Virgin - There must be a reason - what is it?

[kadiekaismummi]

think it just depends who can give the best price, when we booked for oct, we booked through Virgin has at the time it was cheaper than any other package holiday out there ( must say! I was very surprised!), but id just personally go cheapest its the holiday your going for, the flight just gets you to & from your happy place x

[missdopey]

I book whoever’s cheapest. Just so happens that 3 times in the past few years that’s been Virgin.

[duchy]

We tend to fly to the US at least twice a year (sometimes I add an extra solo trip ) so over time we’ve flown with just about everyone and the Virgin fan club baffles me.

Delays can happen with anyone (I have friends who were stuck in Vegas for two days after their Virgin flight went technical) so I tend to judge on price, service, comfort. Virgin never come top , most airlines I find are either OK or good (within the limitations of economy) only Virgin have I had genuinely bad flights due to poor cabin crew or allowing a group of drunks to board and disrupt the whole of economy. Not all their flights but enough.

I’m honestly baffled why anyone would pay more to fly them. Reasons like they have more movies or they give you a lolly don’t justify a difference of sometimes hundreds to me.

Thirty years ago Virgin did offer a superior economy service and deservedly won awards for it year after year , it seems they are still coasting on that reputation decades later , which shows they have great marketing but doesn’t justify flights of £300 more per person. If prices are similar fine , if they are more expensive then it isn’t worth it.

[Mickey's Magic]

As has been said, we always go with the cheapest option. VA used to be the "top of class" for travel to WDW, but I think its lost its crown. Yes the food the generally better and a bigger IFE selection... but in terms of comfort their aircraft are really dated now, noisy and cramped in Economy! Have flown VA in the past but they are just simply far too expensive these days, although options are slimming if you want to fly direct, especially from MAN with TC going. Only options are VA or TUI and TUI will soon be flying to Melbourne, FL which is miles away from WDW!

[Hula Doola]

Like most others we're driven by price. Last time went with BA (booked as a package with WDW), this time with VA (DIY). We like to pre-book our seats so the cost of VA versus the cost of BA plus the cost of seat selection is the comparison we make. Think there is very little else to choose between the two.
There are other airlines but we haven't used them so can't comment.
So in answer to your question I don't think you are 'missing something' about Virgin, its just that they are a big airline flying from more than one UK airport to Florida, and are often competitively priced so a lot of people have used them.

[NickPytlinski]

thanks, it may have been TC. but im sure it was just £5 for an upgrade entertainment package once on board

[Tinkerbell]

Originally Posted by disney332

Most are brand driven, ( not all - steady dibbers) nothing more, nothing less., aka...Nike, Adidas, DKNY, Apple etc etc

Never seen anyone in Town with TShirt with ‘Primark’ on the front.

Disney332

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That actually made me laugh out loud

Originally Posted by duchy

We tend to fly to the US at least twice a year (sometimes I add an extra solo trip ) so over time we’ve flown with just about everyone and the Virgin fan club baffles me.

Delays can happen with anyone (I have friends who were stuck in Vegas for two days after their Virgin flight went technical) so I tend to judge on price, service, comfort. Virgin never come top , most airlines I find are either OK or good (within the limitations of economy) only Virgin have I had genuinely bad flights due to poor cabin crew or allowing a group of drunks to board and disrupt the whole of economy. Not all their flights but enough.

I’m honestly baffled why anyone would pay more to fly them. Reasons like they have more movies or they give you a lolly don’t justify a difference of sometimes hundreds to me.

Thirty years ago Virgin did offer a superior economy service and deservedly won awards for it year after year , it seems they are still coasting on that reputation decades later , which shows they have great marketing but doesn’t justify flights of £300 more per person. If prices are similar fine , if they are more expensive then it isn’t worth it.

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Totally agree, flew Virgin in 1989/90/91/95

On the 95 trip I noticed they were not as good as before (service etc ). This was confirmed in 2006 when I found the crew downright rude and self entitled. They used to be “the” airline for Florida

I then got brave and flew Excel, Thomas cook, British airways, TCD? Basically. They got me to Orlando, all offered seats, luggage and crew. I don’t see anything different about Virgin apart from it’s over inflated prices in comparison with other airlines

Bit emperors new clothes for me. I’d fly with them if they were cheaper if comprable then I’d look at the extras

[JediMuM]

we fly virgin every trip. My son is autistic and its about what makes him comfortable and he likes virgin as its familiar ( 16 years at 2 trips most years lol) but then again we always stay at the same hotels and hard rock has to be club level.
I figure each to their own and sometimes its not always about price x

[Guest]

I first flew with Virgin in about 1996 or 1997, to New York and back from San Francisco. The young me was sure that they were THE airline to fly with and so ended up very disappointed to find out they were no different to any other airline I had flown with.

I did not fly again with Virgin until last September when I changed from BA due to strike uncertainty, however I was Upper this time. I thought the lounge was nicer than the BA lounge, I preferred the seat configuration and the service was good, but then I have generally found BA club service good too.

I don't have a strong preference between BA club or Virgin upper. In economy BA and Virgin have same seat size and seat pitch, which are the only things I would consider paying more for i.e. added comfort. I would not be paying more because I perceive the staff are nicer or the IFE marginally better.

[Dogmad]

I was keen to fly Virgin for our trip this year as:

1. Fly direct from Manchester
2. Wanted to fly PE (upstairs in bubble) to help with my anxieties.
3. Wider seats
4. Liked their upper class layout (flying upper on return)

This is my first flight in 10 years and dislike flying - suffer panic attacks. So although we have paid silly money for the flights I am hoping it will be a more enjoyable experience.