A question for longtime flyers

[Scrooge]

Which one would you say is better.

The VS UC of 5 years ago with the J2000 pre cut backs in the frill's or now with the UCS but no little red pillows etc ?

Originally posted by jetwet1
Which one would you say is better.

The VS UC of 5 years ago with the J2000 pre cut backs in the frill's or now with the UCS but no little red pillows etc ?

Red pillows? Sounds like a brothel....

[preiffer]

Daytime flight, J2000 was better by miles.
Night-time, UCS wins hands down.

That's the problem [:?]

Think I will go with the old J2000 service, never had a problem sleeping on J2000.

[RichardMannion]

I like the UCS but the service has been reduced somewhat with the cutbacks and the awful GNF catasprohe. I quite liked J2000 - never had any issues sleeping but then i am not hte tallest of people.

Space:NK amenity kits anyone.....

Thanks,
Richard

Originally posted by RichardMannion
Space:NK amenity kits anyone.....

The Space:NK bits themselves were rubbish, but the kit bag was okay, as were the other contents (pen, polo mints, toothbrush and toothpaste, "groom with a view" mini-mirror/clothes brush, etc).

In answer to the question posed, and seeing as I can't vote for the "transitional period" where you could get UCS, reasonable food, and decent amenity kits, I'll go for J2000 with the decent pre-beancounter in-flight experience.

Cheers,
Mike

As nice as the UCS is the best Upper flights I've ever had on Virgin were in J2000 seats. One was due the to service being the best I've ever had on any UC flight, the other was because it was a day flight and I was travelling with someone so could socialise and thus drink far too much wine.

[fozzyo]

Interesting responses. For those of us who have not experienced had experiences of the two for comparison what is it that made the J2000 Pre-BeanCounters much better?

[Scrooge]

Side by side seating so you could hold a conversation,great for day flights where you could lean it back and relax.

Definitely the pre- bean-counter J2000 services. I could sleep more easily on these than the current UCS.

Remove all the little extra touches that the VA accountants seem hell bent on removing and UCS is rapidly becoming nothing special, to the point where I am seriously considering BA and this is from someone who has flown VA exclusively across the Atlantic for the past 10 years.

And itÕs not just the on board service where the cuts are noticeable, changes/restrictions to Freeway/Airmiles, the reduction in luggage in economy, the introduction of 0870 premium rate numbers, the out sourcing of the call centre, the dismissal of all the directly employed USA Staff have all had an effect on the overall quality of the service.

In years to come I am sure that all these service 'realignments' will come back to bite.

VA Upper Class is sadly no longer the premium service that it was.

The J2000, would win hands down in my books that was quality service & seats before they let the bean counters of the leach.

For food, drink, overall service and especially if flying as a couple , it has to be J2000 / Pre-beancounter. The steak I had flying to New York in 2003 was the highlight of perhaps the best airborne meal I've ever had. It hasn't been bettered, nor do I think it will on VS now.

The J2000 wins for a daytime flight, certainly. Unlike the UCS, you don't have people walking right in front of you.

For sleeping, the UCS is undoubtedly better. And I preferred the bar location in the J2000 cabin, when it was in the 'cabin' rather than tucked away.

David.

Could I even shock a few of you but propose our best was the recarro seats at LGW with the virgin vie kits [:?]

Did 4 trips in J2000 seats in the early 00's and loved it. Cabin seemed roomier, bar was bigger and - of course - the bean-counters hadn't yet been released from under their stone, so food/drink/amenity kit situation was far superior to how it is now. I think there may even have been a flower on the bar [:0]

I still think UCS is better, eating together if you're with the no. 1, more space, more working space particularly, really good sleeping (managed 4 hrs from BOS last Saturday night and would never do that in J2000). In quality terms the J2000 was a very good product that lasted well and was not uncomfortable either, UCS is a little scrappy and prone to tattiness but it is better.

Easy answer is, VS put some focus back into UCS and make it as good we know it can be.

Mind you, I always preferred the sofa by the bar before J2000 (with seat belts for a bumpy ride while still sipping) - even had a little snooze on one once.

