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#906345 by mitchja
29 Jun 2015, 15:43
Ground Staff
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Checked out of the Holiday Inn Arial around 06:45 and got on the 06:55 hotel hopper bus to T3. There was actually a VS member of ground staff on the bus collecting pax for a canceled flight yesterday (I think it was the VS7 to LAX).

I'd already check-in online and received my PassBook boarding card.

The hopper bus stopped at T1 first. Nobody getting off or on their as T1 closes on June 30th anyway and I think T1 was closed to pax a few weeks ago. After a few minutes we arrived at T3 departures.

VS J check-in was very busy and a member of ground staff wasn't doing a very good job at trying to get pax to line up. She spent more time on the phone behind the desk anyway. One of the VS J check-in desks was also been used to DL premium cabins....well it was for a short while before a member of staff informed her that she was now checking in VS pax instead (after she'd asked people waiting if they where on VS or DL and everyone had said VS).

All in all a pretty chaotic check-in which didn't feel very premium at all. To be fair to the agent who checked me in, she was very professional and cheerful though.

After a quick detour back outside, I headed up to the Upper Class Wing, which once through the entrance, had a longish line to get through security. It did move pretty fast though.

A quick stop of Dixons as I wanted a few things before heading up to the Clubhouse where I was warmly welcomed by name. The busy theme carried on in here too. Headed straight to the brasserie for breakfast where i has to wait a few minutes for a table. The staff where working hard though to keep on top of things. Breakfast was as good as usual. Some zeleb was been fussed over on one of the tables. No idea who it was though, though he did look vaguely familiar. I think it may have been a footballer.

After a couple of flights had been called the CH started to calm down. A VS1007 flight to LAX was one of them (which seemed to be delayed today as well for some reason).

Booked a 15 min shoulder & back massage for 10:15. Had a steam shower whilst waiting which was great so went up to the patio to cool down. I do love the outdoor patio area which is a real hidden gem. I could sit there for hours watching the aircraft :D The massage was great and it really did make be feel more relaxed. I settled down in the Grey Goose lounge area of the CH for the rest of my time there.

The VS19 was called around 11:40 (Expedia had already pushed me a message saying there was a 15min delay for the flight). Said my goodbye's the the CH staff and headed round to gate 20. Whilst priority boarding was in operation, it wasn't immediately obvious, though one of the staff must have seen my boarding pass and pushed me through the queue to the priority entrance. Straight onto the A/C (G-VWOW) through door 1 and turned left to me 16A seat.

I was warmly welcomed on board and was offered a pre-flight drink. Storage space was at a premium in the A zone with pretty mush all the bins already full even with few pax still to arrive. Just managed to find a space for my bag. Wardrobes had to be used for the few arriving pax still to get onboard.

I said it in Jan on my last VS LHR 747 flight (in Premium that time) and I'll say it again....the LHR 7474's are looking their age now and are starting to look tired and worn out; the washrooms particularly. I heard a few pax all saying the same thing as well. My seat had had cracks and holes filled in especially around the table, the IFE screen didn't fit in the recess properly and the arm rest had a wobble. The crew all seemed aware and where all pushing the line about the Dreamliners replacing these 747's by early next year.

The doors where closed and we pushed back around 11:10. Can't remember how many pax we had on-board but J was certainly full. Premium looked the same as well. We where air-borne around 11:35.

Once the full cabin service kicked in, we were offered drinks and dinner orders where taken. Having read Bretty's TR, I didn't really think much of the menu (I won't post the same menu, though for reference Bretty's TR is here I opted for the soup to start followed by the Tuna). The soup was great but the Tuna was over-cooked and tough and wasn't very good. The salted caramel pudding was nice though.

Looked like there was an issue with not enough catering as the crew where asking pax who had selected the tuna if they could possibly select something else instead.

I had already decided to have a burger in-between the meal services, which I did after a few hours. That was very nice. Watched a few films including the very strange 'The Voices'. Had a few trips to the bar, which seems to remain fairly quiet during the flight.

Whilst the FSM remained pretty much invisible during the flight, the service was great and nothing was ever too much trouble for the crew. I've said this before but again, the new FSM uniform (certainly the male one, not sure about the female version) really does now just blend in with the rest of the crew. They are much more difficult to spot without looking a the name badges. Not sure if this is intentional or not?

Afternoon tea was served around 2 hours before landing. It was the usual sandwiches and cakes stand etc. The crew do now offer the tea and coffee in a mug if you want (though you have to ask for it) which is much better and many pax seemed to prefer as well.

There was clearly an issue with the table in seat 12K as by the end of the flight, it would't slide back into the closed position. Several crew tried and the FSM managed to get in the furthest in, even still it was still sticking out a few inches but he said it was far enough out of the way to make a quick exit if needed. The crew said that particular seat table on G-VWOW and been having issues for some time now. No idea if engineering at SFO where able to fix it before the return flight back to the UK though?

It was pretty much un-usable in it's current state as when open it would't sit flat either.

I think it was the same A/C and seat Bretty had mentioned in his post the other day as well?

The cabin was cleared and before long where where approaching SFO. We had made up some time during the flight and landing on-time at just before 14:45 and where on stand by 14:50. 2 jet bridges in use and after thanking and saying goodbye to the crew, I was first off through door 1.

A very short walk to immigration as we where at gate 3. Decided to try my luck with the self service machines (which are located in-between the US and Visitor lines). The agent checking asked if I had used this passport and current ESTA before at SFO, which I had last year. They checked my stamp in my passport as well to confirm.

The machines are very easy to use. You scan your passport, answer a few questions, scan your fingers, have a photo taken and then a receipt with a photo of you on is printed out. Only a 5 minute wait to have the receipt verified. The only slight difference here is that the agent then takes your customs form off you there and gives you back the a stamped printed receipt. Your receipt is verified again as you leave immigration. Headed to carousel 11, by which time the bags where already coming off. Exited though customs, where you then finally hand over the printed receipt and off you go.

So after leaving the aircraft at 14:50, by 15:10 I was outside arrivals inhaling nicotine :cool: Up to departures, where the hotel shuttles drop off and collect and my hotel shuttle was already there at 15:15! By 15:40 I was checking into the Crowne Plaza.

I think that has to be one of my recording braking arrival times into the US :cool:

All in all another great VS flight with a great crew :D (even though we had an invisible FSM). VS just need to keep on top of things at LHR though as the extra DL pax using the VS facilities do seem to be having an impact on things now.

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