Virgin Atlantic Reviews 508

Virgin sat my disabled husband on his own next to strangers from miami to heathrow despite weeks of emails in advance
Absolutely disgusting
Will be taking action

I want to share my experience with an airline that I decided to try out due to their social media claiming to be one of the best.

On upgrading to upper class on a flight from London to New York, my seat was broken and didn't work, my entertainment system couldn't be used due to a broken headphone socket and the power socket also didn't work.

I always judge a company on how they handle issues with their customer care. Virgin have been shocking. Despite the crew raising an engineer report, the customer care team tried to issue me 20,000 points to close the case and won't listen.

Having raised a new complaint under the Consumer rights 2015 act, I am still waiting for resolution of a refund.

Wish I had stayed with BA. Even if they have issues there customer care team take issues seriously. Poor show and very disappointing.

Flew with VA in March. Great experience and would recommend. Cabin crew were amazing. We were travelling with a wheelchair user and they made a difficult journey very easy.

My flight going to Cape Town wasnt too bad,food was very poor and I did have a laugh with one of the stewards who happened to be from Wales same town as me!!

As for my flight coming back was absolutely disgusting the staff were rude and didnt seem to care about anything! Again food very bad.
I am diabetic and I ordered a dietary meal well what can I say, it was not even edible so in 12 hours I never ate and when I asked for water it was as if id done something wrong! The steward was reluctant but I finally got it but as they were very small plastic cups I asked for 2 (if looks could kill) so in a total of 12 hours I had 2 small waters and a water with the meal if you can call it that ( as I couldn't eat it)
But for sure I would never ever fly with them again and wouldn't recommend it either.

I pre-booked very expensive seats for a long haul flight. I have a medical issue that means I need to use the bathroom very frequently, so need an aisle seat. At check-in the seats I purchased were not showing and I had been given a window seat. A one hour call to try and sort this out ended with the agent putting the phone down and no solution so I can't take the flight. Honestly a disgusting experience.

Customer service is appalling. I called to enquire about upgrading with points to check the previous quote of over 500,000 I got the previous day was correct as it seemed very high. The person on the phone made me feel unwelcome and like they did not want to deal with me, they immediately told me whatever I was told would be correct before even checling for me. When they did check the cost had changed so I was right to call but it left me feeling like they already had my money and was not interested, or possibly they just could not be bothered.

I then called again as due to the coldness of the call I forgot to get a cash quote, what a joke. You go through the menu and select if you want to upgrade with points or cash, the person I got through to this time was annoying, once again it was like they could not be bothered and wanted to get rid of me. I told them I wanted a cash quote and all they kept talking about was points and that I need to call another department. Eventually they accepted I wanted a cash quote only to tell me that I have to call my travel agent.

Come on Virgin get your act together, it should not be this hard, all I wanted was to find out what it would cost to upgrade to upperclass.

Because I am assisted passenger I can't even see what other seats are available, because they allocated me a seat in the cabin I paid for, I cannot even check online what it would cost to upgrade by hovering over an upperclass seat on the plane seating map. Apparently I have to phone and check each time, talk about not being inclusive, if this is how you treat disabled travellers I think it will be better not to request assisted travel so I have the same access to seat availability as able body passengers, and yes I am happy to pay to select my seat.

Talk about a bad start.

I've travelled with Virgin many times in the last 25 years. Before this week's flight, my most recent experience was in 2021. I was surprised at the difference.
Our flight was delayed 'due to the inbound plane being late'....big fib for a start as the difference between times was 10 minutes which clearly is not enough time to unload, refuel and load up again.
We bid for Economy delight seats and got them on the way out, this included priority boarding or was supposed to.....economy delight boarded LAST!
Other airlines upgrade you if they have empty seats in the next level but Virgin expect you to bid for them.
Only tried 1 meal which was OK. White wine was unpleasant, red wine was cold!
Just an overall feeling of a budget airline. Back in the day I would have chosen Virgin to fly with but not any more.

Website terrible if i have put in the booking reference once i have put it in 20 times, why is it not saved under my login, I go to the website put in my booking ref first name and last then my flight is there then i login and its gone, i add it again and its there then i logou or close the page and its gone again, round and round and round !!!

When my LHR-BOS flight was cancelled on the BOM-LHR-BOS route on Feb 23, Virgin flew me on the BOM-BOS route with an explicit promise that I would be given all assistance in LHR, including a hotel. On arrival at LHR, Virgin first tried to re-book me to BOS and/or YYZ, but when that didn't work, they were willing to cover hotel and ancillary expenses in LHR. Then, suddenly, a spot opened up on LHR-YYZ, and I was re-booked on it without hassle and made it back to North America - instead of getting stuck at LHR for 3 days. Thanks, Virgin! You've earned my loyalty and goodwill!

A dreadful flight in Upper Class from Cape Town to Heathrow on VS479 ,7th February 2006.
We upgraded to Upper Class for the experience, but received one not expected. Vary poor cabin staff, limited choice of drinks and food. Even the Captain made a public announcement at Heathrow and apologised for the experience as it was not up to Virgins usual standards. The problem arose because the aircraft did not have enough staff to provide normal service, but enough to safely operate the flight.
The problems with the beverages and food would have been the same regardless of crew shortage.
First time I have been on a flight where the Captain made a public announcement to apologise for the quality of the product. Upper class it was not.
I complained twice to Virgin by e mail, but still waiting for a meaningful reply addressing the issues I raised and not a general, sorry letter.
Avoid this airline.

Bad food, very little if it, poor baggage handling, damaged my bag and items and wouldn't do anything about. My first and last time flying with them. Emirates/ Etihad much better and cheaper.

