American or Virgin Atlantic to London???
Nov 8th, 2005, 10:07 AM
#21
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Our first trip to London was with Virgin Atlantic (from Boston) as part of a package deal. We were so pleased we booked the next two trips with Virgin as well. We really like the 2:30PM return flight time.
Nov 8th, 2005, 10:21 AM
#22
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Virgin's planes have various entertainment system. All have individual screens, but they're not all the same type.
And about their seat pitch. I've flown around the world many many times, and the most uncomfortable flight was on a VS flight BOS-LGW in 2000. It was on an old 747-200, so I thought that was an anomity. [The return flight was also a 742, but with better pitch and bigger screens.]
Then a few months ago, I learned about this website. www.v-flyer.com
And about their seat pitch. I've flown around the world many many times, and the most uncomfortable flight was on a VS flight BOS-LGW in 2000. It was on an old 747-200, so I thought that was an anomity. [The return flight was also a 742, but with better pitch and bigger screens.]
Then a few months ago, I learned about this website. www.v-flyer.com
Nov 8th, 2005, 10:23 AM
#23
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Sorry, hit "reply" too quickly.
Anyways, v-flyer.com has detailed map with comments. I also found that those old 742 had 30" pitch on many seats! Incredible.
So, the quality of the seats are not very consistent across VS' fleet. So be careful...
Anyways, v-flyer.com has detailed map with comments. I also found that those old 742 had 30" pitch on many seats! Incredible.
So, the quality of the seats are not very consistent across VS' fleet. So be careful...
Nov 8th, 2005, 10:39 AM
#24
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I'll echo comments about uncomfy seats on Virgin. I flew the BOS-LHR route in 2002. The metal bracket on the seat pocket dug into my knee (I'm 5'10"
and this was without the person in front reclining. I did think the in-flight staff was great (FA requested the person in front to bring their seatback up during the meal). I just think the seats on American are much more comfortable (flew to Heathrow en route to Dublin in 2000 on the 777). I loved Northwest to Amsterdam from BOS, but no directs to London.
and this was without the person in front reclining. I did think the in-flight staff was great (FA requested the person in front to bring their seatback up during the meal). I just think the seats on American are much more comfortable (flew to Heathrow en route to Dublin in 2000 on the 777). I loved Northwest to Amsterdam from BOS, but no directs to London.
Nov 8th, 2005, 11:29 AM
#25
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ASCHIE30...
Believe me, I am not an apologist for Virgin and obviously you had a horrific experience with Virgin and it is certainly your perogative to not fly them again and point to your experience to disuade others from flying them.
Having said that, it happens. It happens to every airline and I have read on this board or other airline boards horror stories about every other airline in the air. Everybody pans America West except I have never had a bad experience with them. I have read horror stories about American, about British Airways, about United, Delta, Northwest, KLM even Singapore Air which is considered by most so called experts as one of the best.
Having said that, I have flown BA,VS and AA out of JFK to LHR. As I said, the difference is really not between airline A and airline B but rather between flight A on airline A and flight B on airline A. You get good flights and then you have horror stories. If you are caught in a delay and the airline is overwhelmed, you will swear bloody murder.
For the most part, coach is coach. Cramped seating indeed. Food is generally catered by the same caterer for coach meals so there is just about no difference on the whole so I would agree the most important factor is the schedule and the fare..it is not worth an extra $100 to fly Virgin just for the free booze that they still give out as compared to the penny pinchers at American. It is not worth an extra $50 to get the superior entertainment that I have seen on many of my Virgin flights.
But if everything else is equal, then I would prefer Virgin to American but note I said if everything else is equal. Of course, you might have frequent flyers with American rather than with either America West or Delta which you get from Virgin.
