Have to say that Virgin Atlantic seemed to have lost the plot some years back regarding customer service. Mrs Seafire and I used to fly VS twice a year on holidays to the USA &/or SYD, always Upper or Premium.
I too was a Virgin fan, not just the airline, but their various other products too, including Virgin Money & ISAs etc. In fact I even got myself the Virgin Atlantic 'Black' Visa credit card, and paid the subscription fee, so I could double my accruing Flying Club Miles. What a con that was - within three months of getting my card they changed it to Amex! With Visa I'd spend perhaps £900-£1200 per month (I was a smoker then!), but due to the lack of Amex retailers, I was soon forced to split all my purchases between my VS-Amex and a non-VS Visa card. Upon complaining directly to Virgin I was told, "Amex offered us a better commission rate"?! After three years my VS Flying Club Miles total was simply derisory, and I had to "buy" a huge number of points just to get a flight. I then closed the account, pronto!
Meanwhile, back on the actual Virgin Atlantic front, things were getting worse. Their website never was much cop, but once during a stay in Vermont I went online to double-check our next day's flight BOS-LHR, only to find our pre-selected seats had vanished! No joy correcting that on the VS website, so I tried phoning the USA "Helpline"(?) and after ages going around their numerous phone-menu options, a recorded voice said, "...get to the airport early...." and then HUNG UP on me! Result? Miserable centre seats for the two of us from BOS back to LHR....!
Six years ago at MAN, on our way to MCO, our Premium check-in line was stationary for 30mins, whilst the Economy line alongside was speeding through. Upon querying this with a duty VS Pax Rep walking past, she said, "..some staff passengers have a check-in problem..."! Staff??! Ye Gods!
Amongst other things, to quote from my "final" letter of complaint to Virgin Atlantic, "...I wouldn't offer your so-called breakfast to a child, let alone to an adult paying for a Premium service..." . Sorry SRB, but considering VS is a long-haul airline, why should I tolerate your uncomfortable seating and inedible food? The reviews would appear to support me on this. Alas, adieu to Virgin Atlantic.
Try comparing the VS Premium Economy against BA's WTP product. For me, it's no contest and I've chosen NOT to fly VS for the past six years, and have happily found BA much more than adequate. You never know, we might even start looking at BA for flights within Europe too, instead of easyJet!
I realize this has been a bit of a rant, and it gives me little pleasure that what I'd once looked upon as a great home-based "2nd force" innovative airline, would now surprise me if still in business in a few years.