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#237686 by jaguarpig
01 Sep 2005, 16:22
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
After avoiding Katrinas wraith, we headed for the airport, wow a B-52 bomber in the car park. Check-in was swift and pleasant and security a pain. You know machine goes bleep, take your shoes off, but they are leather moccasins with no sole or metal eyes. Back though without my shoes and the machine doesnt go bleep, does the man have a button to set the detector off if you dare to venture through security with slippers on.

First visit to the Delta crown room and was quite impressed pleasant space with serviced free bar, no food but I have been in a lot worse. Jersey Girl was already parked up, we watched as our plane arrived just after the BA 777, by the time we left there were 4 VS 747s on stand think its the most I have seen ex UK.

We were called 50minutes before departure time for pre-boarding thought we may as well give it a try. We went up to the desk and BPs were processed, told that flight was not boarding just yet but stand over there and wait. About a minute later the lady came over to us and said you can board now. We were the very first on and I could feel about 600 eyes on us as we walked down the jet bridge before the flight had even been called, now thats what I call priority boarding.

Settled into 7, 8 & 9k I managed to stow the 3 carry-ons in the 2 overheads we had. Served with champagne and had several top-ups. Food and drinks orders were taken as we were on the ground. Again a full cabin no crew this time.

We departed on time with an estimated 30 minutes early arrival. The seat belt lights went off very early and we were still in quite a steep climb, as I made my way back from the toilet I cannot recall ever walking up a plane at such a steep angle. Food was served very quickly We started with spring rolls mine were fine but mrs and juniors were stone cold and frozen. I had the herb crusted lamb fillet, the meat was fine but it looked terrible served with over powering oily parsnip strings. Mrs jag had the Thai green curry and sent it back as inedible; the chap across from me also sent the fillet back. The food was terrible and the service rushed and slap dash, all the crew seemed to want to do was throw the food out as fast as possible and switch off the lights. Great pity really because the cost of my meal must have been in the piece of excellent lamb. I would love to know the person who OKed this bizarre dish. It only needs frying in a little oil and butter and serving with nice rich gravy and a few steamed veg.

Mrs and I had a couple more drinks in the dark, getting served was not a problem and apart from the dinner service the crew were very good. I dont like the bar on the LGW aircraft its too small and in the middle of the cabin. I would be very self conscious sitting there especially at night, an additional pair of seats would be a better use of the space. I put my bed down and slept soundly for a good 5 hours. I woke to OJ and coffee then ordered the breakfast omelette, another coffee and bacon roll. Its about the only time I have really enjoyed breaky on a plane. We landed 20 minutes early and not a single holding loop, makes a change from LHR.

Not up to the standard of the outbound flight but everything other than the food was good. Both our VS gold cards are renewed for another year and we have 3 UC miles flights in the bank. Next lot of flights are with BA and AA in a mixture of First and Club (I know I said never again).After this round of flights we will also have 3 BA gold cards. I suppose it depends on the standard of the BA flights as to who gets the business next year.

I do tend to feel that VS have shot themselves in the foot with the visible penny pinching( menu reductions, no metal cutlery (weight reductions my a***)) and as Nick observed in his last LAX-LHR report, our flight also was not a goodnight service but it was operated like one and I dont like it one bit.
#310515 by AlanA
01 Sep 2005, 16:30
Oh dear JP, I was hoping that the problems with the food would be settled by now. It seems they have been, but at a lower level than before.
Its sad that it takes the shine off what was one of the best services around to MCO.
We are going in November and I will hold off booking our flights for next November to Boston untill these flights have been taken. :-(
#310516 by Scrooge
01 Sep 2005, 16:32
Thanks for both Tr's JP,Man I miss a good british breakfast,looking foward to having one this time next week [:D]
#310555 by n/a
01 Sep 2005, 19:47
Shame about the food, mate. Hope your next flights are better.

It would be really cool if someone could do a side-by-side comparison of a VS v BA flight, same day, same class, same route, same general departure time...just to see what they minute by minute comparison would be. I guess this would require two people coordinating their travel and that might be too involved (and expensive!) to pull off...

Cheers and happy flying!
#310559 by Edna Cloud
01 Sep 2005, 19:53
Thanks for both TRs. Good reading. It's a shame that the food didn't come up to scratch: you should be able to count on a decent meal for the cost of an Upper Class ticket.

Regards

Edna
#310565 by Richard28
01 Sep 2005, 20:22
Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
Shame about the food, mate. Hope your next flights are better.

It would be really cool if someone could do a side-by-side comparison of a VS v BA flight, same day, same class, same route, same general departure time...just to see what they minute by minute comparison would be. I guess this would require two people coordinating their travel and that might be too involved (and expensive!) to pull off...

Cheers and happy flying!


Very good idea - I'd be happy to volunteer to do a report, if someone else pays [;)][;)]

Thanks for the TR - hopefully a blip with the food service, there was another TR where the menu looked quite good.
#310574 by Nottingham Nick
01 Sep 2005, 21:12
Thanks for the reports, Chris. I enjoyed both of them, as usual. [y] Sorry to hear that the food service isn't consistent.

With regards to cost cutting. Unfortunately, the more I see of the devastation in Katrina's wake, and the US Government's completely inept response to it. I think that, at least in the short term, the whole face of transatlantic travel will change... and not for the better. [:(]

Nick
#310575 by Scrooge
01 Sep 2005, 21:16
well we will be going the LAX-LHR-LAX run leaving LAX on the 7th a couple of mins before VS 8 then returning on the 14th same time as 23..flying in BA WT+ so if any one is in VS PE on either of those flights lets do a side by side.

Ok enough of me polluting this thread..of to pollute others [:D]
#310580 by n/a
01 Sep 2005, 21:33
Very good idea - I'd be happy to volunteer to do a report, if someone else pays [;)][;)]



The check's in the mail [:D] I guess that scenario i described would be my favorite all-time TR...imagine if we included photos and everything! How fun...

[quote]

With regards to cost cutting. Unfortunately, the more I see of the devastation in Katrina's wake, and the US Government's completely inept response to it. I think that, at least in the short term, the whole face of transatlantic travel will change... and not for the better.

[quote]

Not exactly clear on the link between the devastation in NO and the quality of Transatlantic service...unless you just wanted to get in a dig at the US government (which is not exactly unwarranted, given what I'm seeing on the news). Did you mean the impact on oil availability and thus increase in fares and reduction in service?
#310593 by eurohill
01 Sep 2005, 23:42
What is interesting is that I flew 2 hours later out of MCO V16 and the same menu was a lot better. I even went found the girl that had cooked the food and had a long discussion with her on the standard. She was wasw so surprised that a passenage was interested in what she had done! So could it be a lack of training on how the new menu is prepared?
#310661 by JAT74L
02 Sep 2005, 18:30
Consistency, consistency, consistency.

Hello VS! Are you listening?

Regards

John
Virgin Atlantic

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