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  Virgin Atlantic Seat Reviews  | 1 | 2 |

 
Seat Ranking Symbols
5 Star Rating

= Excellent

4 Star Rating

= Good

3 Star Rating

= Fair

2 Star Rating

= Poor

1 Star Rating

= Very Poor

     
 

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




 

VIRGIN ATLANTIC  BUSINESS CLASS (UPPER CLASS) SEAT REVIEW   :   20 June 2008  by Jonathan McNeill

 

AIRCRAFT TYPE

A340-600

CABIN FLOWN

Upper Class

SLEEP COMFORT

3 Star Rating

SITTING COMFORT

3 Star Rating

SEAT LENGTH

1 Star Rating

SEAT WIDTH

1 Star Rating

 

Upper Class LHR-LAX. Lovely check-in, awesome lounge at LHR, friendly staff - but the seats! Upper Class was not full, so I took 17K since it was last row of forward cabin - a window, and close to the Bar area and toilets - wrong move on my part - way too much traffic. This was the first time with these new seats - hated it! Felt like there were too many rows "crammed" into the cabin. Controls, table, TV monitor etc very awkwardly placed, pillows stowed behind seats so you have to reach over and "hunt" for them, duvets in bags in the overhead were bulky and not worth hunting down. I disliked NOT having a window to look out - the way the seats are positioned it is virtually impossible to be comfortable and look out at the same time. I don't think I will book Upper Class again. I think I prefer BA's Club World over this. I also flew Business Class on Lufthansa LAX-FRA and while the seating and cabin are much more "traditional" compared to Virgin, the comfort level and space surpasses Virgin's Upper Class.



 

VIRGIN ATLANTIC  BUSINESS CLASS (UPPER CLASS) SEAT REVIEW   :   20 June 2008  by D McLean

 

AIRCRAFT TYPE

A340

CABIN FLOWN

Upper Class

SLEEP COMFORT

2 Star Rating

SITTING COMFORT

3 Star Rating

SEAT LENGTH

3 Star Rating

SEAT WIDTH

3 Star Rating

 

LHR-LAX-LHR Used upper class for the third time in 8 months out of Heathrow to USA. Common knowledge that pod layout is not very good when travelling with your spouse, although I suppose some may find that a bonus! The massage is a gimmick and I was told earlier this month on my last trip that Virgin are doing away with this. I hope that they spend the saved cash to finance better food. Over the past couple of years the meals served up on transatlantic flights has steadily reduced in quality and volume. All in all you do get reasonable value, but with BA and Air New Zealand flying direct to LAX you do get much better food and wine for the same price and in Air New Zealands case, the same pods.



 

VIRGIN ATLANTIC  BUSINESS CLASS (UPPER CLASS) SEAT REVIEW   :   20 June 2008  by G Hool

 

AIRCRAFT TYPE

A340-600

CABIN FLOWN

Upper Class

SLEEP COMFORT

3 Star Rating

SITTING COMFORT

3 Star Rating

SEAT LENGTH

4 Star Rating

SEAT WIDTH

4 Star Rating

 

LHR - CPT - LHR via Upper Class. Bed and seat both reasonably comfortable - just a fag to get out of either when you need to convert it to a bed/seat. Bed could do with being 6inches longer, so that a person of 6 feet can stretch without touching the foot stool. Drinks table is useless as is the light, both of which get in the way of each other. TV screen could do with some vertical adjustment so you can get adjust it when eating the poor food Virgin have started serving. Design of cabin, means all seats face inward, which if you want to look out of the window means you face the prospect of a stiff neck. Design also limits conversation with your travelling companion, though to some this may be a distinct advantage. Overall the British Airways Club World package is looking far more attractive.



 

VIRGIN ATLANTIC "UPPER CLASS" - BUSINESS CLASS SEAT REVIEW

  
 

24 January 2008 by A Jarrett

AIRCRAFT

Boeing 747-400

CABIN

Business

 

SLEEPING

Good

SITTING

Excellent

SEAT LENGTH

Excellent

SEAT WIDTH

Good

Virgin Upper Class has good and bad points. The folded down bed is a little on the firm side . The positioning of the reading lamp and drinks tray is pure bad design. I did feel a little strange with my back to the window, however travel in the 747 nose-cone was a revelation for cabin quietness and this compensated for the strange angle. The main thing I noticed with the seat angle was at meal and drink times it did feel rather like we were patients in an upmarket nursing home sitting around the edge of the room in armchairs waiting for nurse and watching each other eat and drink. While the entertainment was good, the picture quality was poor.


 

VIRGIN ATLANTIC "UPPER CLASS" - BUSINESS CLASS SEAT REVIEW

   
 

3 December 2007 by Colin Crabbe

AIRCRAFT

A340-600

CABIN

Business

 

SLEEPING

1 Star Rating

SITTING

1 Star Rating

SEAT LENGTH

2 Star Rating

SEAT WIDTH

1 Star Rating

I used Virgin years ago where the seating standards were excellent. My wife and I have just returned from Mumbai, and had a dreadful trip both ways. The seating is a herring-bone design so that you cannot see out of the windows. I found the seats extremely hard and when reclined uncomfortable - being very narrow with no room to turn over. The reading light is set at an angle that is impossible to use while the drinks tray is simply out of reach.


 

VIRGIN ATLANTIC "UPPER CLASS" - BUSINESS CLASS SEAT REVIEW

   
 

27 November 2007 by Spencer Dusebout

AIRCRAFT

A340-600

CABIN

Business

 

SLEEPING

3 Star Rating

SITTING

5 Star Rating

SEAT LENGTH

4 Star Rating

SEAT WIDTH

4 Star Rating

LAX-JNB Fantastic lounges to start the experience. The seats were comfortable to sit and read/relax. The bed is a little hard, but very roomy. Entertainment fantastic, as the service. Food average, and the treatment/massage is a joke.




