Check in at the desk was very slow pus Security, although not Virgin issue at JFK was a nightmare. 50 minuet wait no time to explore airport and get last minuet gifts. total wait 1.5hours
Seating and zone. The minor I went with didn’t even seat close to me
Great staff great experience, made a 2 hour delay very bearable
Great staff, great experience, made a 2 hour delay very bearable
I was my pleasure to fly virgin on my birthday for my first solo trip ever 🫶🏼
Overall, flight was excellent but check in was very slow for Premium Economy. Economy queue was shorter but we weren't allowed to use it.
The crew was excellent as ever on Virgin. The special meal was poor unfortunately. More significantly when we arrived at Manchester Airport there was no air bridge provided and we had to exit the plane down a rickety stair case. This is unacceptable for a transatlantic flight. Whilst I understand that this is the airport’s fault at the end of the day the airline is responsible for our transportation and needs to do something.
The crew was very good. However, the equipment was a bit dated. Some of the electronics were not working. To top it, three bags didn’t arrive with me. Two of them were delivered a day later. I’m still waiting for the third bag, I was so looking forward to this virgin Atlantic flight, but, I am disappointed.
Tai-City to Atlanta :Lots of legroom on the flight. No interaction from the staff at all on the plane. They only attended to the First Class passengers. There was no entertainment. Security I was body scanned even though I hadn't set off an alarm, my father-in-law in his 80s, was stopped and subjected to a through body search, told that they would have to place their hands in intimate places. There were several border guards present, and as we walked off we could hear the TWA officer talk about the procedure as if he was training. My father-in-law was a little upset about the whole process. A kind explanation that training was taking place would have been more acceptable, and it felt dehumanizing to him. Atlanta to London: Check in was difficult we had been unable to do this online for 2 of the family members on the same booking both in their mid to late-80s. No seats had been allocated for them and we were all travelling Premium Economy. After several phone calls to the booking agent and conversations with Delta staff at TriCites airport, we were told that seats would be allocated at the gate in Atlanta. When we arrived at Atlanta, and spoke to a member of the boarding staff at the gate, he was curt and repeated back exactly what we had just told him, that only one of us was checked in. I explained that we had been unable to check-in online for the 2 family members (I had tried twice). He again repeated back that we needed to check-in. As we were in transit, I was at a loss at what he wanted us to do, but he kept repeating that we needed to do this. I asked where we should do this. No answer. In fact all he did throughout was look at his screen. He told us that there were no seats in Premium Economy, and that he could offer my parents-in-law 'two seats at the back'. I asked if he meant at the back of Premium Economy, and he replied, 'No, at the back of the plane'. At this point, myself and my father-in-law pointed out that they had paid for Premium Economy tickets and expected seats there. He never took his eyes off the screen once. Then he hit a button and it printed out two boarding passes for my parents-in-law. The seats were directly across from my seat. He had gone from saying there were no seats to somehow finding two together. No explanation, no eye contact, nothing. The flight: As we boarded, our first introduction to the flight was the stewardess at the entrance addressing a passenger with an annoyed and loud voice about a bag that belonged to them. That was not promising. The seats were good, and so were all the accessories. The food, etc.: we had flown with Virgin on our outward journey and I could not fault it. The service and food was excellent, the stewards very helpful, offering additional drinks and snacks. The toilets were more accessible than Delta, which were in the economy area and were told in no uncertain terms that we should not use the First Class toilets, even though they were much closer to our section of the plane. We had a menu for both flights, yet when I asked for the chicken dish on Delta, I was told that there was none left and that there was another chicken dish with mashed potatoes and that 'it was fine'. This was almost pushed on me before I could answer. I was sitting 3 rows from the front of the section, so I was surprised that they had already run out. I repeated that I would like the chicken dish on the menu, and asked whether she would be able to get one from her colleague who was serving in the other aisle. The stewardess replied 'No, that's not how it works!' It always has on previous flights, so I was a bit confused. I accepted that I would have to opt for the pasta option (no choice), but was a little perturbed by her response. Minutes later she returns and hands me the chicken dish I had originally asked for. I had already started eating the other one, but was told curtly that I could have both. This was the same stewardess who was shouting at a passenger as we boarded the plane. The food was very poor in the end, nowhere near as good as Virgin's. Unlike Virgin, there was no starter, no bread roll, just a main and a brownie served in a cardboard container. Virgin had provided real china and glass. Unlike Virgin, they did not return to ask if we wanted more drinks, and there was no tea or coffee served after the meal. The breakfast that was served later was equally poor and inedible, apart from the fruit. At the time, the stewardess, a different one, completely walked past my mother-in-law and did not offer her a hot drink. Both my parents-in-law are in their mid to late 80s, they have been world travellers in their time and had decided that this would be the last flight that they ever take. They have health problems, including memory issues. I feel that overall the journey back to London was pretty unpleasant for them especially, and that they were treated badly, especially by the ground staff. We have lived on two continents and are used to long haul flights, and I have to say that this is up there in the worst flight category. Bearing in mind that we had paid extra money expecting comfort and additional attention, it was extremely disappointing. I would fly Virgin again, but never Delta. The two flights were incomparable.
Needed a 6 hour lay over in Atlanta. How can this be avoided ?
