/preferences/priorities.

Everyone has a personal reason for picking one over another, in my instance i had shocking flights to mco and sfo and then my dad had a terrible flight meeting me out to sfo on the same holiday, it was then that i decided to ditch vs after 5 crappy sectors.

Since then i have flown BA now for 36 months both in J & F and have to say im very happy and have found the service excellent, with one exception being the clubhouse when we fly business, but still happy with the BA club lounge.

mitchja wrote:BA is nothing more than a faceless, characterless, corporate bus service as far as I'm concerned

Wow.... agreed though, they don't really engage with pax like VS do.

Given I am AU with VS, if VS fly where I need to go then VS it is... simple decision that really. I like their service offering over BA, it is patchy granted, but definitely more personable and that is the kind of person I am.. good fit. Lounge access and UC check in facilities regardless of which cabin I am flying help too..

BA have been improving of late and if I fly outside of the VS network then I give everyone a fair chance.. I have even been known to frequent SQ, they are a tad robotic and give an overly efficient service that does suck the fun out of the cabin but they get me from A-B so meh..

at240 wrote:Having said that, VS does have a very exclusive upper-deck cabin on the 346 -- quite airy but does get a little cold from time to time.

Ha ha ha ha, make sure to keep an eye out for Mr O'Leary up there..

I hate to say it but I stopped flying virgin around 18 months ago.

Currently BA Silver which is fairly easy to keep, but struggled to keep Gold on Virgin.

Biggest difference for me is that my work policy is to book the lowest cost ticket above economy. i.e. PE / WTP. On Virgin that means a ticket I can rarely use miles to upgrade, but on BA I have no problem at all.

Still have 600K Virgin miles, and no idea what to do with them!

Biggest thing I miss is the Virgin crew (much more relaxed than BA!) and the rare upgrade and visit to the bar in UC.

Interesting - my experience of BA crew is that they are just as engaging as VS crew - the difference being I am referred to as "Mr Concorde" on BA rather than first name terms.

My personal experience has not borne out the oft quoted stuffiness of the BA crew interaction...on the contrary, I find them perfectly amiable and willing to engage in conversation.

I will say that they maintain a certain professional distance - and I find this to be totally appropriate.

All just in my opinion, of course.

SteveA wrote:
Still have 600K Virgin miles, and no idea what to do with them!

Give them to me I'll soon find something to do with them.

I like them both, but Virgin Atlantic means more to me (partly due to this website).
Given the almost identical prices they charge I am happy to support Virgin.

Virgin wins hands down on their premium seat sze

SteveA wrote:
Still have 600K Virgin miles, and no idea what to do with them!

Steve, surely you hit the zero button one too often ? ?|

ScubaRoo wrote:

SteveA wrote:I hate to say it but I stopped flying virgin around 18 months ago.

Currently BA Silver which is fairly easy to keep, but struggled to keep Gold on Virgin.

Biggest difference for me is that my work policy is to book the lowest cost ticket above economy. i.e. PE / WTP. On Virgin that means a ticket I can rarely use miles to upgrade, but on BA I have no problem at all.

Still have 600K Virgin miles, and no idea what to do with them!

Biggest thing I miss is the Virgin crew (much more relaxed than BA!) and the rare upgrade and visit to the bar in UC.

600k? That would get a few terrific Hilton Waldorf Astoria stays, 10k VS = 20k HH... i)

Hilton Maldives for instance, fly direct from LGW with BA in CW. 8D y)

Or start your own cut price VS UC travel agency, happy to be customer numero uno.. :w

Hilton have got far more tailored about their HH points pricing. No longer the standard 50k per night for the top hotels. The WA in NYC doesn't participate on the the HHonors scheme at all anymore, though on the other hand for some trial dates there were offering The Caley in Edinburgh for 37.5k a night which (I think) is a bargain....

Kabuta007 wrote:

SteveA wrote:
Still have 600K Virgin miles, and no idea what to do with them!

Steve, surely you hit the zero button one too often ? ?|

(Un)fortunately no. Looked at booking a holiday via Virgin and decided I could find virtually everything as cheap without the miles. Rewards with miles seem so expensive when you take into account the taxes.

Might end up moving them to Hilton.

I just got a new Chase BA card here in the US. 1.25 miles per dollar , the chance to earn 100000 bonus miles and the 2 for 1 offer. i should be able to do the $30k pa as we can pay our house taxes ($3k) income tax (??) with it plus my business pend is easily that. be interesting to see what BA can offer

ScubaRoo wrote:
Their money & HH points combos are worth a look too. Booking Hilton Canary wharf soon for a concert at the O2, £340 for a double or £53+25k points, bargain! y)

Agreed. I've managed something similar for a concert at Wembley and one of our theatre weekends.