World Traveller Plus on BA.

[petsar68]

Is this upgrade worth the extra money ?
It appears the leg room is only marginally improved. Does it seem better once you are there ?
I am interested in the opinions of those that may have tried it.
Thanks.

 

[Frances999]

If you must travel with BA and require premium accommodation then you should go for it. However, Virgin's PE service is far superior and offered at a similar price to the BA premium cabin. Have you considered this?

I felt like WT+ was simply an extension of economy - same service and same same noisy atmosphere. Plus, when I travelled WT+ is was the last cabin off of the plane! The only difference seemed to be the marginally larger seats. With PE you get priority boarding and check-in, separate upper deck cabin with different service, plus you can be one of the first off of the plane.

With both services the extra leg room does sound minimal. However, once you are in those premium seats you really appreciate the extra space - it's suprising how much more room just a couple of inches can offer.

 

[petsar68]

We did consider Virgin but on our last two flights with them we felt they were not up to the same standard as BA.
We have therefore opted to fly BA again, but your points about Virgins PE class makes interesting reading as i didnt realise they varied so much.
Perhaps next time !

 

[jomf]

Hi
We flew in WT+ to Hong Kong and back from Mumbai. There is no dedicated check in, but there was also no queue, so not a problem. The cabin is good, less noise, a curtain between the classes, you get your meal first, the service is very good. The seats are larger but the middle arm rest does not go up. My Hubby slept ( for the first time) the whole way back from Mumbai. I had to wake him for breakfast just before we landed. We have said that if the cost was not to great we would book WT+ for an overnight flight, but not a day one.
We had the last two seats at the back and they do recline fully.

 

[jockey]

I totally agree with Frances, the BA service is ok but for approx the same price Virgin PE is much more superior!!!

 

[TraceyL]

The extra 6" of leg room do make a difference We too actually slept most of the way back from Florida when we flew WT+ -a first

 

[carolfoy]

I agree that virgins service is uperior but either way both are a vast improvement on economy

 

[petsar68]

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply.

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

With PE you get priority boarding and check-in, separate upper deck cabin with different service, plus you can be one of the first off of the plane.

When I've travelled to Florida with Virgin, the PE seats were at the front of the aeroplane on the lower deck.

It was only the First Class customers who were seated on the upper deck and were let off the aeroplane first.

Also, because of the two stage pick up of your baggage at Orlando International airport, when you pick up your bags first, they are transferred first to the second stage and end up coming off last there.

 

[Frances999]

When I've travelled to Florida with Virgin, the PE seats were at the front of the aeroplane on the lower deck.

It was only the First Class customers who were seated on the upper deck and were let off the aeroplane first.

Also, because of the two stage pick up of your baggage at Orlando International airport, when you pick up your bags first, they are transferred first to the second stage and end up coming off last there.

All Orlando flights now feature exclusively PE on the upper deck with 2 rows of PE seats also downstairs behind Upper Class. PE (upper deck) is let off of the plane first. You are correct in the a few years ago Upper Class was upper-deck, but not anymore - now it is at the front of the aircraft.

 

[LondonMom]

Hi
I havent actually travelled PE with Virgin, but I have with BA.
However, my parents have.
I found BA WT+ def not worth the money you are curtained off, and to me this seemed to mean you were forgotten about, I had the call button on for some juice for my toddler (as there was no galley to visit) for 2 hours! the food was dire and as other posters have said, no other real benefits.
My parents have told me for the money Virgin PE is so much more value for money. My dad always insists they go to the upper deck, where he says you are treated almost equally to first class passengers - the only thing is,, I dont think kids are allowed on the upper decks -- but you need to check this. Good luck.
Jo

 

[Red-Snapper]

I have travelled both BA WT+ and Virgin PE recently and agree Virgin is way better.

I dont agree with Richards comment about the bags coming off last. Virgin (unlike BA) treat PE bags as a priority - you get them off the conveyor first with the UC bags. The second bag drop at Orlando is just to transfer them to the main terminal while you go by train.

Your bags come off there more or less (certainly not last) in the order they were placed on. The last twice we have used PE at Orlando we were in the hire car and away within 40 mins. Both times economy passengers were still arriving to wait for their bags at the 2nd conveyor as we walked away.

 

[Frances999]

I have travelled both BA WT+ and Virgin PE recently and agree Virgin is way better.

I dont agree with Richards comment about the bags coming off last. Virgin (unlike BA) treat PE bags as a priority - you get them off the conveyor first with the UC bags. The second bag drop at Orlando is just to transfer them to the main terminal while you go by train.

Your bags come off there more or less (certainly not last) in the order they were placed on. The last twice we have used PE at Orlando we were in the hire car and away within 40 mins. Both times economy passengers were still arriving to wait for their bags at the 2nd conveyor as we walked away.

Children are allowed on the Upper Deck.

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

Frances999,

Many thanks for the update.

Red Snapper,

I've only ever travelled with Virgin in the past to Orlando. Each time my bags were one of the first to come off the first conveyor but one of the last to come off the second. Passengers around me were also commenting on this and we jokingly agreed that it taught us a lesson about rushing to get our bags first.


...so now its a case of: chill out, stand behind the yellow line and cruise to the hotel.

PS. We're travelling BA next year in WT+ (free upgrade), I'll be able to comment on BA's service then.

 

[SammieG]

I much prefer BA to Virgin for economy (less kids, more comfy seats etc) BUT Virgin PE is better than the WTplus or whatever its called. Personally I prefer economy to World Traveller Plus. We have been upgraded for free a few times, and I find the seats really uncomfy..
I didnt notice the service to be any different.

I havent travelled with Virgin for some time..

 

[Red-Snapper]

Frances Yeah I know .. think you posted on the wrong thread.. twas Emmas a bit further down.

 

[Frances999]

Hi
I havent actually travelled PE with Virgin, but I have with BA.
However, my parents have.
I found BA WT+ def not worth the money you are curtained off, and to me this seemed to mean you were forgotten about, I had the call button on for some juice for my toddler (as there was no galley to visit) for 2 hours! the food was dire and as other posters have said, no other real benefits.
My parents have told me for the money Virgin PE is so much more value for money. My dad always insists they go to the upper deck, where he says you are treated almost equally to first class passengers - the only thing is,, I dont think kids are allowed on the upper decks -- but you need to check this. Good luck.
Jo

Sorry! I meant to press "quote" for this post!

 

[jwhiting]

We've travelled PE with Virgin before ( and again next weds!) and I disagree totally with the slow baggage reclaim.

There are two parts to baggage reclaim, but as PE & UC are off first, so you then make the 2nd part first too....

Last time we flew PE, we were no more than an hour from landing to checking in at our hotel on I-Drive

Virgin PE is fantastic, we don't like BA, they don't seem to have very good customer service, & it's nice to be treated a bit differently. Sitting upstairs is a treat, as we don't have all the noise!

Roll on wednesday

 

[petsar68]

I am totally flabergarsted by everyones agreement in that Virgin PE far exceeds BA's World Traveller Plus.and by quite some margin it appears !
Unfortunately we are already booked with BA so to change it now would be to expensive.
Needless to say when we next fly it will be with Virgin, even though we have had a couple of bad flights with them ( economy ).
Thanks.

 

[Frances999]

Have a great trip, Petsar68. I'm sure you will enoy the flight and atleast you will be able to form your own opinion about WT+. Regardless, it's better than economy by a long road!