Premium Economy Questions

Since I'm flying PE for the first time at the end of May, have a few questions I'd love feedback on

1) Are the Airbus and 747s out of JFK the identical experience - i.e. leather seats, etc - or are the 747s more 'tired'?

2) If the person in front of you reclines fully, is it annoying? Or is there enough room between seats to prevent them from being in your personal bubble?

3) How does food compare to Economy?

4) Any other things I should be aware of before boarding?

I'm flying the JFK > LHR > JFK route.

Since I'm flying PE for the first time at the end of May, have a few questions I'd love feedback on

1) Are the Airbus and 747s out of JFK the identical experience - i.e. leather seats, etc - or are the 747s more 'tired'?

Kudos for using the word 'tired', which seems to be the tripadvisor standard term trotted out to describe the 747 fleet, and two years out of date.

If anything, after the refits, the Airbuses are more likely to be 'tired', since they haven't been refitted. They provide pretty much the same seat though.

2) If the person in front of you reclines fully, is it annoying? Or is there enough room between seats to prevent them from being in your personal bubble?

I got put off of PE on the A346 due to someone doing this, so yes, this sometimes happens. Though at checkin at the airport, I believe you can request the extra legroom seats in PE at no extra charge (we were given those on top deck to Vegas when PE was exclusive on top deck).

3) How does food compare to Economy?

Better. Though mushrooms seemed to feature heavily in all PE foods a while back. Not flown for a while in it, so can't confirm.

4) Any other things I should be aware of before boarding?

I'm flying the JFK > LHR > JFK route.

Can't think of anything.

The LHR fleet is looking a bit tired in all cabins to be honest with PE no exception ,I've had a couple of broken armrests that literally fell off ,the recline of the seat in front can make viewing your screen a little awkward if your quite tall like me IMO ,the food by all accounts seems a bit better than it has been if recent TR's on here are anything to go by but I always have a good meal before boarding anyway in case I don't like what's being offered on board ,personally I like the PE cabins on the 330s and 346s better
Hope this helps

Since I'm flying PE for the first time at the end of May, have a few questions I'd love feedback on

1) Are the Airbus and 747s out of JFK the identical experience - i.e. leather seats, etc - or are the 747s more 'tired'?

Kudos for using the word 'tired', which seems to be the tripadvisor standard term trotted out to describe the 747 fleet, and two years out of date.

If anything, after the refits, the Airbuses are more likely to be 'tired', since they haven't been refitted. They provide pretty much the same seat though.

2) If the person in front of you reclines fully, is it annoying? Or is there enough room between seats to prevent them from being in your personal bubble?

I got put off of PE on the A346 due to someone doing this, so yes, this sometimes happens. Though at checkin at the airport, I believe you can request the extra legroom seats in PE at no extra charge (we were given those on top deck to Vegas when PE was exclusive on top deck).

3) How does food compare to Economy?

Better. Though mushrooms seemed to feature heavily in all PE foods a while back. Not flown for a while in it, so can't confirm.

4) Any other things I should be aware of before boarding?

I'm flying the JFK > LHR > JFK route.

Can't think of anything.

Only the LGW 747s were refitted ,not the LHR ones

Hi,

1. The LHR 747s have not been refitted and I agree with blacky -- tired is the word, but certainly not terrible, and PE is quite a durable seat so I wouldn't worry too much.

2. I don't think there is any difference in seat pitch so the recline issue is identical on the 346s and the 747s. It is not a problem but it is a little bit annoying. But what can you do... (well, bag a bulkhead seat...)

3. The food is noticeably better (i.e. actually edible) but still pretty basic. It is what airline food used to be like in Y.

4. Personally I would always pick a 346 over a 747 in PE. Always. Nicer cabin, smaller, more intimate, quieter aircraft, better air quality. Most important of all, dedicated loos -- the PE loos on the 747 are behind the Y curtain and so the forlorn sign saying PE passengers just gets disregarded.

Hope this helps.

So the PE seats on the 747s won't be the leather seats? If that's the case, why do they advertise leather seats? Or, does the re-fit refer to something else?

They will be the leather seats. The refit that was mentioned was the fitting of the leather seats into the Gatwick 747s.

It's a good seat, BTW.

2) If the person in front of you reclines fully, is it annoying? Or is there enough room between seats to prevent them from being in your personal bubble?

I'm 6ft 4in tall and I've really been put off flying PE due to this recline. Very limited knee space when the seat in front of you fully reclines and difficult to see the TV screen properly. Also I've had abuse from people behind me when I have reclined, but what can you do if everyone else is using the seat functions and you are actually quite a tall passenger yourself. One of the reasons why I now try to fly UC when possible. Food is better than Econ but that wouldn't be difficult these days.

Its strange, nobody called the LHR seats 'tired' until the LGW seats were refitted. Suddenly they are.