Let me just add, British Airways is completely competitive with the other 2 in terms of service. My problem with BA, a temporary one at that, is currently Terminal 4 at Heathrow entails an extra bus ride if you wish to take the tube into town as Terminal 4's tube station is closed...BA also doesn't feel it necessary to charge for the booze on its trans Atlantic flights and their entertainment is on a part with American, slightly below that of Virgin. But again, price and schedule have to be the biggest factor in deciding which airline is best for a trip from either JFK or Logan to LHR>
Believe me, I am not an apologist for Virgin and obviously you had a horrific experience with Virgin and it is certainly your perogative to not fly them again and point to your experience to disuade others from flying them.
Having said that, it happens. It happens to every airline and I have read on this board or other airline boards horror stories about every other airline in the air. Everybody pans America West except I have never had a bad experience with them. I have read horror stories about American, about British Airways, about United, Delta, Northwest, KLM even Singapore Air which is considered by most so called experts as one of the best.
Having said that, I have flown BA,VS and AA out of JFK to LHR. As I said, the difference is really not between airline A and airline B but rather between flight A on airline A and flight B on airline A. You get good flights and then you have horror stories. If you are caught in a delay and the airline is overwhelmed, you will swear bloody murder.
For the most part, coach is coach. Cramped seating indeed. Food is generally catered by the same caterer for coach meals so there is just about no difference on the whole so I would agree the most important factor is the schedule and the fare..it is not worth an extra $100 to fly Virgin just for the free booze that they still give out as compared to the penny pinchers at American. It is not worth an extra $50 to get the superior entertainment that I have seen on many of my Virgin flights.
But if everything else is equal, then I would prefer Virgin to American but note I said if everything else is equal. Of course, you might have frequent flyers with American rather than with either America West or Delta which you get from Virgin.
Let me just add, British Airways is completely competitive with the other 2 in terms of service. My problem with BA, a temporary one at that, is currently Terminal 4 at Heathrow entails an extra bus ride if you wish to take the tube into town as Terminal 4's tube station is closed...BA also doesn't feel it necessary to charge for the booze on its trans Atlantic flights and their entertainment is on a part with American, slightly below that of Virgin. But again, price and schedule have to be the biggest factor in deciding which airline is best for a trip from either JFK or Logan to LHR>
Nov 8th, 2005, 01:14 PM
#26
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xyz123- Sure, problems happen, but it's the way that they're handled that make a bad thing turn into a horrific thing. I've flown lots of airlines and had lots of problems but have never had them handled in such a rude, unprofessional manner as they way Virgin did - and that, IMHO, makes all the difference. I read nonnafelice's account online and can account for had similar customer service issues. It was Virgin's response to this problem (or lack thereof) that made this trip back hellish.
Nov 8th, 2005, 01:25 PM
#27
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Again...things happen and yes airline employees are human beings; some are nice some are rude...some have no clue. Does every flight end in a disaster like this? I doubt it....
But again, I always wonder somebody who says I'll never fly xxx airline again who is researching a trip and finds the time they have to fly that the fare on airline xxx is $75 cheaper than on their favourite airline or airline xxx has a much more convenient flight, then will they swallow their whatever and choose airline xxx. I think most people will.
I can tell you of an incredible problem I had with an airline several years ago. And I swore never again but guess what, next time I flew that route, their flight was much molre convenient.
The big question, of course, is are the airlines cutting corners and in the process compromising safety. That's all that really counts when you get right down to it and I have no problems with AA, VS or BA on these routes in that regard.
Now it's who's cheapest and most convenient.
But again, I always wonder somebody who says I'll never fly xxx airline again who is researching a trip and finds the time they have to fly that the fare on airline xxx is $75 cheaper than on their favourite airline or airline xxx has a much more convenient flight, then will they swallow their whatever and choose airline xxx. I think most people will.
I can tell you of an incredible problem I had with an airline several years ago. And I swore never again but guess what, next time I flew that route, their flight was much molre convenient.
The big question, of course, is are the airlines cutting corners and in the process compromising safety. That's all that really counts when you get right down to it and I have no problems with AA, VS or BA on these routes in that regard.
Now it's who's cheapest and most convenient.
