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BUSINESS CLASS : the seat offers a reasonable sleep comfort in flat bed
position, and quite private when full reclined, but many passengers will
find the high side partitions claustrophobic. The shoulder area is quite narrow
when in full recline, and this is most noticable when you try to turn over. We do not like the angled
layout of seats in the cabin - no proper window views, standards of seat privacy are not
good, and if travelling with a companion, these seats are not user-friendly. Storage areas are restricted. Relaxing / seated position is not as
comfortable as some conventional seats. IFE screen is rather poorly located and not easy to view when in flat bed position.
Overall score : 8/10 |
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Date: 29 SEP 2007 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Tom Garrett |
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RATING |
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As many of the other comments I too felt the "Pod" type seat was claustrophobic. The weird angle of
the seats made it impossible to look out the windows and you where facing the feet of the person
across from you. The bed was hard and the lighting poor. The purple colors throughout made it look
cheap rather than classy as one would expect in this class of service. Service professional and the
flight attendants worked hard to please the passengers. |
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Date: 07 JUL 2007 |
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Mark Steele |
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RATING |
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The bed is unnecessarily hard, and you do keep releasing the table by accident (whoever designed the positioning of the button should lose
their job!) but apart from that I was comfortable and had 4 hours uninterrupted sleep. The food was not bad at all and the flight
attendant who looked after me did all she could to be professional. Once on the ground, my bag arrived as I did and I was chauffeured away
within minutes. |
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Date: 31 MAY 2007 |
Aircraft: A340-600 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Peter Carson |
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RATING |
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In flight, the seat continues to require some coming to terms with - the "pod" is confining, makes conversation with others problematic,
and is inadequately lit (so enjoy the IFE as it's your only option). Food ok but not great (they ran out of choices on the "freedom" menu
so how free is that?) |
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Date: 28 MAR 2007 |
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Giles Hendriksen |
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RATING |
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SFO-LHR return. Liked the pod originally when sitting doing work, nice to be able to keep reclined when taking off and landing, and being
able to put your feet up. Having your back to the window was strange. Cabin crew not too helpful, they were more interested in chatting to
one another than 'hosting'. The bed was very uncomfortable, felt like a laying on a doctors table, and my knee kept knocking the table
release button, to the annoyance of the guy to the right of me. No goodies on either route-just a toothbrush. |
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Date: 28 MAR 2007 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Kate Byrne |
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RATING |
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Really impressed with the product. Got a really good sleep on both legs of the journey, with the addition of a sleep suit, duvet and
proper pillow added to the comfort. I agree with previous review, food is not great, compared to BA, and lack of snack bar is not great
also. Inflight entertainment is excellent however, and cabin crew were friendly. |
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Date: 02 JAN 2007 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Peter Davies |
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RATING |
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Upper Class from Cape Town. Not to keen on the pod theme, looking at the passenger opposite, very difficult to talk to ones wife in the
adjacent pod. I found the seats comfortable and the beds uncomfortable, claustrophobic and very hot. No sleep suits (a mix up with the
cleaners apparently.) Move slightly whilst sitting and the seat moves up and down seemingly of its own accord. Food dire. I only asked for
one drink a cointreaux - sorry no , grand marnier, sorry no, so it went on. breakfast a very disorganised affair, no toast (theres been a
bit of a rush on it) no salt and pepper, no sauce and flight attendants fussing continually over flight crew and cling-ons in upper class,
to the exclusion of the paying passengers. |
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Date: 20 NOV 2006 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Rosalind Manly |
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RATING |
 |
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Flight to South Africa. I agree with previous comments on on the service. Beds extremely hard a killer for somebody with a bad back. Like
sleeping on an upside down sofa and again difficult to change from sleeping to sitting. Staff on the way out made you feel as if you
should not ask for anything. Staff on the way back could not do enough and were fantastic. The food was terrible and we did not get the
normal pack of goodies and on the way out no toothbrushes were even handed out. What has happened? I complained and got some complimentary
air miles. However I expected better for the price. I have tried BA pretty good and South African Airways even better and next time SA
wins. Shame because the new Virgin lounge at Heathrow and the pick up service is excellent, shame about the flight. |
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Date: 20 NOV 2006 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Michele Garcia |
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RATING |
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I hate these new seats. You cannot converse with your partner unless you sit on the stool - uncomfortable for any length of time and also
activates the seat if you try to lean on the partition. Impossible if travelling with children and just awful if you have a frightened
companion. I do not like the position of the seating - looking at other passengers and having their smelly feet pointing at me. These
seats are only acceptable on night flights. I have now reverted to BA. |
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Date: 20 NOV 2006 |
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Brad Thiele |
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RATING |
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The fact that you have to get out of the seat and press a button for it to flip upside down and turn into a bed makes it rather difficult
to switch between sleeping and sitting during a long flight (as I am usually want to do). Agree with previous comments on how tatty the
cabin looks - poor quality fitting tears in leather and scuff marks all over. The purple decor is very un-classy and all that's missing is
a disco mirrorball! I've also noticed that they're no longer handing out the Oswald Boteng amenity kits, and passengers on my flight had
to request a sleeper suit rather than be handed one automatically. Is this Virgin trying to cut back on costs? This is certainly reflected
in the apalling food.
