Flying with British Airways?

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We go to Florida next May, I want flights to come in under £500pp but currently Virgin is over that. BA is only £1500, we have had a big car bill that I've had to pinch from the holiday fund so a saving here would be much appreciated! I'm nervous BA won't feel as relaxing as Virgin, as well as strike concerns! How is BA to fly economy? Personal TV with lots of entertainment?

www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/travel-classes/economy/world-traveller

I've flown both BA and Virgin Economy. Both are very pleasant. Ample entertainment, food and drink is fine and the seats are similar.

I'd personally just book the cheapest flights.

In the last 3 months I've flown BA and Virgin to the US. Absolutely no difference in entertainment etc

BA worst ever flight of my life. Heathrow to Sydney with no entertainment system!

We've just had 3 weeks in Australia and flew BA Heathrow to Sydney. Perfectly pleasant. Good entertainment system. Only problem we had was they ran out of both gin and wine long before we reached Singapore!

BA are clearly aiming to compete with the cheaper airlines, rather than the more premium ones - and Virgin is definitely at the more premium end.

If I had the money, I'd choose Virgin any time, but if your budget is limited as you say, then BA will be fine. When you make your booking, you can find out what plane they will be flying on that route, so you can ensure there is an entertainment system. (Although to be safe it might not be a bad idea to make sure you have downloaded any films/podcasts/books on to your iPad or kindle!)

Thank you, does anyone know what happens if they strike? Are they obligated to fly you out still? I think that's my biggest concern tbh!

I've flown both, hated virgin (to Orlando) as we were treated like second class passengers if we weren't on a virgin package and the staff were really rude to. Ba have always been excellent to the US but have noticed if it's a 747 route the entertainment system is a bit shabby!

Lifelong BA flyer, just had my first flights with Virgin. IMO, Virgin entertainment offering was poorer than I'm used to with BA. Food, I prefer BA meat dishes, Virgin Veggie option. Drinks selection same on both. I sleep better in a BA economy seat, but that could just be chance.

Staff nice on both.

A lot of differences are due to plane allocated for flight (screen size, seat recline etc)

BA baggage is more generous with the 23kg for hand luggage. It's great for packing a few days of clothes on the way out (incase hold luggage goes walkies) and also heavier items on way back that a pre electronic/fragile. I always fly with a big hold case, small cabin wheelie and a small backpack for under the seat. Had close call on hand luggage limits with Virgin, luckily they let me through despite cabin luggage exceeding their 10kg limit.

I would buy cheapest. If you were flying in a different cabin then it might be worth a better comparison as premium economy and up vary greatly airline to airline.

Make sure prices include hold luggage. Both airlines offer hand luggage only fairs.

May is a very long way away to worry about strikes! They could happen to any airline or any airport.

@stucknoue how did they know you weren't package customers?

Agree with TheHodheoftheHedge - it's some way off! The media suggest that the BA strike will be later on at the end of the summer so even if it happens, it's likely not to affect you. If there was to be a strike, you'd have the option of a full refund or rescheduling, you could even potentially claim for compensation as the Ryan Air passengers did last summer. I don't think it's really any kind of likely risk of I'm honest so I'd book BA but your call really! We use BA a lot for both long and short haul and other than the same kind of small issues you do get on most airlines on one of two occasions (one none working screen, no veggie meal,a heavily delayed flight) they've been fine.

I think it may depend on the route.

I flew long haul with them this year and the food was average, entertainment really good, staff okay but not overly helpful.

You have to check your own bags in etc.

Don’t have high expectations, but it’s nowhere near as bad as Ryanair/ Thomas Cook

I've found that entertainment wise BA is better, but Virgin are a lot more generous with drinks during a long haul flight. On overnight flights BA crew tend to disappear and it can be really hard to get their attention once the lights are dimmed if you need a drink.

We flew BA TO Orlando in October from Gatwick. Was refurbished 777 with new seats and brand new screens (much bigger and really clear). Loved it. Films and games all good.

Came back with them from Miami on an old 747 and the entertainment broken the whole journey (something I experienced with them 20 years ago...) so depends on how new or how recently refurbished the aircraft is in my opinion.

The staff on way out were better but probably because staff on way back were harangued over broken entertainment.

Not flown Virgin before although we are going back to Orlando with them in Oct 2020.

There's nothing between BA and Virgin in economy. You get a seat, basic food and (assuming no faults) a TV.

Don’t have high expectations, but it’s nowhere near as bad as Ryanair/ Thomas Cook

For short haul they're all very similar. Although Ryanair do offer more legroom than BA.

I flew BA once and never again.

They lost our luggage on our honeymoon and never apologised, not once, not even when we complained.

Appalling company.

We flew BA London to Sydney and back via Singapore in economy. Flight out I was really cold until swapped planes in Singapore, plenty of food and drink and entertainment system worked, music was also, rest was OK. Staff were much better Singapore to Sydney and plane was warm. We were turning down food and drink, offered so much of it. DD didn't get veggie option on way out as they don't do child veggie, you have to pre-book veggie (and all the food). Seating was a bit cramped for sleeping but otherwise fine. Flight back a lot of turbulence, food flying round plane, kids getting earache, but same entertainment and heated this time. Good value but not a luxury experience. Similar to Ryanair flight but without the attitude. Would use again if well priced and direct.

May is ages away to be thinking strikes! Also strikes usually happen at peak times so summer holidays. However if there were strikes then Ba would try and reassign you to other flights. Always insure holidays when you book though in case of things like strikes.

I flew BA long haul to South America in economy recently. It was OK, but both directions they ran out of one of the meal options and on one flight that happened with both meals. I found the choice of films a bit limited and was very annoyed that something I started watching on the way out wasn't available on the way back.

Going out I slept quite well - unusual for me. Seats were a bit more comfortable than I expected. Coming back we were surrounded by a school group (teenagers) who were bouncing off the ceiling for the first seven hours despite it being an overnight flight with lights dimmed. Cabin crew were extremely reluctant to do anything about it. After several polite complaints I had to get extremely assertive before they would do anything.

Haven't flown Virgin recently so can't compare.

I fly several times a year with BA and never had any problems. I’m not fussy about drinks or food. After lights out you don't expect food anyway. Everyone is sleeping. It’s only 8 hours so if BA is cheaper, take it. Assuming it’s not AA code share of course!

We do long haul with both a lot.

No difference imo.

Try the app Hopper. It tells you when the cheapest flights for your journey will be selling

It got me to San Francisco BA economy for £330 return last year!

I regularly fly long haul with BA & Virgin, there really is little to no difference between them. You run the risk on any flight, regardless of the carrier, of delays, faulty screen, grumpy flight attendant etc - I've had good, bad & average on both, & cabin classes are pretty much like for like.
I book with whoever can give me the best price.

Had an awful flight with Virgin last year from SF to Manchester - entertaining system not working, a group of kids whose coaches pissed off up the plane to sleep leaving them to the sweets from the shop. 45 bored kids high on sugar for a night flight was not good

Would recommend downloading some films etc as back up in future.

To be fair I’ve flown most major carriers and don’t really rate any massively different to others. Would tend to avoid the US ones as found them generally worse.

Fly back from Mexico via ba
Flight out fine food not great tbh but entertainment fine touch screen TV games map etc
Was fine but do prefer virgin if I’m being honest (x3 to Florida previously)

But you’ll be that excited about Florida I sure the flights will be fine with BA