Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic
by Anne Kimble
Flying Business Class can be a necessity or a treat depending on the type of travel you are doing. When you fly Virgin Atlantic in Upper Class, it is always going to be a treat. A lot of thought and research has gone into the design of this part of the plane to ensure complete comfort. The set up of the seats is difficult to describe, but it is great. Each seat faces the aisle, which sounds terrible, but it feels very private when you are in your suite, yet you are able to get up and move around really easily. A good thing when there is a bar at the end of the cabin.
The bar is a great addition. Encourages you to get up, stretch your legs and mingle with your traveling companions – or meet new friends. Dinner can be served at the bar and I think the flight attendants enjoy being able to chat with the passengers. Of course mingling at the bar is not compulsory, you can wait in your seat for the inflight beauty therapist to come and work her magic. Treatments include a manicure, a head and neck massage and a hand treatment. These are a complimentary part of the service, but on full flights she may not make it round to everyone – I wasn’t lucky on my flight, but I did get a priority card for next time. Flat beds are all the talk in Business class these days. How flat is flat? When is bed a bed and not a seat? In Virgin Atlantic the flat bed is a flat bed. A great design where the back of the seat folds forward, to form the bed. The back of the seat is a mattress not just a seat cushion. There is a good sized pillow, a proper doona and some cozy pjs ensure a great sleep, or just a comfy place to lie and watch one of the 300 channels of entertainment. From movies to TV, tunes to games, there really is something for everyone. The entertainment is on demand, so you can stop and start whenever you like. Richard Branson has had the designers working hard on this cabin. In addition to the flat bed, the footrest doubles as a visitors chair and the tray-table pops out from the seat divider, allowing passengers to eat together, facing each other, just like a real dinner table! The food and wine was good. Lots of vegetarian options, lots of snack options, but I do have to rave about the white chocolate cheesecake desert I had. Delicious! In this cabin Virgin are focusing on the customer experience. It can be as private, social, relaxing as you like. It is a great way to spend that long flight to Asia and Europe. |
