I think you may want to try Virgin again now in 2024. Things have improved. The food is better. For lunch and dinner there is now a starter, main, dessert and cheese plate. The breakfast has been improved as well. There is now a choice of an afternoon tea (sweet) or picnic (more savory). Both are are twice the size of the one you showed. The service in Premium is very good. I've flown a number of times this year, and have had very good service each time. The IFE has also been greatly expanded. I prefer the A350, but have also flown the A330s.
I did! You can see the review here: Virgin Premium to Las Vegas ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1OBKa8XiK1Y.html No choice of afternoon tea on my flight, as you suggested.
I have flown Virgin in all chains and the service has been fine. We got the food and the drink and the smiles. I feel like people are expecting too much of the crew these days. They work tirelessy throughout the flight. But I guess maybe you lot are expecting a song and dance from them.
Great comparison and Mrs B and I totally concur with your assessment/ opinions. It is a regrettable how service standards have dropped, yet if you get a good FSM, then the Virgin sparkle can be there. Thanks for the video 👍👍
EXCELLENT COMPARISON. No Spielberg wannabe - showing the damn airport and engine and sky for half the video. No stupid graphics and hiphop music. 100% useful and relevant. Thank you. I am pondering a Virgin International Upper Class in summer...I am disappointed that your service was less than great.
Thank you 🙏 I flew Virgin Upper Class yesterday and the service was far better than I experienced in Premium. It all really comes down to the Flight Service Manager. Get a good one, and it’s an excellent flight. Get a not so good one, as it’s mediocre.
@@DoorsToAuto I would agree - I flew Upper to/from LA last month. Service was decent-ish on the way out but was superb on the way back and you are right - it comes down to the FSM. On the return flight she came and introduced herself before takeoff. It set a high bar which her team all adhered to. It wasn't bad on the way out, but it felt more like individuals rather than a team effort.
This is such a comprehensive and insightful report - thank you for sharing. Last year I flew VA PE from LHR to LAX on an A350 - good all round with positive onborad experience including the engaging FAs. Am doing the same again this month, so I will be doing my own comparative review. Hello from London. Stay well and positive : - )
The poor food on Delta seems to be a regular complaint and despite the slightly better food on Virgin I'm not sure either carrier can justify the ticket price for PE, would be interesting to see how BA compare ? having recently flown BA business they certainly have improved. Virgin certainly have lost their edge and offer nothing different in comparison, which is a great shame.
For someone who flys out of a Delta hub, I am pretty used to the level of service with Delta and have only flown VA a few times. VA developed their business around better transatlantic flight - Delta was a regional carrier but has moved into more and more international travel - Delta is still catching up. I like the A330-900 neo plane quite a bit, not a A350, but a good plane - that helps, too. Since Delta owns 49% of VA, you would think Delta would be trying to learn to be more like VA - instead it appears that VA is lowering its standards to Delta. One thing I have to say in Delta's defense, as a Diamond Medallion, I fly alot, and so far this year, have not had a flight cancelled or even late - that is actually why I fly - to get where I need to be on time. Great content - I like your style of presenting.
Thanks for the comment 🙏 I agree that the newer aircraft like the A330-900 neo do make either service better. Virgin even has wireless charging matts in their Premium cabin.
TBF, you did fly Delta’s newest plane and Virgin’s older planes, but I’m surprised the older A330-300 has the widest seat of them all. Delta is so close to match or even exceeding VA in many areas but misses on small things that compound the diminished experience, I would choose Virgin every time on long haul flights. The shared restrooms with economy and lame food offering are such a major oversight by Delta. I’ve gotten good sleep in PE with Virgin in an A350.
I agree with you about the onboard customer service. I have had 2 poor meal services on Virgin in the last 2 months on the same route as in your video so either you were lucky or I was unlucky. Delta do seem to have made an effort to raise their game (except for the rather nasty food offering) and I do think both are now pretty similar overall.
Thanks 😎 Hopefully the service will improve on Virgin, and maybe Delta will take a hint about the food. I’ve had better presented and better quality food on some Delta domestic services.
I havent been on VS for years and i fly on a fam trip on DL a few yrs ago. Vs services has been going downhill over the past 10yrs with the price remaining high. I personally wouldnt paid to travel on either but if i had to choice id go for VS over DL. The food and ground services looked better with VS
The virgin service I've noticed this year has gone really downhill. Only flown upper but loads of the crew were no where near the level they once were. I definitely wouldn't go on one of their planes with that awful old upper seat again.
The service is becoming far more inconsistent. Yesterday I flew Upper and had a really good flight. The FSM led from the front making for an excellent passenger experience. On other flights, with a not-so-good FSM is service is noticeably poorer.
