V-Flyer

Out of interest why as frequent flyers do people choose to fly VS??

I fly VS as they fly direct to the destinations near my places of work (Dulles, LAX, LAS), and I'm also trying to maximise the use of miles!

Cheers

Tony

I fly VS because I want a direct flight to my destination in the USA (normally Orlando) and want a good Business Class seat / bed. VS fits the bill nicely on both of these points. Also - I live in Derbyshire, so using Manchester as opposed to Gatwick also suits me, even if it does mean I forego the Clubhouse.

I have been lucky on the few VS flights I have done & the service has generally been very good - especially on my last [& first] round trip in UC.

James

I fly with VS because I'm a miles whore they fly where I need to go most often. That and I'm a miles whore, of course.

Because I'm a miles whore, and because UC is priced as a business class product and not a first class product, and IMHO the UCS matches Ba's First class any day.

My reasons (in descending importance)

UCS (& PE)
Flying Club
Clubhouse

Originally posted by Pete
I fly with VS because I'm a miles whore they fly where I need to go most often. That and I'm a miles whore, of course.

Yep

Originally posted by sean modi
Because I'm a miles whore, and because UC is priced as a business class product and not a first class product, and IMHO the UCS matches Ba's First class any day.

I do have to quietly disagree with that.

Mostly because for years VS offered the best product for the price, heck I have been flying them for 19 years now, still have my freeway card somewhere.

Because I love flying them.
Theres something to VS that ive never felt from any other airline.
I dont make as many trips as most you people, but when I do, its always an "experience".

Kev.

I Googled 'Virgin Atlantic' and V-Flyer came up when I was planning a trip to London three or four years ago. That is the only real reason. Service on Virgin was a lot better then. Now I fly other airlines as they are much cheaper and the only difference is that I have to pay for booze onboard.

V:Port.
When I fly economy I really cant sleep, and vport help pass those long hours.
I had the misfortune of taking a Singapore Airlines flight without AVOD recently. Whilst the Raffles service was first rate, I did miss the choice of films.

Miles - Got to be on the list, I am one of the miles whores too. Good earning potential with Amex CC and partners.

Staff - VA staff in general are fantastic. Flown many airlines and often with BA etc staff are going through the motions with a plastic smile. However, whenever I fly VA there always seems to be at least one member of the cabin crew who seems to go that extra mile to make the trip enjoyable. And I travel Economy....

Kids - Great entertainment systems (when they work) and kids meals.

RB - Like his attitude to business and life. I know he is probably not directly involved in VA day to day running anymore but he was part of the reason I originally flew VA.

Bit Different - As a kid we lived in Sri Lanka and I flew back and forward with BA, KLM and the other major airlines many times a year. When I started flying with my own family I wanted to try something different and at the time VA were seen as quite youthful (as I was back then) so gave then a try and have never looked back.

Destinations - They go where I want to go... Would be great if they would fly from Edinburgh but maybe one day..

That's all for now....

A combination of routes (West Coast USA..) and like some users of Friendsreunited you never forget the first...

1. First flight business fight was the full UCS experience back in the late 1990s'. Though before flat beds it was limo, drive through check in, club house etc...

2. First long haul trip to the USA (LAX). The kids were treated well, and at the time the seat back entertainment service was streets ahead of the competition; friends at the time flew ANZ and had to put up with endless repetition of "The Incredible Journey" (or something similar) on the single cabin screen.

(2a. Reinforced when I flew to LAX using Air France in 2002. That was a big mistake)

3. First operational upgrade to PE...

4. First Select voucher for being bounced off a flight (all of a two hour delay and a flight into EWR rather than JFK...seemed like a bargain)

Honourable mentions to..
.. the check-in lady at LAS who played along with my charade of being irate dad insisting on using the PE line to avoid the queue so I could keep the PE u/g a secret to the last minute..

.. SRB's office for phoning us to say thank you for complimenting their service..

Paul

and IMHO the UCS matches Ba's First class any day.

Clubhouse,Revivals and Seat in bed mode yes,everything else no.

For my tuppennyworth - flying to the US frequently, as I and a number of others do, Virgin in Upper is simply the best. BA may have more professional crews, tastier food and more destinations, whereas AA / UA / CO / DL are streets behind both BA and Virgin. Compare UC on VS to Business on American and in absolutely every regard (perhaps the food again) VS beets AA hands down.

Spending a lot of time in the air (in May I spent just under four days in an aircraft with three trips to the US and two to India) the combination of cheery and proficient crews (when at their best), the UCS (no. 1 factor), the club houses, drive-through check-in, IFE, revivals and that still little bit of glamour and fun that Virgin offers plus the miles adds up to the most compelling offer. All that and the V-Flyer community too!

Hence, I can forgive the chancy nature of the IFBT, the sub-par food (always eat on the ground anyway if I can) and the occasionally too gossipy and party-focussed crew members.

I first flew VS in 1984, when they only had one plane and one destination. [8D] After that I tried BA, Delta, American, Northwest and charter airlines, and was less impressed with them.

I then learned about Frequent Flier schemes. I found that with VS Freeway I could become a lifetime silver by taking three economy trips in 12 months, and I was hooked. [8D]

A lot has changed since then, but I still think that, as a miles whore who flies more in Y than any other class, I am better served by Virgin than any other airline.

Okay, they aren't as innovative as they used to be. They are plagued by inconsistencies with staff and service, but the Clubhouse, V-Port and Revivals plus 'the Virgin attitude', will make them my airline of choice for the foreseeable future.

Nick

Originally way back in 1993 it was because my parents were fed up of years of flying myself and my siblings across the pond without us being able to see the big large TV screen!!! VS decided to put PTV's into every seat and my parents were VS converts.

I was hooked straight away with the o so 90's trendy Virgin Kids Club backpack given out (the red/white one with all the destinations written on the back). My parents sadly have become dissapointed with VS and have now gone elsewhere but I am still hooked.

I think my case speaks volumes for clever VS marketing!