Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

duchy

May

My turn to comment on Virgin

Seats are three across so if you are an even numbered group you will have a stranger next to you

Planes are tired rather than old and seats are very uncomfortable -I'd rate them worst out of all the carriers I've flown to this US in the last couple of years -AA Delta Continental are all more comfortable.

If you are travelling near a bank holiday or a weekend you may find the direct flight attracts stag groups-they can range from mildly annoying to totally obnoxious and it isn't unknown for LVPD to be waiting for them on arrival to arrest them (I'd imagine BA has a lower tolerence level than VS as I've seen VS let people board already completely sozzled -and then continue to serve them booze)

Oh yes booze-if having a few drinks is important to you-be aware Virgin routinely "run out " mid flight and then only soft drinks are served. Running out appears to be in direct relation to passenger behaviour (see Stag groups above) so it appears that rather than refuse service to those who've had too much they penalize the whole of economy.

Virgin food on board is nothing to write home about-but then economy airline food isn't anyway -I'd put them somewhere in the middle-not the best but not the worst either.

Crew are young easy on the eye but inexperienced. I had the FA from hell -full of hair flicking and eye rolling at passengers on my last trip -the last straw was when she started making comments about passengers in their hearing to other FAs. Very fourten year old school girl. I asked for a comment card and the CSA gave me the card and without me saying what I wanted to comment on -gave me the name of the FA-so it was very noticable to other cabin crew as well as passengers.

For me I prefer to fly the US carriers and go indirect -rather than fly Virgin. Adds a couple of hours but I quite like changing planes -stretching my legs and getting customs and immigration out of the way so when I get to Vegas I just grab my bags and go rather than join another queue. Also Virgin is more UK passengers so everyone is in the aliens immigration line-US carriers it's more Americans so you get through much faster as the lines are shorter for non US residents.

For some the ease of a direct flight wipes out the other issues -or others -it doesn't. Very much a personal decision.

These comments are ONLY about the Virgin Vegas service-the LA flight is entirely different. Better planes more professional staff (a lot of the more experienced crew won't bid for Vegas because it's a very demanding flight so it's staffed by the newest FAs routinely) seating in twos etc. Virgin treat Vegas as a "holiday" flight-it has more in common with a charter to Ibiza than a long haul scheduled flight- except it lasts nine hours ! If I *had* to fly Virgin for some reason-I'd fly to LA and drive to Vegas or pick up a cheap flight to LAS from there (at present it's as cheap as £20 with tax with SouthWest)

mookybargirl

March

I've flown both with BA and Virgin (and also indirect with a couple of carriers)...

The Virgin plane on the Vegas route is old, but it's not like going to be like a tin can from some 3rd world country. It's just not as good as some of the other planes. A little drab and a little cramped.

The seats on Virgin are painful after a while, so take a good pillow.

The food was better in Virgin than on BA in our experience, much better! The drinks on Virgin are all free, so that's a plus, although some have said they "run out" half way if the plane seems to have lots of stags and hens. Our Virgin flight was stocked all the way when we flew, although I think OH and me only had 1 or 2 drinks.

IFE is mentioned a few times also for Virgin, but that could happen on any plane with any airline. We didn't have any problems on Virgin and can't say that we noticed anyone else with problems. Someone on our BA flight had problems, but we only know about that as they asked us to move to club, or we would never have known....

I'd would weigh up cost and convenience of Gatwick v Heathrow. I's chose BA over Virgin but only as the connections are easier from Heathrow for us. The flight is a little more comfortable, but has crappy food.

Also, after experiencing first hand how troublesome and expensive things get when you get stranded (volcanic ash), we feel more comfortable in booking BA or Virgin over an AA etc knowing we'd be covered.....

delwynshd

WOW!!!

I love Virgin but of course I would lol

Del

mookybargirl

March

delwynsholidaydeals wrote: »

WOW!!!

I love Virgin but of course I would lol

Del

I think most people would agree with your statement for any other Virgin route. The Vegas route just seems to be the cash cow and the poor relation all at the same time.... :rotfl:

katie1234

November / December

Hi

Hope you dont mind me posting on this thread. Im planning my first trip to vegas to get married in Nov this year but having real trouble choosing between hotels. Am stuck at the minute between Planet Hollywood and the Mirage. Was considering cosmopolitan to although im sure not many will have stayed there yet. Does anyone has experience of these hotels or can recommend a good one. As its my first trip im determined to get it right as my recent holiday this year was a disaster!

Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks.

pennylane99

November / December

Try Virgin from Heathrow to San Fran or LA, and then a short hop to Vegas with Virgin America, I always take this route now.

sunshaeen

January / February

Hi all- we fly out next month with delta. I have tried confirming seats on the way out, but it wont let me even though it will let me on the way back. Ive contacted them and they have said i should be able to do it online- so i dont understand why it wont save my seat selection?... anyway this will be my first long haul flight and we would like two seats together- so i was wondering for those of you who normaly check in online the night before- how it works. Sorry if i sound a bit daft lol but i just want to make sure we have decent seats- so i guess we pick seats and print boarding pass out then just check luggage in at airport? Otherwise it means getting to airport extra early and hanging aroung. Any advise greatfully received. thanks

miketurtle81

November / December

Hi all,

Following on from my initial post this morning...

What is the best method of accommodation for the 3 of us? (3 men aged 20-30)

Do hotels on the strip cater for 3-bed rooms?

Cheers guys

stoneman

October

wdyw wrote: »

However, over recent months 11% of flights have used planes with the excellent V:port system. These planes usually get rave reviews on the routes they more often are found on, but of course you have to ignore the fact they can be one of the oldest planes in the whole fleet (Tubular Belle has recently flown this route several times).

So 89% of the time you get the old IFE, not good odds is it;)

StuieUK34

June

I fly 3rd June from LGW to LAS with Virgin, sat right at the back in the '2 seaters' ....... (3rd june is a Friday)...
Sure hope the stag groups are at the front of the plane and the Hen groups are right by me! (wife to be wont like that though! hehe)
Sure do hope the plane i go on is alright, and the IFE works ALL the way there!, and hopefully being at the back of the plane, i get first served with stuff when it comes out ?
Flown with BA many times to NYC, but once with Virgin to Newark....
I found the BA chairs bigger on there planes, but the IFE was those pop down tellys when i last went (2004/2005)... The virgin plane i had did have had a nice IFE which worked ok, but i remember the seats being smaller and not as comfy as BA ones......
Best i take some pillows with me to check-in... Hopefully check-in staff might ask what pillows are for to which i could reply "when booking direct with virgin over the phone, the lady said unless i got a free upgrade at check-in, best to take a pillow as seats are hard! "
Dont imagine it will work, but you never know!