Who's Best - B.A Or Virgin?

[dooledoo]

I've always flowm with Virgin but I have been doing research and B.A seem to come out better for Premium Economy and Upper Class.

What are your thoughts on the 2 companies and who would you fly with? Who offer which services that makes them stand out from the opposition

 

[Claire L]

I've always flowm with Virgin but I have been doing research and B.A seem to come out better for Premium Economy and Upper Class.

What are your thoughts on the 2 companies and who would you fly with? Who offer which services that makes them stand out from the opposition

BA has four classes of cabin for transatlantic flight compared to VA's 3 so really the only class that can be compared IMHO is economy.

VA's PE is between BA's World Traveller Plus and Business Class and VA's Upper Class is between BA's Business Class and First Class.

Personally we like VA's PE as it is a nice service for a good price. Would like UC everytime but unfortunately money does not allow!!

Claire

 

[islandmum]

BA's World Traveller Plus is nowhere near as good as Virgin Premium Economy IMO. Virgin PE offers dedicated check in lines for PE, dedicated cabin staff for PE, better size seats, different food from economy etc ... BA offers none of those things.

UC Virgin is against Club for BA - again I would choose UC, flying club is nice but I find it claustrophobic in a way - I dont like the seat arrangement of back/forward. And with UC you get all the added extras ... clubhouse, limo, pj's etc etc to be honest you get almost BA first class for club class money ... its a no brainer.

 

[gemmybear83]

Not bothered - I just go for the cheapest price!!!!

 

[stubb]

we also always go for the cheapest price. We have flights booked with va through rxpedia and they are currently offering £50 duty free vouchers for the plane each (kids included) if you book before end sept for travel up to feb or march not sure which.Am planning to use these to buy xmas girts.

michelle

 

[Elise79]

We looked at BA but find that for PE there is no real comparison - BA are cheaper but there is significantly lower standard for BA. Plus with VA PE is in the bubble on a 747 which for me adds even more value as sitting upstairs is being on your own plane

 

[Jets fan]

Love Virgin's PE - hate BA's as the seats are not much different, nor is the service

Love Virgin's UC and BA's Business (never tried first as too expensive)

Absolutely hate Virgin's economy as it's too cramped and old and tatty - can tolerate BA's economy


Hope this helps

 

[kristieuk]

I agree that it depends on the class - I would choose BA in economy, VA in Premium Economy (BA is very poor in this area in my view, not worth the extra cost at all), and between Club and UC, I would probably go with whoever was cheaper. I'm not sure, but I don't think BA fly a First Class cabin to Tampa or Orlando, but I would stand corrected if anyone knows better.

 

[fulles]

Virgin PE offers dedicated check in lines for PE, dedicated cabin staff for PE

I've never understood the dedicated cabin staff claim. Presumably if PE has a cabin staff dedicated to it, then UC must also have cabin staff dedicated to it. Therefore all other cabin staff must be dedicated to economy?

If that's the case, where is the benefit?

 

[JohnnySharp2]

BA don't fly direct from Manchester so for me it's Virgin (Premium Economy class).

 

[islandmum]

I've never understood the dedicated cabin staff claim. Presumably if PE has a cabin staff dedicated to it, then UC must also have cabin staff dedicated to it. Therefore all other cabin staff must be dedicated to economy?

If that's the case, where is the benefit?

It means that each class in Virgin have their own staff - UC, PE and EC. BA donot have seperate staff for their PE and economy cabins - they share them, which means PE customers on BA wait longer for service, food etc, as their cabin crew also have 250 or so economy customers to look after.

When you have that added extra - especially in the bubble upstairs of PE, you really appreciate the staff allocation Virgin has.

 

[fulles]

It means that each class in Virgin have their own staff - UC, PE and EC.

I understand that, but they always quote it as a benefit of PE over Economy - which it isn't (unless the staff in PE are somehow more efficient/polite etc than the staff in economy).

It's a benefit of flying with Virgin over another carrier (which ALL virgin customers get).

Steve

 

[Claire L]

I understand that, but they always quote it as a benefit of PE over Economy - which it isn't (unless the staff in PE are somehow more efficient/polite etc than the staff in economy).

It's a benefit of flying with Virgin over another carrier (which ALL virgin customers get).

Steve

The PE service is more efficient if you are in the bubble as there are 2 cabin crew to serve a maximum of 38 people.

Claire

 

[gismo1554]

I understand that, but they always quote it as a benefit of PE over Economy - which it isn't (unless the staff in PE are somehow more efficient/polite etc than the staff in economy).

It's a benefit of flying with Virgin over another carrier (which ALL virgin customers get).

Steve

I think the benefit is that you have more staff per person than if you go in Economy

 

[DisneyJo]

We've only flown economy and after doing VA 4 times tried BA this year (they were cheaper ) and we much prefered BA, the seats just seemed a bit bigger and the cabin crew were so much friendlier than VA!

 

[islandmum]

I dont know about economy on either airline but in terms of product I would say you get much more with virgin compared to BA if pitching PE against WTP, and UC against Club which is the price point for them.

However flying First with BA is something completely different, its a luxury beyond UC Virgin and just wonderful.

Have to agree with Jo - I find BA staff alot more respectful, professional and knowledgeable than VA .... although Virgin staff can and often are very nice they're much more your younger, up for clubbing age group and my only disppointment whilst flying UC this August from the UK was the crew in the galley behind UC prattling on in high pitched loud voices about their boyfriends, cats, partying etc etc ..... something I've never experienced with BA.

but I'd rather pay for more ammenities and better seats with VA than better staff with BA. The clubhouse alone makes it worth it!

 

[SammieG]

BA for me.... i wont bore you with my VA story... but i wont be travelling with them again in a hurry!
BA have always been fantastic for us!

 

[mikki.young]

I have had good trips and bad trips with both. Currently I am using Virgin PE because of flying club and options to get 'free' companion seat works for us. I like the upper level cabin apart from the overhead storage space which doesn't take standard cabin bags but while they can be stores elsewhere on the deck it is not an issue.