I have been a big fan of Virgin for years. I love their cruises. I have sailed on two Virgin Voyages cruises, staying in their Mega Rockstar Suites, and both were fantastic. Virgin is hands down my favorite cruise line. That is why it pains me to say I will never fly Virgin Atlantic again until they completely retire or reconfigure their Boeing 787 fleet. The first flight I took with them was fine. The lounge at Heathrow was superb. But the return flight on the 787 was one of the worst flight experiences of my life.



Friendly Staff and a Great Start

Let me begin by making one thing very clear: every Virgin Atlantic employee I encountered was outstanding. From the flight attendants to the gate staff, the lounge servers, bartenders, and even the security personnel, everyone was friendly, professional, and went above and beyond. If customer service alone determined my loyalty, I would be flying Virgin forever.

Our first leg was Miami to Heathrow on an Airbus A330. That flight was actually enjoyable.

- Plenty of space in the upright seated position  
- Good-sized seat with room to stretch out  
- Large TV screen  
- Big table next to me for drinks and food  
- Privacy door between seats, so unless someone stood in the aisle, I could not see other passengers  

Overall, I felt like I had privacy and comfort.

The one drawback was the sleeping setup. When the seat lays flat, your feet slide into a narrow cubby under the seat in front of you. For someone like me who sleeps on his side, this was cramped and uncomfortable. I did not have enough space to stack my feet naturally. As a result, I would only rate the sleeping arrangement a 4 out of 10. Luckily, I can sleep sitting up from years of flying in regular first class, so I was not too bothered. But if you expect real rest, this is a problem.

That aside, the food was excellent. We were served two good meals, the flight attendants were attentive, and we were offered pajamas, blankets, and pillows. If this had been my only Virgin Atlantic experience, I would fly them again without hesitation.

Heathrow Upper Class Wing and Lounge

Arriving at Heathrow, Virgin really shines. The Upper Class Wing with dedicated check-in and security was incredible. It was the fastest check-in I have ever had. No lines, no stress, just a quick passport check and done. Security was just as fast.

The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounge was equally impressive. It was not jam-packed like many Delta Sky Clubs where you struggle to find a seat. There were plenty of places to relax. Food was ordered by QR code from a full menu that included burgers, meats, fruit, and more. Drinks were excellent, and staff were attentive and friendly. There were nap areas, a yoga space, and showers. It was one of the best lounges I have been in.

Up until this point, Virgin Atlantic looked like my new favorite airline.

The Flight Home: Boeing 787 Upper Class

Then came the return flight. London to Miami on the Boeing 787. This was, without exaggeration, one of the worst premium flight experiences I have ever had.

Seat Size: The seats are tiny. I am a big guy, 6 feet tall and about 300 pounds, but even if I were thin, I still have broad shoulders. These seats are so narrow there is no elbow room. You feel squeezed in like you are in a coffin. I could not sit cross-legged or move around at all. It is simply miserable.

Zero Privacy: Sitting next to my wife, I could look directly over her shoulder and see her phone. The divider between seats is so low it feels pointless. If it had been a stranger next to me, it would have been unbearably awkward.

Awkward Sightlines: From the seat, you are staring at the tops of other passengers heads and their feet. Virgin hands out socks, which makes sense, because you can literally smell other people's feet. It is disgusting. The configuration makes it feel like you are in some weird circle of strangers.

Lighting Disaster: Because all the dividers are low, sunlight from multiple windows floods the cabin. Virgin uses dimmable windows instead of real shades, but they do not block enough light. When the sun hits, you are blinded.

Awkward Takeoff Position: You are seated at an angle. In normal planes, takeoff pushes you back into your seat. Here, you are thrust sideways at 45 degrees. On landing, it is the opposite. It feels unnatural and frankly unsafe.

Food Failure: I had the ribs, which had been great on the first flight. On this one, they were awful. Dry, chewy, like shoe leather. I spit out the first bite. Easily the worst meal I have had in business class.

Noise and Bar Placement: My seat was right next to the onboard bar. You might think that sounds cool. It is not. People at the bar were facing directly toward my seat, talking and drinking while I was trying to relax. Flight attendants were there constantly, popping champagne and mixing drinks. Even if I had wanted to sleep, there was no chance.

Uncomfortable Sleep Setup: This flight was during the day, so I was not desperate for sleep. But even if I had wanted to, it would have been impossible. The seat barely reclines in seat mode. To get it into bed mode, you have to call a flight attendant. There is no easy half-recline. The bed is tight, the space too small, and everything about it is inconvenient.

Tiny Entertainment Screen: The monitor pops out on an arm, but it is small and awkward to position. It felt outdated.

No Storage: I had to keep my travel bag under my arm because there was no decent storage around the seat. There is some space behind you and to the side, but it is impractical.

Tray Table: The tray is all or nothing. It is a huge slab that swings out. You cannot just flip out a half-size tray for a drink.

Mood Lighting Gimmick: Virgin loves its purple and neon mood lighting, but I found it more annoying than relaxing. Regular lighting would have been better.

Service Shortcomings: On this flight, I was not offered a blanket at all. Compared to the pampering on the first leg, it was disappointing.

Extra Complaints

A couple of side notes. First, and this is a criticism of all airlines, but children shouldn't be in premium cabins. I get it, families travel, but on our first flight a baby cried for thirty minutes straight right next to us. I have been on flights where babies scream for hours. I really wish airlines would create a designated section at the back of the plane for babies, small children, and pets, because when you are paying thousands of dollars for a seat, constant crying is brutal.

Second, the Wi-Fi. When you're paying a premium price for upper class seats, and then Virgin charges another $40 for Wi-Fi. That feels like nickel-and-diming. For that kind of money, internet should be included. I will say their onboard internet was nice and fast, but still... come on.

The Final Verdict

When I add it all up, the return flight ruined Virgin Atlantic for me. The A330 flight was fine. The check-in, the wing, the lounge, all of that was amazing. But the Boeing 787 Upper Class is so bad that it cancels out every other positive.

Until Virgin retires every single one of those 787s or completely guts and refits them with a modern configuration, I will not fly them again. I cannot risk paying for Upper Class only to have the plane swapped last minute into this coffin-class setup.

Virgin Cruises are excellent. Virgin service staff are excellent. But Virgin Atlantic's 787 Upper Class is one of the worst business class products I have ever flown, and it is absolutely not worth the price.

LLAP  
RR

PS: I am by no means a rich person. But because I am a bigger guy, when I do fly, I prefer flying first class. I am not going to be one of those big guys spilling over into your seat in economy. Get two big people next to each other, and it's an awful flight - I don't care how short it is. I would rather take fewer trips overall, but when I do fly, I want to sit in premium seats and I expect a premium flight experience. I have flown in many different first class and business class configurations, and this was by far the worst. I would rather fly in a simple Delta first class seat than this coffin nonsense.