Minor updates to a solid, stylish business class experience

On my latest trip to London I decided to try and get on the 787-9 of both major British carriers — the British Airways 787-9 in first class, and then a nice revisit to Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic’s 787-9. Not necessarily a fair comparison between the two airlines given that I flew in two different cabins, but that wasn’t necessarily my goal. Instead, I wanted to take my first two 787-9 flights on new products, and the award availability for my dates gave me the perfect chance to try these two airlines in one trip. Virgin Atlantic was one of my earliest business class experiences back in the day, and I’ve always been a fan of the Virgin brands for their ‘fun’ but professional approach to the air travel experience, which can often be boring and/or stuffy. While Virgin chose not to introduce a new seat on the 787 — I was really hoping for something equally as innovative as the introduction of their original Upper Class — they did make some good updates, as you’ll see in the gallery below.

Seatlink’s take

This particular seat, originally designed by Contour Aerospace (acquired by Zodiac in 2013), is a Virgin Atlantic original. You’ll also find this seat on some Delta and older Air Canada interiors, but unlike those seats — which recline all the way into bed mode — the Virgin seatback flips down to form a bed. This generally means a more comfortable sleeping surface, but it also means that the seat can only recline so far. Maybe I’m weird, but I like to turn my seat into a deep recliner to watch movies. I also like to look out the window on departure and arrival, and that’s barely possible with a herringbone cabin layout. For those reasons, I’m not in love with the seat…but it’s still a huge upgrade over Virgin economy and premium economy, though I’ve heard that premium economy on Virgin Atlantic is great. Fun fact: this seat design was the subject of a lengthy lawsuit, which you can read about on Wikipedia here.

Very difficult to see out of the window with this seat design

The good thing is that this seat design makes it feel quite private in bed mode, and I’ve never gotten anything but good sleep when flying on Virgin Atlantic. Check out the photo below for what the seat looks like in bed mode — you can see you’re really tucked in there.

Virgin Atlantic turndown service

I think the soft product is where Virgin Atlantic really shines. The food and drink get the job done — not that they’re needed after a lengthy visit to the Clubhouse — and my service experiences in Upper Class have always been friendly, upbeat, and professional. As with any airline, YMMV, but I always feel refreshed after a Virgin Atlantic/America/Australia flight.

Which seat and why

I would say go with any A seat towards the front of the cabin. There are missing windows in row 7 on each side, but that really doesn’t matter because you’re forced to face into the aisle and can’t look out the window without requiring a visit to the chiropractor once you land, anyway. The last row on either side of the aircraft is pretty close to the bar, so I’d recommend skipping those if possible. At first glance, 1A and 1K might seem like bad choices given their proximity to the forward galley, but they’re offset enough from the galley that I wouldn’t hesitate to sit in either, though rows 2-5 would remain my first choice.

Seats G and K in Upper Class on the right side of the 787

G seats mean both staring at your neighbor and a lack of privacy; anyone walking through the aisle can freely read the powerpoint deck you’re working on, even if you’ve got a privacy filter. Couples, though, might appreciate sitting in opposing G/K seats for raising a toast to luxury every now and then; sitting in front of/behind each other doesn’t work very well at all.

For more seat reviews from other travelers on Virgin America, check out this plane’s seat map here: Virgin Atlantic 787-9 seat map.

Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Seat Map

Pictures of the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class experience

Per usual, I took a lot of photos on this flight, partly because I hadn’t been in Virgin Atlantic business class in a few years. Click on any photo to enlarge it and then you can just scroll or swipe through the gallery.

Power port tucked out of the way

Better shot of the touchscreen video remote

Pre-arrival tea service

Virgin Atlantic predeparture champagne

Kind of a small armrest…

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class menu

The Herschel amenity kit for Virgin Atlantic Upper Class

Virgin Atlantic onboard bar in Upper Class

Inflight snack selections in Upper Class

The Upper Class cabin on Virgin Atlantic’s 787

The view from seat 2A on Virgin’s 787-9

The 787 onboard bar for Upper Class passengers

Soup appetizer

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class IFE screen and post-departure snack

Stowage for phones etc in the armrest

Post-departure wine and crisps

I’ve always loved the Virgin salt & pepper shakers

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class seat ottoman

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class menu

One of the better INOP (inoperable) placards I’ve seen

The Upper Class cheese plate with a glass of Port

The rather limited seat controls for Virgin’s 787 Upper Class

Seat 2A on Virgin Atlantic 787 Upper Class

USB charging port now located on the IFE screen

Ever-important computer stowage below the IFE controls

Like most business class these days, you get noise canceling headphones in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class

Much improved IFE screen on the 787-9

The roundabout at the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class wing at London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class dessert and snacks menu

Seat 1A on Virgin’s 787 in Upper Class

Upper Class IFE remote control

The bar and snacks

Beverage table

Seats G and K in Upper Class on the right side of the 787

View from the seat in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class

Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Upper Class seats

A model of Virgin’s 787-9 in the Upper Class Wing at LHR

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class cocktail menu

Unfolding the Herschel amenity kit. Not a keeper, but better than the old one

Noble Isle amenities in the Upper Class lav

You can control the 787 window dimmer from the IFE screen which is cool (and necessary)

Virgin Atlantic 787-9, “West End Girl”

Virgin Atlantic business class meal – stuffed red pepper

Very difficult to see out of the window with this seat design

Sadly the IFE screen isn’t much larger than the old one

Pop out reading light

Virgin Atlantic turndown service

Seat to bed conversion controls (the FA will do this for you)

View down the aisle on the left side of the 787

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class wine selections

The table is set for lunch

The airbag seatblet

Seat 1G in Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic’s 787-9

The headphones

TL;DR

I really like the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class travel experience, especially when you can take advantage of the Upper Class Wing at London Heathrow, the Clubhouse lounge, and the car service to the airport. On board the 787-9, pick an A seat towards the front of the cabin and you won’t regret it. Travelers with companions should opt for opposing G and K seats, but everyone should avoid the last row altogether.

What are Your Thoughts on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class?

If you’ve flown Virgin Atlantic on the 787-9, let us know in the comments below! Or better yet, write a review of your seat on the Virgin Atlantic 878-9 seating chart…

The verdict

Reviewed by

Seatlink

Date

2016-12-20

Airline/cabin

Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Upper Class

Rating

4