Upper Class Virgin - Worth it?

blindman

MrsE wrote: »

No way would a 6k car be as comfy as a 70k car.
I like to have a 4x4, I like to buy new, a known entity.
I plan to make my next one the 15k Dacia, it's economical & very good on fuel.
But if I won the lotto, it would be a range rover :-)

You obviously know nothing about cars or MSE :cool:

If I had a bigger budget than 15k, I would stick with Japanese, I suppose another Suzuki wouldn't be much more & Korean are great value & a great name, but the fuel consumption of the Dacia is very tempting.
But would I want a 6k tin can for country roads, flooded & pot holed.

Hyundai is not a tin can :cool:

The point is I'm frugal on cars but spend more on others things.
Everyone is different.

Is £2k extra for a premium flight experience worth it?
For me-once-(I can afford to splurge on occassion) but I'd still look at MSE ways to reduce it.

For the OP?
Who knows.

mat5664

I always fly Business (or sometimes if I can upgrade with miles, First).

Definitely worth it in my view (I am very tall and quite wide!) and there are plenty of ways to keep the costs down. For example using a 2-4-1 voucher from BA Amex or starting the trip from another country.

In Summer 2012, I flew BA business starting in Dusseldorf for £1200 (using Avios to get to Dusseldorf). Last Summer, I did the same but for £1400 starting from Brussels. Both of these trips also gave me enough BA tier points to keep my silver card (by choosing to come home via JFK), which was an added advantage.

Teahfc

Ha ha how typical the thread soon goes off topic and out comes the " my Dad's bigger than your Dad" / " I have more money than thou " posts.

I take notice of the "big shots" who are so wealthy as they are obviously the " money saving experts" among us. :rotfl:

zagfles

Teahfc wrote: »

Ha ha how typical the thread soon goes off topic and out comes the " my Dad's bigger than your Dad" / " I have more money than thou " posts.

I take notice of the "big shots" who are so wealthy as they are obviously the " money saving experts" among us. :rotfl:

Yes, I do wonder if there isn't an element of snobbery about it for some people - simply doing it because they're doing something they think others can't afford, that it's not so much the added benefits themselves they are buying but the feeling of status, that they are Very Important People set apart from the plebs in cattle class.

For them maybe the massive price differential acts as an incentive rather than a disincentive! A bit like those who buy a Rolex - would they really buy them if everyone could afford one?

Of course this won't apply to those who use MSE methods of getting an upgrade, in fact I'm sure it annoys the hell out of the "snobs" that some people sat with them have got free or cheap upgrades

zagfles

claret_mike wrote: »

I was called for my flight, I walked to the gate and there were people literally blocking the gate before they had even been called (never get this where you have an assigned seat)

On the flight, free drink served in my seat, no worry about who was sat next to me.

As a matter of interest, have you ever flown economy? Because the above two comments would imply not - all scheduled airlines assign seats in economy, I booked my seats on Singapore 6 months before we went (and it was free). People who don't will get seats assigned at check-in, so by the time you're at the gate everyone will have an assigned seat. (I think the only one that didn't in the past was Ryanair, but they do now, and of couse they never had an upper class :rotfl:)

Also drinks are free in long haul economy on most airlines. Certainly were on Singapore. The do trolly rounds but you can also order a drink by pressing the call button above your head - you may not get immediate service but I've never had to wait long...

ferf1223

zagfles wrote: »

As a matter of interest, have you ever flown economy? Because the above two comments would imply not - all scheduled airlines assign seats in economy,

I read that comment as relating to the mob that always queues up at the gate even though they have assigned seats and what's the point when you have assigned seats...not suggesting that economy passengers didn't have assigned seats and he was somehow special in this respect as he was flying UC.

Many airlines do not provide free alcoholic drinks in economy anymore...soft drinks, tea/coffee yes (though I'm sure there are exceptions). Of course Virgin does offer free alcoholic drinks in economy...but many do not.

we're plebs, there's no doubt about it...but given a few reward flights in PE and a few treat ourselves for a special trip in PE and a business class upgrade on AA when we were platinum all spoiled us and we decided that we're relatively frugal in most other parts of our lives, we'll splurge a bit on our flights (and yes while keeping the costs down via various methods mentioned here).

I'm reasonably confident that there are a lot of people who 'could afford' to fly other than economy and choose not to do so as it's just not worth it to them...so I don't think it's not possible to divine relative wealth of a random internet stranger by the class of travel they choose.

InsideInsurance

MrsE wrote: »

No way would a 6k car be as comfy as a 70k car.

Too broad a brushstroke. Some 70k sports cars are very uncomfortable and a £600 car would be more comfortable let alone a £6k one but then you dont necessarily buy a sports car for comfort.

As to can a £30k car be as comfortable as a £70k car, ultimately these things come down to personal taste and there is certainly the rule of diminishing returns but generally it wont be. Now does the small extra comfort justify the extra £40k, particularly for the driver, is another question.

zagfles

ferf1223 wrote: »

I read that comment as relating to the mob that always queues up at the gate even though they have assigned seats and what's the point when you have assigned seats...not suggesting that economy passengers didn't have assigned seats and he was somehow special in this respect as he was flying UC.

PP said "(never get this where you have an assigned seat)", you do, as you say! Never understand why. I just stay sat till the queue is down to a few...it won't get me there any quicker!

Many airlines do not provide free alcoholic drinks in economy anymore...soft drinks, tea/coffee yes (though I'm sure there are exceptions). Of course Virgin does offer free alcoholic drinks in economy...but many do not.

I've never flown any international flight where drinks aren't free in economy, except for budget airlines, and many years ago on Pan Am. The first time I flew a domestic US flight I was quite shocked they tried charging me for a drink!

Looking at this list, the vast majority serve free alcoholic drinks on international flights, the main exceptions being a few American airlines and dry ones: http://maphappy.org/2012/07/wine-the-ultimate-list-of-airlines-that-serve-free-alcohol/

we're plebs, there's no doubt about it...but given a few reward flights in PE and a few treat ourselves for a special trip in PE and a business class upgrade on AA when we were platinum all spoiled us and we decided that we're relatively frugal in most other parts of our lives, we'll splurge a bit on our flights (and yes while keeping the costs down via various methods mentioned here).

I'm reasonably confident that there are a lot of people who 'could afford' to fly other than economy and choose not to do so as it's just not worth it to them...so I don't think it's not possible to divine relative wealth of a random internet stranger by the class of travel they choose.

Very true - rich people can be far "stingier" than poorer people. In fact that's often why they're rich - they're careful with money and don't "waste" it on trivial things!

ferf1223

zagfles wrote: »

PP said "(never get this where you have an assigned seat)", you do, as you say!

again, I don't think that he was suggesting that economy seating wasn't assigned...I read it as "(never [understand] this where you have an assigned seat)"

Not "(never [have this issue] this where you have an assigned seat [as I did in UC unlike those passengers in economy])".

On the alcohol thing, we normally fly on American carriers where we don't fly Virgin which is why I'm conscious that alcohol isn't necessarily free on international flights.

zagfles

ferf1223 wrote: »

again, I don't think that he was suggesting that economy seating wasn't assigned...I read it as "(never [understand] this where you have an assigned seat)"

Not "(never [have this issue] this where you have an assigned seat [as I did in UC unlike those passengers in economy])".

Ah yes, I see what you mean. But then I don't really get the point, sometimes people get called by row numbers and I have to go to the front ahead of the numpties who haven't been called yet clogging up the gate. It's not like it's any sort of class of travel issue. Personally I'd prefer to wait till the end when there's no queue instead of having to barge past the numpties.

On the alcohol thing, we normally fly on American carriers where we don't fly Virgin which is why I'm conscious that alcohol isn't necessarily free on international flights.

Yes, the American carriers look to be the main exception.