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October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 12 Oct 2017, 15:45
by LWUK
Hi,

Late October will be my first experience of flying Upper Class to SFO.

Is the current menu the one already posted for September?

Apart from what is on the VA website, is there anything else I can expect in Upper Class? Excited is not the word :-D

Also, any idea's what the menu for Premium Economy will be for the middle of November (from MCO).

Thanks in advance.

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 12 Oct 2017, 16:47
by mdhayes
ah I remember this excitement very clearly, wanting to know everything in advance!

My best advice is: use drive through check in if its possible, don't go out your way too much to use it, I've heard of people getting an uber from the terminal to use it, its good but not that good.

get to the club house with plenty of time to enjoy it, eat 2 breakfasts, one never seems enough or maybe I'm a little piggy. Enjoy a red head and/or some fizz, the champers is nicer in the lounge than on board even after them switching from gardet. Drink plenty of water and coffee though, don't want to waste the UC experience passed out drunk.

You'll love the experience and I'm afraid PE afterwards will feel like a downgrade but still better than economy.

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 12 Oct 2017, 17:09
by woralla
Hi. The September Upper Class menu I posted here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=296149 is being served on the VS43 to Las Vegas today. The only change is the salmon is now Wasabi Roasted Salmon with a cucumber, feta and orange salad.

The crab cake is very good. Enjoy!

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 13 Oct 2017, 20:53
by LWUK
mdhayes wrote:ah I remember this excitement very clearly, wanting to know everything in advance!

My best advice is: use drive through check in if its possible, don't go out your way too much to use it, I've heard of people getting an uber from the terminal to use it, its good but not that good.

get to the club house with plenty of time to enjoy it, eat 2 breakfasts, one never seems enough or maybe I'm a little piggy. Enjoy a red head and/or some fizz, the champers is nicer in the lounge than on board even after them switching from gardet. Drink plenty of water and coffee though, don't want to waste the UC experience passed out drunk.

You'll love the experience and I'm afraid PE afterwards will feel like a downgrade but still better than economy.


I've noted all of your comment :D

2 breakfasts it is! I'm really looking forward to whole experience.

Does 'afternoon tea' still exist?

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 13 Oct 2017, 20:54
by LWUK
woralla wrote:Hi. The September Upper Class menu I posted here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=296149 is being served on the VS43 to Las Vegas today. The only change is the salmon is now Wasabi Roasted Salmon with a cucumber, feta and orange salad.

The crab cake is very good. Enjoy!


Thank you so much for confirming this for me.

Does the 'afternoon tea still exist'?

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 07:53
by gumshoe
The full afternoon tea is no longer brought round to everyone as the second meal service, but a scaled down version is still available as an option on the 'extra bites' menu.

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 08:28
by marshy11
It's always exciting doing something for the first time when it involves travel. Enjoy every minute.

If you are anything like me you will have read everything you can find. I don't know if you have looked at any Trip Reports but I've dug a couple out to get you in the mood!

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=294716&p=931060&hilit=SFO#p931060

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=294671&p=930852&hilit=SFO#p930852

Some things (like the afternoon tea) have been tweaked as gumshoe explained. Personally I love the "extra bites" menu.

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 10:17
by David
marshy11 wrote:
Some things (like the afternoon tea) have been tweaked as gumshoe explained. Personally I love the "extra bites" menu.


Totally agree. I think that’s been a great change !

David

Oh and you can still get your scone and cream :-)

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 10:43
by mitchja
Don't be afraid to ask for a lighter bite any time you like as well. You can either wait until it is served about 90 mins before arrival or just ask for something off the menu any time you want.

I quite enjoy eating a lighter bite whilst sat at the bar. It sometimes sets off a chain reaction though once other pax sat at the bar see and smell the food!!

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 23:22
by LWUK
gumshoe wrote:The full afternoon tea is no longer brought round to everyone as the second meal service, but a scaled down version is still available as an option on the 'extra bites' menu.


Thank you.

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 23:23
by LWUK
marshy11 wrote:It's always exciting doing something for the first time when it involves travel. Enjoy every minute.

If you are anything like me you will have read everything you can find. I don't know if you have looked at any Trip Reports but I've dug a couple out to get you in the mood!

