Virgin Atlantic - Reviews and experiences

I'm lugging my bag down the aisle, thinking I'm about to be smug because I actually picked an exit-row seat with no one in front — perfect for my knees. I’d booked it through KLM (friend sent me the deal, said “grab it!”), and the seat showed as A45 on the website — the roomy one by the door. Fast-forward to boarding and surprise, the exit row has magically moved and my “A45” is now a tiny corner seat by the loo with someone’s knee about three inches from mine. Fun start. The guy steward shrugged and said the plane had been changed since I booked. Two minutes later the manager — a woman — rolls up and basically tells me, flat out, either get off and rebook or call customer services. No warm-up, no “sorry,” just bluntness. Then she says she could, for £500, check if a better seat was available. Two minutes before takeoff. I felt like I’d walked into a bad improv scene where I was the villain on cue.
Anyway, I end up crammed in that corner seat, knees folded uncomfortably for six-plus hours (I have knee and leg issues, so this isn’t just whining — it genuinely hurt). The armrest cover had fallen off. So my elbow rested on exposed metal bits and a couple of screws — not great. I actually spent a good chunk of the flight tensing up against cold metal and worrying about blood circulation. After takeoff the male steward told me they’d try to find me a better seat and come back. No one did. At one point I asked for water to take my co-codamol and the steward handed me a tiny, half-full cup like I’d asked for a shot of H2O. When I asked for more, she looked annoyed. That little thing — water — felt like a test I didn’t pass. People were staring when the manager yelled that the plane wouldn’t take off unless I sat in the new A45; I’ll admit I felt embarrassed and a bit guilty even though I hadn’t done anything wrong. By the time we landed at Heathrow, my legs were cramped to the point of limpness and my elbow was swollen from resting on the metal. I get that planes change and mistakes happen, but the brusque attitude, the lack of follow-up, the broken seat bits and the whole “pay to maybe move” vibe made it all feel way worse. Won’t be flying Virgin Atlantic for economy again, especially not on a codeshare where I don’t even realize who’s operating my flight until it’s too late.