CHECK-IN Newark Liberty International is about 25km west of Manhattan and, traffic permitting, is about 30 minutes’ drive in a taxi (US$75). I arrived at Terminal B at 1830 for my 2115 flight (VS002) to London, and the Virgin check-in desks were empty so I was seen to immediately.
I had tried to check in online beforehand and change my seat but I was unable to. So my luggage was weighed (passengers are allowed to check in one piece of luggage at no more than 23kg in economy, two pieces weighing 23kg each if going premium economy or three items weighing 23kg each if flying business) and my boarding pass issued by a very chirpy member of staff.
THE LOUNGE For those travelling in business (Upper Class), the landside Virgin Clubhouse lounge is a short walk away on the lower ground floor. A buffet of hot and cold dishes is laid out in the evening, and free alcoholic drinks including cocktails and Taittinger champagne are available at a manned bar. There is also free wifi, a snug where you can watch DVDs, a workstation with two Dell PCs, magazines and newspapers, and departure announcements instead of display screens.
Premium economy and economy passengers have limited options for passing the time as the terminal is in the middle of a US$325 million revamp, which will see the expansion of check-in areas and security channels, more retail and dining outlets, and additional baggage carousels. The project is due for completion over the next year or so.
BOARDING My flight was called for boarding at 2030 from Gate 55, and security was very quick (there were only about eight people ahead of me). Laptops came out and shoes, coats and scarves off. The officers on duty were very friendly. There were no other passengers at the gate when I arrived so I walked straight on to the plane and took my seat (46G) about two-thirds of the way down.
THE SEAT This three-class A340-600 is configured with economy seats in a 2-4-2 (A-C, D-E-F-G, H-K) layout, premium economy in a 2-3-2 (A-C, D-E-F, H-K) configuration, and business aligned 1-1-1 (A, D, K). Economy seats have individual nine-inch screens and audio-video on-demand (AVOD) entertainment, as well as, bottles of water, leather upholstery, blankets, and amenity kits containing socks, toothbrushes and paste, eye masks and biros.
My seat was probably the worst on board being right next to the washrooms, and what made it even more uncomfortable was that the toilet on the left-hand side of the aircraft was out of order so twice the number of people were in and out of the one next to me. My seat was also directly in front of a bulkhead so recline was limited. The only positive feature was that it was also close to an emergency exit so I could easily get up and stretch my legs or get a cup of water from the cooler behind me.
WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE? Had I first gone to seatplans.com I could have immediately seen the perils of sitting where I was (note that seats 65 D-F-G are just as bad) and, instead, gone for a window seat down either side of the plane. Being configured 2-4-2, if you are stuck in seats E or F you may feel very claustrophobic. Although I did ask a very nice member of crew if there were any other seats available, she very apologetically said the flight was full and there was nothing she could do to help.
Seats A-C and H-K in rows 31 and 51 have additional legroom but these come at a fee (from £30 each way) on Virgin flights. (See Business Traveller’s “Stretch your legs” for a guide to pricing.)
THE FLIGHT Take-off was a little late at 2130, and the meal service began at 2210. I started watching a film as soon as the in-flight entertainment (IFE) was switched on, and was soon presented with my pre-ordered vegetarian meal, which consisted of cheese and mushroom pasta with a green side salad and lemon vinaigrette, some chopped fruit, and a choice of drinks including wine or beer. The standard economy class meals offered to my fellow passengers were of either chicken and mash or beef and cous cous.
My main was course was fine, and thanks to a good selection of films and a well-placed blanket that I tucked into the side of the seat in front and my headrest behind me to create a privacy screen, the constant opening and closing of the washroom door and flushing of the toilet was less annoying than it could have been. I had also bought my own noise-cancelling headphones, which helped.
After watching a couple of films (to see what’s showing on your flight, click here) I managed to get a couple of hours’ sleep but it was pretty uncomfortable and when I woke for breakfast about 90 minutes before landing I was feeling pretty rough. Tea, coffee and a cream cheese roll were served, and I got up to wash my face and moisturise in as the plane started making its gradual descent into London at 0800 local time.
ARRIVAL Landing was a little late at 0920 the day after departure, and I was off the plane and collecting my luggage by 1010.
VERDICT Despite the seat being in such a bad spot on the plane and not getting very much sleep, the flight was as good as could be hoped – the crew were professional and smiley, the service was more or less on time, the food palatable and the cabin clean. The in-flight entertainment was excellent, and the amenity kits provided are a nice touch.
PRICE Internet rates for a return economy flight from London to New York Newark in June started from £425.
CONTACT virgin-atlantic.com
SEAT STATS
PLANE TYPE A340-600
CONFIGURATION 2-4-2
SEAT PITCH 31in/79cm
SEAT WIDTH 19in/48cm
SEAT RECLINE 6in/15cm
Jenny Southan
