This is a Trip Report from the Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Preamble
This was a very sad day, as it was the last one for the groundcrew that work for VS - from 4th October, all the ground services have been outsourced [:(]. SFO's pretty much my favourite airport, so it was quite poignant to be losing my favourite staff who have become friends. Note that there are a couple of names mentioned in this TR - I felt it safe to include them as they no longer work for VS [:(]
Check-in
After getting the 1200hrs Evans shuttle down from Napa, I arrived at check-in ~1330hrs to see barely a queue at the UC desks. Was screened by the security chap (not Alan - haven't seen him for ages [:(]) who asked if I was connecting to any flights in London - strange sorta question, never been asked that before. Still, was swiftly through that, and up to the next available UC desk. Karen checked me in - the flight was pretty full, so I asked if there'd be any offloads - probably not she said, they were expecting ~10 no-shows and after that they'd be just about spot on. We had a chat about the doom of the day, and I expressed just how much I thought the decision sucked - I wished her & indeed, all the VS groundcrew the very best.
Clubhouse
After nipping outside for a smoke, I trod the well-trodden path to the lifts and the serenity of the Clubhouse. There was the delightful Claire to greet me with a big hug and a smile. As a small thank you, I'd bought some chocs for the staff, and a bottle of chocolate port sauce for Claire - all from Annette's Chocolates in Napa and gave them to Claire to distribute.
Funnily enough, I was guided straight to the bar, where the Blue Lagoon's started flowing - man, do they know how to mix them in the CH, they were to die for! I sat & perused the menu, which was different to my last visit in April - the Peach Cobbler was gone [:0] Apparently the menu had only just been changed, and I can't remember a lot of what was on it. The only thing that I really liked the look of as a main course was the 'Flying Club Sandwich', but since I'd been overdosing on Club Sandwiches recently, I fancied something a bit different. Luckily, there was a special on - Steak with Blue Cheese Mash - so I had that, and it was delicious. I'd been really disappointed at the loss of the Peach Cobbler, and I wasn't enthralled at the dessert choices because of this - I mean, how could anything replace it? Anyway, I tried the Chocolate Bread Pudding with a wine sauce, which was served with vanilla ice cream. OMG, it was absolutely perfect, a real worthy successor to the Cobbler [y][y]
I'd kept looking out of the CH window for our plane's arrival, but it must've been running late, but eventually when I was out for a smoke, I'd noticed G-VFAB (Birthday Girl/Lady Penelope) with her V:Port had at last arrived:
G-VFAB on stand
The blue drinks kept on coming, and I got my laptop out to catch up on some bits (and naturally, make the obligatory post in the V-F CH [:D]). Hamishbrown stopped by to say hello - unfortunately I didn't get a chance to chat with him too much, since I was trying to snag an exit row seat (successfully [:D]) and say goodbye to everyone. I did get introduced to the CH & Concierge Manager (Beau's replacement) who, I have to say, is very well primed for the throng descending on the CH on 12th November [:D]
All too soon, it was time to sign the guestbook, say goodbyes and head out for a last cigarette before boarding [:(] One can only hope that the outsourced staff have an idea of what sort of service level they have to live up to.
Blue drink count = 8 [;)]
The Flight
I went through security, and of course, there was the usual request for my non-profile shoes to be removed. For once, I really didn't have the energy or the motivation for a battle & compulsory secondary screening, but I will say that the screeners on duty actually smiled and had a sense of humour - that has to be a first for SFO [:0][y][y] Went down to the usual gate (A8) - once again there were officers by the US:VISIT machine, but no-one approached, or said anything, so I still have no idea whether you're supposed to use it or not. Anyhow, went downstairs and used the priority boarding channel - excellent as always - getting my BP changed for my new exit row seat in the process [:)].
Boarded the plane and turned right ([:(]) and headed to row 49, where I had the B seat. The Econ/PE CSS was at the jumpseat here, and we had a chat while I settled down (she'd never heard of V-F!). Claire and Karen both came on board for final goodbyes and hugs [:(]
As I sank into the seat, I noticed that it was a lot narrower than I ever remembered and was causing me some pretty bad discomfort. The CSS noticed this, and asked me if I'd like to be moved after take-off, saying that she'd find a row where there were 2 seats free together - whilst I love the legroom associated with the exit row, the seat width would just have been nasty through the flight, so I said 'yes please!' [y]
The captain announced a flying time of 8hrs 43min due to some very favourable jetstreams (this must've been what caused the inbound delay) [:0] We pushed back on time @ ~1630hrs, and as we taxied to the runway, I did my usual trick of dozing off. Just as we were about to turn left onto the active runway and wait for take-off clearance, I woke up when the plane turned to the right onto a taxiway instead! Hmmm, what's going on here? We were moving back towards the terminal...(oooh, a night's delay perhaps? [:D]). The captain came on the PA system and said that apparently 2 pieces of (customs?) documentation from the inbound had been left in the rear hold and try as they might, they hadn't been able to get around departing with them. So, we had to go back to the gate, find the paperwork, and while we were there, take on another tonne of fuel.
