Economy on Varig (the Brazilian Star) - like hell it is!
Written: Nov 16 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: nothing really
Cons: leg Room, seats, comfort, food, staff, IFE, planes, serivice
The Bottom Line: bloody awfull airline - the worst and most uncomfortable seats i have ever had to try and sit and sleep in - AVOID
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| silwood's Full Review: Varig |
I will split this review into two parts. First the international flights from london to Sao Paolo (rtn) and then a series of internal flights ranging from 60 minuts to 2.5 hours.
Firstly i had read the reviews on this flight in here and had a pretty goog idea of what i was going to get!
International flights from london to SP in economy:
Check was with SAS at Terminal 3. Actually very efficient and quick. got the aisle seat that i wanted so no real complaints. The biggest problem was that they would not accept my BMI diamond card. even though the card as the Star Alliance logo blased across it they did not put the number into the system (i now have to go thru the hassle of getting these put on my account. THis was a standard practice on all flights i took with Varig, After the third flight i decided no to even bother and have resigned myself to having to claim the points retrospectively.
Inflight: Varig is way of the pace. OLD MD11 planes with overhead screens. you get one film on a 12 hour flight - yes its a night flight but they really are 10 years of the pace with thier inflight entertainment.
Food: ordered a vegetarian meal - i have never tried to eat anything so horrid in my life (well until my return journy). Some concoction of food that really was inedible. no snacks available through the night and no drinks left out either. cabin crew vanished after food was collected back in and were not seen until breakfast was served.
Seats and leg room. I am 6'3 tall and have travel a hell of alot this year on a varity of airlines (BA, Austrian, First Choice, AA and KLM) and have to say that this was the worst experience i have had. Narrow seats (just pray that you dont sit next to an overweight person), hard seats and with such a small amount of legroom that you were literally wedged within the seat. When the person in from on my reclined their seat i literally could not move. Even with an aisle seat it was impossible. The arm rest was bolted to the seat so you could not even attempt to get you leg into the open. Really this was the most uncomfortable flight i have ever had. They really need to sort this out. First Choice (A charter holiday air line was better for leg room now that is saying something)
Return flight: Check was god and quick, flight was not full so ailse seats were got again. Food was a bad as the outbound - actually probably worse if i am honest, some yellow mashed vegetable that was vile and a pressed soya burger (well i am assuming it was soya but it could have been chicken (i did not eat it). Seats were uncomfortable as before but this time i had a free seat next to me so made the most of the extra space - bliss!
Internal flights as follows (willl be reviewed as one section)
Sao Paolo - Natal (stopping in Salvador)
Recife - Vitoria (Via Rio)
Vitoria - Sao Paolo
Internal flights - check in was efficient with no real issues.
Planes were newer than the MD11's used to get to and from London but with similar leg room - ie none/
Inflight service was good - plenty of drink and a sandwich on each leg.
Staff were better than those on the international leg - and substantially younger and more enthusiastic. I think that Varig have taken the model used by AA on its london routes! That of take the most unhappy, unhelpfull and rudest crew you have and place them on the most prestigious routes that you have - keep the the youthfull, enthusiastic staff for the internal flights! Mad really!
Overall - the international is well below par - poor service but really the bigget reason not to fly this airline is the seating, comfort and space. it really is a diabolicale experience - go BA, KLM or TAM - do not fly Varig.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
silwood
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Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 0 members
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