Can't decide VS vs BA

I need some advice as can't decide what to do. ?|

Going on holiday 26th May-11th June down the Gulf Coast with family. We've done Disney last two years so staying away for this year .

I have the choice of either flying Manchester Orlando with Virgin In the New A330 Premium Economy (no longer UC on that day) and returning UC. So then staying overnight in Orlando and driving to St Pete's next morning.

Or

For the same price Flying to Gatwick from Manchester then Flying Club Class direct to Tampa which means we will stay first night in St Pete's.

I only live 10 mins form Manchester airport so this is ideal choice. As don't have to drag kids on two planes.

Does anyone have the slightest idea what the Premium Economy might be like on A330? All I can find on web is that it has "State of the art" entertainment but no news on what seats might be like. As I don't much care for the current Premium economy.

I need to decide quickly as BA sale ends tomorrow. i)

What would the majority do?

Speaking purely personally, the direct flight would win.

On the one hand, we look for minimum time to travel - speed of checkin, flight, speed of baggage retreivla etc, then we agonise about which particular kind of seat we're oing to plant our rear-ends in for 8 hours!!!!!! We all do it...

Unless you're you're particularly drawn to the BA offrering, the direct flight would win for me - every time.

If you really can't decice, score them both on, say, 5 important factors and see who wins!!!

Does anyone have the slightest idea what the Premium Economy might be like on A330? All I can find on web is that it has "State of the art" entertainment but no news on what seats might be like. As I don't much care for the current Premium economy.

Which "current PE" do you mean, if you refer to the rickety deckchairs in the bubble out of MAN, then they are not the "current", would imagine the new ones to be similar if not the same as the ones from LHR- i.e. all purple and leathery and "as per all the glossy adverts".

Just to make sure you are comparing like-with like...

Direct would always win.. and a club seat against a PE seat for the same price...no brainer IMHO (depends on your extra hassle, which wouldn't be too bad). Plus you will be paying overly inflated costs for a MAN flight in PE in May, due to demand outstripping supply (hence VS have put smaller planes on that route whilst "refitting" :# )

[Neil]

The new PE will be what is on the LHR fleet currently, like NH says. So that means the very nice purple leather seats.

Personally, having flown both Virgin Upper Class and BA Club World in the past 2 years, VIRGIN Wins hands down. I'm very much a virgin convert, this years trip to New York is Virgin Upper Class, didn't even look at BA, IMHO Virgin service is excellent and as opposed to BA.

Having recently converted from BA to VS, I would always stick with VS.

First and foremost, if you book with BA, they may well strike and will ruin your holiday! (That's a very negative viewpoint).

Mainly, as mentioned above, direct is always better. The new A330 will have great IFE and will be all shiny so you can expect good quality.

Whatever you go for, have a great time!

last time we flew to TPA with Ba they dumped us in an old 747 1 series which they had chartered (from Biggles I think) instead of a nice 777. when we complained they kept saying tough, when we treatened them with legal action they said 'sue us' the day the smallclaims court papers arrived they called and settled blaming a 'staffing communication error'.

the MCO to tampa drive isnt that bad -i did it in just over an hour saturday afternoon

I booked my MAN-MCO seats yesterday.
It was very nearly a move to BA!
As you say, BA Club/Club is the same as VS PE/UC - if you get the best VS deal. I noticed there are no Zs and only 2 Rs in the UC (mid Dec) so prices very quickly go up when only a few seats are booked.

So few UC seats - VS will have lost a lot of customers by the end of this year when they try to charge £4300pp as they were for most of the flights ret. Dec. while BA are charging less than half of that.

Have flown business class twice with BA - but only cos we were bumped up - and it was fine. I'd use them again, but largely because they fly to places VS don't - BUT the big no-no for me is the the strike threats. Seems that most years sees at least the threat of it and who needs that kind of uncertainty to spoil the anticipation of a holiday???

The flight time diference is 1.35hrs between BA & VS so would be practically in at Tampa with the BA flight so have booked with Virgin this morning & was lucky as got the last four K class tickets available

Premium Eco Out & UC in.

Cheers everyone for your advice

Rich

Flew Club with BA to MCO in November having always used VS PE before and would not hesitate in saying that the VS PE product is as good as BA Club.The seating arrangement on the 777 with BA is very strange especially if you do not get the 2 seats by the window and even then the stewardess has to climb over the aisle seat to reach the person sitting at the window. There is also no priority baggage with BA and the VS cabin crew are much better.

Are possible BA strikes not an issue? It was for us. Will not risk my holiday being ruined or stranded at an airport with a child!

Have you looked at the Route Punctality for both airlines? VS UC may be better than BA but you need to look at VFM as well.

All my recent VS flights have been late which was disappointing with the standard excuse of "late incoming aircraft"

A little late to post on this thread I know , but my VS UC flight to JFK the other day was a cracker (TR to follow when home ), just hope that the home-bound leg tomorrow is as impressive .

Are possible BA strikes not an issue? It was for us. Will not risk my holiday being ruined or stranded at an airport with a child!

I won't risk it, even with no child in tow!

I am in the BA Terraces lounge at the moment waiting for my flight to Tampa and I am longing for the CH and its yummy breakfasts (even if they have shrunk in size)

So far smiley faces from everyone which is am improvement on LGW Virgin Check In staff.

I must admit that I had the choice of PE virgin or CW BA for a similar price so this was a no brainer. UC prices on the whole these days have priced me out of the VS market.

I will right a TR on this and must also write one for my VS flight from hell from last October. Promise!!

Sunshine

I am in the BA Terraces lounge at the moment waiting for my flight to Tampa and I am longing for the CH and its yummy breakfasts (even if they have shrunk in size)

So far smiley faces from everyone which is am improvement on LGW Virgin Check In staff.

I must admit that I had the choice of PE virgin or CW BA for a similar price so this was a no brainer. UC prices on the whole these days have priced me out of the VS market.

I will right a TR on this and must also write one for my VS flight from hell from last October. Promise!!

Sunshine

Another vote for VS.

The BA Club layout is just wrong IMO