This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
I hadn't been able to through-check my bags at GSO since Continental did not have an interlining agreement with Aer Lingus and I wasn't really entitled to through-check with VS since I had separate tickets but nothing ventured....... so rather cheekily (and ever so nicely) asked if it were possible to check them through to Cork. I was quite prepared for a no and would take it on the chin but the dear girl said she would ask her manager and trotted off to find her. The manager came over and I braced myself for the worst - well there are worse things than not getting a through-check, but you know what I mean - but instead of turning into a fire-breathing dragon ready to berate me for such a request, the dear lady talked her minion through the intricacies of such a procedure and soon I had the pleasure of knowing that I wouldn't see my bag until I was on Irish soil. [y] Actually at one point the girl asked me if I had flown in on Continental and so I believe the attempts of CO in GSO to tag me through must have shown up in the system. There was no other way she could have known that. So, in possession of my purple boarding card I asked directions to the Clubhouse only to be told that the manager was going to escort me there. Oooh, I felt like royalty. Well I can be a bit of a drama queen! [:o)]
The lady in the Clubhouse was utterly charming and on hearing it was my first visit gave me a quick idea of the layout and the time that a hot food buffet would be available before leaving me to make myself comfortable. I chose a seat alongside the wall as I needed to charge my laptop. I was quickly joined by another guy bent on the same quest and turned out to be a very pleasant companion during my time there. I was very surprised as to how busy the Clubhouse was at that stage as there had only been the party of four ahead of me and although my check-in had taken some time the other desk could not have processed so many people to warrant that level of busy-ness. There must be another airline using the lounge. Sure enough shortly after a glass of wine had been placed before me the call for a flight (I think it was Air India) was made and the room quickly emptied. That was better. In the fullness of time the announcement was made that there was hot food and I went up to help myself to a delicious chicken in wild mushroom sauce, green beans and potatoes. There was also a salad bar, rolls as well as cheese and biscuits to the side. Later on one of the staff came through with a dessert trolley which looked absolutely scrumptious but I was sated.
I had originally been told that we would be called at 8pm but I was aware that VS1 had left LHR at least one hour late and was scheduled to arrive also one hour late. The Clubhouse concierge had not been aware of that when I had entered but later she announced a boarding call of 8:30pm. People were beginning to drift out of the Clubhouse well before then (perhaps they had not heard the announcement) and at about 8:20 I decided to join them. Security was very quiet but in spite of there only being only three people before me it seemed to take an age as the person at the head of the queue seemed to take an age to take out the requisite articles and argued the toss about the liquids rule. There's always one!!! [:w]
As I entered the gate area pre-boarding for UC, PE and Gold members and everyone else was asked to remain seated. I joined the line behind a group beside the entrance to the gate whom I believed to be boarding. They had red boarding cards but they could easily have been PE or Gold members and it wasn't till an elderly couple approached from the other side and joined the line there that I realised that they were just hanging around the area. [n] I went to move past them just as one of the staff saw my purple card and my frown (or rather scowl) as I tried to negotiate my way past and asked them to move saying they were blocking the way. I threw him a look of gratitude and positioned myself behind the elderly couple (who also had red boarding cards). There had also appeared to have been a very minor altercation with them and an American lady just as I arrived and the American lady was re-positioning herself beside the VS staff who was collecting boarding passes, and apologising profusely and very sweetly. The elderly lady handed in her boarding pass, had it checked and was about to move off when suddenly she puffed up like a turkey cock, turned and said 'I have never been spoken to like that in all my life!' and proceeded to pitch a hissy fit. The jaws of the American lady and the VS staff dropped to their chests and their eyes were out on stalks as the elderly lady stalked on indignantly. The American lady was astounded and was hoping she was sitting nowhere near the lady but the VS staff was careful to make no pronouncement one way or the other. As I didn't hear fully what went on I can't comment one way or the other but I know that I was a bit out of sorts at having to fight my way past people blocking the way and perhaps the elderly lady was a bit stressed by it all and misinterpreted something.