Date:  07 OCT 2007

Aircraft:  A340

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: Mathew Hayter


 

RATING

3 Star Rating            

Sydney - Hong Kong return. The cabin is very unconventional in design with seats facing away from the window, it does feel like you are by yourself for most of the flight. The seats are comfy but have a poor build feel to them, the controls are not well placed and the seat can be inadvertently activated by turning your body slightly - I had this surprise at least 6 times during the flight. The bar a waste of time as was the complimentary massage service - really a novelty as all passengers request and only a few can benefit due to time - so its a lucky draw. Maybe investing this money in better food or finer wine may be better served! If you want the best in business then pay double and travel Singapore Airlines or other 5 star airline.

Date:  07 OCT 2007

Aircraft:  A340

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: Richard Adler


 

RATING

4 Star Rating            

MIA-LHR and agree with the tone of comments here. Flew same route on 747-400 configuration last year and found accommodation, service and food quality/quantity far better than it seems to have become. Flat beds just work for me at 1.96m tall, so got some decent sleep once wedged in to the flipped over bed. Food and drink offerings notably less than previous UC flights. Bar on A340 is just an extension of the galley it seems. Food very mediocre for business class and running out of potato chips (asked for some more to go with the one drink that was offered and told not possible) a bit surprising. Still prefer Virgin's price point to BA for this flight, so will continue to use, albeit with lower expectations.

Date:  04 OCT 2007

Aircraft:  Boeing 747-400

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: P Mortensen


 

RATING

2 Star Rating            

We travelled to Cuba Upper class and agree with the negative comments - especially the one about the inadequacy of the toilets which we also had to share with premium economy. The twilight check-in facilities at Gatwick were indeed from the Twilight Zone and boarding next day was a ridiculous jostling match with all classes boarding together. We will not travel Virgin again.

Date:  04 OCT 2007

Aircraft:  Boeing A340-600

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: Mark Baughman


 

RATING

4 Star Rating            

The flat seats are an acquired taste, and probably suited better for someone thinner than me. To make it flat you have to get out of your seat and flip back over. There's a duvet and the FA is quick to help set you up. However, you have to make the commitment to either flat or seated. If you're using the seated position, you have a limit on how far back the seat will go. There is a footstool, though, so you can stretch out and I ended up sleeping about 5 hours on regular seat reclined. On BA I find myself reclining gradually during the flight as I watch movies, eventually making it to flat, but you have to make a choice and then it's hard to watch the TV as it doesn't pivot on the horizontal axis. The seat also feels more narrow because of the shell design. Strange, because that was not necessary. Also, if you're travelling with someone, it will be very difficult to talk to them. Obviously that's a mixed blessing. Seats point away from window, so you have to stretch around to see out, which I like to do. On the new AVOD the skymap uses satellite imaging to show where you are and shows your path in detail. Very cool. The rest of the AVOD is excellent, although Emirates and Singapore Air give you more movies to choose from. The table top for the seat is very large and excellent if you want to put your laptop out with a mouse and some materials, or a cup of coffee. But the other shelf space is very awkward to get to.

Date:  02 OCT 2007

Aircraft:  A340-600

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: Justin Noice


 

RATING

5 Star Rating            

We found the seats to be quite comfortable and enjoyed several hours of uninterrupted sleep - you all have an aisle seat and can get up in the middle of the night to hit the washroom with out disturbing your neighbour. On the way back we ended up in Row 1 - you need to avoid that like the plague. Too close to the galley, washrooms & beauty parlour. Rows 6-10 are the best.

Date:  02 OCT 2007

Aircraft:  Boeing 747-400

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: Spencer Dusebout


 

RATING

4 Star Rating            

LHR-SFO-LHR Upper Class. The Cabin appears to look a lot like a line of toilet cubicles! Purple and Red every where great for branding but looks tacky. Seats are comfortable and reclining to put your feet up for take off is nice, only when you are drifting off to sleep you then have to stand up and flip the bed over, which is very hard to lay on and by this time you have woken up! Bed is spacious though. Cabin way too hot, why? I like to look out the window but its difficult as all seats are at an angle away from the window, also if travelling with a guest you can't really see or talk to them in the next pod. Food and Wine are ok and service is ok too, bar area is not as good as it used to be years ago. Lounge at LHR is excellent.

Date:  07 OCT 2007

Aircraft:  A340

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: Peter Carson


 

RATING

4 Star Rating            

LAX-LHR-JNB Roundtrip. Virgin's business class pods offer much privacy and it is very easy to work or read in it. However when it comes to sleeping the bed is very hard and is not very comfortable.

Date:  29 SEP 2007

Aircraft:  A340

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: A Biscia


 

RATING

3 Star Rating            

The seats are the same as Air NZ, but the cabin layout in the Airbus more cramped than the 747. In particular, the front cabin lacks the light and space of the 747 and the front seats are busier as the masseuse works in front of row 1 on one side and there is a toilet on the other. The bed length is less than Air NZ, the foot support/table being a couple of inches closer on Virgin.

Date:  29 SEP 2007

Aircraft:  A340

Cabin:  Business Class

Review: Doreen Tiesdell Smith


 

RATING

3 Star Rating            

LHR-HKG-SYD. Bed confining like being in the naughty corner -conversation impossible if like me you are short. Knee kept hitting table release to annoyance of crew. Couldn't see out of window until night time when bed down, then I had to kneel up to see out. Food not spectacular, impossible to get stool at the bar to talk to someone, everyone had same idea. Dark and dreary facing the back of the person in fronts chair. Not keen to go upper again, tho its necessary for long journeys like Oz.


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