Unfortunately, they were quite cramped and there were no special amenities compared with economy lavatories. 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. However, compared to the 787-9, for which I only had positive words last year, this certainly feels like a downgrade. Review: How Good Is Virgin Atlantic A350 Premium Economy? I think everyone felt valued and welcomed. Totally agree with all points here. While it was my fault for not realizing where the tortillas were held, I observed several passengers around me making the same mistake. Booking Virgins premium economy on the cabin is a cant go wrong feeling. Because my itinerary was booked shortly after Virgin put A350 flights on sale, award availability wasn't great. Virgin Airbus A350 | A350 Configuration | Virgin Atlantic The only negative was the roll, which was plastic-wrapped and incredibly tough and dry. We all know tray tables are plastic in economy and premium economy, and it's a small but noticeable decision for a carrier to either go with a basic plastic color or to add a little oomph to the aesthetics. The line was so long, I couldn't even work out where to join it, so I asked a nearby security staff member. Virgin Atlantic has a dedicated section of the terminal area for its passengers, including a priority queue for premium economy travelers. It would have taken the crew only a few seconds to tidy up the trays before serving them, but instead, passengers had to do it themselves. . Earlier this summer, British Airways launched its first-ever A350 routes to Madrid before launching it on long-haul flights. I flew PE on the way back from JNB, no problem with space even if the person reclines. I decided on the fajita. With the ricotta and the spiciness of the tomato sauce and zest from the sweet peppers, it was a great dish. Paper menus are back too! Our stunning new Upper Class suite is the perfect retreat at 30,000 feet. If you hate feeling groggy after a flight, youll absolutely love the Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350. The last row of premium economy is a great option for sleepers, since you can recline without having to ask or worry if the person behind you might be eating. On an overnight flight where speed is key, this did strike me as slower than usual. In total, the round-trip ticket cost $1,033 in Premium. Im a Cantonese speaker (cant read Chinese), there was one film, the same film I saw flying to Antigua in April . For each of the seats in the cabin, the tray table ejected from underneath one of the armrests. Review: how is Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy on the A350? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stay up to date on everything travel, with our handy newsletter. A review of Virgin Atlantic's Premium on the A350 from New York to The lounge also boasted shower facilities, though those were subject to an additional charge. Fast-track security and Champagne after boarding were both pleasant surprises. A crew member responded with a smile and told me, "We do things differently here at Virgin Atlantic!". However, the contents of the meal did not disappoint. Arguably the highlight of the flight was the terrific inflight entertainment via the crisp and up-to-date 13.5-inch touchscreen that could also be controlled by my mobile phone once connected via Bluetooth. The breakfast offering took a noticeable hit. Additionally, the headrest was customizable, so you could move it up or down to your liking, as well as fold the side flaps for extra support. You'll earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year, and receive automatic Gold elite status. Service is one of those things that can either make or break a flight. Our Airbus A350-900 aircraft offers a variety of signature products and experiences unlike anything else in the sky. I really try not to eat on planes and always aim to eat a healthy meal on destination time before departing for the airport. By comparison, Virgin Atlantic's A350 aircraft has 11.6-inch screens in the economy cabin. Positioning itself as a luxury yet affordable . You'll find the largest, 13.3-inch screens on Airbus A350 aircraft, but only 10.5-inch screens on Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Throughout the flight, crew kept the same positive attitude and smiles throughout their service a nice change from other, legacy carriers I've flown recently. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. I quickly noticed that there was no additional remote-control option, which likely helped to open up some storage space in the seat. Thats not unique to any one airline, but new planes really are stellar. The cabin was arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration. It would have been great if the crew members could have mentioned how the meal should be eaten when they served it. Would we fly virgin premium again. Visit delta.com to learn more. Seats are 2ay better than the old PE seats which I found v uncomfortable on the old plane. The meal service was quick, the crew was attentive and, most importantly, I didn't have anything that I thought was bad except for the tough roll. More by Gilbert Ott. 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. Find the right card for you. Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying, Around 70 airlines will be affected by the strike. They are laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration across seven rows. They were fun and conversational rather than cold and unapproachable. Even with the new aircraft, I didn't notice any signs the crew was unfamiliar with it. 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 just dont get people who stay awake on JFK-LHR redeye flights. This version features 335 seats, including 44 seats in Upper Class and 56 in Premium Economy, making it quite a . I flew LHR to JNB in August. Virgin Atlantic charges extra for bulkhead and other seats which have more legroom. Invites will be sent 14 days in advance of the flight and booked on a first-come, first-served basis. A seat in premium economy on A350-1000 V.2 directly between the main and business class cabins is measurably more expensive than an economy . Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. They had amazing staff there who treated me like an old friend. For larger customers it may well be a problem. However, if you have a choice, always pick the Boeing 787-9 in premium economy with Virgin Atlantic, which remains one of the best in the game. Virgin Premium Economy - Airbus A350 - YouTube These seats are referred to as Extra Legroom Seats. Overall, the ground experience at Virgin remains an important feature and will only become handier in the future. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Overall, I found the cabin and seat to be comfortable. 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 Shortly thereafter, it was time for tea service. I was ravenous by the time the trolleys appeared again in the cabin for the second meal service, about an hour before landing. There was also a bar with bartender service. 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. 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. This was a great perk and made my security wait time much shorter (I'm unfortunately ineligible for TSA PreCheck or Clear with an Australian passport). 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. The exterior of the kit itself was made from recyclable kraft paper, which felt like a combination of cardboard and thick paper. 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. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. 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. Obviously, everyone has their own needs, but I think people arent unaware. Meanwhile, India. Each has the same configuration. As a regular premium economy traveler, I remarked to the crew that Champagne was not usually served in these cabins. The bad news is that only some Virgin Atlantic aircraft offer a Premium Economy seat with an impressive width of 21 - the A330-200s and the new A350s both offer Premium Economy Seats that are noticeably narrower - so if lateral space is important to you make sure you check which aircraft you're likely to be flying as all are definitely not equal. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Enjoy a 11.5 inch seatback screen, USB power, and a six-way adjustable headrestfor ultimate comfort. Review: Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy (Airbus A330-300) Virgins Premium cabin on the A350 offers 2x4x2 seating. That meant I had no issues when the passenger in front of me reclined their seat. Not only was the service fantastic, but the crew members seemed equally as excited about the new A350 as I was. will join Delhi and Mumbai, which are served by the . 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. Boarding commenced 40 minutes before departure with Upper Class guests invited to board as well as Flying Club Gold elites, followed by Premium and Flying Club Silver members. Gilbert Ott is an ever curious traveler and one of the world's leading travel experts. Receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program when you book directly. View the current offers here. 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. My bulkhead seat came with three preset options for reclining the seat. 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. Though there was some wait during peak times (after meal services and before landing), they quickly dissipated. Standard seat. The "Cheapest" Way To Try Emirates First Class Is Back (Under $625)! And this flight was no different." However, one point to note is that dinner took a full two hours from takeoff to table. Virgin Atlantic has 56 Premium seats on both layouts of its Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Seat 14 A is a standard recliner-style Premium Economy Class seat located at an Exit Row. When I started blogging, I had one very clear pillar for what success might be. Virgin Airbus A350 | A350 Configuration | Virgin Atlantic I counted 117 movies and 81 TV shows to choose from, including "Top Gun Maverick," "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" and "Sing 2." Lounge access is not provided for Premium passengers and I have no elite status with Virgin Atlantic or its airline partners, as British Airways Executive Club is my go-to program. Beyond the hard product, Virgin Atlantic's service remains top-notch as usual. Both dishes were listed as being served with a side of overnight oats with mango and coconut. Other than that there was no storage around the seat. The appetizer was a tomato, mozzarella and pesto salad and the dessert was a raspberry swirl cheesecake. 13 Premium Economy Cabins That Are Worth the Splurge is a senior writer for TPG UK. The screen itself was completely touchscreen, and, as you would hope with a brand-new aircraft, I found the responsiveness to be great. Fortunately, a full-size meal was available and the food corresponded correctly to the menu. This New Aircraft Has Virgin Atlantic's First-ever 'Retreat Suites (Photo by Emily McNutt/The Points Guy.) The premium economy seats measure 18.5" in width, a full 2.5" smaller than the 787-9s. I took a picture of the menu for you, so that you can see whats being offered anyway. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Certain hotels have resort fees. The Virgin A350 Premium Economy Seat Virgin's Premium cabin on the A350 offers 2x4x2 seating. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. This means even more air mile earning and burning possibilities for members of its Mileage Plus frequent flyer program. On this route specifically, you can often find round-trip award flights for just 35,000 Flying Club miles plus taxes and fees. Virgin opted for the denser layout on the 350, resulting in some noticeable changes. Pitch (legroom), amenity, tech, and other factors are bigger for me. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Alaska Partners With Premium Taiwanese Airline Starlux Personally, I've long been a fan of Virgin Atlantic, with its cheeky, fresh and fun approach to flying. On each of the IFE screens were both a USB charging port and the headphone outlet. 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 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. The A380 offers 8 seats in First Class, 78 seats in Business Class and 52 seats in Premium Economy. All information about Airbus A350-1000 Virgin Atlantic Interior First class Business class Check-in Baggage | SeatMaps . With my paid fare, I was able to select my seat for free and chose a window seat in the last row of the cabin, so I could both look out the window, and observe the service flow. While the welcome beverages were a pleasant surprise, both meal services were not. Like, a lot. In total, the carrier offers 235 seats here. Sadly, the check-in perks don't extend to Virgin's private security channel, and it took a full 30 minutes to complete security. It is flown by a mix of aircraft, but fortunately on my day of travel, an A350 was scheduled to operate the service.