VS019 LHR-SFO 26 DEC 10 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

The check-in process was one of the most efficient I've experienced. From being dropped off by a cab outside terminal 3 to sitting down in CH was about 15 minutes.

Boarded on time, but then experienced a series of delays; taking inbound passengers from a cancelled United flight, waiting to be de-iced, and then two of the engines failing to start and having to be towed back to a gate so the engineers could start them manually. Net result took-off two hours late.

No welcome from the FSM, who's only interaction with passengers during the whole flight appears to be offering out the bread with the main meal. I didn't get singled out for a welcome as FC AU which appears to have become the norm when the FSM doesn't welcome everyone.

With a half empty cabin you would expect a pretty good all round service because the crew/passenger ratio is lower than usual. That didn't stop long waits to get a drink at the bar, and none of the crew spending any time with the passengers sitting at the bar - the bar being one of my favourite parts of the UC onboard experience. They even got the carts of drinks for the UC and PE bars mixed up and didn't have Bombay Sapphire until half way in to the flight; the PE chocolates got distributed in UC and then embarrassingly had to be collected back (from everyone who was asleep and hadn't noticed). So the onboard service was well below what I've come to expect from UC.

Arrival in SFO was extremely efficient; from the plane arriving at the gate to being in a cab to the hotel took only 15 minutes, including clearing immigration and collecting baggage. SFO ground staff get full praise for that, which is a record for me at any US airport.

Thanks for the trip report.
Considering all the delays around the time a 1hr 11min delay wasn't too bad.

Interesting about the PE/UC drinks, I would of thought they would never meet... or if they did, get instantly moved to correct cabin. Also never heard of a cart of drinks in Upper! Would be quite strange to see a trolley pushed down the isles :-p. Strange about PE chocolates too, as I have never heard of an UC chocolate nor seen one so why would they serve something that only PE get? Not like its the same crew in UC and PE cabins.
Sounds like a few mistakes made on this flight, hopefully next time will be better.

The PE chocolates was a Christmas special thing.

Thanks for the TR, sounds like the onboard service was a bit half-assed unfortunately, perhaps a case of the crew wishing they were at home instead? Shame.

On arrival, there's something wonderful when you get through a US airport in such a time!