Essentially we come down to a question: is the impact of the UCS worth the overall diminution in product quality. Frankly I would give up a few decent nights sleep on UCS for the better service on J2000. And that's saying a lot as I am too tall (and have much too large hind paws) to sleep comfortably on J2000 but have managed a reasonable run of 4-5 hour snoozes on UCS. But the service element is more important, and of course the pleasure of day flights sat next to your loved one.

BC

I probably also preferred the J2000. If I could have that with the funky lighting and the pre-BC service I'd be a happy.

You don't see many families in UC but I imagine that a young family would be much happier in J2000 and there were basinette positions too.

Phil

Have to add my vote to the prebeancounter/j2000 days and even to the earlier UC seats.

It was always the whole service experience that made it special for me - the nice amenity kits (I still use mine for toiletries when travelling), the meals served from a trolley with nice linen clothes etc. Plus crew who always had a smile and time to chat.

Now about the only thing left is the crew, doing their best with what they are given to work with.

Will it change - not sure, perhaps on the premium business routes where competition might make VS sit up, but on the LGW B&S routes - I doubt as they are easily selling the 14 seats per flight.

I'm back to PE this year as I don't feel like shelling out the extra, now its my own money not business travel.

And as my wife will tell you, I can sleep anywhere (even economy!!)

Originally posted by ade99
Could I even shock a few of you but propose our best was the recarro seats at LGW with the virgin vie kits [:?]

Absolutely not!!!Those horrid (my opinion) recarro seats (care of Alitalia) cut vertically challenged ...like me) people in half .Not good!!!Virgin Vie kits were far superior though....

[mitchja]

No question - UCS for me.

I was the wrong shape for J2000 and always ended up in a heap at the bottom (that was when the seat actually decided to work properly or the seat didn't destroy my personal belongings as it lowered)

I could never sleep properly as it was too noisy been so close to the A/C floor not to mention been too close to the person sat next to you.

Having said that I can still remember my very first J2000 flight back from YYZ and thinking wow. In fact that was also my first ever experience of turing left and I was hooked.

Regards

[honey lamb]

When I first experienced the suites my regret was that I was not sitting next to Aer John even though it meant that for the first time flying with him I had a window seat! Conversation was restricted to his popping his head over the divide or sitting on the ottoman. Sometimes that wasn't a bad thing [:w] but part of me missed the J2000 seats. My first impression was that UCS cabins seemed more crowded - well at least in the B zone

Of the last four UC flights we have had the J2000 seats on three of them and as Aer John said the value of them was to remind us just how good the suites were. Like James, I experienced all the negatives of the J2000 seat and really do find UCS far moe comfortable. At the same time I have to agree the service was far superior than it is now. I'd much rather see the service maintained - or rather, restored - than flashy new logos. [V]

Wake up, VS, and restore the little red pillows, the flowers, the light bites, the second sandwich meal, the hot breakfast, the amenity kit (but not the OB one) before it's too late and V-Flyer becomes BA-Flyer. Give the crew something to be proud of once more!!

Only 1 US trip in J2000 v 6 in UCS but like many posters have noticed that the service/extras since the introduction of the UCS has fallen away noticably.

I really cannot understand why Virgin would spend loads on introducing a fantastic seat/flat bed to compete with other airlines 1st class offerings, then let their core standards slip. If they had the same extras as 3 years ago you could almost say they were compatable with other airlines 1st class service which they charge twice as much for.

If only I was in charge BA would be watching their backs rather than rubbing their hands together in glee!!

It does seem that now the bed is the UC flight, like so many people have said I hope they wake up and smell the coffee as soon others will catch on - already NZ and AC plus the similar style on EOS have beds (and I noticed NZ have those little ref pillows [but they're green])

Also never flew J2000 (not for want to trying) but if I had to compare that type of seat with UCS on day flights it can be better.
There are more positions to slouch available without having to go for the full blown bed.

The only narc for those is if you have a window seat and the person next to you is fully stretched out its a bit of an oddessy to clamber over them (using SIN Raffles as my example).

Bring in Raffles quality food and return some of the things I know were currently all moaning about and I think UCS would win for me. If nothing the aesthetics are nicer.

Dean

Only ever had the old Recaro seats previously and never experienced the J2000. Got to admit I prefer the UCS by miles, especially as I can have my feet up during take off and landing.
Next VS flight is only next March so hopefully some of the old service perks may have reappeared by then.

Iain