This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
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One wet and windy night in January and lets face it, that could have described any night in January I was actively considering accepting an invitation to spend Easter in Hong Kong when Aer John came bouncing into the room. He had a question to ask. He had 4 study weeks over Easter and could we please go somewhere during that time as he was fed up with the cold and wet and he had not been anywhere last year. Readily jettisoning my plans for Easter I agreed and we debated as to where we would go. His stipulation was that it would be sunny, hot and have plenty of golf and we narrowed it down to Florida or Dubai. Dubai won thanks to the cheaper fares and reward availability [y] and thus it was booked. The travel gods were looking kindly at us as the Aer Lingus fares to LHR were showing at 1 each plus taxes, although I did baulk a little when I saw his golf clubs were going to cost 25 per leg [:0] but I then realised they wouldnt have to pay T&Cs and it was still cheaper than renting out clubs so we were on our way.
Fraught! Thats the word to describe me when we arrived in LHR from our EI flight. [:0] Oh it wasnt that the flight was a nightmare or the flight from hell. In fact it was a very pleasant flight all things considered but, and its a big but, it was delayed and that made it very stressful. Our original plan was that we would arrive in the Clubhouse, grab something to eat followed by treatments at 7:00pm and then enjoy the rest of the time there before making our way suitably relaxed to our flight to DXB followed by as quick a trip as was possible into the arms of Morpheus on board. Ha! Our EI flight arrived from LHR 5 minutes before the departure time but was turned around quickly so that 30 minutes later we were on board with the doors closed. At that point the captain came on and announced that there was an ATC delay of 30 minutes and we had to wait!! It wasnt helped by the fact that a certain someone was moaning about missing his haircut although my calculations showed that we should be there in time for it. So, one hour after our original departure time we headed off to LHR. In fairness we made up time and were on the ground and at the gate exactly one hour later but when we got to the baggage hall it was not our bags that came through first. Oh no. It was the bags from a DUB flight that had landed minutes after us. [:(!] Fortunately that load was light and at 6:30 we were in possession of our own and ready to make the trek over to T3.
It was Aer Johns first time using the new check-in facilities and the Upper Class security channel. There was a desk free as soon as we arrived and we were speedily and pleasantly checked in although Aer John had to take his clubs over to an area where they collect oversize bags on a trolley. I always feel uneasy about this, afraid they are going to fail to make the flight or end up in some remote destination the other side of the world from us. It has never happened but I guess Im not happy unless Im fretting about something!! The security channel was its usual pleasant experience but we got slightly held up by passport control. I was instructing Aer John as to how to avoid the shoe carnival and we were swiftly waved through. However it was a bit of a Pyrrhic victory as they were also waving through nearly everyone from the main security area. A quick dash along the path through the duty free area (and incidentally nearly bumping into and flattening Jason whatsisname - the judge from Dancing on Ice near the seafood bar) brought us up to the Clubhouse at 6:50pm. 20 minutes from the baggage hall in T1 to the Clubhouse! Not bad going!
Once in the Clubhouse the priority was to try and reschedule the haircut. I also had a treatment booked but it is an indication as to how I felt when I decided to cancel it. In fairness they offered to put me on standby in case there was a later appointment free but I really felt I wasnt going to get the benefit of it. [:#] They did however agree to push Aer Johns cut back as long as they could so off we went to get some food. We were starving as all we had had in ORK was a very light snack. The food was duly ordered and Aer John partook of his first Clubhouse champagne. I had the soup followed by the Eggs Benedict and he ordered the Clubhouse burger although minus the cheese and all the other garnishes. However he had only just started when they called him for his haircut so off he went and I asked for them to keep it warm. When he returned duly shorn, we asked for the burger to be returned but they were so long that I opined that they were cooking him a new one. I was right and of course it came with cheese and all the other garnishes so we had to send it back. Aer John had wanted to grab a shower and he saw time running out so I sent him off for the same and in fact he was back just as a perfectly cooked burger arrived at the table. By this time it was getting near the boarding call but he was anxious to have a drink from the bar so he asked what was good and was recommended a mojito. Now dear V-flyers, I must confess that I have never had a mojito before [:I] so I tried some of his and very pleasant it was too. At this stage boarding was called but as we had just started we decided to wait till the second boarding call and between us shared the drink!