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=294716&p=931060&hilit=SFO#p931060

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=294671&p=930852&hilit=SFO#p930852

Some things (like the afternoon tea) have been tweaked as gumshoe explained. Personally I love the "extra bites" menu.


Thank you for both of those trip reports. I enjoyed reading both.

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 23:26
by LWUK
mitchja wrote:Don't be afraid to ask for a lighter bite any time you like as well. You can either wait until it is served about 90 mins before arrival or just ask for something off the menu any time you want.

I quite enjoy eating a lighter bite whilst sat at the bar. It sometimes sets off a chain reaction though once other pax sat at the bar see and smell the food!!


I'm glad you mentioned this as this was going to be my next question.

Are you limited in what you can order, for example 1 item from the lighter bite menu?

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 23:34
by mitchja
LWUK wrote:Are you limited in what you can order, for example 1 item from the lighter bite menu?


No not really, you can in theory have what ever you want, when ever you want and how ever much you want, as long as they have some left!!

You can order a couple of lighter bites instead of a main meal for example, if nothing from the main menu takes your fancy.

I dont think I've ever seen anyone refused anything from the menu in Upper Class, unless of course it's run out (which does happen unfortunately).

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 18 Oct 2017, 16:06
by Phil.Durrant
Are lighter bites supposed to be available on all routes? Until last week, i have only ever flown UC on the London to Shanghia route, and they are always on the menu card

Flew back from Cancun last week and they were not being offered. Wasn't sure if they had been "enhanced away"

On a side note, the food on the flight home was horrible! The wife and i both went for the beef, green beans and potatoes option and it was one of the worst in flight meals i've ever had! We flew out in Economy and both commented to cabin crew that the food on the way out was much better! Suppose its all down to the local catering company for the return leg?

Shame its not always the same high standard as outbound legs from the UK. Back off to Shanghai on Sunday so looking forward to the light bite burger!

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 18 Oct 2017, 16:13
by cheesebag
My first Upper experience was to SFO on a good old 346... Unfortunately I took advantage of the clubhouse and slept most of the way there!!!

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 18 Oct 2017, 18:57
by SlimpyJones
Phil.Durrant wrote:Are lighter bites supposed to be available on all routes? Until last week, i have only ever flown UC on the London to Shanghia route, and they are always on the menu card

Flew back from Cancun last week and they were not being offered. Wasn't sure if they had been "enhanced away"

On a side note, the food on the flight home was horrible! The wife and i both went for the beef, green beans and potatoes option and it was one of the worst in flight meals i've ever had! We flew out in Economy and both commented to cabin crew that the food on the way out was much better! Suppose its all down to the local catering company for the return leg?

Shame its not always the same high standard as outbound legs from the UK. Back off to Shanghai on Sunday so looking forward to the light bite burger!


If my memory serves I've never usually seen the Light Bites option on an overnight flight - but then my experience is only limited to ATL and JFK, this may be different on west coast flights :)

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 18 Oct 2017, 19:27
by gumshoe
No, there's no Light Bites menu on inbound red-eye TATL flights. It's dinner and breakfast only (though there should be bar snacks available).

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 19 Oct 2017, 12:01
by Kraken
gumshoe wrote:No, there's no Light Bites menu on inbound red-eye TATL flights. It's dinner and breakfast only (though there should be bar snacks available).

On my inbound flight from MCO, the bar snacks were a fruit bowl & bowl full of small bags of crisps on the UC bar.

Given that the inbound TATL flights are invariably shorter due to the jet-stream, you won't go hungry as breakfast is offered under 4hrs (more like 3.5hrs) after you've had dinner.

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 23 Oct 2017, 07:54
by ColOrd
Rather than starting a new thread...

I'm flying UC to the West Coast (SFO) in 7 weeks (pinches self with the excitement) having done it two years ago there was the normal meal service, then the graze menu, then the afternoon tea.

How does it work now with the changes? My last UC flight to NYC, the Graze menu was far from proactively offered and we were asked to wait till the second meal service about 90 mins out of NY.

Re: October Upper Class & Premium Menu

PostPosted: 23 Oct 2017, 08:26
by SlimpyJones
Normal meal service is well... still pretty normal. Afternoon tea is now part of the Graze/Light bites menu. I've found that it is more proactively offered now, with quite a lot of people taking advantage on my recent ATL flight.