However we enjoyed ourselves immensely as we grouped and regrouped to celebrate the birthday. It helped of course that one of our flock, checking in after midnight was upgraded to a suite with a lounge area which he declared was larger than his apartment in DC. This gave us a focal point to meet, plan and also have drinkies! 
Well it would have been a shame to waste all that space! 
Once everyone had departed to their respective abodes, I decamped to San Diego - a place I had not visited before - courtesy of Southwest airlines and had a thumping good time.
The weather was blissful after the intense heat of Las Vegas and I revelled in it and to add to my enjoyment I was thoroughly spoilt by the brother of a V-Flyer and his partner. I had not met them before but they made me feel that I had known them all their lives as they wined me and dined me and took me to all the best places! Mind you knowing the V-Flyer side of the family, I’m not a bit surprised as their hospitality is legendary! 
All too soon it was time to head for home and I had a quick flight back to LAS, courtesy once more of Southwest Airlines. It was a bog standard flight; in other words, it took off, I had a G&T and it landed.
The only thing of note was that it was oversold and they were looking for volunteers. $300 plus extras were mentioned and knowing that the next flight to LAS landed at 6.30pm - just under three hours before the BA flight was due to take off - I was sorely tempted. However, reminding myself of my track record I passed and the travel gods went into a major sulk because they were unable to wreak their havoc on me! 
Arriving in LAS, I collected my bags (note the plural. Serious shopping had been in done in Vegas safe in the knowledge of Southwest’s two free bags policy) and followed the signs to T3. At one point it became unclear as to where I should go but a kindly person showed me the way and told me I needed to take a bus. Within minutes I was in a hot, smelly area which seemed to be part pick-up area, part parking lot and God knows what else. It was hot - 108F and I wilted in the heat. I didn’t have too long to wait before a transfer bus appeared but, in the name of all that is holy, what kind of an airport provides an inter-terminal bus with a narrow door and three steep steps leading into the passenger area!
The only way I could get my stuff on board was to manhandle it as best I could in three trips while the driver looked on impassively. 
I considered giving him an “accidental” swipe around the head with my carry-on but figured I needed to get to the terminal more than I needed to get my revenge on him and so I desisted. I suppose the airport authorities would have preferred it I had taken an over-priced taxi! Of course this meant that when we arrived at the terminal, I had to do the reverse procedure and as the driver was grunting and snarling at me and revving the engine ready for the off, I resorted to tossing my bags off the bus, hoping that nothing would break (Nothing did). A really horrible experience and a letter has gone off to the airport authorities about it. 
Anyway, to continue - I managed to schlep my bags over to the BA check-in area where a crowd had already gathered ready for check-in to open. I was barely there five minutes when it did and there was a stampede over to the desks, everyone eager to be first in line. I strolled over to the line for First but quite honestly, it was not clearly marked. However the desk was and the check-in agent there took one look at me and then called over a couple from the Club World line. Now before you all gasp in horror, I must say that while I was a tiny bit miffed, they were elderly (and I can’t remember if the missus was in a wheelchair at that stage. They both boarded in wheelchairs) and in any case I wasn’t 100% sure that I was actually in a check-in line.
However shortly after, a lady in one of the CW desks called me over. Now, at this stage I should mention that when doing OLCI I had never been able to check in for either of the EI legs on this trip. I had when going to both Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires but for some reason it just didn’t work this time. However it was not a problem at check-in in Cork as my bags were tagged all the way through and both boarding cards issued. On this occasion however, the lady said she could only check my bags through to LHR. 
I protested saying that my onward flight was a codeshare and that in the past it had been possible citing the aforementioned trips. She tried to insist that it was not possible but I stood my ground and so she elicited some help from another agent who talked her through the process. Once she got the hang of it, she managed to check me through but then I saw my boarding pass for the EI leg. I was in 29C which happens to be the default seat when checking in at the airport without a seat selection. Now, if check-in at Cork can ask someone who has an on-going flight in First whether they want an aisle or a window seat, then surely the reverse could happen in LAS. I told her I didn’t want that particular seat. Apart from anything else, it was at the back of the bus and after three flights in less than twenty-four hours, I didn’t want to spend ages trying to get off the aircraft and in any case, the transfer bin is the last one to be loaded at LHR and so the first one opened in Cork. I wanted a quick getaway. I asked if 3A was available and the next thing was that she presented me with 1A. Now there are two reasons why I won’t sit in row 1 and especially that side of the cabin. The first is that it is classed as an exit row and therefore all belongings are stowed in the overhead bins for take-off and landing but because the bins over that row have equipment in them, one’s belongings are placed a bit behind you making access to them difficult on landing. The second is because a couple of years ago, a local radio presenter who took the high moral ground on everything but especially against the agency I worked for (and he never let the truth get in the way of a good story) did something very rude and unmentionable in seat 1B on a flight from LHR 
and I couldn’t bear the thought of being next to that seat! At this stage, I’m sure the poor girl thought I was being a mardy cow (and I probably was) but eventually she managed to get 2A for me. I’m sure she was glad to see the back of me. From there it was off to the lounge which in LAS is called the Club - very appropriate because it does fall short of a Clubhouse (geddit?).
