Just returned from LHR on this plane. Main Meal Starter Mozzarella and tomato salad with micro basil and cress (v) Ciabatta roll with butter Main Roasted Salmon The routes, service and loyalty programme nose dived shortly after as the American influence on profits over service took hold. With such an enormous chasm between cabin types, its too big a risk to chance things with Virgin when other airlines offer far more consistency and certainty. I was in Seat 3G. I have flown Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy several times and it is my favorite premium economy airline offer. The clubhouse is big much bigger than the average airline business class lounge. As of May 2022 this is still not something that British Airways is able to offer. Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Review. Dining options for Virgin Atlantic customers in 2021 include a main course of roasted chicken breast, potato pure, sauted spinach and girolles mushrooms, served with Bourguignon sauce The new Upper Class menu: Welcome drinks upon boarding Drinks and snacks after takeoff Main meal Starter Mozzarella and tomato salad with micro basil and cress (v) They not only had French champagne (Champagne Chanoine Freres Reserve Privee Brut NV), but they also had English sparkling wine (Hambledon) and prosecco (NV Dea Del Mare). The drinks offered on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class are excellent. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. You can lie down for a refreshing sleep, unwind in the exclusive on board bar area and even freshen up with Rituals sleep amenities. Although I was tempted by both the Ayala and the Hambledon (made 5 miles away from my childhood home), I decided to stick with Coke Zero. Toward the front of row K isn't a bad second choice, the main difference being that the seat is less private and has a view of other passengers' feet. The major difference is that the bar on the A330 is perpendicular to the fuselage whereas on the Dreamliner, it's parallel to the seats in row K. Related: 6 features that set the 787 Dreamliner apart from the rest. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. There is quite a bit of seat size variation across the different Virgin Atlantic fleet planes. It might be worth noting that the Loft, an area that was designed as a social hangout to replace the bar, is situated at the back of the cabin. We did not get the upgrade for HK/LHR and asked about it at check-in, we were told there were Upper Class seats available and paid extra at the counter for the upgrade. If you're spending your cold hard cash or splurging your stash of Flying Club miles on an Upper Class ticket, then there are definitely a couple of decisions to make before you click that confirm button. We'll welcome you onboard with a chilled glass of Champagne or English sparkling wine. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. And for those traveling lovers, Virgin has called three sets of its middle seats the Love Suites 1E, 1F, 3E, 3F, 5E and 5F. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. Another point worth noting is that service is generally started at the front of the cabin, meaning the farther back you sit, it could take longer for you to get those all-important food and drinks. The clubhouse has the most innovative and tasty offer in the world of business-class lounges. But I want to start with a big thank you to Virgin Atlantic. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. Enrollment required. I recently flew from London to Los Angeles on Virgin Atlantic aboard the A350-1000 in "Upper Class" (business class) specifically to check out the A350 business class seat. The seats have a more spacious area and also have benches at the end of the seat so that the area can seat four people. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. A SEAMLESS TRAVEL JOURNEY Delta and Virgin Atlantic operate in the same terminal in LHR. The A330neo and selected Airbus 350 planes have an area called The Loft. But why? A very resounding YES! This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. A bottle of water was waiting for me at my seat and this was placed on a small fold out cocktail table, with a push out lamp above it. The weight limit for one carry-on bag is 26 pounds, while the combined weight limit for two carry . See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Cabin service was non-existent on the overnight flight I saw people ring their call buttons to never have a FA appear. There is also a bassinet directly opposite 1A, meaning you might be seated opposite a baby for your entire flight. The crew on our flight were fantastic and also helped to make up for some of the shortcomings of the hard product. Mozzerella, artichoke and lemon basil mayonnaise in a mini malted roll and harissa chickpea and red pepper wrap, Patisserie lemon posset clair, passionfruit tart and blackberry and bay macaron, Dark and Thunder stormy Bacardi Cuatro rum, ginger ale, lime, Orchard Goose, Grey Goose vodka, apple juice, lemonade, Red Tail Bombay Sapphire gin, cranberry juice, ginger ale. In addition to the bottle of water, we found an amenity kit waiting for us at our seats. Looking for an alternative booking now. In an interview between Brian Kelly and Virgin CEO Shai Weiss, Weiss discussed plans to retrofit the Boeing 787-9s with the same Upper Class Suite, but not before the arrival of the 14 Airbus A330-900neo aircraft that Virgin has on order. For the return flight we bid the 795 and got the upgrade. Im Amanda, an Australian who has been living in London for over 16 years. Also took VA from JoBurg on A350 and was totally different experience. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Snacks are available after the first meal is served and until 40 minutes before landing. The clubhouse also has several areas that can be used for things other than working, eating, or drinking. $22.99. Not just 30 upper class seats but 44 packed in like sardines. There are two dedicated Business Class bathrooms on the Virgin Dreamliner (for 30 seats), which meant that there was no wait at all to get changed into sleepwear. the 2nd daily San Francisco flight having been switched from an A350 to a B787. Virgin Atlantics base is at Heathrow Terminal Three. The main reason being that each seat faces the back of the seat the row G in the middle, giving the illusion of slightly more privacy. Upper Class can be found on all of Virgin's aircraft, but the brand-new Upper Class Suite is currently only on its A350-1000s. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. Virgin do so much damage to their brand by not acknowledging that people book with the expectation of the product they paid for. Virgin Atlantic 787 Upper Class, London Heathrow - Delhi (February 2021) Boarding began at 8.45pm, 45 minutes before our scheduled departure time of 9.30pm and, with priority boarding, it didn't take more than a couple of minutes to get on the Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 (which I've flown many times, pre-coronavirus). I covered all of the costs of my return Upper Class flights with Virgin Atlantic. I wanted to let you know. The Retreat Suite can only be booked 14 days before departure on a first come, first served basis. Virgin Airlines offers the only Upper Class service, which includes both Business and First Class. As per TPG U.K.'s Nicky Kelvin's review of the Upper Class Suite on the A350, you'll probably be happy with any of the seats you sit in on an A350-1000 as "there was really not a bad seat in the house, although Row 1 definitely had an edge, as its footwell was larger than in other rows.". Upper Class. Cheese plate Wensleydale with cranberry, cheddar, chutney , grapes and crostini. Suite The lack of a proper toiletries bag isnt great as is only having a flat or upright offer for the seat. I was on a late morning flight, so my visit was at breakfast time. Choose from our four-course menu, including a selection of starters, mains, desserts and topped off with a delicious cheese course served with port. Virgin has plans to retire this aircraft by 2021, so I figured I really ought to ride on one before time was against me. Champagne Ayala or Hambledon Classic Cuveee English Sparkling wine. The Booth takes two people and can be booked with the crew. I have read that Virgin Atlantic has changed this on their latest aircraft, and the seats are now all facing forward. The newest Upper Class offer is in the Airbus A350-1000 and it has a seat width of 20 inches as does the A330-200. However, it is deli-style (which included things like smoked salmon, fresh fruit and Greek yogurt) and set up behind glass, so passengers must request that a server places everything on the plate. The bag itself is plain purple and can be recycled eg it isnt something you can keep and reuse, which is unusual for business class. However, for an added feel of privacy and those views that we live for, any A and K window seat is slightly better than a D or G seat. The key difference of course being that BAs Business Class lounges were never good, Your email address will not be published. It definitely felt like I made a far wiser choice with the chicken burger, served with a packet of crisps and a chocolate cake. Virgin even calls these seats suites and went on further to come up with names for them. Read More, WELL TRAVELLED + BOUTIQUE HOTELS + ADVENTURES = THE BOUTIQUE ADVENTURER 2020 The Boutique Adventurer Travel Blog . Main was a choice of one of the following: Pan-fried seabass, creamed mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables and a lemon butter sauce, Pepper chicken masala, carrot and beans poriyal, yellow dal and coconut rice, Kadai paneer, onion pulao, aloo saag and yellow dal, Black forest tart with berry compote and chocolate soil, The cheese plate included Emmental, brie, Danish blue and was served with grapes, mango chutney and crackers. Interesting take on the children visiting your seats. In Fall 2019, the long-awaited A350 started flying to New York (JFK) and is slowly being introduced to other destinations. On day flights, Upper Class passengers will get a second meal service, including Eric Lanlard's Mile High Tea or a lighter option. The toiletries in the self-titled goodie bag are from Ren and were decent but not amazing. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. On night flights, there's a choice of three hot breakfasts as well as side dishes, including fresh seasonal fruit, bircher muesli and pastries. Virgin Clubhouse at Heathrow Terminal 3 reopens - take a look 15 July 2021 by Rob Burgess The Virgin Clubhouse lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 reopens - and we were there Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. (Very unlike British Airways who has an average premium economy offer and a great business class offer). The crew were very friendly and welcoming during the boarding process. Despite the added privacy of facing a wall, it was jarring to have direct lines of sight to every other passenger in the cabin. Judging by my seat, there are still a few teething problems (the IFE not working properly and the seat frequently jammed, and I know another seat in Upper Class stopped working altogether) but in time I suppose the engineers will sort that out. 100% agreed with you on the ground experience. Virgin Atlantic A330-300 Upper Class Seats There's next to nowhere to store a book, cables, chargers, or anything else that a passenger may want close to hand during the flight. Find Premium flight deals. I tried watching TV for a while but the design meant that the monitors arm kept digging into my legs as I was lying down. It was just weird to stare across at 6-8 people, not be able to look out the window, require help to covert seat into a bed, etc. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. There are also a variety of crisps and chocolate bars available at any time throughout the flight. But a lot changes in 10 years and now the upper class on the 787 is akin to revisiting that 80s nightclub you used to love as a kid, only to wonder what the hell you were ever thinking being in there. 7 reviews Craig Cutts (United Kingdom) 10th December 2022. But next time you find yourself with an Upper Class ticket, you'll want to make sure you've selected the best possible seat in the cabin. Best Spa Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. That said, heres the menu, Buttermilk chicken burger, red cabbage slaw and crisps, Mediterranean
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