Nov 8th, 2005, 04:06 PM
#28
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Re our experience on Virgin: I’m sure that most people who fly them, as with just about any airline, have an okay experience. But as aschie30 says, it’s the way they handle problems when they do occur that is crucial. I would never fly Virgin again under any circumstances after the way we were treated. And this was not a matter of individual rudeness. In fact, most of the Virgin staff we dealt with directly (when there was anyone to talk to) were pretty nice.
In Boston Virgin apparently has one plane that flies back and forth between Logan and Heathrow — one flight a day in and out of Boston. And they have almost no staff on the ground here. When something happened to that plane, they had no backup and seemed completely unable to deal with the problem in any reasonably professional manner. They held on to our bags for over 24 hours, so we couldn’t make alternate arrangements, and when anyone did show up to talk to us, usually they didn’t tell us the truth.
So if it’s worth it to someone to take the risk of that kind of screw-up to save a few dollars, that’s a personal decision. The odds are probably on your side that things would go okay, but after our experience, I’d never take that chance again. Even if Virgin were cheaper, I would rather spend a little more money to fly on an airline that would have more resources to deal with problems if they occur.
Note that I am speaking only about Boston. Probably in New York, Virgin has more flights and more personnel, so might be better able to handle problems.
In Boston Virgin apparently has one plane that flies back and forth between Logan and Heathrow — one flight a day in and out of Boston. And they have almost no staff on the ground here. When something happened to that plane, they had no backup and seemed completely unable to deal with the problem in any reasonably professional manner. They held on to our bags for over 24 hours, so we couldn’t make alternate arrangements, and when anyone did show up to talk to us, usually they didn’t tell us the truth.
So if it’s worth it to someone to take the risk of that kind of screw-up to save a few dollars, that’s a personal decision. The odds are probably on your side that things would go okay, but after our experience, I’d never take that chance again. Even if Virgin were cheaper, I would rather spend a little more money to fly on an airline that would have more resources to deal with problems if they occur.
Note that I am speaking only about Boston. Probably in New York, Virgin has more flights and more personnel, so might be better able to handle problems.
Nov 8th, 2005, 05:32 PM
#29
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Since I can never seem to become one of the "light packing club," I MUCH prefer American for this flight.
Virgin has a 13-lb. carryon weight. (Or something very similar.) And I understand that they often check and be sure that you don't go over that (in the cheap seats anyway).
American has a more liberal carry-on allowance.
On a trip just over a year ago (BOS-LHR), but on BA, who has the same 13-lb carryone limit, we discovered that our cameras, case, and necessary gear weighed exactly 13 pounds.
This meant that everything else (from snacks to all confirmations to reading material for both us to misc. "stuff" had to fit into my carryon. The rolling bag itself weighs 3.5 pounds, so I was left with less than 10 pounds...tricky, for me. (I usually read two paperback books on the flight, plus hubby needs reading material...I don't think I could survive with a Pepsi or two on a flight of that length...you get the idea!)
So, for me it's definitely American.
And, I really like the 2-5-2 seating configuration. We're traveling with my parents and will have two seats (a window and an aisle) and two seats behind those (another window and an aisle). It's great to be able to move easily and switch seats with each other, etc.
And, I haven't heard a word about the discontinuation of the daytime flights. The four of us are booked out of BOS on May 24th on the 9:00 AM flight.....hmmmm......anybody know what happens then?
Gayle
Virgin has a 13-lb. carryon weight. (Or something very similar.) And I understand that they often check and be sure that you don't go over that (in the cheap seats anyway).
American has a more liberal carry-on allowance.
On a trip just over a year ago (BOS-LHR), but on BA, who has the same 13-lb carryone limit, we discovered that our cameras, case, and necessary gear weighed exactly 13 pounds.
This meant that everything else (from snacks to all confirmations to reading material for both us to misc. "stuff"
had to fit into my carryon. The rolling bag itself weighs 3.5 pounds, so I was left with less than 10 pounds...tricky, for me. (I usually read two paperback books on the flight, plus hubby needs reading material...I don't think I could survive with a Pepsi or two on a flight of that length...you get the idea!)So, for me it's definitely American.