Actually, it wasn’t too bad and certainly better than some US lounges I have been in. It was certainly bright and cheery and minus that dark timber panelling that the US legacy airlines use in the belief it looks “classy” whereas it always looks gloomy! I was warmly welcomed. Just off the entrance was the bar and dining area. I can’t remember if there were small tables and chairs in this area but the room was dominated by a large and long dining bar. There was a small self-service area with two different kinds of soups, one of which was a very delicious potato, leek and bacon soup, different kinds of paninis and sandwiches, biscuits and crisps - loads and loads of crisps dotted in various receptacles around the lounge. Further on and separated by a large window was the seating area with a variety of seating to include tables and chairs, sofas and comfortable armchairs. There were two televisions, one providing news on one of the channels such as NBC or something similar and the other showing local news. I had some soup, which, as I said was delicious and then found a corner in the seating area to set up camp after obtaining a G&T from the bar. At this late stage, I can’t remember if it was Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire. I rather think the former but can’t be sure. The bar was small but reasonably well stocked but I’m sure that it was not equipped to deliver the more exotic cocktails! When I arrived the lounge was quiet but from time to time it filled up considerably with both families and businessmen travelling on airlines such as Spirit and Virgin America. The staff worked hard clearing the place and were kind enough to bring refills to me and a couple of other passengers. Incidentally the elderly couple at check-in were also in the lounge.I had been told that the flight would depart from gate E3 and the lounge was opposite gate E2. At one stage I went to the door to peek out and see what was happening at E3 whereupon the receptionist told me that the flight was now departing from E2 and it was delayed by 20 minutes. I thanked her and went back to the lounge only to find the elderly couple beginning to gather their things to move to the gate. I told them of the new information and suggested that they sit back and relax for a bit longer. They really were rather sweet. Eventually a couple of wheelchairs arrived for them which signalled a time for us to leave and sure enough, the flight departure was announced. I left the lounge at the same time as a man I had seen at check-in and he headed purposefully towards E3 and so I called him back and told him of the gate change. He was grateful as he thought that the empty gate area there meant that we were going to be the last to board. As I saw him in First, no doubt he was thinking about his glass of champagne.
They hadn’t actually started boarding and so we hung around for a bit while they boarded the elderly couple and a couple of families with kids (who on earth brings children to Las Vegas? I was astounded by the number of young kids being dragged up and down the Strip and Fremont Street late at night!) and then invited First as well as BAEC Gold members to board. I happened to be the first from First to board and I headed down the jetway. I passed an airport staff member lounging against the wall and I realised that she was beside a passageway. I backtracked and asked if that was the jetway for First and was told it was, and so I headed down to be greeted by a very friendly cabin crew who led me to my seat in 2A. She was followed immediately by her colleague with a glass of champagne and subsequently with a sleep suit, ear plugs and slippers (ooh we didn’t get those on the outbound!) They were both lovely and friendly and could easily have passed for VS cabin crew. A second glass of champagne was offered and accepted and while we were still on the ground, drinks orders were taken. During the boarding process a Danish couple arrived into the cabin and ooohed and aaahed, saying this was much nicer than the cabin they had flown out in. From my perspective it was no different than the one I had flown out in but shortly afterwards the cabin crew who was looking after me, when delivering my second champagne commented that this was a nice cabin, wasn’t it. I commented that it seemed to be the same as the one I had travelled out in. She commented that I must have been lucky, saying, “We’re always pleased when we see this cabin”. Obviously I had struck gold cabin-wise as the suites looked very similar to the ones shown on the BBC2 programme on the A380. Speaking of the BBC2 programme, remember the cabin crew wannabe who got booted off on her fourth snapshot because she hadn’t retouched her make-up? The one thing that struck me about this particular crew was that her lipstick was always fresh! I found that I was totally mesmerised by it!
