premium economy worth the expense?

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    premium economy worth the expense?

    we are considering whether we should go to sydney via virgin atlantic premium economy...

    2 adults
    1 3.5 yr old
    1 1.5 yr old

    our choices are going economy and buying 4 seats or going prem economy and buying 3 seats and carrying the youngest on our lap.

    anyone flown on premium economy and was it worth the extra expense?
    thanks!


  2. #2

    Hi Carang,

    Not too sure about VA P/economy but there tends to be very little difference : a couple of inches of seat pitch, better entertainment.

    Personally, I'd buy 4 econ seats & have a seat for your youngest. If you take an airline compatible car seat you don't need to keep putting your child on your knee when seatbelt signs come on either.


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    I think the premium economy seats on Virgin aircraft are a little better than the offerings on other airlines e.g. Traveller Plus on BA. This makes sense considering Virgin do not have a dedicated business class (Economy, Prem, Upper).

    However in your case you may want to consider the separate seat for the young un, I travelled with a 1 YO on Virgin a few years back and they provided an infant seat with harness.


  4. #4

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    Aug 2005
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    On Air NZ I would say yes its worth it BUT when we have traveled it has been mainly couples and business travelers and kids wouldn't really be that welcome - people upgrade to get away from the crying.

    The seats are bigger and the food is better and with the smaller cabin the whole flight just seem easier.


  5. #5

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    I would have to endorse that. I have flown premium economy on airnz and absolutely it's worth the (small) additional sum of money. The BA product is much the same I thought but have not tried Virgin. I have business colleagues who say it is good though. But having said that, I tend to agree with the posters who suggest you give your youngest their own seat. You will get a whole row to yourself if you take 4 seats and you can lift up the armrests (DO NOT take the front row with the basineets if that's what you want to do, they don't lift up) and let the kids lie flat on 2 seats.

    Hate to say it - but I also endorse what the other guys said about Premium economy trying to get away from kids! Not that it seems to have any effect, in Airnz in particular Business class is always full of kids (they are just too cheap I think!).


  6. #6

    Have flown E, PE & UC on Virgin with my girls a few times a year since they were born. Economy on Virgin got worse when they added a row and leg room got less, premium economy is worth the difference in cost but I've only seen seating as 2 & 2 on Virgin. BA have a row of 3 seats in premium economy but I personally don't like to fly BA. Air New Zealand is more expensive than Virgin with more restriction on luggage but it's a wonderful airline and much better than Virgin.

    I don't worry about other people looking at me if I'm flying with children. My kids are better behaved than some adults I've seen on aircraft.


  7. #7

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    depends on the airline really.

    for example BA the only difference is bigger seat and smaller cabin, but with someone like Air New Zealand, you get extra benefits: better IFE, better food, noise cancelling headphones, etc.