Virgin or BA?

I found this thread on the link below, not very good reviews for Virgin. !!.[:(]

http://www.wdisneyw.com/forums/
then go 'UK Visitors' and find thread 'Virgin or BA'.

I would like to know what you lot think, we are of to Miami [8D]in 11 days with Virgin. I see the last thread was for the Manchester planes which I know are older.

I am a Silver Flyer with Virgin and have never had anything other than the best of service from them.

Many thanks
Boo

[RichardMannion]

Not the Swindon Boo by any chance?

I'm off to MIA with VS for the first time next month - its now a LHR service so should be rather good.

I've never flown World Traveller, WT+ or Club so hard to draw a comparison. I've flown Euro Traveller a nubmer of times and its not that bad really.

But then the key is long-haul - I think the entertainment on Virgin planes is excellent - and this is key for me when I fly alone a lot.

Some people don't liek Virgin, and there are some that don't like BA - its game of 2 halves. I know in the past me and Pix have discussed why some people seem to 'dislike' VS on the B&S routes - their expectations whilst flying in Economy are far above the realistic levels achievable, and then have the audacity to complain afterwards.

Thanks,
Richard

Hi Richard

No, not the Swindon Boo, the Gloucestershire one. There can't be another Boo, Mr Boo says i'm unique .

We always fly PE and usually into Orlando, so I'm hoping for a good trip this time, they have never let me down yet.

Boo

[RichardMannion]

Now theres an intersting one - We're going to Orlando as part of a 2 centre holiday next month. I deliberately chose to fly into MIA instead and then drive up to MCO. Why?

a) If I'm using up 1/4m points on 3 UC reward tickets, I want to get the full service (as its the first time that my parents have flown in Upper - last time they were in Economy and I got told off by the crew for being mean!) - Bar, V.Touch etc - and I won't get that on a LGW B&S route.

b) Parents have already experienced the LGW Clubhouse - time to meet the LHR Clubhouse - my other home

c) Good chance of an enhanced IFE system - my little brother quite rightly asked last time we went to MCO - 'Err, where are the Nintendo games then?' - Now I'm not worried as he will be back in steerage with my other sibling, but for the sanity of the other passengers I wanted them both to have a good flight - so the IFE choice was required.

Thanks,
Richard

Gosh that Allie5 really has a downer on Virgin, cannot belive that she has flown VS so many times and been let down each time.

Hi,

I can kind of agree with some of the points raised on the thread, I have been flying with virgin since 1999, I also fly with BA a couple of times a year, and the service to me is comparable, however I prefer virgin, as they seem alot more fun and forward thinking.

I have flown on the Manchester to Orlando, before it was operated by Atlanta, and also on the Gatwick - Orlando, in 2002, and also Heathrow to LA a couple of times. Each time I have had the same experience with the crews, Excellent, freindly, attentive crew on the outbound (daytime) flight, and less freindly, inatentive crew on the return (night) flight.

Each time I fly I try to get the exit row seats, and usually manage, so I am usually in front of a flight attendant and can have a good natter. They are usually only to happy to chat on the outbound, but seem cold and disinterested on the return. (In fact one girl was so happy to chat, she invited me out in LA!! but thats another story).

I also have not seen much differece between LHR and LGW it seems to be the same at both hubs.

In terms of the general level of service (economy) they were better when I first flew in 1999 they have 'streamlined' their service somewhat in the last few years, maybe this is due to complacency.

But with V:port and other recent updates, maybe the tables are turning. Plus the 747's at Gatwick are actually really nice in economy, newer than most at heathrow, and as we all know, apart from the interior they are the same aircraft! not an inferior version.

Please don't take this out of context though, they are minor niggles, and virgin still have the edge for me.

Virgin every time. The service is definately on the up,the suite is fantastic,BA first is good (not as good as it used to be) but at that price so it should be, CW is terrible, WT+ is alright but I would still go PE because of my gold status on VS.I was a total BA junky for 10 years and loved them thinking of virgin as a very poor relation until I flew with VS.The BA joke that was posted a while back sums up BAs current attitude completey.http://www.virginflyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=624