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Date: 27 SEP 2006 |
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: M Randall |
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RATING |
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I find this most comfortable seat and bed. The 747's UCS do have a more luxurious feel than the A340's as the cabins are much smaller and
more spacious but it is still worth the extra money. My only slight grumble would be the toilets are very much economy standard when
compared to other airlines business and first toilets. |
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Date: 27 SEP 2006 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Phillip Jones |
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RATING |
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Seat 2K - LHR-LAX. Cabin is eerie - looks like everyone is sitting in a toilet stall. Seat has two settings - upright or flat. Makes
finding a reclining position very challenging. Seats are hard and claustrophobic. IFE selection and screen size excellent. |
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Date: 22 APR 2006 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Nigel Green |
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RATING |
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Flew with much anticipation Virgin's Upper Class suite LHR to JNB and return - did sleep well although outbound cabin temp too high but
agree with many of the comments already posted in particular the pods had a poor quality feel to them (mine was already falling apart) and
I was forever inadvertently activating my wife's chair when I joined her for a meal that would have been good for an economy ticket but at
the price I expected far better quality. Meal quality probably the worst aspect of the trip. Joining a partner for a meal also feels very
intrusive on the passenger next to them since you are virtually face to face with them if they too are eating. |
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Date: 22 APR 2006 |
Aircraft: A340-600 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Rob Chapman |
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RATING |
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SYD-HKG-LHR, return. I felt confined in my "stall", and found there was virtually no space to store items other than my glasses! I
disliked being at 45 degrees to the fuselage, and being able to see the opposite row of fellow passengers - it meant they could all see me
too! I found the seat to be hard, and with little variation in position. Also, the arm rests do not line up. The actual bed itself was
excellent, and I slept better than on any other business class flight (I'm 6ft.) I would not choose Virgin if I were travelling with my
wife, because I like to be "properly" next to her, and to see her - something that would be virtually impossible with the "stall"
arrangement. I also still like to look out of the window! |
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Date: 27 MAR 2006 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: John Rankin |
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RATING |
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I have completed a number of flights in the new Upper Class Suite now and I suspect I am begining to notice some of the negative aspects.
On boarding, there is a definite feeling of entering a rather posh gentlemens toilet with rows of urinals disappearing into the distance.
The seats are a little firm and, when in bed mode, more so. Cramp soon develops trying to look out the window or trying to plug-in
headsets. The tables appear to suffer with lopsidedness and the electric motors fail regularly. On the 340, two toilets just are not
enough when everyone is trying to change out of sleepsuits before landing. On the PLUS side, you do tend to get undisturbed sleep in the
pod. All they need is a cover, a zip door and a Do Not Disturb sign. |
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Date: 13 FEB 2006 |
Aircraft: A340 |
Cabin: Business Class |
Review: Ian Cunningham |
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RATING |
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Agree with a lot of the comments here. I flew Upper Shanghai-LHR and found the pod style seats cramped and not overly comfortable. Also
appeared a bit tatty. BA club world is infinitely better. |
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7 February 2006
by Dominik Choy |
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Rating
:
Airbus A340-600
Upper
Class
LHR-HKG Upper Class both ways. It was a total downer! Although everyone has a
window seat but is near impossible looking out without twisting your neck - poor
seat position. The locations of seat control buttons can inadvertently move the
seats up/down or release the tray table. Before the tray table can be pop out,
you must first reposition your seating arrangement - very inconvenient. The seat
design doesn't allow people to lie flat but an angle only - very unpractical. I
agree with E. Cooley it feels like sleeping in a mortuary.
