Any good VA flights recently?

[Lisa x]

Hey Everyone!

Im not starting a VA are amazing thread or anything, just here for a little reassurance and maybe some good points???? Please???

I am flying MAN ~ MCO on VS075 on 3rd October with all my family!

DF and I are travelling in UC which we have done before and love so we havent got too many worries right now BUT all of my family are travelling in Economy and are really looking forward to the flight as none of them have ever flown with Virgin and have heard good reports over the last few years!

Last time we went to Florida as a family in March 2007, we flew TCD and they loved the service and the fact they had endless drinks (they behaved though....)

I really hope that this is a good experience for them all and hoping that some of you Disney loving people can tell us about some POSITIVE experiences recently! Thank you in advance x

 

[Becx N Gav]

I think it's all about expectations and previous experience.

We flew economy in May and the service was adequate, I don't think they can do much more than that for economy (with PE and UC you pay that much more for a more dedicated service IMO), we were generally happy with the experience.

I would suggest 'just in case' the IFE isn't working that they all have enough to keep them occupied.

Take some food just in case, I tend to buy a sarnie so at least I know I will have something I enjoy.

I'm sure with a big group they will be having fun with each other and the time will fly

At the end of the day it's not your responsibility that nothing goes wrong, it's just one of those things. It really is a small part of the trip and I'm sure they will be focused more on you two and the Big Day

 

[orangetiggs]

al flight going out 2 weeks ago was just fine, coming back was not so good as the ife had to be reset a million times and the food was horrible

I think like all airlines its hit and miss

Dont worry, if they havent flown virgin before they wont know the difference and will have nothing to compare

Ours flew for the first time with them last year for the wedding and they all loved yet we found faults as we have been flying with them for years

 

[wayneg]

we found faults as we have been flying with them for years

I think this is the main problem with Virgin, we know how good they used to be. I was blown away 1st time with them, after previously flying airtours with a refuel in Bangor, Maine Virgin was luxury. Over the years they have stood still where other companies have improved. They still get you to Florida and back direct but interior of some of their planes are a disgrace and food is poor(most economy airline food is)
They are still my 1st choice because of direct but its all down to price, not what they offer.

 

[bazzanoid]

I think this is the main problem with Virgin, we know how good they used to be. I was blown away 1st time with them, after previously flying airtours with a refuel in Bangor, Maine Virgin was luxury. Over the years they have stood still where other companies have improved. They still get you to Florida and back direct but interior of some of their planes are a disgrace and food is poor(most economy airline food is)
They are still my 1st choice because of direct but its all down to price, not what they offer.

Ditto - up to 2003 I couldn't complain about them at all, but after that they rapidly went downhill - now we fly (used to fly TCD for the price, Upper Deck) BA or not at all.

 

[Pegasus928]

We last flew with them back in February, in economy, and had no complaints. Everything worked OK, food was edible (everyone knows in-flight food is bad, so why it ever comes as a surprise when it isn't what you would pay for in a restaurant is beyond me) and the crew were helpful if we ever had any questions. At one point they even allowed DS to go and experience UC - letting him try the seats out for size. He was made up with this

We have flown with Virgin, KLM and BA in the last 2 years alone - not all to Florida but all long haul nonetheless and can say that we have never really found much between them in terms of food, service and comfort.

I'm sure your family will have a great time as they will be made up about going on holiday - then just make sure they are suitably exhausted on the last day so they sleep all the way home and don't care if there are any problems

 

[gilld]

Our last few VA flights have been really pretty good - far, far better than the downright appalling service we had in BA's WT+ coming back from Nassau last week. However, we have been flying UC with VA for the last couple of years and so I suppose it's not fair to compare.

I do think the problem is inconsistency - sometimes they're good and sometimes they're not! And that's BA and VA.

 

[Lisa x]

Thanks everyone! Im going with the fact that they have never been before with VA so have nothing to compare it too - Thanks for that one, never looked at it that way myself!

And good idea Pegasus, I will get them all darting from ride to ride in the parks on the last day and let them miss the whole journey home (by being asleep that is, not missing the flight! )

 

[Danauk]

We flew VA again last month and both flights were fine. All the entertainment systems worked, food was fine and in both directions (MAN - MCO) the flights took off on time and landed early. We flew economy after flying PE last year and the only difference I noticed was the closeness of the seats. But in both directions we had no one sitting next to us so we were able to spead out anyway, so not all that bad really.

 

[wickesy]

We have flown with Virgin, KLM and BA in the last 2 years alone - not all to Florida but all long haul nonetheless and can say that we have never really found much between them in terms of food, service and comfort.

Same here. We flew Virgin (PE) in July and BA (WT+) in August (into Chicago and back from Atlanta) and there wasn't much to choose between them - the only thing that stood out for me was the on-demand in-flight entertainment on BA that you don't get on the Virgin planes out of Gatwick.

I do think the problem is inconsistency - sometimes they're good and sometimes they're not! And that's BA and VA.

I would agree with that completely. As I said we had no problems with BA WT+ but you did so I think a lot of it is down to the crew on the day.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Flown with them on around 15 holidays now and most of the experiences have been good.
As far as Airline food goes doesn't bother me that much as I don't have very high expectations, however I thought in April it was quite good.
In addition the level of service from the cabin crew in the upper section of Premium Economy was fantastic - probably the best we have had, though I do think it's a much more enjoyable place to be up there.

My main gripes with Virgin are the Customer Service levels since the call centre's were introduced. A sign of the times perhaps but just don't get that confidence coming through when you speak to someone.
Also last time it took them 4 times to send a correct invoice , how hard can that be?

 

[strawberry blonde]

We've always flown with VA and been quite happy. Went in Feb with SIL and BIL who'd never been to Florida before. Flight out from Gatwick was great, nice plane and really lovely cabin crew. Flight home was a nightmare... really tatty plane which hadn't been cleaned and legroom seemed smaller than usual. Started watching a film only for system to be rebooted 4 times and then they decided only 1 film would be shown. Started watching that and after half an hour they rebooted system and we were finally sorted after 3 hours. One lot of drinks and no water or juice and staff were really miserable.
At the end of the day, it's just a means of getting from A to B but I felt awful as I had booked the holiday and felt bad for rest of the family. To top it off , dirty brown water poured down from overhead locker onto my son. When I informed the cabin crew, they just said ' It always happens it's the air conditioning unit. It'll stop when we take off.'

Quite tempted to give BA a go.