Guess VS just can't win.

'Tired' is a polite term for "old and worn". Not sure why you seem hung-up on the term - it's a polite way of saying Virgin isn't investing in their planes.

I'm 'tired' of people making a topic into something it isn't.

Well, I'm bothered by the term because its used 98% of the time someone new comes in asking about Virgin, and its 100% used (and usually out of date, because its about the LGW fleet) on the trip advisor forum boards. So to me its someone who's not done any research and just repeats something they heard, from a resource which often doesn't know what its talking about (Vegas boards are the one I see the thread on weekly).

Never 'worn' or 'old'. Often it used to kind of mean the IFE was out of date. I don't actually see how its any more 'polite' either.

And no, I'd say neither the LHR or LGW fleet are 'old or worn'. LHR's IFE isn't as good as LGW's IFE, but they are perfectly fine for me.

Wait a week, and someone else new will appear on the board and use the term.

And, yes, I'm 'tired' of the term.

I've been flying on Virgin since the 1980s, so I may be new to the forum - but I can assure you I'm not new to Virgin. As my previous thread points out, I've always flown Economy - because I'm a frugal traveler.

I flew on Maiden Voyager - yes - the original Virgin Atlantic plane, and I can assure you that near the end of its life it was 'tired' in comparison to the rest of the fleet.

Try to relax a bit - it's good for your health.

Its strange, nobody called the LHR seats 'tired' until the LGW seats were refitted. Suddenly they are.

Guess VS just can't win.

That's because the LGW seats were more 'tired' so they stood out more .

2) If the person in front of you reclines fully, is it annoying? Or is there enough room between seats to prevent them from being in your personal bubble?

I'm 6ft 4in tall and I've really been put off flying PE due to this recline. Very limited knee space when the seat in front of you fully reclines and difficult to see the TV screen properly. Also I've had abuse from people behind me when I have reclined, but what can you do if everyone else is using the seat functions and you are actually quite a tall passenger yourself. One of the reasons why I now try to fly UC when possible. Food is better than Econ but that wouldn't be difficult these days.

We've been put off PE totally by this on several flights when someone in front has fully reclined. Seat is leather and good. We've had some flights with damaged seat issues - armrests or tray tables.

Hi

We will be flying on the MCO - MAN route in PE. I have booked seats 19 A & C downstairs and am worried about the recline as it's a night flight. Do they fully recline? Will be sleeping most of the way so not too worried about the people in front.

Thanks for any info.

Flew Man-MCO recently in these seats and they are fine and fully recline. Only possible problem could be a poorer choice of meals as you are served last. Saying that we had no problem and you are first off

Hi

We will be flying on the MCO - MAN route in PE. I have booked seats 19 A & C downstairs and am worried about the recline as it's a night flight. Do they fully recline? Will be sleeping most of the way so not too worried about the people in front.

Thanks for any info.

Not 100% sure but I've a feeling they do fully recline

Every seat on every VS long haul aircraft fully reclines.

The only VS seats that don't, AFAIK, are rows 11 & 12 on the Little Red A320s as they are in front of exit rows.

The only thing I would advise strongly if flying on an A340-600 in PE is that you need to request your seats early as you *don't* want to wind up stuck in the block of 3 seats between the toilets - yuk!

The last few times we flew PE we requested extra leg room seats at check in and I think they make a big difference.

On the issue of reclining seats, not just on VS, it seems most people appreciate and want a seat that reclines, whether in PE or Y, but many people who want a reclining seat don't want others reclining into their space. Can't have one without t'other though can you?

When they recline is really the issue, and as long as it's not during food service then I'm happy to put up with it. Don't really have a choice.

[Neil]

The last few times we flew PE we requested extra leg room seats at check in and I think they make a big difference.

Extra legroom seats in PE ?|
You mean exit row or bulkhead seats? As otherwise all PE seats have the same legroom.
While there are some advantages of exit rows/bulkheads there can also be downsides like being close to bassinet positions or the galley etc which IMO are not worth the extra legroom over an already generous pitch.

Yes sorry Neil I meant bulkhead or exit row seats.
Yes I can see your point.
There is that risk too.
I had not been too fussed as long as I could really stretch my legs but I see your point.

The last few times we flew PE we requested extra leg room seats at check in and I think they make a big difference.

Extra legroom seats in PE ?|
You mean exit row or bulkhead seats? As otherwise all PE seats have the same legroom.
While there are some advantages of exit rows/bulkheads there can also be downsides like being close to bassinet positions or the galley etc which IMO are not worth the extra legroom over an already generous pitch.

Yeah, I tend to really refer to those as the exit rows. I know there are others in economy, but never really reckoned them to be that good.

It was upstairs in all PE 747, so could stretch legs right out.

Crew was strapped in facing us on take off and landing, but that isn't particularly a bad thing. Those are probably economy nowadays though.