CHECK IN I was picked up from Anaheim by a shuttle service at 1310 to go to LAX, leaving myself plenty of time to beat the notorious traffic. However, being in a taxi allowed us to use the carpool lane and avoid a great deal of it, cutting the journey to just under an hour. I was dropped off at the Virgin Atlantic check-in zone in Terminal 2 at 1400 for my 1735 departure. I joined a queue of about ten people; there were no electronic kiosks and I had not checked in online.
My partner and I were both charged for overweight baggage (a bit too much shopping) at $50 a piece and then had to carry the bags over to the TSA conveyor so that they could be screened. I then went to the reservations desk and paid the overweight fee, in exchange for my boarding pass.
Our boarding time was stated as 1640 from gate 23. We went upstairs and joined the security queue, which wasn’t too long but wasn’t too quick either (shoes off, laptops out). My partner was selected for a full body scan which is administered there and then next to the X-ray machines. Staff were courteous and thorough.
We were through by 1435 and went to buy some reading material and a coffee from Starbucks. For the sake of reference the lounge for premium passengers is located on the third floor and is shared with Air New Zealand. I had a look at the duty-free but was struck by the apparent lack of value in it compared to British prices.
There isn’t a great selection of outlets at Terminal 2 at LAX. Food and drink options include Burger King, Starbucks, Le Brea Bakery, a Wolfgang Puck-branded restaurant/bar and another casual dining outlet, Nate n’ Al of Beverly Hills Delicatessen. Seating near Gate 23 was extremely busy so I sat on the other side and read until nearer the departure time. Flight announcements were made but the speakers at this end didn’t seem to be working. Arriving passengers pass straight through the middle of the departures area, making it very busy at times.
BOARDING This commenced as scheduled at 1640 and was done by row numbers, although many people were standing and milling around the gate, making it slightly chaotic. I was in my seat by 1715 after boarding via an airbridge.
THE SEAT We had been assigned seats 41F-G on the edge of the middle bank of four seats in a 3-4-3 configuration. Economy is split between both upper and lower decks, with a desirable small section of 5/6 rows on the upper deck. I was on the same B747 as on my outbound flight to San Francisco (Mustang Sally). Lo and behold, the same toilet from two weeks before was out of order. To see a seat plan, click here.
I noticed the three seats on either side for a few rows back looked more spacious and had headrest signs stating “a lot more, for a little bit more”. Upon further research this appears to be an ancillary revenue scheme that allows economy passengers to pay for seats with around three inches of extra legroom, charged at £35 one-way for flights to LAX and Las Vegas.
These seats are much better when travelling in economy as a couple as you do not have to disturb anyone or be disturbed as you would when in a three. The main issue with my seat was the in-flight entertainment box located below the seat in front, which further limited the already limited legroom (standard seat pitch in economy is 31 inches) . I was sat in the aisle so tried placing one foot in the small gap and the other in the aisle. However, this doesn’t work if you are trying to sleep as it will get bumped.
On the seat was a purple blanket and a white pillow. There are wings on the headrest which can be moved when trying to get comfortable. The middle armrest is shared and the tray table comes down from the seat in front and is quite flimsy, capable of taking a food tray but would almost certainly struggle with a laptop. There is a net pouch for storing magazines which can just about take a normal sized bottle of water. The IFE screen is 6.5 inches and of good quality, especially when the cabin lights are down but the controls can be fairly slow to respond.
WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE? The small economy section on the upper deck is very desirable as you will be allowed off the plane quickly and it is quieter. The seating is configured 3-3 on the upper deck. If you cannot secure one of these, the pairs of seats towards the rear of the cabin in rows 61-64 are a good option as you will get privacy, however you will be one of the last people let off the aircraft and the seats are near the toilet.
THE FLIGHT Premium economy was completely full when I passed through. Also I noticed that passengers were being served a pre-takeoff drink of orange juice or champagne, something I was not offered in this class on my outbound flight. The doors were closed at 1725 and we took off at 1745. The seatbelt sign was turned off at 1800. Headphones and a “feel good kit” were handed out at 1750 and included a pen, eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste, earplugs and socks.
Menu cards were handed out at 1805 and read:
Starter - Caesar salad.
Main course – choice of braised beef with mash and vegetables; Chicken Korma with lentil daal; creamy spinach pasta with Italian hard cheese.
Dessert – Tiramisu served with tea and hot chocolate.
Breakfast served before landing: orange juice, a muffin, breakfast bar and tea and coffee.
There was no pre-dinner drinks service and dinner was served at 1830, with the drinks trolley trailing behind. I chose the pasta, which was nice enough but a little watery - there was plenty of spinach, though, and the salad was good, with the dressing served on the side. A pre-packed bread roll was also served and was cold and hard. Tiramisu was served after the trays had been taken and was okay, but not as good as the Gu chocolate pots that I have had on previous Virgin flights.
The lights went down at 2015 and duty-free was quickly rolled out at 2030. Everything was handled quickly and without fuss by the crew, which is to be expected on a night flight. Still they were smiling and efficient throughout, so the crew cannot be faulted. The entertainment selection was the same as on my outbound flight to San Francisco (for the full review, click here) and I again struggled to find something to watch. I ended up watching Chronicle then read for about three hours, I assume much to the annoyance of my surrounding passengers, who had to deal with my reading light.
I then dozed for about an hour and was woken up by the lights coming back on at 0115 and the breakfast boxes being handed out. I ate the breakfast bar, drank the juice and had a nice cup of tea but left the muffin.
ARRIVAL We began our descent at 1030 local time and landed an hour later at 1130, after performing a holding pattern. Fortunately, border control was completely empty. I used the e-passport gate and for once it worked perfectly. The luggage was already on the carousel and I was out of the terminal by 1200.
VERDICT I always struggle to sleep in economy and with the limited IFE selection I found myself getting pretty restless for long stretches of this night flight. The seat is pretty standard in terms of my experience of economy but the IFE box was an annoyance. The crew did their best to keep everyone happy and relaxed though and the arrival process was nice and painless.
Factfile
- PLANE TYPE B747-400
- SEAT CONFIGURATION 3-4-3
- SEAT WIDTH 17.5 inches
- SEAT PITCH 31 inches
- SEAT RECLINE five degrees
- PRICE Internet rates for a return economy flight from LAX to London Heathrow in November started at £654 (I wasn’t given the option of booking a flexible fare).
- CONTACT virgin-atlantic.com
Scott Carey
