BA business or Virgin UC to Maldives

[M3B]

I don’t know if I’m posting this in the right place. I’ve got BA business currently booked to the Maldives, but think I can get Virgin UC too. Any thoughts on which is better? I haven’t flown with Virgin yet, have just been accumulating points.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

I think VS normally use their older aircraft on the LHR-MLE route, so you’d be in what many on here refer to as the ‘coffin’ Upper Class seat! I don’t mind them (in fact we’re off to the Maldives in March with VS).

However, as you’re likely in BA’s Club Suite on your existing ticket maybe save the points for something else, unless you’re paying cash on BA and looking to use VS points instead, in which case the saving may trump relative seat comfort…

[memesweeper]

My view:

– Virgin points are harder to spend, so if you have a choice of both, I’d spend the Virgin points, retaining Avios for BA only routes
– Virgin crew in Upper are consistent great in my experience
– Virgin lounge in Heathrow trumps anything BA offer
– Need to make a change? have a query? Virgin answer the phone quickly, and have competent UK staff
– The old Virgin planes have a bar, I like that
– Virgin food on my last two Upper flights was as good as you could want, and BA clearly have an issue in this area right now
– last minute ticketing issue which only becomes apparent at the airport? Virgin check in staff can hotline the ticketing team, BA can’t, which can make the difference between flying or not

if it’s a dead heat on points/availability/timing I’d go Virgin every time, not a chance old seat versus club suit would swing it to BA for me

[Whatsthepoint]

Some good points made but, for me, many of them are unlikely to be a factor or aren’t important to me, e.g. changes, bar etc. Also every time we’ve used the Clubhouse, it’s been rammed and 5B lounge is fine and much quieter. The food and service on Virgin are, usually better, that’s true but Club Suite wins every time on an overnight flight for me. The coffin seat on Virgin is the worst business club seat I’ve been in.