Premium Economy advice for disability?

Hi,

Just joined, first post so please be gentle. We have not travelled with VA before and whilst checking reviews etc I came across this website / forum - very impressed.

Owing to my wife's disability (can't walk far, uses walking crutch and needs to stretch out her legs) we only use PE for long flights and in the past have used BA and Qantas to Australia and NZ - Qantas being the better.

We are planning a USA trip in March / April - Manchester to Orlando and coming back from New York to London which fits in okay with our UK travel at that time. There seems to be a lot of talk about PE in the older 747's compared to the new A333. I think we have to use a 747 on our return trip to LHR but could do either going out from Manchester. So any views on the relative merits of PE in these aircraft for someone with such disabilities would be helpful please? She's okay walking short distances and even upstairs in a 747.

Also can you pre-book seats on VA - we're not really bothered about where we sit as long as we get PE legroom and can guarantee sitting together (so that I can help her up, get her medication etc).

Sorry to be so longwinded for my first post - we are keen to try VA rather than BA for once but just thought it best to check about an unknown quantity (to us that is). Thanks, Gary.

Gary, welcome. this is a great site for leanring all you need to know about VS, seating, eating and drinking (especialyy Gin it seems ! There are soem very helpful people on here.
there are also a number of trip reports and seat fratings in the toolbox section.

the LHR 747s have PE downstairs and legroom is pretty good , the 330s are also getting fairly good reviews. you can usually hold a seat once you have a booking using the website but in your case I would suggest, and i am sure others will elucidate, a call to special services might be worthwhile. One area Virgin excel in is when they need to 'go a bit further. your wifes situation cries out for the extra room of an exit row but there is a possibility she wont meet the criteria for being sat next to an exit....in any even enjoy your flight

[honey lamb]

Hi Gary and welcome to V-Flyer

If you look on the My Booking section of the website when you have your 6 alphanumeric digit PNR you will be able to see the seating map and this will show you if it is a 747 or an A330

I would echo flabound's suggestion though that you should contact the Special Assistance number and talk through your wife's disabilities with them and that should help you make an informed choice.

Enjoy your trip and many more with VS

If it helps, some of the PE seats on the A330 have moveable armrests on the aisle seats to help you get in and out of the seat easier.

Many thanks for all the advice - have booked it today and will contact Special Assistance etc. Will write a trip report in due course.

Many years since we were last in Florida (1994 I think?) and never before to New York so both looking forward to it all.

Thanks again,

Gary

lots to do and see in NY its a great place

gary396 -- welcome to v-flyer

I second the advice above to call the special assistance number. I used them once and they were brilliant.

There's one thing I didn't understand in your original post -- you say you have to use a 747 coming back from New York. But most of the flights are Airbuses. Do you really have to use a 747? (Not that it matters!)

I also noticed that you were comparing the old 747s to the A333s, but the 747s that fly from Heathrow are in a different configuration to the LGW ones. All the LHR ones have the new PE, which is downstairs.

Anyhow, have a great trip. y)

[honey lamb]

I also noticed that you were comparing the old 747s to the A333s, but the 747s that fly from Heathrow are in a different configuration to the LGW ones. All the LHR ones have the new PE, which is downstairs.

Anyhow, have a great trip. y)

Good point at240 y)

Gary, if you fly back to London from NYC you will be on either a 747 or an A346 all of which have V-Port and as at240 posted, will have PE downstairs. The flights that are likely to have the 747 are the VS45 to JFK and, depending on the time of the year or day of the week, the VS1 to Newark but this is not set in stone. The 747s used will be Config 4 in the seat maps. The seats in the 747s on the MAN-MCO route are either Config 1 or 2. You will not however be able to book seats on the 747 on that route as there is a major refurb beginning on them but you should contact Special Assistance so that they will be aware of your needs.

If you are on the A330-300 it is a new plane for VS but the reports coming from them are for the most part favourable. These have a brand new entertainment system which is beginning to get rave reviews.

Whichever planes you get, sit back, relax and enjoy the flight

One tip from me - getting from Florida to New York my advise would be to use Jet Blue and try to book a flight that has their extra legroom seats available, they are very comfortable and much more spacious, and that may help your wife.

And welcome to V-Flyer, VS can be maddening at times, but we all love to travel!

Thanks for the further advice. And yes I did get the trip from JFK to LHR wrong - we're booked on VS004 which I think is an A346 not a 747 as I originally stated (senior moment).

Outward trip MAN to MCO is on VS075 an A333 I believe.

Thanks again, Gary