Flying with Virgin - any advice welcome please

[notquitesobigfatmummy]

Hi

We're off on our hols soon and flying to Florida with Virgin.

We're taking our 2 DC - one aged 4.5 and one aged 3. It's the first time we've flown with the children and was wondering if anyone had any idea on what would be provided by Virgin, ie, drinks, snacks, goody bags etc for the children. I'm not too sure what we actually need to take on the plane for them - other than loads of "bits and pieces" to try to keep them entertained...

Also, any general tips welcome - am getting quite nervous about such a long, first time flight with them!

Thank you.

i went with virgin a few years ago and was childless and i was jealous of the kiddie bags they got was excited about the onboard game boy and choice of about 50 films

i watched flash dance

as adults we got freed rinks crisps meals alchol socks toothpaste showergel eyepatches earphones

I can't make any recommendations for entertaining children, but if you're flying economy you should wear flight socks (DVT stockings). They have the worst seat pitch I've ever seen.

Expect them to forget the backpack for the children too - recently we flew Oz - UK via Hong Kong and only got the bag on one out of 4 flights.

Absolutely pack extra food. Don't stress about the flight though, my DD (4) was entertained for hours by the movies on demand. In fact, it was the most relaxing 30+ hours I'd spent - they kept feeding me and DD could watch movies back to back without me feeling guilty.

Have a good trip

They get a little backpack, which contains a reading book, and some trinkets.

There is a personal TV with plenty of movies, TV shows and games.

First off ensure that the childrens' passports are up to date and in order. They each need their own passport. You likely know this already but it should be mentioned.

When you are at check in you will be given some forms to complete - there will be one white form (this is the customs form) and some green forms (these are the visa waiver forms required for entering the USA). You will need to complete a form for EVERY member of your party. All adults will be fingerprinted and photographed on entry.

A portion of each form will be stapled into each passport; this is important as this is the departure record. This will be removed by the check in staff upon departing the US - ensure they do this!!. You do not want to get back to the UK with this inside the passport!!.

Anyway getting back to Virgin...

Read their check in procedure carefully on their website beforehand and ensure you are fully conversant with it - it may be that you can check in online. That will save some time.

They're okayish with children, it does very much depend on the attitude of the crew themselves. Your children should be given a giftpack of some sort after boarding the aircraft. Don't just rely on that alone though to entertain them; take their own things. They are more likely than not to be using their entertainment system; the only problem you may encounter is that they have to reset it as it can break down. This can take some time to reset.

I would absolutely not rely on them to provide fully re the food - bring your own foodstuffs for them (and for you also as Virgin's airline meals can be pretty well awful). Have also seen Virgin cock up re the childrens meals (some children missed out as they had not ordered enough). If you have any food (particularly fruit) left over leave it on the plane.

If you require more water or orange juice you will need to go to their galley area to get some. Virgin only do one "water run" during the entire flight!!.

OOOh virgins don't go all the way.........

Thanks everyone, that's just the sort of info we were after.

Did you or do you check in on line? We were really wanting bulkhead seats (hoping for a little extra room with the kids) but were told we can't pre-book these but only book them at check in. What do you find best and is there any chance that as a family of four they could split us up??

Our son didn't get his backpack, we were told onboard that we should have asked in the airport. Not sure at which point they meant, so I'd ask at each and every check-in if I were you!

Oh, and we didn't get a child's meal for him either - we were told they had to be requested. Hello!?!?! It was a child's ticket FGS!

Hi Notquite,

Re your comments:-
"Did you or do you check in on line? We were really wanting bulkhead seats (hoping for a little extra room with the kids) but were told we can't pre-book these but only book them at check in. What do you find best and is there any chance that as a family of four they could split us up??"

Yes, we checked in online. Would suggest you do this as well around a day or so before your flight departs, you can choose your seating as well.

Their planes generally have a 3-4-3 arrangment in economy class. Do check VA's website though beforehand so that you are fully conversant with it all when time does come to check in online.

Bulkhead seats are normally reserved for families with babies; I see your children are beyond this age. You may therefore not get bulkhead seats. BTW their bulkhead seats do not seemingly have much more room than their other economy seats have.

If you do make any special meal requests with Virgin these must be made at least THREE days prior to travel.

I almost had an episode of air rage on a Virgin flight re.kid's food.
Be warned.

Re. online check-in....it doesn't always work as they can change aircraft at the last minute and this screws up everyone's checkin options. This can happen on any airline to be fair...

If you're flying into Orlando, getting through security when you land can take 2 hours (or at least it did when I last went 18 months ago, maybe soemeone else can update?) as you collect your baggage then have to check it back in for yet another security scan . Be prepared...

we went to florida at easter with DC's aged 3 and just under two.

Checked in on line before we left so could pick our seats took 20mins to check in our bags at the airport, they have a seperate check in desk.

The inflight entertainment was brill the dc's loved playing the games and watching the films. I did take colouring, sticking and books to keep them amused too. The food was great foe the kids as a meal but i would take some snacks too but they can have as much juice/ water as they want. They also get a backpack with stuff in on the outbound and inbound flight.

It didn't take that long to get our bags at the other end but the queue to pick up the rental car was a bit slow but the dc's could run around in that area as there was no one else around.

Virgin are the best to fly with with kids and there will be loads more kids on teh flight too that they can play with.
DH will now only fly with virgin since we have had the kids

You only get the goodie bag on the way out so need your own entertainment for the way home

Just want to repeat the "take food with you" advice that's already been given. I've only flown Virgin once but on the flight they ran out of choice of inflight meals so you could only have pasta, accompanied by pasta salad. Not a catastrophe, I know but well worth packing some food just in case.

NQSBFM - are you flying into Orlando? If so you'll be lucky to get the bulkhead seats (in saying that someone will get them) as the whole plane will be families with kids going to Disney.
I would rather go for the sets of two seats right at the back where the plane narrows so the config is 2-4-2 (think it starts at row 63). You sit with 1dc and then your DH and the other child sit in front or behind you but means you'll get served your meals and drinks first (one cart starts at the very back of the plane) and you've got a window and aisle seat so best of both worlds.

Definitely pack food for your kids but I would buy it at the terminal like someone else suggested as there are still tight retraints in place at security.

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY!

We flew to and from Boston with Virgin this summer. It all went flawlessly.

We did online check-in, and printed out our boarding passes at home. All we had to do at the airport was then drop our bags. If you don't do online check-in, then you still have to check in yourself using their kiosks, and then go to bag drop.

When we booked the flights, we were able to select seats and choose special meals - the meal requests have to be made 3 or more days in advance. For flights to the US, you have to inform the US government, via the Virgin website, of your first night's accommodation in the US. If you don't have a booking for somewhere, you need to make one.

We found the meals were OKish. The children's meals all arrived automatically. TBH, we weren't hungry at all, because with the 3 hour check-in at the airport these days, we just had a leisurely meal in the airport to kill the time. None of us were ready for another one a couple of hours later.

The seat-back on-demand movies kept all five of our children occupied for the whole flight each way (even the overnight one) - yougest child aged 5. I've never been on such peaceful flights.

Great advice everyone, thank you so much. I'll definately take snacks with us by the sounds of things and also nag a bit about the childrens meals and also their backpacks.

I think we'll book on line asap then, - yet another question then, any tips on where best to sit on the plane? We were looking at the seating plan and were wondering about right at the back (near the loos) but also seem to remember there is some "extra" space near the doors which may be handy for streching legs etc. Any thoughts...?