Sorry, back to the TR. Shortly after that the doors were closed and I found that the load in First was very light. Apart from my good self and the Danish couple, there was the aforementioned gentleman who I redirected on leaving the lounge and a couple of American guys who were heading for Edinburgh. I had been wondering who had been in 1A and K as they had been greyed out on the seat map but in fact they remained empty. And there was I expecting someone like Howard Long or Richard Mannion to be in situ! Once airborne we were given what were supposed to be hot towels but, like the parson’s egg, they were good in parts! However the crew redeemed themselves by coming out almost immediately with the drinks round accompanied by warm nuts. Of course I had a T10&T but again, with lemon and not lime and a second one was offered and accepted after dinner orders were taken. For dinner there was an amuse bouche of, I think smoked salmon followed by a tasty soup. I had chosen steak for the main course and when the wine was offered I nabbed an Argentinian malbec with fond memories of my travels of 18 months ago in spite of the fact that the crew member was pushing a French wine. The malbec was gorgeous but the steak was a disaster!
It was overcooked and dry and completely tasteless. I struggled with it as I hate waste but it was totally inedible. In fairness the cabin crew offered to get me something else but there was nothing on the menu that I really wanted. I decided therefore to have dessert and chose an almond brittle thingy but the cabin crew told me that the desserts on the menu had not been loaded and all that was available was chocolate mousse. I passed on that and reflected that I had never turned away a meal on VS. However I had the malbec to finish as I watched a couple of TV shows on the IFE. At one point, seeing that my glass was empty, the second cabin crew offered me a top-up! Well, not wanting to offend the dear girl, I accepted and she filled the glass halfway. She then felt it looked a bit skimpy and added some more. That obviously didn’t please her so she filled the glass and handed it to me …….……. just as the plane hit a patch of severe turbulence!
The wine went everywhere! All over my sleepsuit (wasn’t I glad I had changed shortly after boarding!!), over the blanket I was semi-snuggling under, over the suite (but fortunately not over my iPad or any other of my electronics or my handbag) and all over the pristine sides of the suite! In fairness, she wiped up as much as she could, fetched me a fresh sleepsuit and made up a bed for me in 1A so I got to sit in the hallowed seat! At that point I decided there was not much point in remaining in 2A so I decamped to my newly made-up bed and settled down for the night. I’d like to say I slept soundly but the truth is, I didn’t! Why not? Well I put most of it down to the fact that I had forgotten to put on the eye mask and, as Mrs Denmark had the light on for the night, the light disturbed me. I suppose I dozed or snoozed - one or the other! Somewhere to the west of Iceland I gave up the ghost and decided to change back from the sleep suit. The loo was as fresh and as clean as the moment we boarded - although let’s face it, with only six passengers it would be unlikely to be otherwise, especially as the passengers on the other side of the curtain knew their place! Once I was back in my original seat the cabin crew came to me to ask if I would like something. Remember my remark about her lipstick? At this stage it was glowing like Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer’s proboscis!
Resisting the urge to get out my sunglasses, I asked for and received a very nice cup of coffee which really hit the spot! I used my iPad, watched a couple of TV programmes and then put on the map for the rest of the journey. At this stage I should mention that at home from time to time, when I have looked on PlaneFinder at a flight heading east, it has been the LAS-LHR flight and so I was anxious to see if indeed we were flying over my town. The portents looked good and so I braced myself to see if I could identify my house! In the meantime, the rest of the cabin began to stir and breakfast orders were taken. I asked for the full English, minus the sausage (after eating a half raw one on a flight from AMS and getting very sick afterwards 
) and very tasty it was too - but then I was hungry after the poor meal earlier on. All the time I was tracking the flight and it looked like it was going to be flying to the north of the town and so I asked if I could decamp to 1K. Inevitably it led to a conversation with the cabin crew (her lips glowing like a beacon) that her gran had come from Cork and she would love to take her mum back there. (Well then, why don’t you? It’s not a million miles away; fares are reasonably cheap and in any case you have staff travel 
) Of course, there wasn’t a problem in my going over to 1K but at the last moment the pilot changed direction and took a more northerly direction making landfall over Shannon - spoilsport! However the reality was that it would not have been that easy to have seen anything as the windows were not recessed but flush with the wall because of the electronic blinds. Ah, well!OK, just before we land I want to draw your attention to something. If you read my outbound TR you would be well aware of the role the CSM took on that flight. Notice anything about this flight? Yup! The CSM was nowhere to be seen. For the entire flight we saw only the two cabin crew assigned to First and that was that. I suspect that on the outbound we had the World Wide crew and on the inbound the Mixed Fleet, but let me not hear anyone saying that the virtue of BA is consistency.
