Not quite going to the dark side but...

Having flown Virgin for many years, both for work and pleasure - I have just booked a First Class return to HK with Cathay in November. Feel quite guilty about it as have had lots of great flights with VS - but for the same cost as an UC return I can get a First Cathay Pacific flight. The smaller cabin (6 suites) compared to the packed VS UC cabin to HK, the ability not to have to lie facing someone (had some grumpy chap moan about my reading light last time - hardly my fault that it is positioned there) and the absence of a refurb on the route pretty much decided me. Will miss the clubhouse, but only having one overnight flight on a 5 day trip makes up for if. I'll let you know how I get on.

Will look forward to reading about it. They don't appear to market it very well - from their site it looks like the photos have been taken on planes from the 70s.

Don't feel guilty about it Ford - nothing wrong with trying new things y) It is only an airline after all

Was CX F really the same cost as VS J? If it was then you have nothing to apologise for!

Not sure if it was a VS J - but the fully flexible (needed to know I could change the date) CX First was about £80 more expensive than the VS UC without CDC. So no difference at all really. And yes, I was surprised as well. Have paid £2000 less on the VS HK route before now, including CDC. Did prices shoot up this year without me noticing?
I do have a thing about being loyal to a brand that has delivered us so many great flights in all different classes over the years - from the back to the front of the plane - so feel a little guilty still.
And yes, the images do look like the planes are stuck in the 70s - no purple haze for me this time - I'll take some snaps!

In fact have just looked at the fully flexible VS UC fare and it is over £2000 more expensive than the CX First fully flexible flight I have booked. And this is for November, so not exactly last minute.
VS prices seem worryingly high - a busy cabin of 25-30 (?) or a quiet one of 6 for £2K less. Mmmmm. Hard to stay loyal at this price sadly. VS need to look at the competition.

VS prices seem worryingly high - a busy cabin of 25-30 (?) or a quiet one of 6 for £2K less. Mmmmm. Hard to stay loyal at this price sadly. VS need to look at the competition.

I would wait until the flight if I were you. What's that old axiom.. you get what you pay for. Cathay may very well be billing this as a First Class, but whilst it may be to them, it may not be to yourself.. the photos could be accurate n(

If it still bothers you guilt wise, think of it this way. You are going on a new experience/adventure in order to report back to fellow v-flyers and give comparisons to the VS product. See it as competition research on behalf of the group ):

You could look at the Cathy section on Flyer Talk and see what people are saying there.

And whilst I am loyal to some brands my over riding loyalty is to the contents of the Bank of Tonty!

In the past few years I have had great flights on DL and LX which I chose because they were cheaper than the VS offering - if it had been say £100 I'd have probbaly booked with VS (purely for the CH) but these flights were £500 cheaper.

There are other airlies out there that USED to have a bad rep but which are now providing excellent products - rather like people basing decisions not to fly VS out of LGW because of the state of the cabins - it will take a long while for that perception to change.

In fact have just looked at the fully flexible VS UC fare and it is over £2000 more expensive than the CX First fully flexible flight I have booked. And this is for November, so not exactly last minute.

:0 :0 That's crazy!

I have not flown CX First but intend to next year. It has an excellent reputation and whilst the pics on the site don't really sell it, the reports I've read really really do. Look forward to the TR.