This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
The following trip report has been written live on my notebook so that I can be as accurate and objective about each element of the flight. I am a frequent flyer with Virgin Atlantic, but have been concerned that their service over the years has been slipping in many respects. Here is an accurate and objective report based on all aspects of the flight.
Check-in
Used on-line check in 24 hours prior to departure. A minor technical problem routed me to the US Virgin Atlantic Website and would not let me check in. A call to Flying Club Silver sorted the problem but was a bit disturbed that our pre-allocated seats (8 & 9A) were changed to 7 & 8A with no reason or offer of alternative. Anyway not much difference in these seats.
Arrival at LGW South Terminal
Usual crowds at LGW on a Sat Am. Arrived at 8:00, dropped bags at Upper Class check-in with no wait. Very polite security and check-in agent. Fast track stickers not available but hand wrote on boarding pass. Was through security with little wait, a short shop in the departure lounge, and into the Clubhouse by 8:30.
The Clubhouse
Usual amount of passengers for a Sat but seating was no problem. Air-con was too cold though. Very polite and attentive staff - quick service, and excellent breakfast and drink selection. Shoe shine guy - very good and nice touch! Became clear when time reached 11:00 that the flight was delayed, so a quick question to the front desk confirmed there was a delay. An announcement followed that the flight was delayed for 30mins with an apology.
Flight called at 11:15. Clear instructions as to which gate (Gate 36) and how to get there, but surprisingly no instruction about priority boarding. This announcement was noticeably missing from all the previous flights announced. Dont know if it was just today or have Virgin stopped telling passengers about this?
Walk to Gate
A little bit of a trek to the satellite gates since they ditched the monorail and the Clubhouse could warn passengers, particularly elderly / those requiring assistance that it is about a 10 min walk to the gates (as they do for remote gates at LHR Terminal 3). Usual mass of passengers waiting at Gate 36. Large sign indicating priority boarding for Upper Class, Premium and Flying Club Gold but no indication of where to go! Walked to left side of queue next to the sign and asked a member of staff who said youll have to go to the back of the queue. Not impressed with this at all (whats the point of a sign when it doesnt seem to mean anything at Gatwick!)
Boarding
Was first time out of Gatwick since all planes have been fitted with UCS. Was on G-VAST - so ex-LHR plane. Had a bit of a problem fitting bags in overhead locker as bins above 7 and 8 were already full. Cabin crew happy to move one bag to the cupboard but asked if I wouldnt mind not getting anything from it during the flight. Nice refit of the bar area - A zone cabin identical to LHR planes otherwise. All seats were taken, but 4 were definitely occupied by crew. Horrible looking economy and premium economy cabin in the B Zone on the way in though.
In-Flight
Offered glass of champagne or juice prior to take off accompanied by a whopping 4 cheese and onion crisps and no refill! No introduction from FSM. Pushed back 11:50. A little wait on taxi way but took off at 12:12. Apologies from cockpit about delay - incoming plane delayed. Smooth take off, climb and very quiet cabin (low engine noise and air-con).
In-Flight Entertainment
Unfortunately, everything degenerated after take off. Firstly - the Odysse IFE is not bad generally, but in October there was an awful selection of movies and tv programs. Most seats had Septembers guide (including mine!) and the crew had to announce to passengers to ignore this guide and find out whats on onscreen instead. I know it was the first but surely Virgin know that its the first after each month is over and can update their guides in time!
Toilets
Used the toilet after reached altitude to find a queue of premium economy passengers at both toilets. Did not know whether to go into the premium cabin and join the back of the queue or state to passengers that the toilet was in the Upper Class cabin. Mentioned it to the CSM on-board who told me that they allow the passengers in the B zone to use the Upper Class Toilets as its a long walk back for them. Result: long queues every time I had to use the facilities especially as economy passengers were also walking forward due to the queue in their cabin. Also, the toilets are looking very tatty and worn out, and were not cleaned regularly during the flight.
Freedom Menu
This is an exact description of the so called freedom menu onboard the flight:
LUNCH
Starters
Seasonal leaf salad with grvadlax, red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes and dill dressing
Cream of Asparagus, Gruyere and tarragon soup served with choice of warmed breads
Main Courses
Chicken breast wrapped in pancetta served with herb gnocchi, mixed leaves and provencal sauce
Grilled Steak served with dauphinoise potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables and horseradish sauce
Vegetable Lasagne topped with sun-blushed tomatoes and chives
Cheeses
A selection of cheeses
Dessert
Fruit of the forest tart with a pistachio tuille
Mango and Lime Ice Cream on its own or drizzled with summer berry sauce
AFTERNOON TEA
Sandwich selection of egg mayonnaise on oatmeal bread, poached salmon and watercress on malted granary bread and chicken and peppers on sun-dried tomato bread
Ginger scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam
Your choice from the cake stand - pistachio _clair, toffee symphony and apricot and almond pasty
Notice only one snack and snooze option - the soup and one light and healthy option the salad. No lighter bites selections at all any more. In general a much reduced amount of choice than previous flights.
