The best business class seats on Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 787-9
By Chris C., April 24 2017
While Virgin Atlantic no longer flies to Australia, Aussies can still hop aboard the airline's flights to London Heathrow from Hong Kong, Shanghai, New York and more – in many cases, served by the modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with the latest generation of 'Upper Class' business class suites.
There's also an inflight bar and lounge area for Upper Class flyers, so whether your plans are to socialise or sleep, Australian Business Traveller scopes out the best business class seats.
Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 'Upper Class' business class: the basics
Virgin Atlantic places Upper Class at the front of its Boeing 787s, with 31 seats in a 1-1-1 layout:
Window seats are labelled 'A' and 'K', with the centre spots as 'G'. For instance, 2A is a window seat and 7G is in the middle.
Galleys are located at the front near the flight deck, with the bar at the rear and restrooms just behind.
Read: Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 Upper Class review, Hong Kong-London
Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 'Upper Class' business class: best seats
For solo travellers – the 'A' seats: While none of these seats are necessarily 'bad' for solo flyers given that all provide direct aisle access, those in the 'A' row are at an advantage whether for work or sleep, because only half as many travellers use this particular aisle as the other.
That's because passengers in the 'G' seats and the 'K' seats exit to the aisle on the right, while the aisle on the left is only utilised by travellers in the 'A' seats (below) – making for less foot traffic, and by extension, less chance of noise and disturbance.
When all of the 'A' seats are snapped up, a 'K' seat is our next-best choice.
For couples – consecutive seats of the same letter: It might be tempting to sit across the aisle from one another, such as one person in a 'G' seat and the other in a 'K' seat, but by choosing an adjacent pair of the same letter – such as 3A+4A, 6G+7G or 9K+10K – it's much easier to chat with your partner as you'll be seated closer together.
If this isn't possible on your flight, note that your fixed footrest can double as a 'companion seat' (complete with an extra seat belt), so one person can visit the other's seat for a chat or a meal.
For sleeping – seats 2A-8A: Over on this side of town you've already got an aisle that's quieter than the other, and by choosing a seat in rows 2-8, you'll be far enough away from galley noise and any chatter at the inflight bar to get some solid rest.
For privacy – aim further forward: With all passengers facing towards the aisles rather than away from them as you'd get on airlines like Cathay Pacific, the only way to improve your privacy here is to select a seat further forward in the cabin (with a lower row number) rather than that the rear.
That's because all of the Upper Class restrooms are at the back behind the inflight bar, so choosing a seat at the front usually means the only people passing by are crew members rather than other passengers. This is especially true of seat 1A.
Seats to reconsider: Because there's no curtain or wall between that inflight bar and the cabin proper, seats in rows 9 and 10 are less than ideal due to their proximity to this area, while seats in row 11 are quite literally next to the bar and are best avoided when trying to work or sleep:
Row 7 is also missing a window. It's hard to enjoy the view anyway as you have to twist around and look behind you, but on daytime flights where natural sunlight is desirable, aim for another row instead.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Aug 2015
Total posts 34
QF take note, 31 pax for 4 toilets on a 787-9 at least they have thought about it.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
If you view virginatlantics website there is a video showing premium economy (35pax) has use of at least 2 of those lavs. (1 on either side of the galley area). You can clearly see that a curtain separates the 2 side by side lavs. So there is really 2 lavs for the 31 business class. (Not all 4)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Dec 2016
Total posts 42
I don't want to sound small minded, however now that Virgin Atlantic has the 787-9, wonder if they will consider a direct flight to Australia?
03 May 2013
Total posts 680
Horrid carrier. Have to get up out of seat to convert into bed and food leaves a lot to be desired.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
11 Mar 2015
Total posts 190
if you feel like Dracule this is the right coffin shape for you-simply laughable
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
21 Jan 2016
Total posts 193
VA Business Class seats are the same as Air NZ Business Premier seats - the coffins. Out dated Horrible seats and configuration.
