We taxied past a bunch of interesting aircraft, including a British Airways A380, a Qatar Airways A320 (as British Airways wet leased Qatar Airways planes to help them during their strike) and a HiFly A340. Qatar Airways 787 Business Class Doha to Hong Kong. I really liked seat 25K, as it was nestled right in the corner of the cabin. We landed into London Heathrow at 5 AM, and started making our way to Terminal 3. Flying fast with the world's youngest travel enthusiasts, Introduction: 20,000+ Kilometers In Three Days Their economy seats have a maximum recline of … Disclosure: Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. The cabin wasn’t too warm throughout the flight, which helped with sleeping. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy View From The Wing. The seatbelt sign stayed on for an unusually long time considering how steady the takeoff was. Reviews of the best hotels, resorts & transport for hi end travellers. A delicious meal including a cold starter, choice of three hot main dishes, warm breads, pudding and cheese and biscuits. When you choose to fly Virgin Atlantic, you'll enjoy all the creature comforts we've become famous for, with more choice and control over the features you layer on top. The Virgin Atlantic Economy food is of a much lower caliber and is not noteworthy so Premium Economy definitely provides a much nicer dining experience. A bar service to enjoy with your dinner. The aircraft operating the route was G-VFAN, which was a bit over a year old. British Airways Galleries Lounge Munich Airport Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Meal Bread. Soon after I was in the cabin an Upper Class flight attendant quickly approached me and (rather rudely) asked what I wanted. Overall the food was fine, though nothing special. Virgin Atlantic check-in is positioned in Zone A at Terminal 3 at Heathrow. Those extra few inches of space, a glass of bubbly as you board, and a tasty meal served on china crockery with proper cutlery. I wasn’t planning to eat the bread provided, for good reason – it was dense as ever, and didn’t taste great either. I was in need of a return flight from Berlin to New York. At around 11:15 boarding was called starting with Upper Class, though premium economy followed within a minute and I was on my way quickly. Unfortunately it certainly could’ve started out better, as I had quite the dilemma during customs at the airport that night. Below you will find my most recent flight reviews on Virgin Atlantic in Premium Economy: In this trip report, I review Premium Economy on Virgin Atlantic, on their new Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner on my flight from London Heathrow to Newark in New York. This was followed by the main meal, consisting of an appetiser salad, the meal I had ordered, and a dessert, as well as bread and cream crackers. I really appreciated that. Virgin Atlantic Airways | Flying Club - Free Alcohol in Premium Economy? 38″ of seat pitch isn’t enough for the person in the window seat to clamber over the aisle seat without disturbing the passenger, and I move around the cabin a whole lot, so…. (On BA you have to check-in with coach passengers, so this is a great perk that not all airlines offer). Egg mayonnaise, mozzarella, slow roast tomato … I also had a bag of Corkers’ hand cooked chips, which I found nice (I actually took two bags, as I was tired, to the point where I had a used tissue in one hand and a bag of chips in the other, and accidentally threw out the bag of chips). or. Treat yourself to Premium. During pushback I briefly browsed the extensive entertainment system. ( Log Out /  The sun was out while I woke up four hours in, which was weird, since it was 2 AM beneath us. The pitch, width, recline, and food do not make it stand out and although I am very fond of Virgin Atlantic as an airline, this is not one of the best Premium Economy products in the sky. The result is that you can feel pretty grotty after an Economy flight when you get to your destination. Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight Check In. I eventually found a way to swing myself over my seatmate into the aisle, though that only worked while he was sleeping. The views got even better as the sun rose, only made better by the clouds reflecting the orange hue that the sunrise produced. It’s worth noting that some of Hong Kong Airport’s gates are now redesigned and have bigger screens – these are only gates 23 and 24, but I’m interested to see if other gates will get this refit in the near future. Virgin Atlantic’s first B787-9 entered the fleet in 2014. !” sound, but needless to say I was on my way quickly. Economy class consisted of seats in a 3-3-3 configuration – while that’s the industry standard on a 787, it also meant that each seat was only 17 inches wide, which is a tight fit. I’m sure the pilots had a plan in mind, though I was appreciating it a little less when I was groggy and needed the bathroom. This was in Premium Economy. Views Inflight Hong Kong to London Heathrow. I’ve been in this cabin before, so my details of the seat’s features will be more extensive in my previous review. As I outlined during the introduction post, the roundtrip between Hong Kong and London in premium economy ended up costing a substantial amount, so I was looking to be wowed on this flight. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Seatback Panel. