Postcard from New York City - Virgin Atlantic

Recession is obviously biting even the hitherto glamorous world of transatlantic air travel, with only one glass of wine per passenger the whole way. Must be because we were in economy, or because it was a dawn flight and not many people do an entire bottle of chardonay for breakfast. Instead of booze, passengers are kept pacified with the bewildering amount of entertainment available in the seat back. Not just the in flight magazine, airplane safety card and complimentary sick bag, but a mini multiplex showing films and telly programmes. Watched 'The King's Speech'. With all the hype I was a little worried that it would disappoint or at least not meet expectation. It's not as good as the hype, it's better. It's so good that it makes you want not to watch another film again that's not as good, as true, as moving or as well acted. Sitting in the middle of a crowded aircraft sobbing was probably not the best way to enjoy it but you just know that the BBC are already desperately bidding for the rights to broadcast it, scheduled for ten past three on Christmas Day if they have any imagination.

Sat belted into a seat watching movies, you become a sort of pleasure prisoner. Virgin recognise this and one of the annoying adverts that play before the movies is of a bloke sat in his seat remarking to the same sex travelling companion he refers to has his 'son' that he would very much like this sort of thing in his front room. The 'son' then goes on to extoll the virtues of Virgin media, explaining that he can get endless entertainment piped into his telly. The advert finishes before the 'dad' can correct the other fool and explain that what he really wants is to be brought endless booze and snacks by a camp steward and sod the movies.

However, there is a glimpse into a better life. One disembarks the aircraft from the very front, so you have to walk through the long and crowded corridors of economy, through the slightly less crowded premium economy until you come to the bar, and business class, and then it's forward still until you get to the first class section. Here there are not so much seats, but little pleasure pods where one can curl up in like a pampered pooch and, presumably, be brought endless glasses of champagne and swans blood while dining on cruel food. This, I think, is supposed to make you think 'next time I will upgrade'. However, having seen the upgrade prices and the cost of a first class ticket across the Atlantic, I would expect not a plastic cot but rather a four poster bed with it's own plasma telly, not so much a bar as a pub, and at least a ten minute go in the cockpit.

Surely a compromise might be reached. If the small seats in economy are the cheapest, is there not scope for further saving by simply sitting on a bar stool the whole trip?