V-Flyer

This is the first trip report I have posted with any complaints about VS staff but after travelling with them admittedly only two or three times a year, but constantly over the last ten years, the service at the airport and on the plane was below par.
We arrived at check in not to be greeted with even a smile but by someone with the personality of an automated machine and she couldn't even be bothered to give me the declaration form which you need to pass to the immigration officers in Las Vegas. I know I could of asked for it but when we went to MCO in April immigration didn't ask for it. It is a big deal to me as I suffer from motion sickness and reading and writing on the plane can sent it off. We then proceeded to the new escape lounge which was a big improvement on the last and it was very spacious and light.
Then off to the plane which we had to be bussed to which is fine if it is not poring down with rain. Got to the door and greated with a grimace and directed by the bar to my seat at 2k.
There were three cabin crew stood at the bar and I thought I would give them a good morning and see if I got my first pleasentry of the day. Yes result ! the flight supervisor and the male crew member said replied morning with a broad smile. The third cabin crew member staired straight threw me. Yes you can quess it she was the crew member who was going to look after us for the next 10 hours! I think she must have been related to the check in girl. It took just under three hours to get our meals which was excellent by the way . The menus have been discussed at length on other trip reports but I had the salmon salad starting with the king prawns. Whilst waiting for lunch I tried to get the entertainment system to work but after various reboots it still wouldn't work properly so I had to have an iPad which didn't have all the films on. There was quite a few seats which had the same problem and I can only speak for my seat but it was in quite a tatty state considering it was a relatively new A330. Part of the reason it took so long for lunch was it took two members of crew to put up a black curtain round seats 1-5a to provide a rest area for the crew as they said because the plane was not designed to go to the west coast of America they had to create their own. I must admit I got a bit worried after that statement whether they could carry enough fuel to get us there in one go and hopefully was thankful we didn't have to circle before landing into Las!
The flight itself was very smooth and the seatbelt sign only came on when the bar area was getting a bit raucous
I also noticed that the afternoon tea has been stopped and you have to request it yourself. It wasn't actively offered by the crew but maybe I am asking too much.
We arrived twenty minutes early just in front of the Gatwick 747 so we entered an empty imogration hall and were in the shuttle bus 30 minutes after landing.
I don't know how true it is but I was talking to a member of cabin crew and he said the refurb on the A330 is one middle row of seats is going to go along with the bar! He said it is all to do with weight and they made the bar primarily out of concrete!
Thanks for reading and am hoping this was a one off!

The bar is going to go! Nooooooooooo

And thanks for the report

Thank you for your TR, pity that CC weren't up to scratch.

Thank you for your TR. Good to find an empty immigration hall.

Hope your return flight lives up to expectation.

The aircraft can easily fly to the west coast but crew hours mean they have to have inflight rest and since the A330 does not have a crew rest area one has to be 'created' so a curtain separating the crew from the rest of the cabin needs to be installed after take off. Sadly due to its design it can't be installed prior to take off as has to be stowed for take off and landing.. I understand it must look pretty odd to those travelling in upper class . In face very odd.

I am going to post my trip report about our upper experience. After splashing out on my miles I don't really feel we had a very good experience las-man . My husband asked to be down graded !! He wasn't taken seriously but he would have been better off in pe or even ec

I really hope this was a one off. But reading recent trip reports it seems they are becoming more frequent. I know the crew are having a rough time at the moment with having more to do and demotions but like it has been said before the product is becoming more expensive and there seems to be cheaper options out there. I never thought I would say this but if I have a similar flight then I may be tempted elsewhere.

The 6 flights I've taken this year really couldn't of been better.
I suspect any grumbles are more to do with the A330 or ex Manchester maybe.
But I really believe Virgin have upped their game.