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14 October 2005
by E Cooley |
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Airbus A340-600
Upper
Class
Flew SYD - HKG Upper Class both ways. What a disappointment! The seat is narrow
and uncomfortable, the reading lights are useless when the seat is reclined, the
controls are badly positioned so the table pops out when you least expect it and
the overall feel of the cabin was of cheap plastic. It felt like sleeping in a
mortuary. Add to that appalling service (even though there were only 10 seats
occupied on the SYD - HKG leg) and dreadful food. I'll never fly Virgin Atlantic
again.
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23 May 2005
by A D Marshall |
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Airbus A340-600 Upper
Class
Rating
:
The Virgin bed experience depends where in the cabin you sit. The port side is
claustrophobic as you look forward on to a long row of seat backs. Furthermore
the last 2 seats look onto a floor- ceiling wardrobe. The first 2 seats of the
central column of seats look onto the toilet and getting sleep here isn't easy.
So I try to get a starboard seat in the middle - then the environment is good.
The bed is comfortable though narrow. The VoD system is excellent though some
menu functions could be better designed. The high sided pods give you privacy
and protection from the more obscure behaviour of your travelling companions and
helps to get a good nights sleep. Even if your neighbour is
reading/eating/snoring. The controls for the seat are easy to activate by
accident so when you are upright the seat/table activates unexpectedly.
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7 February 2005
by Lorne S Clark |
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Airbus A340 Upper
Class
Rating
:
In the "normal" position (as opposed to flipping over to the bed), the seat is
somewhat uncomfortable for tall people (I am 6'4"). The ottoman is too close to
allow for stretching out and one is cramped and uncomfortable with legs bent.
Thus, for overnight trips using the bed, VS is much better than BA; however for
a long haul day trip, BA comes our far ahead.
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5 February 2005
by David Reddin |
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Airbus A340 Upper
Class
Rating
:
New suite is VAST improvement over the old "sling" seat, but will be an acquired
taste. As a bed, it is very comfortable, quite long and wide, and quiet given
the high seat partitions. As a seat, however, it is an acquired taste. Sitting
with back to window is quite disconcerting. Placement of seat controls means any
leg movement can inadvertently "deploy" the table or raise/lower the seat. Video
screen must be stowed in order to eat, which makes for an uncomfortable viewing
angle. The new video-on-demand system is the best I've seen -- first rate.
Finally, and alas, the pitiful Virgin service has not improved with the new
suite. If you want to sleep and not be bothered by service personnel, this is
for you. If you want good service befitting the price of an Upper Class seat,
you'd do better on BA.
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18 December 2004
by S Mornay |
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Boeing 747-400 Upper
Class
Rating
:
LHR-JFK. A daylight flight we didn't get to use the bed function. The suites
were claustrophobic, as the partitions are quite high and you do feel isolated,
especially if travelling with family/friends. Parents travelling with young
children should consider this aspect of the new suite seats and consider an
airline with a more traditional seat arrangement.
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11 October 2004
by Jason Field |
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Boeing 747-400 Upper
Class
Rating
:
I had my first experience of the new Upper Class suites on the LHR-JFK route a
couple of weeks ago. Outbound was a dream, marred only by a faulty table/tray
that refused to stayed stowed and kept trying to pop out during take off.
Inbound from JFK was a slightly different experience. Good points - the new
Clubhouse at JFK is wonderful and the seat to bed experience painless and very
comfortable. However, don't be fooled by the slick advertising - no matter how
comfortable the bed a transatlantic night flight will never make you look more
attractive.
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11 October 2004
by John Nielsen |
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Boeing 747-400 Upper
Class
Rating
:
Can't understand the comments of K McMahon and P Moskowitz it's almost as if we
slept in different suites. The suite is incredibly comfortable and one of the
better beds in the sky. I choose to fly Virgin upper class in preference to
American first class to New York on the strengths of the seat alone. Agree the
service is variable, but you should try flying American or United in comparison
where it's downright awful.
