I recently flew back-to-back in economy class on Virgin Atlantic and North Atlantic. The mainline Virgin has more amenities, but the budget North offers better value. I recommend both, but be aware that North baggage fees can cost up to $300 per segment.
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As an aviation journalist, I spend a lot of time reviewing airlines, and while my job does give me the perks of flying business class on long-haul flights, I often sit in economy class.
I've traveled economy class on virtually every transatlantic airline, most recently on back-to-back flights between New York and London with Virgin Atlantic and North Atlantic Airways.
These are airlines at opposite ends of the spectrum: Virgin is a major airline that has been in business for 40 years, while Norwegian is an emerging low-cost airline trying to pull off a historically unsuccessful long-haul, low-cost strategy.
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While I think Virgin Airlines is the better choice in terms of convenience and amenities, I still recommend Norwegian for price-conscious travelers who don't mind giving up a few perks for a cheaper ticket, as long as you pay attention to their strict baggage rules.
Here's a comparison of my experiences:
