In a previous installment, I reviewed Virgin Atlantic Upper Class on the Airbus A330-900neo. I wanted to dedicate a separate post to Virgin Atlantic’s new Retreat Suites, as this is a new product for the airline, which is exclusively available on these planes. What are these seats, and are they worth it?
Continue reading: Is Virgin Atlantic’s Retreat Suite Worth It?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Not to nitpick, but I find it a little bit funny when you use the £ symbol throughout this article, since it’s easy to copy-paste from a press release, but in your other recent reports in LHR and on VS/BA you use GBP instead.
Of course, there’s no shame in using either of them, and you can use whatever you like, whenever required. But I do find it noteworthy enough to point out, and I suppose your British readers *might* appreciate it more if you use £ instead of GBP, like Europeans might appreciate using € instead of EUR. You do you — your choice!
It doesn't look like the ottoman would make an especially comfortable buddy seat ... it kind of looks like you'd need to sit a few inches away from the back of the ottoman in order to not be bumping into the TV with your upper back and head? (Though of course Virgin's old planes had an incredibly tiny buddy seat in the footrest of the old herringbone seat, so I guess this is better than that was.)
Is that something anybody cares about? I see and use EUR all the time. I don't think I would 'appreciate' someone else using '€' as I wouldn't even notice the difference. And it is always best to use USD over the '$' since there are so many currencies that use '$' it can be ambiguous.
Maybe it bothers you personally, but I can't imagine most people care.
The people that are bothered by this are very thin skinned. Thanks for bringing it up.
I am afraid this will be the new trend in seat reservation fees, charging different prices for marginally better seats. Lufthansa hinted in this direction with their “choices” frequently mentioned in the Allegris announcement.
In the past savy travelers could just be happy to reserve a good seat once in a while as they became available.
I've just noticed the right-hand seat area seems bigger than the left, both in pictures and on the seat map. Does it make much of a difference in practice?
Nothing new. Started with economy charging for marginally better seats (sometimes in multiple price points), it's just now seeping into business class fares.
This is basically 1st class hard product for £200, that's a pretty good deal. It's better than what you get in BA first.
I just flew lhr to lax in premium. Inedible food, rushed service. Can’t believe I’m saying this, I’d fly US airlines over it. Very disappointed
£200 feels like a no-brainer yes to me. Of course priorities all differ! I had a pretty terrible experience in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class on the 787-9 with their previous product. The seat was way too narrow and confined and I hated facing the aisle. I’d consider giving them a try with the new product. But usually if I’m headed to London I’ll take BA F. Not the best F out there by any means but no better way to get to London nonstop (commercially, at least!).
CK-
Why say they're 'very thin skinned'? Where is your proof?
They're expressing their opinions. It's VT-CIE's choice to bring up this extremely minor issue (which he/she even contends is possibly nit-picking!) And it's the dissenters' right to disagree with VT-CIE. You, on the other hand, have no right to try shut down anyone, or call them names.
On one hand the price is more than reasonable given the distance and relative pricing for other airline services. Consider on the "low cost" US carriers the big front seat could be $100 for a domestic flight. I think airlines have more of these fees because many people have credit card money to apply for it.
Hi Ben
Looking to travel LH -JFK- LAS Upperclass.
2 of us flying out. What are the best seats On Virgin A. And any info on JFK as not travelled to or from here before.
Many thanks