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31 August 2004
by Kate McMahon |
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Boeing 747-400
Upper Class
Rating :
The food was the worst I have had in business class and service was slow. The
flight back to London from JFK was delayed due to a security alert and no food
was served until midnight over two hours into the flight. Sitting with your back
to the window is not ideal and the cabin feels cramped.
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14 August 2004
by Bill Edwards |
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Airbus A340-600
Upper Class
Rating :
Out to Tokyo and back from Shanghai with new Upper Class suites. Had a window
going out (better) and an inside coming back. Seat is great – much better than
BA Club World bed. I like the high partitions - means it really doesn’t matter
what the person next to you does! Downside for me is the way the seat turns into
a bed. The whole thing turns over – you can’t just hit the down button. You do
get a bottom sheet, a nice duvet and proper pillow - but you either have a bed
or a seat.
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5 August 2004
by Peter Moskowitz |
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Airbus A340-600
Upper Class
Rating :
Recently flew the new upper class suite on both the 747 and the A340-600. I
found the bed to be extremely uncomfortable - true, the seat does fold into a
true horizontal bed, but a hardwood floor is also flat and horizontal, and I
know that I don't sleep well on the floor. I echo the comments about the walls
of the suite being too high and the cabin seeming extremely crowded.
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28 May 2004
by Bob Bartlett |
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Boeing 747-400
Upper Class
Rating :
Orlando to Gatwick, old style recliners, not flat. Comfortable to doze for a
few hours, no more. The service is poor, and the noise from the galley on a
night flight was like a railway station.
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28 May 2004
by Martyn Parry |
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Boeing 747-400
Upper Class
Rating :
SFO to LHR in the new suite - a good nights sleep. No IFE - it broke down so I
got a personal DVD player with a bunch of old films. No apology, but that's
Virgin. A step in the right direction - the old seats were like slides. Virgin
need to sort out their FA's - I swear they are getting ruder.
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8 April 2004
by D Elliot |
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Boeing 747-400
Upper Class
Rating :
SFO to LHR in the new suite. Impressed by seat and the bed which were both
comfy. Seat allowed me to be reclined for take off and landing. Crew were eager
to show me the many functions of the seat. Great food and a nice bar too!! Bed
is wider than BA club seat so very comfy I am 6ft 2ins.
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6 March 2004
by Pete Smith |
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Boeing 747-400
Upper Class
Rating :
Travelled SFO-LHR with the new Suites. Have previously travelled on the
old-style 'J2000' sliding seats many times. The Suites were quite a step up in
terms of comfort, style and practicality. Aisles are wider, and you feel like
you've got more space - you don't have to share your personal space with anyone.
Slept for longer in the Suites than I have slept on an aircraft.
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2 March 2004
by Katsuaki Miyono |
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Airbus A340
Upper Class
Rating :
I will agree with Mr Shanklin comments
5th Feb. New Upper Class suite is
honestly comfortable, but standards of
Virgins FA service get worse not better
- everytime I travel recently service is
poor.
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5 February 2004
by Tom Shanklin |
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Airbus A340
Upper Class
Rating :
The seat is great and very comfortable -
yes, the sides are too high as Jack says
(31JAN). But, the staff service has
deteriorated so much nowadays on Virgin
that I prefer to use JAL - slightly less
comfortable seat, but service is always
top range on JAL.
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31 January 2004
by Jack Randall |
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Boeing 747-400
Upper Class
Rating :
I do agree with R Wagstaff comments (09
Jan) - although the seat is most
comfortable and better than the old
sort, the seat cabin seems to be
overcrowded. I think this is because the
shell around the seat is too tall and
seems to hem you in when in normal
sitting position. But anyway, it is very
comfortable for sleep during the flight.
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9 January 2004
by R Wagstaff |
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Boeing 747-400 Upper Class
Rating :
New suite seat is comfortable for sleep
in flat layout, and other adjustments
nice. The configuration and angling of
seats takes a time to get comfortable
with. A real downside is the height of
each seat cubicle wall - this makes the
cabin feel very confined, and a bit like
being in a Japanese capsule hotel.
Otherwise, a great improvement on the
outdated old upper class.
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Virgin Atlantic Seat Reviews
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