There was no delay on the jetbridge and the FSM was at the door to greet the passengers. I recognised him as someone with whom I had flown before simply because his surname was the same as my paternal grandmother's maiden name. We were boarded through door 1L and therefore it was a question of turning right not left. A glass of champagne and a sleep suit were quickly provided and I changed into the bottom half of the suit preferring to remain in my t-shirt and having surrounded myself with all the accoutrements necessary for a long-haul flight, settled down to await take-off. It was at this stage that I realised the whole flight was being boarded through door 1L and watched as the passengers filed past to the back of the bus, including the crowd who had blocked the way at the gate, oh so long ago!
Finally we were all on board and ready for the off. Although we were late leaving such was the jet stream that our projected arrival time was 8:30am - some thirty minutes early. The safety demonstration video was shown - and that's where things got interesting! As soon as it was finished it was switched off long before the credits rolled (which I rather like) and cabin crew were asked to re-take their places in the UC and PE cabins. Hmm! This was new. Indeed it was! The captain came on to say that one of the doors was inoperative and could not be used in the event of an emergency. This door would now be pointed out followed by the doors that could be used. The captain went on to say that this was still within FAA and CAA regulations and he had decided to take the flight rather than cancel it. The door pointed out as 2L which explained why everyone and his dog had been boarded through 1L. The operational doors were then pointed out and the captain finished by saying if you could not see this demonstration then you were not affected by it - in other words only UC and PE were likely to perish!! [:0] I bet some people were grateful they couldn't afford to sit up front. Me? I wasn't worried. It had given me something to write in my trip report and if anything I was rather glad I hadn't cancelled mainly because of the hassle of re-booking my Aer Lingus flight and claiming from my insurer.
The aircraft had not moved while this was happening but immediately afterwards we had a short taxi to the runway and with only a few flights in front of us we were soon airborne. Shortly after take-off the crew were released to their duties and as this was a Good Night Flight, they were quick to take orders for drinks and food. As I had eaten in the Clubhouse I asked for a G&T followed by cheese and port. These were quickly delivered to my seat and filled the spot. I wasn't tired and so I read for a bit and listened to my iPod as there was nothing on V-Port to grab me. As I was totally disinclined to sleep I headed down to the bar and chatted for a while with the FSM and the CSS who was doing the bar inventory and effectively closing it down even though there was still another four hours to go! I had a couple of drinks but as the FSM was called away and the CSS decided to go on her break I went back to my seat. I didn't expect to sleep but the next thing I knew Imap was showing 48 minutes to arrival! I quickly changed from the sleep-suit and had some coffee. There was a hot towel round (which hadn't happened at the beginning of the flight) and before I knew it we were doing the mandatory two laps over LHR. Just before landing the crew were asked once more to take up demonstration positions in UC and PE and once more the inoperative door was pointed out. We landed at 8:30am some thirty minutes early and taxied to one of the gates near the Singapore Airlines A380.
The flight had been a good one - or perhaps I should say 'good enough'. I really could not fault the service which was good and professional, the cabin crew were friendly, warm and engaging. There was certainly no evidence of 'night flight syndrome' whereby they wanted the passengers fed, watered and asleep as soon as possible. I can't put my finger on it but it lacked gloss, that je ne sais quoi of my last three UC flights - but then they had been superlative.
Immigration was heaving even in the EU lines and for the first time ever I wished I was registered for IRIS. Nonetheless for once I was in the faster moving line and was quickly through to baggage claim - except I had no bags to claim and so it was a quick hop and step up to Revivals where a nice hot shower was waiting for me. For breakfast I had hoped to have something like the boiled eggs that used to be on the menu but it had been drastically foreshortened and so I ordered fruit. However no sooner was it put in front of me when boiled eggs were placed in front of the guys alongside me. Try as I might I couldn't see it written anywhere. I had hoped that slinky might be in the Clubhouse but I guess he had left. Some other time, perhaps!
After that it was a quick trot over to T1 to check in to my Aer Lingus flight. Security was heaving thanks to a United flight that was due to leave but the rest ot the trip was uneventful and soon I was reunited in Cork with first of all my bag and then my son. Could life be any better?