And, I really like the 2-5-2 seating configuration. We're traveling with my parents and will have two seats (a window and an aisle) and two seats behind those (another window and an aisle). It's great to be able to move easily and switch seats with each other, etc.
And, I haven't heard a word about the discontinuation of the daytime flights. The four of us are booked out of BOS on May 24th on the 9:00 AM flight.....hmmmm......anybody know what happens then?
Gayle
Nov 8th, 2005, 06:18 PM
#30
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<<And, I haven't heard a word about the discontinuation of the daytime flights. The four of us are booked out of BOS on May 24th on the 9:00 AM flight.....hmmmm......anybody know what happens then?>>
You are completely at the mercy of the airlines - who change their schedules more and more often these days - often without advising you. Apparently, it is up to us to check and recheck to see if our flight/time has changes. I have heard so many miserable tales of schedule changes (even where folks missed the re-scheduled flight because they did not know about it and it left earlier than the flight they booked) that I am relieved each and every time we actually fly the times we originally booked.
And, I am not inclined to blame bad behavior following contingencies on the Airline, but rather the individuals behaving badly.
You are completely at the mercy of the airlines - who change their schedules more and more often these days - often without advising you. Apparently, it is up to us to check and recheck to see if our flight/time has changes. I have heard so many miserable tales of schedule changes (even where folks missed the re-scheduled flight because they did not know about it and it left earlier than the flight they booked) that I am relieved each and every time we actually fly the times we originally booked.
And, I am not inclined to blame bad behavior following contingencies on the Airline, but rather the individuals behaving badly.
Nov 8th, 2005, 06:21 PM
#31
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Curiouser and curiouser...
My husband just called AA and the folks there (international reservations) didn't have any information about the daytime flights being discontinued.
They said that we're (obviously) still on the 9:00 AM flight and that they're still taking bookings for that flight.
I guess we'll all just have to wait and see.
Gayle
My husband just called AA and the folks there (international reservations) didn't have any information about the daytime flights being discontinued.
They said that we're (obviously) still on the 9:00 AM flight and that they're still taking bookings for that flight.
I guess we'll all just have to wait and see.
Gayle
Nov 8th, 2005, 07:00 PM
#33
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Virgin- totally great experience.
There's a bar on board to get your vacation started right, and the personal TV's are amazing. Not that you need to, but you can text message with the tv's from seat to seat.
It's just a cool experience, not better than American, just different!
There's a bar on board to get your vacation started right, and the personal TV's are amazing. Not that you need to, but you can text message with the tv's from seat to seat.
It's just a cool experience, not better than American, just different!
Nov 8th, 2005, 08:02 PM
#34
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Have never flown Virgin. I fly American from Dallas to Gatwick and for the most part find their service, food and entertainment (especially on the 777) satisfactory. However, if you fly American coach, DO NOT spend $5 on a little bottle of their rot-gut wine.
Nov 9th, 2005, 04:09 AM
#35
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virgin staff "detained" a family member for his allergy medication pen that he volunteered he was carrying (yes, it was dumb to volunteer this info).
this was NOT a matter of security at all....it was because they wanted him to sign a waver that virgin would not be liable if any problems arise due to the allergy or associated medications. he very nearly missed the flight and was treated very rudely. the staff were extremely unprofessional and did not know how to handle the situation...they had to call over managers to try to figure out how to handle the fact that a passenger has a nut allergy!!! ...all the while, the plane was just about leaving without him.
this was NOT a matter of security at all....it was because they wanted him to sign a waver that virgin would not be liable if any problems arise due to the allergy or associated medications. he very nearly missed the flight and was treated very rudely. the staff were extremely unprofessional and did not know how to handle the situation...they had to call over managers to try to figure out how to handle the fact that a passenger has a nut allergy!!! ...all the while, the plane was just about leaving without him.
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