virgin airbus a350 premium economy
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The crew that worked the Premium cabin on my flight to London was friendly and well-meaning, but not overly polished. So if you're thinking about starting a film close to landing, be sure you have enough time to finish before you're required to store the screen. The cabin was arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration. Flying from South Africa to the Uk in October 2021 my food tray broken when I told the cabin crew I was told we dont have the tools onboard to fix this problem economy class on my return in February 2023 I decided to check my seat and food tray and get comfortable food tray fine seat broken as I was told on my way out of Africa we dont have tools onboard I did not contact cabin crew needless to say when I could not put my seat in an upright position cabin not impressed with me my thinking was they dont have the tool to fix it Economy class not very impressed, I think a lot of people dont realise that Virgin actually shrunk the size of their premium economy seat when they brought out the A350. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. UK long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic has redesigned its upper class cabin to include an eight-seat lounge called "The Loft" on its new Airbus A350-1000 fleet, replacing its existing upper . The beer I had with dinner wasn't cold, and setting up the meal trays with a little care before serving them would have made a big difference in the experience. I got a glass of prosecco, which was tasty and light and fit on one of the armrests. I think everyone felt valued and welcomed. All information about Airbus A350-1000 Virgin Atlantic Interior First class Business class Check-in Baggage | SeatMaps . Thats a lot better than most airlines these days. I traveled along with my TPG UK colleagues Nicky Kelvin (Upper Class Suite) and Jean Arnas (economy) to test out the product myself on the aircraft's third-ever passenger flight. The Booth is featured on two of our A350 aircraft: Designed with love, built for the future. Instead, I stretched my legs wandering through the modern and fairly peaceful Terminal 4. Nonetheless, I managed to work productively for most of the journey to London, another advantage of daytime flights. Although I didn't sleep or lounge at all on this flight, I did recline the seat just to test the comfort of it. After being one of the first carriers to introduce a proper premium economy cabin, Virgin launched its A350 with new seats, larger inflight-entertainment screens and a supposedly more comfortable experience. Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying, The tighter seats take away from one of premium economy's major selling points. Though there are some flaws in the product, such as a narrower seat and poor headphones, I found the experience to be well worth the cost. It was rated first for premium economy in the Skytrax World Airline Awards in 2019. It didn't have the luxurious feeling of a leather or solid kit, but it does the trick for me knowing that it was helping to reduce single-use plastics and be less harsh on the environment. This version features 335 seats, including 44 seats in Upper Class and 56 in Premium Economy, making it quite a . Not least among them is Virgin's premium economy cabin, simply called Premium, which is available on the carrier's A330-220 and A330-300 planes, its A350-1000s, and Boeing 797-9 Dreamliners. They are laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration across seven rows. For each of the seats in the cabin, the tray table ejected from underneath one of the armrests. It would have been great if the crew members could have mentioned how the meal should be eaten when they served it. However, this may not hold true. By comparison, Virgin Atlantic's A350 aircraft has 11.6-inch screens in the economy cabin. Virgin Premium Economy - Airbus A350 DoorsToAuto 3.15K subscribers Description 17K views 5 months ago See the Virgin Premium Economy experience in this review of Virgin Atlantic. ", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Im a Cantonese speaker (cant read Chinese), there was one film, the same film I saw flying to Antigua in April . Airlines seem to insist on having only one full meal on flights between New York and London, with a second meal being a lighter "snack." Thats not unique to any one airline, but new planes really are stellar. Taking all that into consideration, Virgin's Premium isn't a bad product just one on the same aircraft as a very solid regular economy product but costing (at least) twice the price. Families, or groups of colleagues may prefer the middle four. 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. shipping, 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases, Earn a free-night award each card renewal month (up to 35,000 points), Receive 15 elite night credits to jump-start status, Must spend $60,000 in a year for second free-night award. The A350 may be one of the quietest aircraft out there but having noise cancelling still makes a huge difference so I prefer to bring my own. As someone who enjoys spending as little time in airports as possible, I was happy to whisk through, enjoy a quick dash through security and hop on board. Every seat is window facing with adjustable moodlighting, an 18.5 inch screen, enhanced privacy and plenty of space and storage. