VS offering Status match

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Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

  • rferguson
    Participant

    Hi folks,

    Virgin Atlantic is offering a status match to gold and silver tiers.

    https://www.virginatlantic.com/global/en/flying-club/how-flying-club-works/status-match.html?

    You’ll only benefit if you actually fly VS or DL but nice to get something for nothing!


    Defcon5
    Participant

    Yes it’s a great offer! The earning of Flying Club miles is much better than the Executive Club and the tier jumps are fewer as well. Access to the Clubhouse is a big win, still in my opinion the best lounge at Heathrow if not the world.

    I’m a big fan of the 787 Upper cabin and it’s good to see the A330’s are currently being refurbished to match the Dreamliner product.

    It will be interesting to see what they decide to do with the A350’s which are due in 2019, I’ve heard rumours it’s going to be a brand new market leading product again.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    “The earning of Flying Club miles is much better than the Executive Club”

    I don’t think its about how easily miles can be earned, but more importantly, how easily miles can be spent & just as importantly, preferences on where you want to go.

    As far as my travel is concerned, because I have European destinations, BAEC, suits me way better than Virgin. Every longhaul for me generates more than enough free, easily available European sectors on avios.

    If I was predominantly USA and HKG bound then arguably, VS have a good scheme.

    As far as the VS lounge in T3 is concerned, I suggest you take a look at the CX, LH, QF (which I haven’t used, but include from the word of other posters), Swiss F lounges and perhaps you will rethink how good VS, T3 is… It is certainly funkier than anything BA will produce.

    Your last comment about “a brand new market leading product” – I wonder who will produce the new J class seat first, BA or VS – BOTH airlines are in dire need of one.

    Nice to see a thread on VS though, hope there are many more….


    Defcon5
    Participant

    I get the point on European flights but as a regular traveller I find myself saving a lot more money flying long haul with Virgin than BA in J.

    I live pretty much equidistant between LGW and LHR, for European travel easyJet always come up better in pricing and times than BA. Now the fact BA have downgraded their Euo offering, what’s the point?

    Have done the CX and LH lounges – buffets. In the Clubhouse I can sit down and enjoy a craft beer and a meal from my seat. All other lounges are just buffets – the service isn’t comparable.

    Give a Virgin route a try next time Martin – 2A my preferred seat on a 789


    Ekond222
    Participant

    …I agree with Martyn, having flown 40+ return flights with VS in UC, I found the product not so shiny after a while…and ended up dumping a load flying club miles as I could not get them redeemed for what I wanted…


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    It’s a shame they don’t have European fares. If I fly ex MXP I must but a ticket to London and then book separately on the VS flight at, of course, ex UK fares, which are much higher than ex MXP. This is the sole reason i do not fly VS but I do have experience of their lounge in JNB as that is used by Swiss for their 1st Class pax.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    @Defcon5 – I hope the OP doesn’t mind to a wider discussion on Virgin (after all they do not get much space on BT).

    I used to use VS for most of flights, but switched to BA about 6 years ago. I think we will all agree that both VS and BA J on board products have their shortfalls, but when comparing each, I tend to favour BA.

    What I dislike about the VS product is:

    1. The seats are only adjustable to half recline, then they need to be flipped and you are laying on what is basically a wooden board. The bed cant be electronically adjusted to suit the individually. I know of no other J seat (other then Air N Z I think) that is designed this way. At least the BA seat is FULLY adjustable.

    2. I take a window seat to look out of the window, not to strain my neck half way back to look out of the window.

    3. The food offering, especially out of Gatwick, became worse than the BA offerings

    The LHR lounge, was and still is a very good lounge.. we agree there.

    To be fair to Virgin, both UK longhaul scheduled carriers (I.e. BA and VS) are in DESPERATE need to update their J product. So it is understandable why VS are trying to snatch business of BA by offering this status match.

    Sadly it will not entice me., although I will be flying VS soon, just to get rid of my last load of airmiles, so perhaps I will use that flight as an opportunity to test the product again.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    Thanks for sharing, RF; it doesn’t fit my current travelling pattern, but it was good of you to take the time to share with the forum.


    AlanOrton1
    Participant

    Good to see some discussion on Virgin as I’ve always found it a little strange they get such little air time on the forum.

    When I first looked at moving my travel from UA / Star Alliance, I did try Virgin for a while, as they serve the majority of the routes I fly to in Asia and the US.

    However, after a while I wasn’t convinced they were a better option than BA. Nothing wrong with them per se, but one of the main considerations I had was flight schedules. HKG for example OW carriers BA & CX have 6 to 7 flights a day versus Virgin’s 1. The same with MIA, with OW (BA & AA) offering 4 to 5 versus Virgin’s 1 to 2. Also Virgin can chop and change their routes, for example ORD comes and goes.

    No doubt their LHR lounge is good. I would say you can order food off the menu at the BA & CX OW Emerald lounge in LHR and HKG & LHR respectively. From memory I think QR at LHR T4 offer this as well.

    I prefer to keep my J seat just above the horizontal when sleeping and as Martyn mentions, the VS seat isn’t so good at this.

    While BA are guilty of this as well, for several years Virgin had two versions of their Premium Economy seat, and several different inflight entertainment systems in PE & Y.

    Service wise, and this may just be me, but I found their announcements to be rather too many, and a bit OTT with lots of congratulating themselves at the end of the flight for the wonderful job they’d done.

    Pricing, I’d agree with Defcon5. They often have better fares ex LHR going to the US. Conversely I find OW fares better going east.

    I don’t think I’ll take up their offer, though it is tempting and fair play to them in looking to take advantage of BA’s recent woes.


    Defcon5
    Participant

    I was only chatting with a friend yesterday and yes, it is slightly annoying about the seat recline!


    @AlanOrton1
    – i think it’s now a consistent product and IFE offering in Premium although I might be wrong. Value for money, this is a great cabin.

    Took this photo flying through Manchester the other day too – 5 VS aircraft! I hope this works out as BA have for too long neglected the regions.


    Defcon5
    Participant

    Defcon5
    Participant

    It won’t let me upload the image however, it was great to see 5 VS aircraft lined up at MAN!


    BugAdvisor
    Participant

    I’m always amazed to hear when people say they prefer BA Club World to Virgin Upper Class. In my view, Virgin is superior in almost every way: Better lounge, better seat, better food, bar and better staff. The only downside for me is that I can’t use the earned miles for my shorthaul European flights as I can with BA. I usually convert Flying Club Miles to hotel points.

    Lounge: The BA Burger, available to order in the First Lounge, is terrible. Contrast this with the excellent Virgin Burger. Table service dining only available to BA First. VS Champagne is readily available. BA Business lounges don’t offer champagne – only the First lounge. And we should remember that Virgin Upper Class is actually priced as Business Class and not First.

    Seat: I really appreciate the completely flat seat with mattress cover, as you are then laying on a clean bed, not some seat that several thousand others have sat in for 10 hours at a time. They also offer sleeper suits.

    Food: I’ve had some pretty terrible meals in CW but always enjoyed my Virgin meals – even those in premium Economy are okay.

    Bar: Virgin 1. BA 0.

    Staff: The best BA staff are probably better than Virgin. Generally, I’ve found the Virgin staff to be happier and friendlier.

    BTW I’ve no connection with Virgin – although I did fly the Virgin inaugural LGW-LAS 20 years ago with Richard Branson and his parents. But nothing since.


    DanielRawson
    Participant

    @AlanOrton1, bang on with the announcements point. Always spooks me out when they insist on saying how many people are on board. For some reason hearing that gives me bad vibes.

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