We taxied back to the gate, all was found, fuel taken on board, and the whole time, the AC packs weren't turned on - it was like an oven on board [:(] We were all sorted in a bit over an hour, and soon taxiing back to the runway at just before 1800hrs, with the captain saying that he'd turn the AC on after take-off. This time, we entered the active runway, and started the take-off roll (much to everyone's relief) - wheels up just after 1800hrs, with the estimated flight time remaining the same.
Once up in the air and the seatbelt signs turned off, the CSS was true to her word, and found me row 57 - there was a chap in the window seat, but no-one in the H/J seats - I took the H seat, and with the armrests up, it was very comfortable. Despite the exit row seat problems, I've marked the Kash seat as good. I'm 6ft 2', and not exactly small, but the legroom was much better than I remembered. Even with the person in front reclining, my knees weren't touching the back of their seat. Of course, to stretch out I had to use the space under the seat in front, or the space in front of the middle seat (I think the guy in the window seat thought I was playing footsie with him at one stage - LOL!), but that was fine.
Can't remember the choices for the dinner service, but I chose the BBQ beef with brocolli & mash - it was delicious, as was the keylime cheesecake that was the dessert. I'd programmed V:Port with comedy & the 2 movies I missed on the outbound - Mr&Mrs Smith and Meet the Fockers, but only got to see the comedy stuff since I couldn't be bothered with the movies. There was a bit of a brouhaha some rows in front, where a pax was apparently very ill - needing oxygen and constant care through the flight, with medical help being requested (at one stage I wondered if we were going to have a medical diversion).
I picked up my duty-free pre-order, and there seemed to be some confusion over the procedure for handing it over. The FA said I needed to sign something, but wasn't sure, and asked a colleague. The colleague was asking for my receipt from the inbound flight - took a few repeats of 'this was a pre-order over the phone placed before the outbound' before he realised I didn't have anything more than the receipt provided by the pre-order service *sigh* Still, that was sorted out, and I signed the appropriate form for my goods, which were correct this time [:)]
For the rest of the flight, I didn't manage to get any sleep at all, but noticed that there were quite a few drinks services through the night. Though the CC were more taken up with the ill pax in front.
About 90mins before landing, breakfast was served - a cheese & egg omelette in a croissant, and some fruit (IIRC) - very tasty. We were pretty much straight into LHR, down the Westerly approach (past Windsor Castle, and following the M4, past my office [:D]), landing just gone 1045hrs (not too far off the estimated flying time [y]) The captain had warned us that LHR was very busy and we'd probably be allocated a remote stand and be bussed in. It turned out that after a loooong taxi, going all around the airport, we got a gate. Still, we had to wait for paramedics to come on board and attend to the ill pax - I think we were disembarking at 1115hrs.
Typical LHR 'wake your legs up' trek to immigration, where there was a massive queue for the EU line - it seemed to keep slowly moving though, and I was back into the country within 25 mins. Headed downstairs to the baggage hall to find a large quantity of VS020 luggage already spinning round baggage belt 7. I was fairly reasonably expecting my bags to be on the belt with the UC/PE luggage, but couldn't spot them. There was an LHR baggage handler taking bags off and putting them to the side of the belt, but did not mention to anyone what he was doing, or if those bags were from VS020 or left over from a previous flight. I had a look round scan this area, but still no sign of my bags. The majority of the VS020 pax were leaving with their luggage, but I was still waiting - I was getting a little worried by now. I moved around the belt, only to find both my bags dumped around the back of a pillar by the belt. They were not in the same area as the rest of the bags offloaded by the handler, and they were not easy to see at all. I've emailed a complaint about that, but there's been no response as yet.
Off through Customs, where it was very busy, with a lot of people seeming to get pulled - but I didn't [;)] Got to the Travelex counter to change my $ back to real money, and there was some crazy woman there challenging the exchange rate and holding up the line. I made some comments to the guy I dealt with, and we both ended up laughing at her [}:)]
Revivals
Ah, Revivals - what can you say? It's still a little piece of heaven, a bright spot in the greyness that is LHR. Arrived here at ~1215hrs, probably too late to get a treatment - but I was allocated shower #4 which was very roomy, being the disabled shower [:0] After a very refreshing shower (the new Cowshed revitalising shower does exactly what it says on the bottle!), I sat at the smoking tables and had a top notch bacon buttie, followed by scrambled eggs & smoked salmon - all washed down with lashings of strong coffee & OJ. Wonderful!
I was still waiting for my taxi to arrive at 1330hrs, and while I didn't feel pressured to leave, I did so anyway. I caught up with the taxi driver on my way up to the car park and was soon Swindon bound again *sigh*
Cheers
Michael