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window). We flew out to Las Vegas In premium on the Dreamliner . 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. The "Cheapest" Way To Try Emirates First Class Is Back (Under $625)! Hot options seemed to be carb heavy: rice, two kinds of penne pasta and what appeared to be a chickpea dish. As to the food, Im the worst person to ask. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. My journey on VS300 began in the evening at Terminal 3 of London Heathrow. Flight# VS138Origin - New York, NY ( JFK )Destination - London, England ( LHR )Registration - G-VPRDSeat - 23H & 21K*Edit to Video 21K was the window seat in. Austrian's B777-200 aircraft hold a total of 24 premium economy seats configured 2-4-2, while B767-300ERs contain 30 seats (expanded from 18) configured 2-2-2. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Bookings made by credit card or debit card no longer incur a fee. Economy Delight Premium Upper Class; Width of seat: 17.4 inches: 17.4 inches: 18.5 inches: 20 inches: Seat recline: 5 inches: 5 inches: . Paper menus are back too! Many business class seats are circa 18-19 width. . Fortunately, I realized this before opening or touching anything and I was able to give the meal back to a crew member so they could serve it to the passenger who actually ordered it. I consistently find Virgin Atlantic crews to be among the friendliest in the business. Have you ever flown Virgin Atlantic in premium economy? Virgin Atlantic currently flies from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to its home at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) four times daily, increasing to five daily flights from Mar. I am a vocal supporter of jetlag-free daytime flights from New York to London in any cabin, so I immediately focused on flight VS26. The answers yes. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. By comparison, Virgin Atlantic's A350 aircraft has 11.6-inch screens in the economy cabin. There was no bottle or label to be seen, but I assume it was Ayala Champagne, which has been Virgin's house brand for several years. The salad was frozen cold and needed a while longer to defrost, but this was made up for by the delicious mango and passion fruit slice, which was the highlight of the meal. I think that even with a full cabin of 56 passengers, the three lavs would've sufficed. Each of the screens in the cabin, whether in the bulkhead row or in one of 48 other seats in the cabin, was 13.3 inches, larger than existing offerings with the carrier. Shortly thereafter, it was time for tea service. While this is a lot, the high ceilings and straight sidewalls of the A350 give a sense of space, preventing it from feeling claustrophobic. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. Virgin is still finalizing the exact process but it's expected that Upper Class passengers on revenue fares will be invited to upgrade to the Retreat Suite for around $230 per person per flight. Given past trips with Virgin in premium economy, I was hopeful that the A350 would set the benchmark in this competitive market. Packed with innovation, our A350 is the new heartbeat of our fleet, and we hope you love it as much as we do. Out in UC back PE. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. I did like the cute little airplane-shaped salt and pepper shakers. With the sun barely up, I initially opted for an orange juice, but when the crew mentioned Champagne was also on offer, it piqued my interest. The cheesecake was the only thing I would ever look to order again from the whole flight. Or connect your bluetooth headphones to the32 inch TV and watch a show or our live tailcam. Tell us about your experience in the comments! But the real world doesnt often have the flexibility needed to enjoy those opportunities every time you fly, and you know what, it aint half bad. Instead, I opted to pay cash for the round-trip itinerary from London (LHR) to New York-JFK. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Features of the aircraft include: - 44 Upper Class open suites with partial sliding doors - All Upper Class seats face toward the aircraft windows - A new onboard Upper Class lounge named "The Loft" - 56 recliner-style Premium Class seats For starters, it was presented the wrong way around, with the dessert in the front rather than the appetizer salad. Just returned from Florida. Designated toilet area . And so begins an extremely thorough review of the Virgin Atlantic A350-1000. "And again, we have that Bluetooth connectivity, so at every seat, you can connect your headsets there . I was able to quickly find something Id happily nod off to, but US airlines including Virgin partner Delta tend to offer wider selections. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. 