I booked with Virgin Atlantic did not know until I arrived at the airport that my flight was with KLM & Air France. My luggage was delayed due to a transfer. I received a message to say that it was at the arrival airport & would be delivered as soon as possible yesterday. There has been no other communications & I am still waiting for my bag which contains much needed items. I have tried to contact Virgin Atlantic, KLM & Air France & it is impossible. Terrible disrespectful customer Service.

I’ve been today, two version Atlantic first class disc is very bad. Customer service from desk name Paul he don’t know Andy you know help for people attitude is very bad. I pay too much money. at least nice company like version for first class. you have to be nice, Customer service because somebody like bull you don’t have experience enough

Note:Virgin cannot even be bothered to reply to complaints to see if they can rectify. How arrogant have they become. I read someone elses comments ref the website and app being dreadful and have to agree. Clunkier than a clunkier thing from clunky land. When you consider Virgin are in bradband and TV comms etc makes you wonder how many balls they can drop.
Shocking in flight service and food
Flying premium to and from Barbados 10th to 24th January 26. Ran out of most dishes, ran out of rose wine at beginning of the flight, attendants ignored the call button and were scruffy. Food was school dinner standard at best! no bluetooth connectivity or wifi, absolute pants as standard. £7k for tickets shame on you Virgin. Will be looking at other airlines going forward. Flown loads with Virgin premium in last 6 years taking friends too. Amazing how one can be put off by the steady very noticable decline in standards. Especially over the last 18 months.
To top the whole thing Virgin are flying around with some old plane stock, atmospheric pressure required compared to new aircraft of TUI and the like makes you arrive more fatigued than carriers using newer aircraft. A330 we were on I estimated to be 12 years old and then some. If I am wrong then maybe Virgin can comment?

Amazing service I recently booked several flights in New York City and San Francisco California with Virgin Atlantic and the customer service has been first class - really impressed - will definitely be flying with them lots more

I was shocked that Virgin Atlantic have dropped their standard to worst than budget airlines like Ryan Air or easy jet.
Omlette servd like rubber!:food was like microwave processed food. Another British told us they upraded to business class £3000 pounds n recived limited service. Shame that u guys can NOT LEVEL UP like singapore airlines or Emirates or Qatar airways.
Okay i flew on Economy lite. Fine! But for 10 hra to Maldives on VS384. My food tray was sliding because a fat british lady with 2 kids had the seat all way down. The air stewardess had a duty ensure all seats are up to ensure food trays dont slip. Obviously Not. Basic underlying principal s that cabin crew to ensure seats r up when serving. Stewardess justvwalked pasd me . The whisky i had slipped n poured on my seat n my jeans. When complained to another air steward, she took a piss by asking me "oh its just a brandy issue" that was the most insulting remark ever made. I ve flown on many airlines including top airlines, never insulted this way. I paid for my seat therefore expected the seat to hold the food decently. Absolutely disgusted! They gave me pyjamas. But me n others have decided not to fly with u AGAIN. Terribly unprofessional,uneducated crew!!!

Much bigger screens and just a nicer vibe, I always try and take virgin on long hauls.

Don’t use Virgin Atlantic. If I could give zero stars I would. Booked premium economy seats, but our booking confirmation said economy. Over 40 minutes on phone with customer service to try to find out what was going on, and they hung up when we decided to cancel the booking. So here I am on hold again.

The worst traveling experience of my life I fly from London Heathrow to Dubai on the broken seat. When I contacted the costumer care people with evidences and photos to prove my claim. The answer was " we asked the crew and it isn't true, you are lying "
The response was rude and very offensive. I would never use this airline again.

I flew with Virgin Atlantic on 1 January 2026 from Washington Dulles to Heathrow leaving at 22:10, and it was the worst flight experience I have ever had.

I had booked seat A45 which on the website was the exit row seat by the door, and had no seat in front of it. I specifically chose this seat because I have knee and leg problems and need extra legroom as I can't fold my legs for hours comfortably without the needs to stretch it to release the pain. However, once on board, I realised that the exit row seat was now A50, not A45. The latter was now a different seat in a tight coner by the toilet with another seat in front. I alerted the male cabin crew who casually explained that the aircraft had been changed since I booked my seat.

The male stewards called his manager, a female steward, who came over and spoke to me very rudely and bluntly. She said, Sir, if you do not want to sit there, you can get off the plane and book another flight, or contact customer services. She then added that I could pay £500 pounds for her to check whether an alternative seat might be available at the front of the plane.

This happened two minutes before takeoff. She then said that if I did not sit in the new A45 seat immediately, the plane would not take off. Her tone was dismissive and rude, and she made it seem as though I was causing trouble. Other passengers began staring at me as if I were an unruly passenger. I felt extremely embarrassed and ended up squeezing into the tight corner seat, folding my legs painfully.

The male steward told me that after takeoff they would look for an alternative seat and come back to update me. No one ever returned.

During the flight, I asked one of the stewards for water so I could take cocodamol pain killers. She scoffed and handed me a very small cup of water that was only half full. When I asked for more water, she looked visibly annoyed.

To make matters worse, the cover of the armrest on my seat was broken and had fallen off. For over six hours, my hand rested against exposed metal rods, screw heads, and uncovered cables, which was very painful.

By the time we landed at Heathrow, my legs were severely cramped and my elbow was swollen. It was an awful experience from start to finish.

I originally booked the flight with KLM, only to later realise that the flight was operated by Virgin Atlantic. I will never fly with Virgin Atlantic again and would not recommend anyone fly with them especially in economy class.