Mini-Review: Virgin America First Class Los Angeles To Chicago

Your flight details say Newark to Los Angeles!

There's a small typo in the flight information section. You said it was from EWR to LAX.

Fixed -- thanks guys!

It's nice to see that Alaska's new premium seats will have foot rests. That's my biggest issue with domestic first class on the Big 3 (and Alaska currently), and while Alaska's new seats will still most certainly be tighter than VX, the foot rests will make a big difference.

Those are some funny looking mixed greens in that dinner salad, but it looks delicious regardless.

sad thing is that AS has no real intention of upgrading the rest of their F product to VX levels, but instead, downgrading VX to boring AS F levels.

I have a choice of AA for $679 or VX for $897. Is VX worth the $218 difference? That's about $25 per cabin-hour. I am tempted to say yes as I make much more than that per hour (I own my business) and will be eating on the flights -- and last time I flew AA the stuff they served looked worse than my college cafeterias was practically inedible.

@Elias,

Thanks for sharing how much you make , very impressive.

"Scotch Whiskey"

@Elias -- in my opinion, yes, it's worth the extra money to go by Virgin America. Enjoy the brand while you can as with the takeover by Alaska Air it'll disappear by 2018/19.

did they stop giving out the airplane-shaped salt and pepper shakers, or did you already pocket it before taking the pictures?

@Atz well spotted! You'd think they'd proofread the menu...

Nice

Lucky:

You didn't mention the awesome VX safety music video with Toddrick Hall and others. Yes it is over 4 years old now but is very entertaining and still seems fresher than many of the safety videos that copied some of the look and feel of VX safety video

Never tire of viewing it.

There is No Way VX is worth $218 more one way to fly this route. AA is almost as good on every scale if you're in F, and that's 2 c-notes plus a DECENT glass of wine at one end or the other, as opposed to swill on both airlines. I am a major fan of VX, but not to the tune of throwing away enough money for another ticket somewhere in order to enjoy their pink lighting.

$10, $20, $40, $60, fine. You'll probably have no delays with their superior new aircraft; their staff will treat you better; food is marginally better. But not $200+ For this one domestic flight. That's burning money.

I just flew SFO-JFK on VX 22 September in First. @Lucky NAILED it in one paragraph, which bears repeating:

"The next thing I want to comment on about Virgin America is how fantastic their announcements are. On some airlines I feel like their announcements are made in an authoritarian way. Virgin America’s announcements actually make you feel welcome — they refer to passengers as “guests” rather than “customers,” they phrase safety announcements in a fun way (“we know how tough it is to get off those phones, but we’re going to have to ask you to put them in airplane mode”), etc. I know it’s subtle, but I find it makes a big difference in terms of how the crew communicates with passengers"

I have flown VX almost 120 times since they began flight ops in August 2007, and I know all the words to their safety video (if you've never seen it, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtyfiPIHsIg). I can only imagine how it must be drilled into the heads of the FAs! Being in F means your video displays are folded in your armrest, so they have one flight attendant do the safety demonstration in the "traditional manner." But on VX, quite often (though certainly not on every flight) the FA will "dance it" up and down the aisle in First, singing or lip-syncing alone with the video. On this flight, the FA did the best version of it I've ever seen . . . and enjoyed. It's a little thing, like calling the people onboard "guests," but it is precisely these sorts of "little things" that continue to make VX loyalists just so loyal . . . and concerned that AS will ruin.

Indeed, in speaking with the flight attendant later during the trip, I voiced my natural concern about Alaska being too "uptight" for Virgin. Her response will live in my memory, like "Remember the Alamo" or "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." ----> "The goofiness will continue!"

Amen.

Hey Lucky,

I have a VA first class flight out of JFK and I was looking forward to spending some time in the Clubhouse but due to the terminal change to T7, they're no longer allowing passengers access to the club. Do I have any recourse here? Not to say outright compensation (I'm not that delusional) but is there any substitute club to which they're temporarily allowing access, food vouchers, etc?