Long Haul Airlines
Discussion
Puggit said:
Virgin fly the tired old 747s on the holiday routes (ie Vegas, Cuba, Orlando). Business routes like SF or LA get the proper planes.
Yes, entertainment is very poor on the Virgin flights to LV (old, knackered screens - tape loops) - August this year.I'll try BA next time and have no problems (touch wood) flying with them fairly frequently to the US - albeit their entertainment can be just as poor, if you don't strike it lucky with one of the video-on-demand planes.
Maxf said:
Puggit said:
Virgin fly the tired old 747s on the holiday routes (ie Vegas, Cuba, Orlando). Business routes like SF or LA get the proper planes.
Yes, entertainment is very poor on the Virgin flights to LV (old, knackered screens - tape loops) - August this year.I'll try BA next time and have no problems (touch wood) flying with them fairly frequently to the US - albeit their entertainment can be just as poor, if you don't strike it lucky with one of the video-on-demand planes.
Virgin generally are excellent but those Gatwick planes let them down. Having said that they frequently have good deals, IIRC we paid £570 for economy and I was £900 for PE.
I always fly via Virgin into LAX and drive to Vegas, for several reasons.
1. The route flies out of LHR, they tend to use newer planes.
2. For some reason the LHR-LAX route is always a good handful of pound notes cheaper than the LGW-LAS route, even on the same carrier.
3. The drive from LAX to Vegas is pretty good, and gives ample excuse to stop at Peggy Sue's Diner in Yermo, which is alongside the I15 into Vegas, and 'roughly' halfway along the journey.
I've flown Transatlantic twice on American carriers - once on Delta and once on AA - and never will again. Two worst flies I've ever been on, and I've flown internally on Chinese and Iranian carriers!
Crap food, no legroom, ageing aircraft, terrible entertainment [the Delta flight had the 'old school' one tv to about 50 passengers, and showed a documentary about child adoption], plus you have to pay for alcohol if you fly Economy.
1. The route flies out of LHR, they tend to use newer planes.
2. For some reason the LHR-LAX route is always a good handful of pound notes cheaper than the LGW-LAS route, even on the same carrier.
3. The drive from LAX to Vegas is pretty good, and gives ample excuse to stop at Peggy Sue's Diner in Yermo, which is alongside the I15 into Vegas, and 'roughly' halfway along the journey.
I've flown Transatlantic twice on American carriers - once on Delta and once on AA - and never will again. Two worst flies I've ever been on, and I've flown internally on Chinese and Iranian carriers!
Crap food, no legroom, ageing aircraft, terrible entertainment [the Delta flight had the 'old school' one tv to about 50 passengers, and showed a documentary about child adoption], plus you have to pay for alcohol if you fly Economy.
Edited by shakotan on Thursday 18th November 19:34
I flew to Vegas in July and after previously flying indirect with Delta, i decided to go direct this time with Virgin. It cost a bit more money but it's so much less hassle not having to wait around for a connecting flight. The last time i went with connecting flights, it snowed in Vegas (believe it or not!) so i was delayed out of McCarran and got to Philadelphia late missing my UK flight. I did however get bumped up to business class on the next flight to UK as they were the only seats available! A touch!
Anyway, direct with Virgin is nice and easy but the planes are old. TV's are rubbish you can barely see the screen and you can’t choose what films you want to watch etc, so take an ipod/ipad, books, magazines etc.
OT I just got back from an India trip and flew with Qatar Airways who i have to say were amazing. Its a shame they don’t do a Vegas run from the UK as their planes were the most modern and well equipped I’ve travelled in.
Anyway, direct with Virgin is nice and easy but the planes are old. TV's are rubbish you can barely see the screen and you can’t choose what films you want to watch etc, so take an ipod/ipad, books, magazines etc.
OT I just got back from an India trip and flew with Qatar Airways who i have to say were amazing. Its a shame they don’t do a Vegas run from the UK as their planes were the most modern and well equipped I’ve travelled in.
I've been to Orlando a few times with Virgin Atlantic and quite agree that the use of the old smokers isn't great, but I suppose they don't want their nice new ones to be smashed up by kids. Saying that, I believe from 2011 onwards they're replacing them all with brand new Airbus A330-300s.
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