V-Flyer

Just got back from an amazing 3 week trip in the usa. we flew out PE and back UC. the flight on the way out was absolutely fine but the experience on the uc return leg was just a disappointment. Maybe my expectations were too high, maybe its just not all its cracked up to be.
my husband at one point asked if he could go to pe! His tv didn't work and it took almost an hour for the crew to bring him an ipad then he ended up sitting holding it up so he could see it, which is no big deal but on a 9 hour flight he found it uncomfy. also he is a vegi. but the vegi alternative had coconut in which he can't eat. - school boy error for not pre ordering!! so he ended up with a bread bun and a pudding. the stewardess said she would get him a pe menu, but after being reminded twice still didn't bring one.
the kids loved it!! I found the bed really uncomfortable so slept in the chair which I must admit is the best thing ever. I also found it a bit isolated, we had been moved so we were back to back with the kids and couldn't really see them, but i suppose this is so no one else can see each other too.
overall I am glad we did it, but I will not be spending any cash to do it, and i think I would rather fly several times over than blow my miles on uc.

Sorry it was not what you imagined it would be. People have different expectations I guess. For me the bonus of business class is the leg room, and bed. Aanything else is a nice add-on and can vary flight to flight, let alone airline to airline.

The VS seats are isolating but for me that is a very big bonus. I don't want to see or talk to anyone else! I expect PE is a better option for families wanting to ineract with each other during the flight.

I have never flown VS from Manchester. Wonder if the service varies from the London flights? No Clubhouse obviously, which for us is an important part of the package. Do they use older aircraft?

Was there nothing on the small bites menu your husband could have had for his meal? They usually have a vegetarian option on that. I think it may be better to take your own food on board if you have a special dietary requirements.

Whether flying in premium cabins is worth it is a very subjective opinion. Glad you children enjoyed the experience though.

Maximus wrote:I have never flown VS from Manchester. Wonder if the service varies from the London flights? No Clubhouse obviously, which for us is an important part of the package. Do they use older aircraft?

The planes from Manchester are the same planes as the LGW ones. They rotate regularly, usually at MCO.

With regard to the crew, I don't know if it is still true, but Manchester used to have its own crew unlike London, where they could be rostered to either airport.

Manchester routes also use the (mostly) LHR based A330's as well so everything aircraft wise is absolutely identical.

Manchester does have an annoying habit or having to use remote stands though because terminal 2 at MAN simply isn't big enough and the terminal stands where built too close together to accommodate more than a few wide-bodied aircraft at any one time.

Such a shame that expectations were not met for you.

Problems can happen, but when the customer service does not kick in then the bad impression is the one you disembark with. From what you say, it does seem that the VS Cabin Crew could have been a little better in making things good in quick time without having to be reminded.

Do write to VS and let them know thier shortcomings

buns

I agree with stinky minky, the 747s are getting very tatty again, well used. Why? Carnt we have a rotation of 787/9 on the Orlando routes, is our money not good enough, our flight had inflight entertainment problems to it didn't work, also one of the seat beds did not work. It's a lot of dosh just to sit when you have paid to recline to a bed. I also hear the Vegas customers get the old aircraft to. Don't tell me the 787/9 cannot accommodate the amount of people travelling. I expect when we get the new a350 they will be used elsewhere and we will get a bunch of A330s. That by then will be well used, tatty. Value for money seats now are Premium Economy especially when the price drops below £500.

The 747s have well over 300 seats in Y. The Dreamliner doesn't even have 200. So yes, it is about capacity, to meet the demand for peak holiday traffic which is mostly in Y.

On the busiest summer weekends VS flies 6 747s a day to MCO - not far off 2000 seats in Y. To meet that demand with Dreamliners they'd need 10 a day. Not going to happen.

So this throws up the problem of the 747 being retired off in the near future 2018,19,20,21 for the A350s that we have ordered. If we need so much capacity why are still not buying A380 to meet such a high demand. Less aircraft save fuel,but still plenty of room for high demand. This route should be a priority it's a big seller surely. It could also be used for the other USA spots when not in such demand.

No-one's really buying A380s anymore. They're just too big. MCO is a big seller but only during school holidays and VS simply doesn't have the demand to sustain the 6 A380s they have options on all year round.

VS has already announced the A350 will hold up to 410 passengers in the leisure config. That's 45 fewer than the 747 but what they lose in revenue from having fewer seats they'll more than make up by having brand new, fuel efficient twin-engine aircraft.

I've had a range of experiences in UC over the years. Very occasionally the whole product just doesn't quite click. It doesn't sound as though the service on your flight was as good as it can be.

I think the best way to do UC is on a long daytime sector ex-LHR. The Clubhouse really sets you up for a good flight and of course you have the feeling that your trip is ahead of you. Overnight flights back to the UK are a bit harder to get excited about, and personally I never feel that great after them -- regardless of cabin flown.

Lucydog wrote:I agree with stinky minky, the 747s are getting very tatty again, well used. Why? Carnt we have a rotation of 787/9 on the Orlando routes, is our money not good enough, our flight had inflight entertainment problems to it didn't work, also one of the seat beds did not work. It's a lot of dosh just to sit when you have paid to recline to a bed. I also hear the Vegas customers get the old aircraft to. Don't tell me the 787/9 cannot accommodate the amount of people travelling. I expect when we get the new a350 they will be used elsewhere and we will get a bunch of A330s. That by then will be well used, tatty. Value for money seats now are Premium Economy especially when the price drops below £500.

Just to further add to what gumshoe ha already said, it is purely capacity reasons why the 787's do not work for the MCO route.
Reducing capacity would increase the price and then nobody wins.
The 747's are the oldest a/c VS have but they are more modern inside than the A346's that operate a number of routes ex LHR. The IFE is much more modern.
The A350's are being brought in to cover the lesuires routes and will be fitted accordingly, so then MCO travelers will have the most modern a/c.

I love my Virgin product, don't get me wrong. I do feel that we at Manchester seem to be second best most of the time, no clubhouse yet, it always looks that Heathrow then Gatwick get the new planes. I understand the big business routes leave from there, but a little taste would be nice. Same for Glasgow. After the disappointing UC flights we have done the last couple of trips, I think we will do PE until we get some newer metal. Don't like upper on 330. To small for my son.

For balance. LGW/MAN/GLA had all the 744 refit aircraft in 2013. The LHR 744s had to slog on with no refit until retirement. The interiors were pretty much held together with fast tape.

I know things will get better in the near future, so i will keep coming back. Like

June 2017.

Man/Las Virgin Atlantic V85
Las/Jfk Virgin America V260
Jfk/Man Virgin Atlantic V128 All PE.

I flew back from MCO to LGW last week in PE. The CC were the "Manchester" crew.
I can honestly say it was the worse CC I have ever had on a Virgin flight. I have done quite a lot of flying with Virgin recently (all leisure /vacation) and this is the first time I have experienced this, I'm not taking it any further as It didn't really bother me, 1 bad CC out of 10 flights in 6 months , we all have off days.