We headed down to gate 19 for the flight and found that most people were on board. There was a little delay on the jetway but not as bad as I have experienced before. I was welcomed on board by name and headed to my seat 12A where the cabin crew followed rapidly with champagne and at my request, a sleep suit so that I could change straight away. Initially the cabin crew demurred saying they would be bringing them round just after take-off but then obliged. So nicely ensconced in my suite we waited for take-off which, as Aer John said, was slightly delayed because of a missing passenger. The IFBT came round and I opted not to be woken. If I had known then about the query surrounding the role I would have used a priority card which will no doubt become a collectors item. IIRC, they also came round taking meal and snack orders before the flight and I, wishing to sleep immediately ordered the latter.
Once airborne the seat belt sign was switched off very rapidly and there was a stampede to the bar to the extent I thought I was on a V-Flyer party bus!! [:w] I had decided to cancel my food order and went back to the galley to find the place was thronged. There seemed to be a large family party who had failed to meet up prior to the flight as there was a general greeting session with hugs and kisses. In the meantime the cabin crew were struggling to set up the bar and at one stage one member said plaintively We will be serving you drinks in your seats. My mission completed I returned to my seat, converted the bed and settled down just as the plane hit a patch of turbulence and the party-goers had to return to their seats!
I didnt really sleep and at about 4:00am Dubai time I gave up. One of the crew asked me if I would like breakfast and I ordered some fruit. However when she came back with it she had difficulty in releasing the table and couldnt get it out far enough to get a grip on it so I offered to eat at the bar. She was initially reluctant for me to do this but eventually she had to concede defeat and so set a place for me there. Actually it was quite pleasant. The crew were preparing the bar for breakfast and chatting at the same time and I was able to grab more juice, water and coffee without feeling a nuisance. I had also been asked to fill in a survey and took the opportunity to do it there. Ive done several of these and they dont really give you much of a chance to say what you really think. [?] By now people were beginning to rouse and, having changed I went back to my seat. Aer John was tucking into his breakfast and I was content with my book. About 35 minutes before the plane was due to land (according to the iMap) the FSM arrived at my seat and asked if she could sit down. She had been very visible during the flight but I hadnt been aware of her interacting with the passengers except during the meal service. She then chatted to me for about ten minutes or so which I thought was a very nice touch. I can only think it was because I am Gold although she made no reference to it but I appreciated the gesture.
Shortly after that we arrived in Dubai and Upper Class passengers were disembarked by the front door on to the awaiting bus. Aer John had managed to get into the cockpit (a first on Virgin Atlantic) so I gave him his passport and headed off to Immigration. The queues were very light and within about 5-7 minutes we were through to the baggage hall. Priority baggage was working as far as our suitcase was concerned and in fact was there just as Aer John arrived from the cockpit. The golf clubs were another story and the FSM seeing us still waiting there sent someone off to the ground handling crew to find out what was happening. However shortly afterwards a porter arrived with a trolley full of golf bags including Aer Johns and we were free to go.......
....or were we? When we got to the customs area they were directing everyone through the red channel but just as we got there they started to open up the green one. However before we could decide which one to use there was a loud Clunk! alongside us and we turned to see some poor misfortunate picking up his duty-free bag and watching helplessly as a lake formed around his feet. [:w] We went through the green channel where one official started directing Aer John to a secondary screening machine while another was waving him through. The first official seemed most insistent but as I fetched up alongside him he asked Aer John if I was his mother and when he answered to the affirmative then asked him if he smoked. When Aer John said No he was then waved through. I believe that he had thought that Aer John was on his own initially and all I could think of was recent reports of people clapped in irons because of traces of poppy seeds from a bread roll and other similar stories. Yer man obviously thought that Mama would be a controlling influence and let us through. How little he knows!! [:o)]
