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Seat 3K. The seat width is good, but the recline is limited. However, with the ottoman I thought it was quite comfortable after all. I reclined it to the max, and placed my legs on the ottoman. I don't know what VS thought about when placing their reading light and the drink table. They are both placed in some odd places, and the reading light is almost useless. Turning your seat into a flat bed was easy, but the bed is too hard for a good nights sleep. Easy to get it back to a seat again also. Food onboard was of Economy standard!

Virgin personnel booked me to be opposite my partner, but on this configuration, seats 3A and D are not opposite each other. Herringbone design feels crammed and one toilet for so many passengers at the front end meant queuing as well as a constant throng of passengers hanging around waiting for it. The only other alternative was to walk beyond the bar/galley and line up there. So few toilets for so many business class passengers is bad planning. For a night flight they seemed unprepared. I had hoped for a sleep suit but 'sorry none have been packed'. Flat bed not wide enough at shoulders and too hard to sleep on side or front. FA forgot my breakfast order and couldnt find another menu. They seemed rushed and not able to handle a full upper class cabin. Shame you cant watch the screen whilst lying flat.

The Upper class cabin is comfortable. One disappointing feature is the seats do not fully recline flat. When you want to engage the flat position you have to get up a flick your seat completely over. this is a bit annoying when you are nearly asleep and all you want is to push a button to fully recline. The capsules are snug and very narrow in the seating position. In the sleeping position they open up a little more in width. The seat when fully flat is firm but comfortable. Traveling solo these seats are great, however if traveling with a partner or family there is limited ability to converse in comfort.

I quite liked the arrangement of the beds and the privacy they offered though obviously not so good for chatting to colleagues etc. I'm afraid that following my meal at JFK I wasn't very hungry on the plane and the "light" meal really was pretty basic and not a good advert for business class meals. The breakfast wasn't even offered to me as I was asleep even though I'd asked to be woken for breakfast. What else? The ease with which I got to sleep on the beds surprised me given some of the reviews. In fact it could be argued that the comfort of the seats/beds meant I could not take full advantage of the entertainment system which seemed pretty nifty and stocked with lots of stuff I wouldn't have mind seeing. The FA were pretty good except for the breakfast incident but since I spent most of the journey asleep I guess I wouldn't have noticed if it had been indifferent either.

I found the seat quite comfortable, though a bit narrow at the shoulders in recline. In flat bed mode, I found the shoulder room more than adequate. They make much of their limo service, but I was told my Upper Class fare did not qualify for it. I appreciated the privacy of their shell seat.

The seat configuration in upper class is similar to Air New Zealand. It leaves much to be desired. It is too narrow. It reclines only slightly so you have a choice of either sitting in a seat with a slight recline or converting it into a bed. The whole process is awkward and uncomfortable. Once converted it is difficult to get out. There are no armrests and little storage area. The entertainment control is awkward to use and far to complicated. I hope they scrap the concept and return to conventional seats.

Upper Class LHR-LAX. Lovely check-in, awesome lounge at LHR, friendly staff - but the seats! Upper Class was not full, so I took 17K since it was last row of forward cabin - a window, and close to the Bar area and toilets - wrong move on my part - way too much traffic. This was the first time with these new seats - hated it! Felt like there were too many rows "crammed" into the cabin. Controls, table, TV monitor etc very awkwardly placed, pillows stowed behind seats so you have to reach over and "hunt" for them, duvets in bags in the overhead were bulky and not worth hunting down. I disliked NOT having a window to look out - the way the seats are positioned it is virtually impossible to be comfortable and look out at the same time. I don't think I will book Upper Class again. I think I prefer BA's Club World over this. I also flew Business Class on Lufthansa LAX-FRA and while the seating and cabin are much more "traditional" compared to Virgin, the comfort level and space surpasses Virgin's Upper Class.

LHR-LAX-LHR Used upper class for the third time in 8 months out of Heathrow to USA. Common knowledge that pod layout is not very good when travelling with your spouse, although I suppose some may find that a bonus! The massage is a gimmick and I was told earlier this month on my last trip that Virgin are doing away with this. I hope that they spend the saved cash to finance better food. Over the past couple of years the meals served up on transatlantic flights has steadily reduced in quality and volume. All in all you do get reasonable value, but with BA and Air New Zealand flying direct to LAX you do get much better food and wine for the same price and in Air New Zealands case, the same pods.

HR - CPT - LHR via Upper Class. Bed and seat both reasonably comfortable - just a fag to get out of either when you need to convert it to a bed/seat. Bed could do with being 6inches longer, so that a person of 6 feet can stretch without touching the foot stool. Drinks table is useless as is the light, both of which get in the way of each other. TV screen could do with some vertical adjustment so you can get adjust it when eating the poor food Virgin have started serving. Design of cabin, means all seats face inward, which if you want to look out of the window means you face the prospect of a stiff neck. Design also limits conversation with your travelling companion, though to some this may be a distinct advantage. Overall the British Airways Club World package is looking far more attractive.

Virgin Upper Class has good and bad points. The folded down bed is a little on the firm side . The positioning of the reading lamp and drinks tray is pure bad design. I did feel a little strange with my back to the window, however travel in the 747 nose-cone was a revelation for cabin quietness and this compensated for the strange angle. The main thing I noticed with the seat angle was at meal and drink times it did feel rather like we were patients in an upmarket nursing home sitting around the edge of the room in armchairs waiting for nurse and watching each other eat and drink. While the entertainment was good, the picture quality was poor.

LAX-JNB Fantastic lounges to start the experience. The seats were comfortable to sit and read/relax. The bed is a little hard, but very roomy. Entertainment fantastic, as the service. Food average, and the treatment/massage is a joke.

Earlier reviews have been archived (prior to the date of last review above).