In the fullness of time we landed in LHR and seemed to taxi forever to the extent that I feared we were going to park on a remote stand. However we finally fetched up at a gate at the far end of the pier and, once the seat belt signs were off, we waited and waited and waited! We could see the jetbridge trying to manoeuvre its way to door L1 but it seemed to be in difficulties. The captain came on to say they were having a problem in attaching itself to the plane but the reality was it was having a problem reaching the plane. So we waited and waited and waited! And waited and waited and waited! And waited and waited and waited! The captain’s first announcement had been some 20 minutes after landing and after another twenty minutes he announced that they were bringing steps to the aircraft. I asked the crew if we would be bussed to the terminal, but no, it was to be shank’s mare! Eventually nearly an hour after landing the steps were brought to door L2 and we were allowed off and of course this meant that First disembarked after World Traveller Plus! Such ignominy!! How would I survive!!
OK, I joke, but it was really no joke for that dear elderly couple from the lounge who, as I was going down the stairs were really struggling. I asked if I could help but they insisted they were OK but the reality was, they weren’t. Of course, going down to ground level meant that once one was inside the jetbridge area you had to go up to the level where the jetbridge meets the plane door, so cue more stairs. Then, because we had arrived at a gate at the end of the pier we had to walk along a corridor where the sun was blazing down in the middle of a heatwave! Finally we reached the main areas and took the train to Baggage Reclaim and Flight Connections. Because of the delay we ended up in that area with a plane-load of Chinese schoolchildren who really were not interested, or even aware of the needs of other passengers to get to where they needed to be. They blocked everything; escalators, walkways corridors, entrances and exits to the trains! It was a relief to get away from them and head to Flight Connections.
Now, if you read my original TR of my outbound flight, you will know I was well aware that I had to return to T2 so this journey was very familiar to me. I arrived once more in T2 and got to the point where passengers peeled off to the left for Border Control and to the right for Flight Connections. This time I looked up (and there were no LHR staff to thwart me) Above my head was a sign for Flight Connections within T2 and also for T1 leading straight ahead. At the end of the corridor were signs pointing to the right for T1 and the left for T2. There was a security point where my boarding pass was scanned and my photo taken (later to be checked at the gate of my EI flight) and then we were in T2 itself where, just inside the entrance were airline desks including one for Aer Lingus!! This is where I should have been some ten days earlier!
After that it was plain sailing - or rather, plane flying. The flight left on time, I had a G&T and a sandwich, we landed, my bags came out in the first bin, my friends were there to greet me and 45 minutes later I was home.
So how did this flight rate?
The aircraft and suites were fine. I suspect it was the same aircraft I had on my outbound flight.
The cabin crew were friendly and chatty - more like a VS crew than what I have come to expect from BA. There was no sign of the CSM on this one in stark contrast to the outbound flight
The meal service from the crew was good but the main course was inedible! Even the worst meal I have had on VS was never as bad as that.
The landing problem was a complete debacle but then that is not the fault of the crew but of the airport and I’ve had to use remote stands with VS.
My overall impression of my BA flights. I really, really wanted to be blown away by them but I wasn’t. And I’m disappointed by that. I really did like the suites once I’d got used to not being against the window and the overall appearance of the cabin was excellent although, because of the seating in the middle of the cabin, it was less spacious that the VS 747s in Zone A. There was a marked difference in the two crews; the outbound were more formal, very professional and perhaps a bit staid; the inbound crew were friendlier, but their inexperience came through from time to time. As for the CSM - well where was she on the return leg?!
I suppose the crucial question is, would I fly BA again? Yes I would (but not in CW if I could help it) if the price was right but if I could I would still choose VS. However, having lost my Au status and am now a lowly Red, it has given me the freedom to try other airlines when the need arises - so watch this space.
although I have to join the " I spilt my wine" does not qualify as the HL holiday disaster we have come to expect" group. 
