Service is one of those things that can either make or break a flight. Virgin Atlantic includes premium economy passengers in the Priority boarding section, right after status holders and Upper Class travelers (a cabin we reviewed recently too!). I finished it only because I like Mexican food and was starving, but it wasn't visually appealing and not something I would serve a guest in my home. Arguably the highlight of the flight was the terrific inflight entertainment via the crisp and up-to-date 13.5-inch touchscreen that could also be controlled by my mobile phone once connected via Bluetooth. Because my itinerary was booked shortly after Virgin put A350 flights on sale, award availability wasn't great. The blanket was a deep purple with gold trim. It would have taken the crew only a few seconds to tidy up the trays before serving them, but instead, passengers had to do it themselves. Each of the Premium-cabin seats besides the bulkhead seats featured a built-in IFE screen in the back of the headrest. I really try not to eat on planes and always aim to eat a healthy meal on destination time before departing for the airport. While it was my fault for not realizing where the tortillas were held, I observed several passengers around me making the same mistake. 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. A seat in premium economy on A350-1000 V.2 directly between the main and business class cabins is measurably more expensive than an economy . Two lavatories dedicated to the Premium cabin were located at the front of the seating, just behind the Upper Class social space. Finally, the free night award certificate with a redemption level of 35,000 points or less can get you hundreds of dollars in potential value each year. For my main, I ordered the vegetarian meal, asparagus and ricotta gnocchi with spicy tomato sauce, sweet peppers and broccoli. The Premium cabin on the Virgin A350 comprised a total of 56 seats across a single cabin. Virgin opted for the denser layout on the 350, resulting in some noticeable changes. We flew out to Las Vegas In premium on the Dreamliner . There was a neither-long-nor-short queue, but it looked worse than it was, and I was through in about five minutes. Once I finally arrived at the space, I saw the shiny, new A350-1000 bird waiting for us. As in, my flight was just the aircraft's third commercial service. A pet peeve of mine is when the crew describes prosecco or other sparkling wine as Champagne. Though the cake itself was on the dry side, the passion fruit icing really moved it along. Oversized entertainment screens at 13.3 rival many found in business class, seat storage is plentiful and nice foot rests help to sit back and relax. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. About 20 minutes later, the crew came around the cabin with meals. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. 13 Premium Economy Cabins That Are Worth the Splurge Pitch (legroom), amenity, tech, and other factors are bigger for me. Our stunning new Upper Class suite is the perfect retreat at 30,000 feet. Though there are some flaws in the product, such as a narrower seat and poor headphones, I found the experience to be well worth the cost. Have you ever flown Virgin Atlantic in premium economy? They can so a lot better than this. Even though no one was seated next to me, if someone had been, it would've felt cramped on a long-haul flight especially the armrests, which were on the narrow side. Their recruitment must be top notch. I found the amenities on the flight to be more than enough especially on a relatively short long-haul flight like London to New York. The mozzarella salad was tasty and fresh, though the portion was a little small given how light the first meal was. They are laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration across seven rows. If you are at all like me, and live for electronic devices packed with shows, its nice to know that Virgin Atlantic has both AC and USB power at every premium seat. Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying. Additionally, I was a fan of some of the small design features of the seat. His background in political science and economics gives him unique insight into issues surrounding international travel and governmental regulations. I tend to chose foreign films I cant easily stream in the UK. My flight was on the emptier side, so most passengers who were seated in the middle section of four seats had empty seats between them. However, my own personal issue with premium economy remains: You are seated upright for the duration of your journey. For the newest seats on its newest aircraft, look for A350-operated flights. All three courses appetizer, main and dessert were served at the same time, and I appreciated that they expedited the meal service this way. Everything was fresh, and you could feel the excitement of the cabin crew. To me, the extra width is a massive bonus and I would always try NOT fly on a Virgin A350 in premium for this reason. Despite boarding near the end, I was offered a welcome beverage of choice in a glass, a nice touch in premium economy. As far as the quality, I found the pillows to be perfectly reasonable with stuffing. Upper Class travelers (a cabin we reviewed recently too! But what was it really like? Cash fares in Premium on Virgin Atlantic currently start from $1,160 round trip, which is just over twice the price of Virgin's economy fares on the same dates. The leather seats offer much more legroom and padding than economy a few rows behind, making for a comfortable flight. I found the salad to be absolutely delightful. Virgin calls the kit the most sustainable in the skies, and it felt like it. All this being said, the Virgin A350 seats aren't uncomfortable in any way. I couldve just as easily used premium and finished in the same time. Fully open, it was somewhat flimsy, though my 15-inch laptop could fit on it. 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. I flew LHR to JNB in August. Im a major fan of securing a window seat in the two seat, side configurations. (Photo by Emily McNutt/The Points Guy.) You'll earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year, and receive automatic Gold elite status. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For this route, you need just 10,000 miles for a ticket in the off-peak season. Review: how is Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy on the A350? After we took off at about 1:49 p.m. and reached 10,000 feet, the crew quickly came around the cabin for drink service at about 2:05 p.m. The sunrise provided a gorgeous backdrop to the sleek Airbus A350 aircraft with its signature curved wingtips, standing ready to take me home to London. Virgin Atlantic A350 Business Class Premium Economy and Coach Pictures With the sun barely up, I initially opted for an orange juice, but when the crew mentioned Champagne was also on offer, it piqued my interest. My flight was on the emptier side, so most passengers who were seated in the middle section of four seats had empty seats between them. BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY A Virgin Atlantic A350 review from the depths of economy SANspotter 87K views 3 years ago Almost yours: 2 weeks, on us 100+ live channels are waiting for you with zero hidden fees Dismiss Try. Your email address will not be published. I had assumed only French airlines would be generous enough to serve actual Champagne in premium economy, so I politely asked to clarify if it was actual Champagne, or just sparking wine. Seat 14 A is a standard recliner-style Premium Economy Class seat located at an Exit Row. Quality craftsmanship The cheesecake, which both looked and tasted great, was the highlight of an otherwise mediocre meal. For larger customers it may well be a problem. Airlines seem to insist on having only one full meal on flights between New York and London, with a second meal being a lighter "snack." Fast-track security and Champagne after boarding were both pleasant surprises. I quickly noticed that there was no additional remote-control option, which likely helped to open up some storage space in the seat. . Tip: Not well publicised, if you have the paid version of the Virgin Atlantic Credit Card, you can sign up for free Boingo WiFi to use onboard, unlimited. Virgin Atlantic: Airbus A350-1000 (351) 38: 18.5: On-Demand TV: All Seats: AC Power: Yes: Recliner: Virgin Atlantic: Boeing . I arrived at my gate an hour before departure. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. The fees, taxes and surcharges were paid with The Platinum Card from American Express, which earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on purchases made directly with airlines (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), picking up a further 1,751 Membership Rewards, worth $35 by TPG's current valuation. Virgin Atlantic offers 56 seats in a 2-4-2 layout on the A350, spread over seven rows. On this flight, the sandwiches included: mozzarella with green pesto, slow-roasted tomato and arugula; and salmon, soft cheese, arugula and cucumber. We know the journey is as important as the destination. My seat, 21A, was a bulkhead window seat, meaning there was no one seated in front of me. Would the A350 talk be just that: talk? That meant I had no issues when the passenger in front of me reclined their seat. While the welcome beverages were a pleasant surprise, both meal services were not. Not to be outdone, crosstown competitor Virgin Atlantic soon thereafter began taking delivery of its own A350s. Today it operates a stylish premium economy cabin, branded as Premium, on all its aircraft. Immediately upon boarding, cabin crew came around the Premium cabin with a choice of water or prosecco. Instead, I opted to pay cash for the round-trip itinerary from London (LHR) to New York-JFK. The screen itself was completely touchscreen, and, as you would hope with a brand-new aircraft, I found the responsiveness to be great. Thats a lot better than most airlines these days. Along with 38 . Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. The aircraft showed its youth especially considering that we were parked next to one of the oldest aircraft in the airline's fleet, an A340-600 that was brought out of retirement in February 2018. The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex is a stacked card with a rewards rate that will help you earn bonus points on everyday and business-related purchases. As an old gold card holder I used to love the smaller JFK lounge. Review: How Good Is Virgin Atlantic A350 Premium Economy? SANspotter style. Not least among them is Virgin's premium economy cabin, simply called Premium, which is available on the carrier's A330-220 and A330-300 planes, its A350-1000s, and Boeing 797-9. [flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Cabin and Seat" tpg-rating="21" tpg-rating-max="25" configuration="2" configuration-2="4" configuration-3="2" width="18.5" pitch="38" lavs="3" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For starters, it was presented the wrong way around, with the dessert in the front rather than the appetizer salad. Lead Journalist - India - Pranjal is an experienced journalist with a strong focus on Indian aviation. Brilliant Guide To British Airways Upgrades Using Avios Or Cash. Its so quiet that you really can hear a lot. I traveled along with my TPG UK colleagues Nicky Kelvin (Upper Class Suite) and Jean Arnas (economy) to test out the product myself on the aircraft's third-ever passenger flight. Though I didn't get to spend much time or indulge in the food, I'd definitely return on a future flight out of T3. There were three choices for an entree fajita chicken, red Thai curry, or vegetarian shepherd's pie. I did the same journey to AUS on the 380 and back from LAX on the new plane. Nonetheless, I managed to work productively for most of the journey to London, another advantage of daytime flights. The packages are as follows: Messaging - 2.99/$3.99 Chat and Surf - 12.99/$16.99 - 150MB W-Fi Max - 29.99/$39.99 - 500MB We all know tray tables are plastic in economy and premium economy, and it's a small but noticeable decision for a carrier to either go with a basic plastic color or to add a little oomph to the aesthetics. The Complete Guide to Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy - Scott's Cheap We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. As to the food, Im the worst person to ask. It was a fine, if unremarkable, flight. The salad was frozen cold and needed a while longer to defrost, but this was made up for by the delicious mango and passion fruit slice, which was the highlight of the meal. According to their website, in addition to the A330neo, Virgin Atlantic's current fleet includes the Airbus A350-1000, Boeing's 787-9, and Airbus A330-300. Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card. In the terminal, there were two Priority Pass lounges: No.1 Lounge and Club Aspire. In-flight connectivity The A350s come with wifi if you choose to pay for it. This was a very large cabin for what is supposed to be a more exclusive product than regular economy, and it left me feeling like I was just another number at times. The first row is located next to Upper Class, and also just behind Door L2, which is the primary door used to deplane the aircraft. 2022 Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. All rights reserved.Registered office: Registered office: The VHQ, Fleming Way, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9DF For the month between delivery and its first commercial operation, the aircraft operated several test flights within the UK, mostly from Glasgow (GLA) to Glasgow, according to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24. However, with each award ticket comes a hefty amount of taxes and fees -- in this case about $250. In its folded position, most passengers had enough room to squeeze out to use the lavatory. Terms and conditions | Have you ever flown Virgin Atlantic in premium economy? Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. This particular airframe, registered as G-VDOT, actually operated as a testbed for Airbus from 2017 until delivery to Virgin in September 2020, a neat trivia fact for any #AvGeek. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Check here before booking an award fare. The seat definitely felt on the narrow side. Is The White Lotus breaking up with Four Seasons ahead of Season 3? No judgement! Virgin has one of the younger fleets in the skies nowadays, and if you fly frequently you can truly feel the difference. There was definitely a Cajun kick to it, and the twang from the mustard made it really enjoyable. Things to know about Virgin Atlantic's brand-new Airbus A330neo - The Virgin operates its A350-1000 in two configurations. The screen tilted slightly up and down for easier viewing by folks of different heights, and it also had a USB charging point at its base. Virgin Atlantic A330neo Plane From NYC to London, Review With - Insider I think that even with a full cabin of 56 passengers, the three lavs would've sufficed. I got a glass of prosecco, which was tasty and light and fit on one of the armrests. The entre was the exact opposite, a dense, cheesy, sloppy dish overflowing with rice. Though I found the pitch and recline of the seats to be on the generous side, Virgin cramped up the cabin and seat by shrinking the width of its Premium seats to just 18.5 inches. I decided on the fajita. Fortunately, a full-size meal was available and the food corresponded correctly to the menu. I got the mozzarella and an English breakfast tea. During the second meal service, the crew accidentally served me a special gluten-free meal that I had not ordered. On the 730. Out in UC back PE. I also found a pair of headphones in the seatback literature pocket. Also there were the crew call button and overhead light switch. Each of the Collins Aerospace MiQ seats featured 38 inches of pitch and 7 inches of recline. The only negative was the roll, which was plastic-wrapped and incredibly tough and dry. She looked at my boarding pass and in an unexpected and pleasant surprise directed me to the priority lane, explaining that Virgin Atlantic Premium passengers were allowed to use it. Because it was purchased with the Platinum Card from American Express, directly with the airline, the flight earned 5x Membership Rewards points, for a total of 5,165 points (earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). It was a pleasant enough flight. I'm all for sustainability with these kits, but I was not a fan of the crumpled and battered "goodie bag" pouch the items were presented in, as it is not something I would ever use again. Sadly, the check-in perks don't extend to Virgin's private security channel, and it took a full 30 minutes to complete security. Menus were handed out during the boarding process and I could see there was a choice between a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit or a Belgian waffle with syrup. As for service the virgin team are miles ahead. [flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Service" tpg-rating="24" tpg-rating-max="25" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" blurb="I've flown with Virgin quite a few times, and I've never have a bad experience when it comes to service. Instead, I stretched my legs wandering through the modern and fairly peaceful Terminal 4. In the evening, the Premium queue was even shorter than the one for Upper Class, and far quicker than economy, which was nearing capacity. will join Delhi and Mumbai, which are served by the . Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. That's why I practically gasped when I saw the massive security queue awaiting me in Terminal 4. While it was small and thin, it was cleverly designed to rest with a rubber edge against the center drinks console, meaning it remained stable while being used. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card, Southwest unveils stunning new Hawaii-themed aircraft, How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value, IHG Rewards Premier Business card review: The annual fee is justified.
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