Expectations Exceeded (Virgin Express)

Member Name: Pinotage

Product:	Virgin Express
Date:	10/03/01 (103 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to book, cheap fares, boarding card and free coffee

Disadvantages: None - apart from their hub is Brussels

Exceeding expectations Virgin Express is the best of the low price airlines. It is based in Brussels, Belgium and is a separate airline from the more famous Virgin Atlantic.

Booking is simple on a web-site whose clarity and speed is an example of how online booking should done. You can book only one way flights, so if you want, as I did, a return from Brussels to London then you book each leg as separate flights. Prices are clearly shown, and differ with less popular flights cheaper. On booking you are given a reference number, which you must quote when arriving at check in.

At check in you are asked for your seating preference and given a boarding card. This was a major bonus for me as I heartily dislike the 'free seating' operated by some other discount airlines which leads to frantic scrambles onto the plane to bag seats, with the resulting separation of slower parties.

The next highlight was the plane, which had comfortable leather seats that reminded me of the old 'all business class' British Midland.

But the real surprise was after take off when smartly uniformed keen young cabin staff distributed complimentary biscuits and hot drinks served in a good-sized mug. I really appreciated that drink and not having to scrabble for the appropriate coins to pay for it. I wondered if the female cabin crew appreciated the word Virgin embroidered in large letters across the back of their uniform blouse.

I flew four times between Brussels and London at the end of 2000, and was totally satisfied. They delivered more than I expected.

Summary: