This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
So the return, still upstairs as we dont tend to swap round but my outbound sidekick swapped to go work in economy, and I had a really nice guy from Y move upstairs. We had a wicked time down route and we all gone on brilliantly, so was looking forward to the trip home, and really wanted a decent cup of tea lol.
We checked in and were told that the inbound crew and passengers were still on the aircraft, so a visit to duty free was ok. The shops here aren't that good as its such a small airport. We made our way through security and then out to the gate. Our passengers were there waiting and we were given a little area behind the airline desk to sit and wait to board. While we were there the FSM decided to do her briefing. She thanked us all for the outbound flight and asked do deliver the same on the way home. We were waiting for ages, I went to get a coffee, and was very pleased to only pay 90cents as we got a staff discount. The ground staff informed us the delay was caused by a passenger who had been restrained in flight for trying to take a swing at the FSM! After about an hour though the plane was ready and we boarded.
Once on we did our usual checks and then prepped the cabin. I used that shelf on the top of the stairs to lay out all the newspapers. We seem to get loads here so was good as normally we run out really quick. The passengers started to get on, taking papers and stowing all their bags. I did the boarding drinks and again informed people of the exits. We were just about finished boarding when a rather large gent came into the galley and asked if he could move to PE downstairs as he couldn't fit into the seat. The seats downstairs are slightly different so I went downstairs and had a word with our FSM who was working down in the main deck PE. Between us we found a lone passenger who was happy to help out. The other passenger was happy, so problem averted. We were also full everywhere tonight.
we took our seats for takeoff, my colleague reminded me of a really daft joke from ab fab that had us laughing for ages down route, and that set us off again, we did share it with the people sat in front of us who found it funny but not as funny as we did lol. If you're interested its where bubbles goes, 'the police rang, they've released your mother. Which I thought was strange cause they haven't had a record out in years!' daft I know but Im giggling just typing it! Anyway...
once we were in the air we handed out menus, headsets and hot towels, the later being a very welcoming touch after a delay. We then started drinks, about half way in I encountered the 'he wont put his seat up' which was very ironic as I had just done the post on here that weekend! So I explained that they too can recline and when we do the meals I will insist the seat is upright. They seemed ok so we carried on through with drinks. We had run out of vodka so I borrowed the upper class vodka, the passengers seemed quite happy with the grey goose, so that was a bonus. Onto the meal service and thats when we started to get a few little problems, the trays had been put into an old cart that had a dent in somewhere because some of the trays had slipped and all fallen on top on each other. This meant that when we tried to pull a tray out we risked everything on the tray below it dropping onto the floor, and we did lose 2 salads! Also a lot of the trays were missing cheese or crackers. Luckily we had the pilots food cart and they didn't want their salads or cheese so we used theirs to replace them. By the time we got to the last few passengers we had run out of chicken. Most were happy to have the beef instead. One passenger did ask why when you pay for PE do we run out? Surely virgin could load the extra few meals so this wouldn't happen. My colleague was chatting to him while I finished off. We both agreed that he was right but knew virgin wouldn't do this. All we could do was to record it on our catering report so the ratio's are altered for the next flight. But even then on the next flight everyone might decide to have beef! Its a hard one and happens with every airline from time to time. It is rare to have this happen in PE though. When we were chatting about it my colleague mentioned that he had talked about v-flyer and being a member. So I now went to upper and got a cheese plate from them and a large wine glass. I introduced myself to the gentleman and his partner and apologised again for running out of chicken. I also offered him a cheese plate and glass of wine to make up for it but he politely declined. We chatted a bit and I did say I would write a TR, and asked him to write one too, just to get 2 different points of view on the same flight. I hope he does as no one has done a TR of one of my flights although I always check. My colleague is also on here, though I dont think he posts!
The rest of the flight was quiet we did the extra wine run and 2 tea/coffee runs then cleared in by hand. After clearing in there was a call bell and it was my seat recline passengers this time the ones in front complaining that every time they recline the passengers behind keep hitting their seat, and if I didn't do something about it he was going to hit the other guy!! Now let me describe the passengers behind them. They were very nice when I chatted to them on boarding and must have been in their 80's!! So I had a word with all 4 of them saying that they could all recline, and there will be no kicking of seats. Also as the man behind said it made it hard for him to get up as he has trouble with his knee I said that he could give a polite hand on the arm of the people in front if he needed to get up and they would let him out. I also informed them to co operate with each other and if we had to intervene again we'd fall out! The captain found this very funny, that I was telling 80 year olds off!!!
The rest of the flight was uneventful. We had our crew rest I had a dose, afterwards in the middle of the night, I was having a quick sit down and a cup of coffee, when I had a visitor from economy. we had a few on the outbound I always politely send them back down stairs as I believe if you pay for an upgrade you pay for a separate cabin and some peace and quiet. However this was a really large gent who was saying that he just want to stretch as his seat was extremely uncomfortable. At his size it really must be so took pity on him and said as long as he was quiet he could sit on the unused jump seat at the top of the stairs and read a paper for 10 mins or so. He was very good and after exactly 10 mins thanked me and went back downstairs. I also had a lady doing laps of the cabin for exercise and doing a quick trip up the stairs. She had not long had a hip op so needed to exercise it. This thing I dont mind, its when you get a whole stag party coming for a nose! They get sent straight back down lol all very politely of course!
An hour and a half before landing we did the breakfast service and tidied up. The seatbelt signs came on and we landed very smoothly into LGW. A bit of a taxi to the stand and before long everyone was off. Quick drive home and I was in front of the telly dosing off, watching eastenders on demand and spilling tea all over my leg!!!!
Great trip back not the best maybe as we were so tired, had been kept up all night by Mexicans arguing in our corridor! But I think we did ok, maybe my v-flyer passenger will do a TR and let me know what he thought of us! Would love to see it from that side. Right better go and pack for tomorrow another LGW but to the Caribbean this time.
John