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Meal Dessert – Chocolate Brownie This is an EXCEPTIONALLY good deal and you’d be mad to turn it down. On the way to immigration I had a view of the gorgeous 787 that had taken me all the way to London. ( Log Out /  Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Reg: G-VFAN I managed to get seven hours of sleep, even if it wasn’t the best quality. There was a two-pronged headphone jack next to the seat, in case you wanted to use the headphones provided by Virgin Atlantic. At this point there were newspapers on display. On shorter flights, you just get a drink and a Mars Bar on Virgin (or similar). In Premium Economy we focus on offering you high quality food with some extra flair. When flying on Virgin Atlantic or Virgin, is it worth paying to upgrade to Premium Economy from Economy seats on long-haul flights? You can… Read More. One great addition was a bottle of Evian water, due to how dry airplane cabins tend to be, even on an airliner as modern as the 787. My seatmate was having issues with his two-pronged headphone jack at the side of the seat. I went to take a picture of the Wonder Wall, which is Virgin Atlantic’s concept for premium economy passengers to grab drinks and snacks throughout the flight. After all, the entire plane will get to its destination, whichever class you are sitting in. This gives them an opportunity to stretch their legs and hang out while minimizing flight attendant work. So purely on seat dimensions, Virgin’s Premium Economy gives you much more room, but a halfway house is Virgin’s Delight class, and if you are a large person, this is worth considering. I (correctly) guessed that the headphone jack below the PTV still worked, which the flight attendant failed to point out. Our takeoff roll was smooth, and we passed the road near HAECO where I normally like to planespot. That’s always my seat preference when choosing seats on a flight. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Amenity Kit Contents. In addition to that, the crew was also friendly and willing to help, which I really appreciated. Which is the best Premium Economy Transatlantic Airline? Virgin’s Premium Economy seat dimensions are 18-21 inches seat width, 38 inches legroom, while Virgin’s Economy offers a “generous” width of up to 17 inches, with seat pitch or legroom of up to 31 inches. There was also a cavity provided intended for placing your neck, so from the top it almost looked like a bib of sorts. We parked at gate 15 at 5:10 AM, which seems to be part of Virgin Atlantic’s own wing at Terminal 3 (all my flights on Virgin Atlantic have departed from one of those gates at Heathrow). Origin: Hong Kong (HKG) Gate: 35 Dep: 23:55 (00:20) Certainly, when I have flown in Economy, if I do manage to nod off, the fact that my head then drops to one side because of the lack of seat recline, means that I almost always wake myself up. ( Log Out /  Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. For this particular flight there was quite a queue for economy, but premium check in took no more than 10 minutes from queueing to boarding pass. Going back to premium economy, the seats are very well padded (much more so than Singapore Airlines premium economy, whch also features a leather seat), and have a decent amount of legroom. For a better deal on Business Class flights or luxury hotels, contact our luxury travel concierge for a free quote. It's the little touches here and there that help you truly enjoy your time in the air. I was the first person in the cabin, so I was able to grab quite a few cabin photos. Be sure to use these facilities whenever you can, and if you happen to hold Delta Gold or above, or Virgin Gold, you can also use Upper Class check in for … I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves, as this sunrise was probably the best I’ve seen anywhere in the world. i always find that VS crews are more friendly and fun than crews on British Airways or the American carriers on this route. Duration: 12 h 35 min (11 h 50 min) Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Meal Dessert – Yuzu Orange Mousse Cake Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Entertainment System Airshow. So essentially Upper Class and premium economy passengers share four bathrooms between them, even though that’s not supposed to be the way it works. Note: Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Starting today, and running until Saturday, Virgin Atlantic is offering upgrades from Economy Classic to Economy Delight for just £30 each way. The bar featured five seats surrounding a small table, as well as champagne, water, and a selection of drinks, as well as alcohol. The carrier flies up to five times a day between London Heathrow and New York JFK, using the Dreamliner on selected flights. London Heathrow to Seattle with Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy class. Virgin Atlantic has two different WiFi plans on the 787: It’s worth noting that the GBP and USD prices aren’t close to equal – always use USD when purchasing a 40 MB WiFi package, and always use GBP when purchasing a 150 MB WiFi package on the Virgin Atlantic 787. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy USB Port. The menu offering is enhanced, the food is decent, but nothing spectacular and is served on china with stainless steel cutlery. A choice of tea or coffee/ hot chocolate* to round things off. The safety video played. Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy has a 21″ seat width, 38″ leg room, free drinks and free food. Flying west across the Atlantic to the East Coast of the US is a quick and easy daytime flight, so there wasn’t a need for a lie-flat bed or an enclosed suite. The meal service started with drinks. Depending where you’re flying from, those travelling with a Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight ticket will either benefit from a dedicated desk or will be able to use the Premium facilities. There are technically two dedicated bathrooms for premium economy, though the two bathrooms adjacent to it are usually also open to premium economy, though they are also Upper Class’ only bathrooms. How Is It Like Staying At An Imperial College Dormitory? My guess is that we went pretty far north, where the sun stays up for basically 24 hours a day. However, I love the mugs Virgin Atlantic’s hot beverages are served in – does anyone know where I can get one of these mugs? The Virgin Atlantic Economy food is of a much lower caliber and is not noteworthy so Premium Economy definitely provides a much nicer dining experience. Virgin Atlantic economy class passengers get to look at a menu for meals. The seat pan goes forward slightly, so you’re not completely intruding into the space of the person behind you, though I did still feel slightly cramped when the person in front of me reclined their seat. Virgin Atlantic A330-300 premium economy 30 Sep 2014 by Jenny Southan BACKGROUND Virgin Atlantic operates a daily seasonal summer route to … Unfortunately Virgin Atlantic doesn’t activate the other views on the ground, so I was stuck with the flight information board, as well as the full flight map. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Headphones. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Breakfast, Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Breakfast – Traditional English Breakfast with Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Cumberland Sausage, Tomatoes, Baked Beans. Virgin Atlantic was one Delta partner I was dying to try out. We also taxied past a Cathay Pacific 777-300ER operating as one of their three night flights to London (for those interested, the aircraft was operating as CX 251). All Rights Reserved, Join our mailing list for exclusive updates, Book with us for free upgrades & benefits at Four Season's & Other Luxury Hotels, Flight Review: Premium Economy On Virgin Atlantic 787 Dreamliner, Best Premium Economy Airline: British Airways Vs Virgin Atlantic Vs Norwegian. After a fantastic week in TPG’s New York office, I headed back to London.Having experienced Virgin Atlantic’s newer Airbus A330 premium economy class on the outbound flight, I purposely booked an A340 service home on one of their oldest aircraft to see if the experience would differ.. Booking. I also took the opportunity to snap a quick picture of the Upper Class cabin, which seemed comfortable, though not worth the hefty prices that Virgin Atlantic usually charges for these seats. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Cabin Before Landing. Travel tips for the luxury traveler featuring guides comparisons & more. Due to the slanted bulkhead, front row seats have more legroom than regular seats in economy. This flight flew out of London Heathrow Terminal Terminal 3. They’re also not “premium seats”, in that you don’t have to pay to select them, so I would aim for these seats if sitting in economy. This wasn’t bad news, as I could focus on the sunrise that was happening outside my window. If you don’t have bags, being able to use the Virgin Atlantic mobile app to download a boarding pass is even better. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Hong Kong Airport. Bid & win a luxury hotel stay or travel item for your next vacation. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Meal Main Course – Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Footrest. I asked another flight attendant if I could take pictures of Upper Class after landing – I knew that the queue at immigration would build, but I had nothing better to do anyway, as my transfer to Imperial College was at 8:30 AM. First class would be your business class equivalent. Virgin Atlantic Airways: Virgin Premium Economy - great experience! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. While there were other people coming from Hong Kong, they were all on Cathay Pacific, so we met each other there. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Hot Towel. I had a great flight in Virgin Atlantic’s premium economy. That said, I also need to try Cathay Pacific and British Airways’ premium economy products between Hong Kong and London. The seat itself is solid – it’s not industry leading, but it’s comfortable, ergonomic, well-wired and good for sleeping. Our taxi was short, and we made our way to runway 25L behind a Cathay Pacific 777. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Evian Water. As I needed the bathroom anyway, I briefly checked out the Wonder Wall, located in front of the premium economy cabin. Virgin Atlantic 787 Premium Economy London Heathrow to Hong Kong So even if the price IS your biggest factor, Premium Economy can mean that you avoid wasting a day of your holiday which may ultimately be worth more than the price difference. I have no complaints about the sides, though. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Wonder Wall Corkers Chips. They call this snack bar the Wanderwall. Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Lounge Doha Airport An amenity kit was also provided. Both had incredible quality and the touchscreen function worked really well. Virgin Atlantic’s brand consistency continues into the words provided at the seat, with the “handset must be stowed” messages all displayed in lowercase. After takeoff I walked back to the economy cabin, which I’d tried the year prior. Virgin Atlantic Boarding Hong Kong Airport. Virgin Atlantic has one of my favourite entertainment systems, as the options are extensive and the interface is incredibly easy to use. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Seats 24H and 24K. Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy menu (left) and British Airways World Traveler Plus menu(right) Snacking: This is where Virgin Atlantic goes the extra mile! The Upper Class bathrooms are substantially bigger, especially on the right side. Major hubs such as Heathrow T3 have the dedicated Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight check-in desks. Sometimes you suspect they aren't really trying too … That’s always my seat preference when choosing seats on a flight. When you choose to fly Virgin Atlantic, you'll enjoy all the creature comforts we've become famous for, with more choice and control over the features you layer on top. Destination: London Heathrow (LHR) Gate: 15 Arr: 05:30 (05:10) This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You know what it feels like schlepping into economy — like you’re in grade school, being shuffled into a que one-by-one to board an overcrowded bus with zero personal space and extra germs. Virgin Atlantic launched its new premium seats this week, and they let you recline seven inches. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Menu. Last time I was seated in Virgin Atlantic premium economy my tray table didn’t work, though it did this time. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Seat Recline. I'm a 19-year-old university student who flies and reviews around 20 flights per year. I was curious to see how today’s experience would measure up. While it wasn’t served with cream as the menu detailed, I have no complaints otherwise. My seatmate woke up around this time as well, though he didn’t seem to have had great sleep on the flight either (though in fairness, he didn’t have a window to lean against). Immigration took a while, though by 5:30 AM I was out at the arrivals area typing up blog posts. A search for a round-trip premium economy flight via Google Flights for the same time this year shows that you can book for about $1,160.As I mentioned before, when I arrived at LHR’s mostly deserted Terminal 3, I inquired about getting a paid upgrade to premium economy. That’s not a huge selection, but I acted as my own mixologist when I found myself with nothing to do. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window). Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Position Upon Waking Up. A very plush pillow was provided. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced. She obliged, and I made my way and started snapping photos. A handful of snacks is also provided, as is soda water, tonic water and ginger ale. Having said that, particularly for overnight flights, being stuffed in a sardine-tin, with little space to move and next-to-no recline, means that sleep is difficult. The seat was also well-stocked with amenities that would be of good use during the flight. Virgin Atlantic 787 Premium Economy Hong Kong to London Heathrow Positioned to the right were two windows, both of which were electrochromic, as is the case on all 787s. Soon my seatmate settled in. The premium economy bathroom is equipped like any other 787 economy bathroom. Virgin Atlantic Flight 207 The food was only okay on this flight – it certainly wasn’t memorable. Flying west across the Atlantic to the East Coast of the US is a quick and easy daytime flight, so there wasn’t a need for a lie-flat bed or an enclosed suite. From the mood lighting, to the boarding music, to the safety video, to the Wonder Wall concept, to the little touches on the seat, I felt the feeling that Virgin Atlantic wanted its passengers to experience. Headphones were provided at each seat. The breakfast was served with a croissant and jam, fruit and yoghurt, along with our choice of coffee or tea – I had tea, which I ordered with a little milk. - Are (alcohol) drinks freely available in Premium Economy trans-Atlantic flights? Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Meal. Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy food is identically to that served in plain economy, but is served first, and the main dish comes in china not plastic, and there are real metal knives and forks, a proper cloth napkin, and a plastic version of the famous Virgin Atlantic Salt and Pepper set, called Wilbur & Orville. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Seat Amenities. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Air Nozzles. British Airways or Virgin Atlantic? I used my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and paid $797 for my round-trip economy ticket, which earned me 1,594 Ultimate Rewards points thanks to the card’s 2x points bonus category for travel purchases. Qatar Airways A350 Business Class Doha to Munich I appreciated that the plane was equipped with air nozzles, which I used throughout the flight. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Meal Appetiser – Seasonal Mixed Salad with Red and Yellow Capsicum, Jade Beans and Parsley. Featuring Lie flat beds, premium drinks, lounge access, they even send a car to pick you up! I assigned myself seat 25K, which was the window seat on the right side at the back row. It wasn’t my first time seeing the bar, as my tray table was broken during my last flight in Virgin Atlantic premium economy, and I was instructed to eat at the bar instead. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Premium Economy Blanket. The recline goes back 8 inches, which was quite generous, despite it not looking like so in the below picture.