Background and Booking
As part of my Business class flights from Amsterdam to New York, my last leg was from London (LHR) to New York (JFK). I flew from Amsterdam (AMS) to London (LHR) on KLM and had about a 2-hour connection in London before my flight to New York. I had booked the flight for 45,000 Virgin Points and about $450, and the only flight available at this price point was on board the Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Business Class, which is listed as one of their more inferior products. But, as I had never flown it before, I was excited to give it a try! I flew on the A350-1000 in Upper Class on my outbound flight, so I was excited to try the 787-9 to compare.
Flight Details
Virgin Atlantic Flight 25
London (LHR) to New York (JFK)
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9
Seat/Cabin: 5A (Upper Class/Business)
Scheduled Duration: 7 hours 50 minutes
Status: Early (45 minutes)
At the Airport & Lounge
After arriving on my connecting flight, I headed to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse. I found the clubhouse to be quite nice, and wrote a more extensive review here if you’re interested. From the made-to-order dining to the funky chairs to relax in, it was a solid business class lounge.
Boarding
They actually announced boarding for my flight really early in the lounge when I was still eating my ice cream. Boarding was announced an hour and 20 minutes before our scheduled departure. I wonder if they wanted to leave early. So, I quickly finished my ice cream and headed towards the gate, and sure enough, they were already boarding.
The boarding door closed 10 minutes prior to our scheduled departure, and we left the gate 5 minutes before our scheduled departure time. The pilots let us know that it would be a quick 6 hours and 30 minutes in the air.
The Plane
The Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Upper Class offers 31 seats configured in a 1-1-1 configuration, all with direct aisle access. The best seats are on the window seats on the “A” side, since you will directly face a wall, while the “G” and “K” seats face each other. The seats aren’t particularly private, and your head is quite close to the person in front/behind you.
The seating positioning is a bit weird, since you face towards the aisle, and if you wanted to look out your window, you would have to turn around, which can be uncomfortable. But surprisingly, everyone sits relatively low in these seats, so my better view is actually from the window seats diagonally across the aircraft.
It’s funny what time does, as when Air New Zealand had this product when I was growing up, I really, really wanted to try it. But now, it’s dated lol.
We boarded from the second set of doors, at the rear of Upper Class. There is a lounge area that can be used during the flight for socializing, having a drink, or stretching out. I didn’t use it during my flight, but it seems nice to have.
The Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Upper Class cabin looks really cool, like a spaceship at least!
Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Upper Class Seat
I did find it a bit weird that the amenity kit and menu are on the footrest. Limited real estate, it seems, haha. There are at least controllable air vents.
The 11.1-inch screen for the in-flight entertainment system is a bit dated, especially when compared to the 18.5-inch screen on my outbound flight aboard the A350-1000. But it got the job done and had a solid selection of entertainment. A power outlet and USB socket were available, and a small cocktail table, plus a larger tray table for eating and working.
I wish they gave slippers, and no pajamas were provided, since this flight was not “overnight”. Headphones were provided, as well as an amenity kit/goodie bag. The amenity kit featured a zipper pouch made of reusable material, and contained socks, an eyemask, toothbrush/paste, earplugs, lipbalm, hand cream, and day cream from REN.
Bed Mode
While the seat is outdated, it’s surprisingly comfortable in the lie-flat bed mode. I got a good nap after the dinner service! The bedding was solid, and the mattress pad was appreciated.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi was available, a messaging pass was 2.99 £, one hour was 6.99 £, and a flight pass was £ 20.99. I did not pay for/test out the WiFi since I was planning to sleep & watch some movies. But it would be nice if they gave a complimentary messaging pass for business class passengers.
Lavatories
There aren’t any forward lavatories, but there are 4 in between Upper Class & Premium Economy, with 2 being reserved for Upper Class. The lavs were roomy, kept up nicely, and were clean.
The Flight and Dining
While I was getting settled, the friendly flight attendant Eric serving my aisle offered champagne, orange juice, or water as a welcome beverage.
Shortly after takeoff, the meal service began.
To start, they came by with drinks and potato crisps. Then, the delicious fig bread and the appetizer. For the appetizer, I could choose between the following:
- Truffle mac and cheese arancini
- Smoked salmon
I love the crisps (though they are a bit salty), and the fig bread is delightful! And, the plane salt and pepper shakers are cute, of course.
For the main onboard, you could choose from
- Pan-roasted haddock
- Grapefruit and miso chicken
- Minted pea tortelloni
You could also pre-order your meals ahead of time and get access to a larger selection of menu items. I did that, and pre-ordered a tofu dish with noodles that was not bad.
For dessert, you could choose between a Chocolate fudge cake or an apricot and lavender cake. I got the chocolate cake and found it decent.
When there were about 4 and a half hours left, I decided to catch some sleep. The seat in lie-flat mode was actually quite comfortable, and I slept for about 3 hours.
1.5 hours before landing, they had a high tea service with a selection of sweet and savory treats, which was cute! Loved the ceramic mug it came in as well.
50 minutes before landing, they announced that we would be starting our initial descent. We ended up landing an 1 hour ahead, and got to the gate 45 minutes early, which was nice since I had work the next morning.
The Verdict
While the Virgin Atlantic 787-9 offers an outdated product, with a lack of privacy, it was still better than no lie-flat and allowed me to catch some sleep. The soft product was solid, with excellent service and a nice meal experience. I really do like Virgin Atlantic, and I would try to fly on the A350 or A330 for a superior hard product if pricing & timing permit.
Have you flown on the Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Upper Class (Business Class) before? How was your experience? Comment below!
Happy travels,
Ty
Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!