20 May 2015
Total posts 579
Virgin Atlantic will probably go for a newer configuration when they get the A350s. Probably reverse herringbone, or maybe Jamco's Dovetail staggered reverse herringbone (which allegedly is denser and simpler to maintain).
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 580
FYI VA is Virgin Australia and VS is Virgin Atlantic, but yes I've tried on ANZ for a tasman flight and didn't like it
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Sep 2012
Total posts 236
Like BA with their 2-4-2 Club World config, Virgin Atlantic pioneered this herringbone design. They were the first to use it. So, perhaps for sentimental reasons or even arrogance, they will only change the design if they have no choice.
30 Aug 2013
Total posts 437
Flew this 2 few weeks ago in 5A SEA-LHR. Seats arent great. Almost no storage and facing away from the window is just as irritating and non-sensical as it sounds. Companion dining can be done but the companion is required to sit with their legs in the aisle because there is not enough room for 2 sets of legs under the table which is going to irritate crew trying to get trolleys through.
Agree that sitting directly behind each other (i.e. 5A and 6A is better than 5A and 5G.
Note the bar is rarely used for overnight flights (i.e. US to UK) while I understand its very popular for daytime flights (i.e. UK to US). Its small, cramped and gimmicky. No issues with noise for overnight flight because no-one used it.
I don’t know why VS pursue this style of seat – other than being fully-flat and having direct aisle access it has very little going for it. The CX reverse herringbone blows it out of the water.
30 Aug 2013
Total posts 437
I should add, the rear J toilets are shared with PE and the curtain between J and PE was never closed the entire flight. As PE crew stay in the PE cabin I doubt any crew would notice PE pax using the J bar.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2431
Smit: It's possible to fit two sets of legs under the dining table - you just have to 'zig zag' them between each other, so it's more suited to couples than colleagues. :)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jul 2013
Total posts 203
No, no, no! Love the Virgin brand, hate the hard product! There's not much to enjoy about flying to your destination in the equivalent of a coffin, being in the A row all you can see is the long bland wall along the back of the centre row of seats, not to forget the joy of having your sleep interrupted every time someone bangs your feet when they stick up over the edge of the foot rest and working on your laptop means you almost always have to close the window shades to stop the light from the windows reflecting off your screen.
03 May 2013
Total posts 680
What is it with the Poms(BA &VS)....no idea how to set up or offer premium cabins??
09 Mar 2017
Total posts 7
I still remember these seats on CX's original Herringbone (Still in use at A340). The current ones are so much better but I think density is lower on reverse herringbone.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Aug 2014
Total posts 72
The worst J class coffin that I have ever flow in not to forget about the service nothing has changed for Virgin A......
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer - Chairmans Lounge
01 Sep 2011
Total posts 416
would never fly an airine with that seat config. hated it when CX had it. awful in my view.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Mar 2017
Total posts 2
These seats Look seriously cramped
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
27 Apr 2017
Total posts 5
I flew Virgin Atlantic SYD-HKG-LHR & Return July/Oct 2013. Then it was an A330 (I think), and the Upper Class seats were in this configuration. I'd never been overseas at the time, and was eager to watch the ground go by underneath me. I had one problem - I couldn't see out the window. You have to do gymnastics just to see what's happening. On most other airlines, the seats convert to beds by sliding forward. Not on this plane - the seats actually flipped so that you were sleeping on the outer shell of the seat - so very uncomfortable, especially when you only get a very thin so-called mattress between you and the hard casing. The only plus to this trip is the lounge access in all 3 cities, and the Revivals Lounge when arriving @ LHR. I would never fly this airline again so long as they keep using this configuration of seating.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
27 Apr 2017
Total posts 5
smit0847, the bar on the overnight flights certainly does get used. I was very close to it on both the HKG- LHR - HKG flights and was very much disturbed by the passengers @ the bar.
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