31-3417.4: 45-71: 235: Reviews. Even with the new aircraft, I didn't notice any signs the crew was unfamiliar with it. Airbus A350 seat map with The Loft. I loved the amazing, customized "I (Heart) A350" pillows, which were clearly made just for the introduction of the aircraft into service. My seat, 21A, was a bulkhead window seat, meaning there was no one seated in front of me. Both flights were far more comfortable than a standard cattle class seats. Im a major fan of securing a window seat in the two seat, side configurations. Our story; Business as a force for good; Media centre; Annual reports; It will use 306-seat A350-900s, of which it presently has three. Inside, they were pretty standard economy-size lavatories with no special features or extras. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. According to their website, in addition to the A330neo, Virgin Atlantic's current fleet includes the Airbus A350-1000, Boeing's 787-9, and Airbus A330-300. Virgin provided the standard premium economy headphones, blanket, and amenity kit on this flight, all of which were helpful (minus the plastic headphones). At boarding, each of the seats in the Premium cabin was stocked with all of the amenities for the flight: a plastic-wrapped blanket, pillow, amenity kit and set of headphones. Not least among them is Virgin's premium economy cabin, simply called Premium, which is available on the carrier's A330-220 and A330-300 planes, its A350-1000s, and Boeing 797-9. Certain hotels have resort fees. Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card. Virgin has one of the younger fleets in the skies nowadays, and if you fly frequently you can truly feel the difference. The Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 aircraft features a three class configuration with 31 lie-flat bed Upper Class seats, 35 Premium Economy seats, and 198 standard Economy class seats. The blanket also appeared the same as the one that was provided to economy passengers, although this wasn't such a big deal on a relatively short daytime flight. However, with each award ticket comes a hefty amount of taxes and fees -- in this case about $250. In the terminal, there were two Priority Pass lounges: No.1 Lounge and Club Aspire. The mozzarella salad was tasty and fresh, though the portion was a little small given how light the first meal was. Virgin tends to release plenty of award tickets, especially in economy. Discover our brand new A350 aircraft, and see the passion we poured into creating it in this behind the scenes video. I chose a Brewdog Lost lager with my meal. There was a small footrest that could be lowered so I could rest my feet on it. There was definitely a Cajun kick to it, and the twang from the mustard made it really enjoyable. Quality craftsmanship The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Virgin operates a mix of aircraft on this important route, with Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330 and A350 aircraft being used each day. VS should be entitled to compete for more slots at their base hub to provide some real competition! On a recent work trip to New York, I needed a one way ticket home to London, and Virgin Premium Economy on the A350 offered the best value, just moderately priced above economy. I quickly noticed that there was no additional remote-control option, which likely helped to open up some storage space in the seat. Crew then distributed menus for the flight, which included drinks, main courses and the teatime selections. Like, a lot. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Flyers have plenty of options to hop across the Atlantic, especially on the busy route between New York and London. Soon after trays were collected, flight attendants came through once more to offer liqueurs: Amarula cream, which retails for around $20 per bottle, or Baron Otard Cognac, which retails for around $40 per bottle. For the month between delivery and its first commercial operation, the aircraft operated several test flights within the UK, mostly from Glasgow (GLA) to Glasgow, according to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24. The dish was absolutely lovely and roaring with flavor. Two lavatories dedicated to the Premium cabin were located at the front of the seating, just behind the Upper Class social space. Today it operates a stylish premium economy cabin, branded as Premium, on all its aircraft. Originally from Australia, he is the primary points and miles writer for the U.K. site. Seat 14 A is a standard recliner-style Premium Economy Class seat located at an Exit Row. Enjoy a 11.5 inch seatback screen, USB power, and a six-way adjustable headrest for ultimate comfort. Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) God Save the Points All Rights Reserved.Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this sites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. More of a wander basket. Pitch (legroom), amenity, tech, and other factors are bigger for me. Other than that there was no storage around the seat. For larger customers it may well be a problem. The Dreamliner tables were from the back of the passengers seat in from, and seemed more flexible. I chose orange juice and coffee to go with it I did at least appreciate the sturdy mug the coffee was served in. . Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats recline between 7 and 8. No tears in seat upholstery, no nicked corners or stained carpets. There was some issue with getting the service up and running to begin with, but once it was, about 45 minutes into the flight, it worked seamlessly. They are laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration across seven rows. Would we fly virgin premium again. With the ricotta and the spiciness of the tomato sauce and zest from the sweet peppers, it was a great dish. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. Though the cake itself was on the dry side, the passion fruit icing really moved it along. Plus, we all have different tastes, so even if I like something, you might hate it. Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying, Around 70 airlines will be affected by the strike. Offer ends 5/3/23. The past two months have been busy ones for the commercial aviation industry in the UK. The tray passed to me didn't look appealing. Recliner. They can so a lot better than this. Next-generation efficiency, comfort and connectivity. Well, not a joy for my hopes of a flat bed, but a joy to see the world traveling again. Menus were handed out during the boarding process and I could see there was a choice between a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit or a Belgian waffle with syrup. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. The breakfast offering took a noticeable hit. Every cabin has been designed with you in mind. Cash fares in Premium on Virgin Atlantic currently start from $1,160 round trip, which is just over twice the price of Virgin's economy fares on the same dates. On this Virgin Atlantic flight, the first meal was actually the lighter one and was served an hour after departure. The Virgin Atlantic Airways Airbus A350-1000 is the flagship of the airline's fleet (July 2019). Taking off at 7PM in New York, its already midnight UK time, so im desperate to conk out ASAP and did exactly that on this flight. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. It was the small side, and I found it to be somewhat difficult to find an open seat., but there was an entire area, the Quiet Area, that I didn't get the chance to explore. Being in the front means you'll beat most of the plane through immigration. I also found a pair of headphones in the seatback literature pocket. I found the salad to be absolutely delightful. The wander wall on the 730 in comparison with the Dreamliner was also poor. There was also an excellent interactive flight map available. Other main courses on this flight included stir-fried pork with vermicelli vegetable noodles and Beijing bean sauce, and chicken-and-mushroom casserole with buttered new potatoes and green beans. I found the legrest and footrest on the bulkhead row to be useful. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Virgin Atlantics Premium Economy offers a more a la carte service than economy, and that starts with pre-departure bubbles and drink service. Tip: Not well publicised, if you have the paid version of the Virgin Atlantic Credit Card, you can sign up for free Boingo WiFi to use onboard, unlimited. Now, while the -1000 is wider than the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (2-3-2 layout), there isn't really enough space to add another seat without sacrificing the experience. In addition to a new seat with a large IFE system, Virgin paid attention to details that helped improve the passenger experience. Upon entering, I definitely got that new-plane smell. AUSTRIAN AIRLINES. Especially in a middle block of four seats, it can be hard to provide a lot of storage, but Virgin equipped these seats with about as much as I would think possible. How bad is it when the seat in front of you fully reclines? Several times prior to takeoff and upon landing, the crew took particular interest in reminding passengers it was a new aircraft and how to enjoy its new features. Gilbert Ott is an ever curious traveler and one of the world's leading travel experts. The lounge also boasted shower facilities, though those were subject to an additional charge. Of course, in premium economy, you shouldn't expect Bose total noise-canceling headphones, but they could've done better than the economy offering. It's worth noting that taxes and fees can sometimes reach or exceed $500. Invites will be sent 14 days in advance of the flight and booked on a first-come, first-served basis. But, depending on how you use your points, you may be able to get even more than $450 in value from them. In its folded position, most passengers had enough room to squeeze out to use the lavatory. Emotional baggage is best left at your departure point. Both the Upper Class and Premium cabins now get a refreshed Goodie Bag amenity kit on select routes, including this A350-operated route. Which is fine if your slim. I decided on the fajita. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stay up to date on everything travel, with our handy newsletter. Though I found the pitch and recline of the seats to be on the generous side, Virgin cramped up the cabin and seat by shrinking the width of its Premium seats to just 18.5 inches. The screen itself was completely touchscreen, and, as you would hope with a brand-new aircraft, I found the responsiveness to be great. But what was it really like? That also meant that I had extra legroom and a slightly different product than the rest of the cabin. The gnocchi were huge, and I soon realized that was because they were stuffed with the ricotta and asparagus. I tried a bite of it and didn't go back. What a contrast with their main UK rivals weak PE offering (& thats before the catering The Premium queue comes with a document check station right at the back, so you don't have to visit two different areas for vaccine and form clearance. Ive been a Virgin Flying Club Gold member for quite a few years now, so I was able to use the Upper Class check-in desk, but both lines were empty. Cookie statement | By comparison, Virgin Atlantic's A350 aircraft has 11.6-inch screens in the economy cabin. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Registered as G-VLUX and nicknamed "Red Velvet," the aircraft was delivered to Virgin on Aug. 10. With the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard, you can earn 30,000 bonus points (enough to book this flight) after spending $1,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. Enjoy a 11.5 inch seatback screen, USB power, and a six-way adjustable headrestfor ultimate comfort. The Premium cabin on the Virgin A350 comprised a total of 56 seats across a single cabin. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. That breaks down to 44 seats in Upper Class, 56 in premium economy, and 235 seats in. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. If you are at all like me, and live for electronic devices packed with shows, its nice to know that Virgin Atlantic has both AC and USB power at every premium seat. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. Fast-track security and Champagne after boarding were both pleasant surprises. Alaska Airlines has welcomed Starlux into its fold as its latest airline partner. I appreciated their high spirits for this early morning departure and they made me feel very welcome, but there were service gaps during mealtimes. For example, the tray table and two drink spaces on the armrest were colored in a faux-granite design. Virgin operates its A350-1000 in two configurations. Also there were the crew call button and overhead light switch. Looking at dates in November 2022, most economy fares from the US East Coast were around $800-900 for Virgin Atlantic Economy Classic to London, an additional $140-180 for Economy Delight, and $1200-1500 for Premium. The meal was small and disappointing. Delta Premium Select: 21 - 25 BDGH; Delta Comfort+: 30 - 33 CDFG; Main Cabin: 34 - 39 CDFG, 41 - 54 CDFG, 55 DF * Delta One: Movable armrests require the assistance of a Delta employee. Use this seat map to get the most comfortable seats, legroom and recline before booking. Positioning itself as a luxury yet affordable . /]. It was definitely an exciting experience to see the shiny new A350-1000, registration G-VLUX, a three-year-old bird. Observing the crew interactions with other passengers, including a couple with a young toddler, gave a really fun, attentive and caring feel. Additionally, I was a fan of some of the small design features of the seat. There was also a bar with bartender service. The headphones weren't noise-canceling but were still a definite step up from the pairs being handed out in economy. The packages are as follows: Messaging - 2.99/$3.99 Chat and Surf - 12.99/$16.99 - 150MB W-Fi Max - 29.99/$39.99 - 500MB Based in New Delhi, India. Inside were more environmentally friendly products, such as a bamboo toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, paper-wrapped pen, eye mask and earplugs. Totally agree with all points here. Virgins Premium cabin on the A350 offers 2x4x2 seating. Being Virgin Atlantic's largest passenger-carrying aircraft by length (73.8 meters long vs 62.8 for the 787-9 and 63.7 for the A330-300), the Airbus A350-1000 correspondingly has the largest capacity in the airline's fleet. Even at 6'3", my knees weren't even close to the seat in front. Overall, the ground experience at Virgin remains an important feature and will only become handier in the future. However, compared to the 787-9, for which I only had positive words last year, this certainly feels like a downgrade. VS138 New York, NY (JFK) - London, England (LHR) Monday, September 16, 2019 Aircraft: A350-1042 Registration: G-VLUX Duration: 6 hours 57 minutes Seat: 50D (economy class) Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 side view illustration by Norebbo.com The fleece material of the blanket felt almost worn, but I liked that the blanket had a special neck cutout, which made it easier to cover yourself in an upright position in Premium or economy. Meanwhile, the rest of the seats in the Premium cabin had just a pedal attached to the seat in front there was no legrest.