Interesting to read. I had the absolute pleasure of flying to Shanghai and back with Virgin Atlantic a week ago. Those of you on the forum who know me know that I rate VS very highly as an airline, and my PVG flights only served to back this up.

The aircraft were stunning and immaculate, the V-Port IFE system provided everything needed for a twelve hour thirty flight time, the food was excellent (relative to an aircraft if not a restaurant) and the crew were great. If I had to say one thing it would be that the Chinese crew were a little routine driven, but in fairness I think perhaps something gets lost in translation, and they were very pleasant.

I don’t remember Virgin ever claiming that Upper Class was anything other than a very good business class product, although I’m happy to be corrected on this point.

I think it is easy to have expectations which are set higher than is reasonable. Also, with the greatest respect, I suspect that the refusal (rightly or wrongly) to admit your daughter and her friend to the lounge may have set your opinion in stone long before you ever saw the aircraft.

1L.

Always good to see a new Uk based airline get off the ground good luck to them.

I think the clue is in the name!

1L.

A passenger asked me today how I felt about potentially working for Virgin! Has he got something wrong or are Virgin intent on ruling the world?

1L.

There have, as Whiskey Delta points out, been aircraft with boarding doors on the right, for example the Comet front door was on the right. Modern aircraft are as far as I know designed largely to be serviced from the right and boarded from the left. I say largely as some servicing is done on the right, fuelling the 320srs can be and servicing the rear toilets of the 737srs are a couple of examples.

I’m not convinced that there is a specific reason for boarding on the left, rather this is just how it has evolved as it suits aircraft manufacturers, airport designers, airlines, etc. to do things in a standard way.

1L.

In the FR shot is it just the angle or is it a bit high for where it is relative to the runway?

1L.

It’s a bit too twinkly for a Jet2 757 isn’t it?

I might buy you one for Christmas if you are very good.

1L.

Not all seats are available for online or self service check-in. Airlines hold back seats for many reasons but mainly to provide flexibility in resolving problems or to allocate to passengers with specific needs or particular importance.

As for the route doing well, we have discussed MANY times on this forum why a full flight isn’t necessarily a profitable one.

1L.