History of the Virgin cabin

Does anyone have the details of the evolution of the Virgin seats and classes over the years.

I would love to see all the different seat types in the different classes over the years.

What does anyone have out there in terms of pictures or descriptions.

Who remembers Mid class?

Also does anyone have a record of a typical J/W/Y fare over the years?

Thanks

Hi ManyMiles
Good topic!
I first flew on VS from EWR to LGW at end of '88 in Upper. Was seated near back of nose section. Seats were like old (early 80's) First Class seats, and indeed were advertised as such. There was also the Upper Deck and at least one other cabin on the Main Deck. Seats were in a red cloth material. I'm not sure if these seats remained in use until the J2000 seats came in in '99 or so. Later seats looked newer but didn't seem so comfy for sleeping in my opinion. Some 747s had a UC lounge with leather seats and a backgammon table! I believe this was sometimes on the Upper Deck. At least one 747 had the lounge at the front of the "B" cabin (VJFK c94?).
Mid Class was launched about '92. Was supposed to be mid way between Upper (which was itself midway between conventional J and F) and economy. It was full fare Y and was brought in during a recession when many companies (including the one I worked for) downdraded their employees from travelling J to Y. I first flew it from LHR to LAX in Oct '94. There was a letter from RB (no "S" then!) extolling the virtues of the new legrests but explaining that it was being renamed "Premium Economy" [:(!]. With the IFE screens and legrests which were fitted to all 747s it was very much like the "lesser" business class seats of that time, Emirates, etc.
I flew on many of the 747 Classics, and there were many layouts of UC and PE fitted. Some had PE in the nose even. Some had PE in the "B" cabin. VBEE had this, with a galley in most of the centre row, with most of PE down the sides. The A343s originally had about 28 UC seats in one cabin. The second cabin had about 28 PE seats, and had it's own loo! These were reconfigured to give about 40 UC seats, and the PE section was moved back, losing it's loo to UC. Also there were no legrests on the seats, only footrests. These aircraft were used for the longest haul flights to Asia, where these deficiencies would be even more apparent.
The best of the old UC was in my opinion on the Upper Deck on the later (ex-NZ) Classics about '98-2000 with only 12 seats, very much like a private jet! BA had a similiar layout on their's when I last flew on one in '98. Second best was the nose.
Best PE was and is Upper Deck on the 744s as numerous posters will testify.
I believe that for the future VS will need to re-evaluate it's classes again, especially in the light of deeply discounted J class on other airlines including the "Worlds Favourite".

[HighFlyer]

Some had PE in the nose even

Indeed

Thanks,
Sarah

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by HighFlyer

Some had PE in the nose even

Indeed

Thanks,
Sarah

Many a flight to MCO spent in this section - complete with the newspaper/magazine rack; even though one particular FSM refused to accept that newspapers/magazines had ever been offered in a rack in PE.

I seem to recall J2000 being launched in 2000, there were a set of two seats in the LHR CH that you could try out. Can't really help much with pre-99 as I only started flying with VS in March 99. Sure some of our older ([}:)]) members such as Nick and Buns can provide info on the past cabins. Reading the Press Kit will yield some useful info and facts too.

Thanks,
Richard

Yeah I too would like to know about early VS cabins and press literature, managed to find some stuff but hardly any pictures of pre J2000 seats.

Cheers!

Dean

I recall travelling on the 747-100 and 747-200s on the upper deck and it was lovely.

Does anyone recall when there were summer and winter configs?

The bar had 2 sofas facing each other at one time and there was a summer bar which was 4 facing UC seats with a table between them.

The photo's on the link above were excellant but there was none of that era.

I posted this advert on V-Flyer last year on another thread, which dates back to around the time when Virgin launched their first Newark service.

[buns]

Originally posted by Strawberry Muppet
I posted this advert on V-Flyer last year on another thread, which dates back to around the time when Virgin launched their first Newark service.

Grateful thanks for posting once again[y][y]

neat fares and fantastic hairdos from the 80's[}:)][:w][}:)]

buns

Wow, have you seen the fares in Upper!!!!!

[Neil]

As buns said, oh my god look at the Hair, i love old things like that, makes me glad Im young[}:)]. Seriously interesting to see that, oh how things have changed.

And a free Helicopter transfer to Manhattan or for onward connections [^]

My first VS experience was in about 96 to JNB and at that time the seats were just the same as everyone else's in upper - seat back reclines into someone else's space etc (although they were still red).

VS.

Originally posted by manymiles
Does anyone have the details of the evolution of the Virgin seats and classes over the years.

I would love to see all the different seat types in the different classes over the years.

I have not travelled VS for as long as some, perhaps only ten years or so when VS and DL had codeshares and I could use my DL miles for VS metal. My favourite seats (assuming I was travelling alone) always used to be one of the single ones right in the nose of the 747s. Loads of privacy and loads of room in front of you.

There also used to be a sofa and coffee table on some aircraft with seatbelts so you could land sitting on the sofa if you chose to.

Cheers, Howard

There also used to be a sofa and coffee table on some aircraft with seatbelts so you could land sitting on the sofa if you chose to.

Cheers, Howard

Or sit with a cocktail seatbelted if turbulence strikes! I remember that sofa fondly.

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by slinky09

There also used to be a sofa and coffee table on some aircraft with seatbelts so you could land sitting on the sofa if you chose to.

Cheers, Howard

Or sit with a cocktail seatbelted if turbulence strikes! I remember that sofa fondly.

How do they seatbelt cocktails? [:w][}:)]

Originally posted by honey lamb

Originally posted by slinky09

There also used to be a sofa and coffee table on some aircraft with seatbelts so you could land sitting on the sofa if you chose to.

Cheers, Howard

Or sit with a cocktail seatbelted if turbulence strikes! I remember that sofa fondly.

How do they seatbelt cocktails? [:w][}:)]

Pour it into a very large glass, pop it on the sofa, then belt it up to keep it safe while you get bounced around the cabin!