Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

ferf1223

March

Porthorg wrote: »

wow thanks for all the replies. Really given me something to think about. Was initally against going in direct but am now thinking otherwise. Am particuarly interested in American Airlines now as they seem to be getting some rave reviews. What about Delta and Continental? Are they worth considering?

One thing slightly worries me.....someone mentioned in a post that getting stranded while on an american airline puts them off? Could anyone elaborate on that?

AA have a sale on (just got the email this morning)...you could check an open-jaw ticket there - I'm not sure about the question about getting stranded while on AA, what that references...could be the ash cloud - non EU carriers flying into the EU (not out of the EU) don't have the same obligations to cover hotel costs, etc as European carriers...could have been a reference to someone booking the transatlantic leg with AA and the internal leg with another airline...can you link the post?

photome

August

jaytay wrote: »

the comment was aimed at stag groups which not all are undesirables.

Drunkeness and swearing and loutish behaviour should not be tolerated but this thread makes out this is a common thing on this flight

Because it is a common thing on this flight!

ferf1223

March

we've probably flown Virgin to Vegas 10 times or so...have we ever experienced something so bad as what duchy describes? Thankfully, no...but we have regularly experienced passengers who appear to think that they need to drink as much as possible on the flight in order to get their money's worth, and then proceed to completely disregard the enjoyment and comfort of other passengers....yes, it's a leisure destination, it's a party city (at least for many)...but that doesn't mean folks should check their manners at the door, does it?

I also agree that the (usual) planes are not very comfortable - have they upgraded the entertainment system yet so that the controls are no longer screwed into the armrests? That drives my husband insane. But I understand that sometimes people will be willing to put up with a lot to get there direct - we used to be those people...we wanted to go direct for our next trip, prefer the Virgin flight times and UK airport...but couldn't face the flight in economy so went for PE. We've done it once before, it really wasn't worth the additional cost...but we just could not face the flight in economy...hopefully we will get lucky on the planes we get.

photome

August

delwynsholidaydeals wrote: »

About 5 flights on VA to vegas, im just saying i think you giving VA a hard time here they are a good airline

Del

Because they deserve a hard time on that route.

Porthorg

May

Ferf1223 - Here it is :-)

mookybargirl wrote: »

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.....

WestHamDaz

photome wrote: »

Lots of negative comments ref BA 777, Am I right in thinking that BA have not used 747s on the Vegas route before but will be after june 1st and they will have the latest IFE ?

My flight for june 15th out, and july 2nd back are both BA 747's according to my booking details

EDIT - just to add to the flight debate...

Ive done LGW to LAS in PE upstairs in Row 75 - absolutely fine, no probs at all even with an 8 strong stag do up there. Seat upholstery was a bit worn and tatty and the recline on our seats worked but was very 'clunky'. Drinks 'ran out' after 5 hours.

LAS to LGW in economy - first time ever flying economy on virgin and after all the comments on here was fearing the worst. Dont know why, it was fine absolutely no problems at all. OK the seat wasnt the most spacious but the flight wasnt half as bad as some have experienced.

LHR - LAX - Virgin Upper - Those that have flown virgin upper on any of their airbus planes will know how good this is.

BA in WT+ for us this year to Vegas

jaytay

September

photome wrote: »

Because it is a common thing on this flight!

check V-Flyer trip reports it seems it is not,the latest reports seem very positive

http://v-flyer.com/the-toolbox/trip-report-index

misa.blue

May

Porthorg wrote: »

We are currently considering going to LA first, spend a few days and then drive to vegas, fly back from vegas to the same UK airport. We are pretty central in the UK so can go from most airports easily. Has anyone got any recommendations on this of advised routes each way?

Hi we are also flying to LA first, stay just one day there to visit Universal Studios, then we will drive to San Diego for 2 days and via coastal road to San Francisco, stay there few days and fly to Vegas.

We booked those flights when they were on sale via Iberia on 22 Dec:

BA direct - London Heathrow - Los Angeles 21 April
AA Las Vegas to Heathrow via Chicago 7 May

Paid for those flights £470, very happy with the price:) BA direct is about £620..
Best check Kayak.co.uk

duchy

May

This is probably freaking out some people who have already booked Virgin

So to be clear -the experience I have described whilst accurate is not what happens on every flight-but it does happen. Partly because it's a direct flight, partly because Virgin don't refuse boarding to people who are visibly drunk the way BA do and partly because it attracts those wanting to party from the second they leave home as drinks are free (unlike the US carriers) and partly as Ferf points out because some people simply have no consideration for others around them.

I was especially unlucky as Virgin dropped the ball with the group I'm talking about by not seating them all together-Usually groups are seated in one section all together so disruption is minimal and doesn't impact the whole of economy.

The way to minimize your chances of been affected are to book seats as far forward as you can -look at the seat map and try and book where seats are in clusters of twos and threes with gaps rather than by a whole section blocked as this is more likely to be a group booking. Groups are usually in the main cabin not the smaller forward cabin in my experience too. Flying early in the week helps-most Stag groups are weekend affairs so avoiding Thursday and Friday flights helps.

Just to underline all these comments are about the Vegas flight-the LAX and SFO flights are fine-nicer planes and generally decent. I'm not slammming Virgin in general or saying every LGW LAS flight is like Wetherspoons on a Friday night but with no way of leaving -but if you are travelling with kids or want a quiet and comfortable flight-there are other options that give you a better chance of getting what you want. (I flew LGW LAS in August-unwillingly but it was £200 cheaper than anyone else-on a Monday and although the seat was still poor compared to other carriers- it was stag free -I usually fly on Thursdays and it has always had a stag element- the service was OK apart from one FA who was dreadful and rude to passengers and the food was worse than Delta or AA but better than CO. I do have an incentive to fly VS as I have frequent flyer status with another airline who also give miles on Virgin flights but although the August experience wasn't anything like the "horror flight" it really wasn't as good as the US carriers . As I said right back at the beginning -if a direct flight is really important to you -Virgin works but it is a compromise and if you fly indirect overall you'll get a better seat and a more comfortable journey.....whether you fly Virgin or another carrier.

duchy

May

totallybored wrote: »

I quite like United Economy Plus going Chicago on the way out on the first flight out of Heathrow which gets to Vegas around 2pm and back via San Fran for maximum sleep. AA and Delta are also fine though

I've not flown with UA transatlantic before but now they've merged with CO they are back on my radar. (I'm already booked with them for domestic flights in May on an award ticket). I was completely turned off flying UA for a long time by someone who worked for them at LHR-the way she and her collegues talked about passengers just made me not want to fly with them ! Since then I've been switched onto them domestically a couple times when flights misconnected and thought they were OK.

Economy plus is just extra leg room -no other benefits-Is that correct ?
I have CO status so will automatically be booked into E+ with UA would like to know more about how you found it please.