Food Service
Order was taken over 45 mins into the flight. Staff were not overly friendly or welcoming but werent rude either. Food was served.
Soup was warm and average tasting. Unfortunately the steak meal was probably the worse I have ever had on a plane. The plate was just a bit bigger than a tea plate. The vegetables 2 pieces of carrot, half a floret of broccoli and a slice of courgette were not cooked, and were in fact cold. The dauphinoise potatoes were in a triangular wedge looked and tasted more like a kind of mass produced stodge. The steak was small, tough and tasteless. There was no horseradish as stated.
In fact I had one mouthful of each item on the plate and could not eat any more. I noticed that another passenger opposite me had the vegetarian lasagne, took one mouthful, looked distatefully and did not eat any more either!
There was only one bread service on this flight, unlike previous VS flights. The wine was served in an unprofessional manner - the server poured the wrong wine and then said whoops - do you want another glass mate. Water glass was filled only twice during the whole meal.
Left the meal and when it was cleared away - no comment was made by the crew as to why I had left almost all of it. So instead told them it was inedible. No apologies made.
Desert was described as a tart but resembled something more like a strawberry angel delight - a rough synthetic tasteless mousse. I thought a tart involved pastry somewhere. My companion had the mango and lime ice cream which was solid but at least the crew member warned him that it has just come out the freeze so mind your teeth and you might need a chisel to eat it. Not impressed. The ice cream was indeed rock solid, and tasted only of mango. Disgusting. Surely they can take the ice cream out while theyre serving the main courses.
No coffee or tea was offered - they tried to clear away the plates without offering and when I asked for a cappucino was felt like it was an imposition.
Cappucino was served with some horrible tasting chocolates in a box. The crew took at least 20 mins to clear away my table.
Crew
As mentioned above the FSM did not introduce himself personally to the Upper Class passengers or give out Carlos magazine - with only 14 on board this hardly takes time. In fact there were at least 3 crew working in upper class, but service was amateurish, not particularly friendly, and well below the standard expected for a premium product. The crew were observed eating crisps and other snacks in the cabin while serving and drinking out of a water bottle in the aisle!
One notable exception to this was ****** who was very professional, attentive, and helpful (I purchased a watch from retail therapy, and he got my bag down, to get my passport, and put it back without me leaving the chair!)
Laptop Power
I asked for a laptop cable and was told youll have to wait as I am serving cheese and biscuits to other passengers. When I finally got attention I was told its a bit of a rigmarole because the plane doesnt have a menu stating which cable the different laptops require (why not?) Fortunately I knew what cable my notebook required and this saved having to try each lead out for size! I think I would have given up if I didnt know what cable I required! Although with the diabolical choice on the IFE the games made it just about bareable for an hour or so.
Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea served with each passenger having their order taken individually, then being served before the next. The orders originally started from the front and then a second cabin crew member started to take then from the back. I was asked for my order from both and the second crew member found it surprising that someone else was taking the orders.
Scone was average, with really no reason to add in ginger. Clotted cream came in a pre-packed pot with a foil lid, unlike all previous flights. There was not must of the cream and it was very watery and looked and tasted cheap. The trays were being taken away when another crew member brought round the cakes that had been standing on the bar.
Shortly after the fruit that had been on the bar was brought round and then put away with the rest of the bar over an hour left of the flight.
Bar & Drinks Service
I was very amazed at the lack of drinks service on-board the flight. The bar, although looking lovely with its platinum panels had no water, juices and minimal snacks - only one small fruit bowl and a basket of mixed nuts. No crisps or chocolates were available. Service was slow and inattentive. There was a constant throng of people who were not in Upper Class (definitely were crew sat behind and allowed up at the bar) hanging around the bar and making a very loud noise indeed. The FSM was making the most noise gossiping to his colleagues. Luckily I did not want to sleep but my companion did and found this impossible even though we were seated at the front of the plane.
Further more several glasses of champagne were filled and drunk by crew in premium economy and economy.
About an hour before landing the seatbelt sign was switched on, it was on for about ten minutes with no announcement. Someone called the crew in the front galley and with no attempt to lower his voice one of the cabin crew said oh I didnt even realise it was on he then decided to check the cabin for seatbelts.
All in all check-in good, clubhouse great, boarding, crew and food bad. Dreading the return flight and need to find a new airline.
Edited - preiffer : removed name as per T's & C's
