I will take a trip on this airline in November with my husband. I would like to know, How is the following:

1. food
2. Service
3. Does every seat have a television
4. Leg room

Any other info would be very helpful.

Also if anyone has info on Air Malta, that would be helpful as well.

Have flown on Virgin twice Lon-LA and Lon-Miami. Both experiences were pretty good. Food and service not memorable but not a source of complaint, seatback screens did appear to be universal, and leg room was pretty standard for economy. Flew Premium to Miami, which was much more comfortable, although cost about twice the price of an economy fare (if you get a good deal). Also flew Air Malta this year from London. Seats were not generous but the flights were on time both ways.

depends on what class you're flying, but here was my impression for coach (5/03):
1. Food - better than typical cardboard and rubber meals and plenty of it
2. Service - except for Singapore Air, very hard to top service of British air carriers in general IMO
3. Yes, every seat has a television with quite a selection I might add
4. Leg room - typical cramped seating in coach but I'm 5'11'' and still managed a 10 hour transatlantic flight

Just do a search on Virgin Atlantic and you will see a plethora of mostly positive comments as well as a sprinkle of petty negatives ones

Helpful info: if you start to feel a little cramped, get up and walk over to the attendants' room...they leave out juice and water for passengers and you can stretch out a bit in the exit rows, which is highly recommended for health reasons by flight authorities. Don't think you're offending the passengers in the exit row because most graciously accept the conditions and understand the overall predicament. Hope this helps!

bluefan,
I'm not sure where you got the impression that exit row occupants just accept people like you with open arms. If I'm stuck in the back of the bus, my status with the airline allows me to usually get the better seats, which in most cases do include exit row seats, and, SORRY, but NO, I nor many other flyers DO NOT APPRECIATE other folks congragating in 'our space'. It takes a great deal of flying for me to have that choice, and I would like to enjoy it without any disturbance.
Sorry if I offended anybody, but if it's me sitting there, I will let you know!

AAFF, I value your opinions on this forum tremendously but in this one matter I have to disagree with you. Most passengers that I've encountered and myself do not congregate in exit row seats to chatter amongst ourselves nor to spend an inordinate amount of time away from our tight spaces. I believe we respect the extra space privilege of those passengers seated there and try not to brush up too close to them. And as you are well aware, people will have to involuntarily stand in exit row seats nonetheless to wait for the lavatory.

Everyone knows it's a good idea during long international flights to stretch out on occassion, which seems to be most conducive where there's a bit of space like the exit row. I'm sure if I'm in the exit row, which I have been before, and there's ample amount of space (imagine 1.5 rows being taken out on VA flights), I wouldn't mind if people occassionally came by as long as they were courteous. I would mind if it got crowded and friends/families jabbered there in front of me for ten minutes plus.

Once again, I think it's more of a health recommendation issue. So if I were lucky enough again, I'd just chalk it up as one of the drawbacks of having the privilege of sitting with extra leg space in coach...and if it bothered me that much, I'd opt for Bus or 1st Class.

I have to admit that I, too, have had my fair share of people congregating in front of me very rudely in the exit row. They've stood there directly in front me while talking and blocking my movie view for up to twenty minutes or so at at time. I've also had my feet stepped on plenty just so that they could get a glimpse out the tiny little window on the exit door. And, the amazing thing is that they don't seem to give two hoots.

I'm in full agreement that we all need to get up and stretch on these long, international flights, but some people definitely have a bit more refinement about it than others.

HI
Being english i would like to tell you that Virgin is the best.
But i would not be telling the truth.
Leg room is tight, drinks are few and far between,and its expensive.
United or AA is my choice.

Virgin is awful in economy. If you must go, at least try to get premium economy or pay the $75 to upgrade to an exit row.

Read my whole experience here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...11&start=0

I'll never fly them again.

I have never flown VA before, but I have read several comments about people who are assigned exit row seats. I have heard them say that people tend to come into their space and strech out.
That would seem to cause a problem for me. I would request the exit row seating for a reason, for the space, and to loose that space for everyone else would upset me.

I am flying VA in November for the first time, and hearing this, I think and may not request an exit row seat. My husband and I are not that tall, but we would like to be comfortable for his first overseas flight.

Feel the same way about exit aisles. When I'm in one, I understand that there aren't many places to stand. Also understand that walking, moving is recommended by doctors and when I was in an exit row from LAX to New Zealand, people stood there. I understand... it's 15 hours on that one leg of my trip and it's miserable.

But, or should I say BUTT... be considerate. Unless yours is buff and of the right gender, remove it from within an inch of my nose. Otherwise, my leftover chicken parmasan is finding a new home in your right rear pocket. Ok, so just try not to stand right in front of someone and block their view of the screen, step on their feet, etc. I know when I'm not in the exit row, I can manage that so I know everyone else can too.