V-Flyer

Planning a trip to Orlando in September 2014 and would like to to make it special, it's our 40th wedding anniversary, so tried to book 2 UC return tickets via the VS site. Prices coming out as £2k plus each. As a comparison I checked the BA website same dates and routing. Prices £1500 each. Can anyone offer me a view regarding these two products. Is the Virgin experience out of Gatwick, lounge etc., 'worth' an extra £1000? I have done the outbound leg in UC once and really found it very good. Never done the return leg from MCO in UC so not sure about lounges etc for both VS and BA. Have not flown BA on this route since the late 80s so not really aware of the service levels out of the north terminal at Gatwick. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

It could be something as simple as the fare code and restrictions on the ticket.
For example the VS ticket may be more flexible in terms of date changes, refunds etc. Also it depends how important VS miles and TP are to you.

I think the first thing I'd say on this, is that although both are badged "business class", they really are different products aimed at slightly different markets.

BA have first as well, and I would place UC on VS somewhere between club and first on BA - folks could argue the toss over various detailed aspects of the service offering, but looked at holistically, I really do see these not being directly comparible.

As for which is "better", I'd say this entirely depends on what aspects of a service matter the most to you.

For example, if privacy is your biggest issue, then UC will win.
If price is your biggest factor, BA club will more than likely win.
If lounges are your biggest factor, then VS out of LGW will win, back from MCO no real differnece.
If crew interaction really matters to you, then VS will edge BA out usually, but not consistently.

And then, you maybe want to think about your reward earnings from the flight, how you would want to use those in the future, that may influence your decision as well.

Anyway, I'm rambling, but the point I'm trying to make (rather badly, probably) is that there is no real "better" option unless you personalise your service factors,.

For what it's worth, I've flown both many times and recently, enjoy the VS UC offering, have had some fantastic flights, but more often than not now fly with BA and thorough enjoy the club offering as well, so either choice would be a good one.

Hmmm, not sure I've helped much?

Forgot to mention BA also have half their seats facing backwards which I hate. I like to be poining in the right direction !
Plus VS don't have that awful 'freight train' trolly up and down the isle. It is all served individually.

It's only a 9 hour flight.
So can it possibly be worth £1000 to fly VS?
On the way back you'll hopefully be asleep for most of it.
I'd go for BA, but check VS aren't price matching with sale first.
Orlando lounge is rubbish with snacks only. Gatwick VS is nice.

Dick D

At the moment VS do have a sale from 1st July to 7th Sept
UC Orlando return £1495
And if you are prepared to fly from Manchester £1497 up to 30th Nov

Dick D

Also worth looking at the Amsterdam trick where there's potential to save £K's. For example next April a VS return LGW - LAS comes in at just under £3K per person. Swap out LGW to AMS on your search and the person price tumbles to £1766! All you need is a £39 EZY to get yourself to AMS from where you're flown BA Club Europe back to Gatwick to pick your VS UC flight to wherever you want to go. You can even fly the AMS to London leg the evening before, that way no need to worry about connection time and no need to even drag your luggage over to AMS. I'm doing it next year and still remain truly staggered at the savings to be had by the AMS trick. Of course no need to return to AMS at the end, just collect your luggage at LHR or LGW and return home.

Vegascrazy wrote: You can even fly the AMS to London leg the evening before, that way no need to worry about connection time and no need to even drag your luggage over to AMS. I'm doing it next year and still remain truly staggered at the savings to be had by the AMS trick. Of course no need to return to AMS at the end, just collect your luggage at LHR or LGW and return home.

So where does you luggage go when you fly to AMS? and when do you re-unite with it?
Dick D

For a £1000 and knowing your flight is booked rather than faffing about waiting for that elusive sale which may or may not have anything cheaper, i would say go for it and BA.

cheers

alex v

Thanks everyone for the very helpful an informative responses. Did not realise that there was a difference between the two products and also the seat request charges. I will look to see if the sale fares are available, our dates are flexible. If I can get a deal I will opt for the VS UC choice.

dickydotcom wrote:

Vegascrazy wrote: You can even fly the AMS to London leg the evening before, that way no need to worry about connection time and no need to even drag your luggage over to AMS. I'm doing it next year and still remain truly staggered at the savings to be had by the AMS trick. Of course no need to return to AMS at the end, just collect your luggage at LHR or LGW and return home.

So where does you luggage go when you fly to AMS? and when do you re-unite with it?
Dick D

The initial 'getting to AMS bit' is under your own steam, so if you have luggage you can take it - or, as I mentioned, if you opt for a 'day before' AMS - LHR flight then why not just leave your luggage at home (or in airport hotel if home not close) - then next day you drop your luggage with VS for that day's sector. On way home you simply ensure that your luggage is not checked through to AMS and collect if at LHR (or LGW). In any event they can't tag it to AMS if the onward BA flight is from LGW when you're arriving at LHR or vice versa.

I have a similar dilemma at the moment, want to book our holiday for next January but unusually VS aren't matching BA's current sale dates, so if I book with BA at the moment I'll save £3000!!! I much prefer VS and would gladly pay a premium over BA but not that much

Just did a dummy booking on Expedia for a Xmas shopping trip: AMS to JFK with va 1728 upper class (plus klm business) direct lhr to JFK 2960

-
AMS is the way forward me thinks.

samfarmer wrote:AMS is the way forward me thinks.

Just a tip - check Brussels as well. I've found it's often cheaper than AMS. Just done a random search for BRU-JFK in Nov and it's coming in under £1500.

It may be called the Amsterdam trick but it doesn't have to involve AMS - other European hubs work too.

Just an update, VS PE fares for our dates 1243 pp, UC 2500 pp. BA club world now 1550 pp. Will probably book with BA later today. Thanks again for all the replies.

Amazed you left it this late - my understanding is current BA sale is due to finish real soon, so I'd make sure you book today.