Just got back from the Seattle fact finding mission via 10 hours in Lisbon on BA First and Club Europe.I will post a more detailed report later as I am snowed under.
A few observations.
I have flown the VS UCS and BA first within a few weeks of each other and there really is not a great deal of difference between the 2.The UCS is wider all the way down the seat, both are about the same length,The space between the seats is similar slightly more room in first,BA have slightly better food & much better drink.The Service in BA first on the way out was faultless but on the way back,we had one excellent steward & one grumpy twat who should not be working in a burger van.Service when excellent on VS is totally comparable(as it was on my UCS flight).The concorde room(only ticketed first class) at LHR is good, again better drinkies than in any clubhouse but the food selection is soup & sarnies.The BA first class lounge downstairs(gold card exec club) no food but crisps and occasional plates of sarnies & the same in SEA both are totally blitzed by any clubhouse you care to mention.The biggy here is that I am comparing BA First class with VS UCS,if I was to compare the cattle shed behind first its a joke.I was truely shocked at how awful NCW is on the lower deck, the seats are so packed in 2-4-2, narrow & I mean very narrow and short.The old club cabins I used to enjoy travelling in are gone.
So for double + the ticket price of VS UCS you get a nice wood effect cabin,a similar sized seat, posh grand marque champagne,inferior lounges,similar cabin service,no on board bar,no onboard treatments,no hair cut in the lounge, canapes & a better wash bag(not opened the sleeper suit yet/just opened it about the same as the current grey one).
I would not turn my nose up at either in the future they are both fantastic ways to travel but if I was given a ticket in NCW I would cash it in and go on VS everytime.
A few observations.
I have flown the VS UCS and BA first within a few weeks of each other and there really is not a great deal of difference between the 2.The UCS is wider all the way down the seat, both are about the same length,The space between the seats is similar slightly more room in first,BA have slightly better food & much better drink.The Service in BA first on the way out was faultless but on the way back,we had one excellent steward & one grumpy twat who should not be working in a burger van.Service when excellent on VS is totally comparable(as it was on my UCS flight).The concorde room(only ticketed first class) at LHR is good, again better drinkies than in any clubhouse but the food selection is soup & sarnies.The BA first class lounge downstairs(gold card exec club) no food but crisps and occasional plates of sarnies & the same in SEA both are totally blitzed by any clubhouse you care to mention.The biggy here is that I am comparing BA First class with VS UCS,if I was to compare the cattle shed behind first its a joke.I was truely shocked at how awful NCW is on the lower deck, the seats are so packed in 2-4-2, narrow & I mean very narrow and short.The old club cabins I used to enjoy travelling in are gone.
So for double + the ticket price of VS UCS you get a nice wood effect cabin,a similar sized seat, posh grand marque champagne,inferior lounges,similar cabin service,no on board bar,no onboard treatments,no hair cut in the lounge, canapes & a better wash bag(not opened the sleeper suit yet/just opened it about the same as the current grey one).
I would not turn my nose up at either in the future they are both fantastic ways to travel but if I was given a ticket in NCW I would cash it in and go on VS everytime.
