VS002 EWR-LHR 5 JUN 13 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

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So after BA EDI-LGW, VS LGW-MCO, UA MCO-EWR it was time for VS EWR-LHR for the return to what was a very cold UK to a very pleasant UK by all the reports I had received during my trip to the sunshine state. This in its own was very welcome news.

The UA trip is here http://v-flyer.com/forum/index.php?f=21 ... =viewtopic for anyone wanting a look and it will tell you that I arrived into EWR far too early, infact nearly 3 hours before checkin opened.

Dragging 2 cases and hand luggage around was fun, while trying to negotiate terminal B and its various multi levels It turns out, according to some signs that VS have moved checkin to level 2 I think, as opposed to what, I don't know. EWR certainly isn't he most passenger waiting friendly place to hang around in

Anyway, checkin opened, was served by very friendly agent, who checked baggage straight through to EDI and gave me a pile of paper which included invite to the "new" lounge at Newark, boarding pass for EWR to LHR, invitation to lounge at LHR and boarding pass for Little Reds LHR to EDI It was all good

Security (fastrack) was quick and was soon on way to see the new lounge.

Warmly greeted at the door with a quick show round and an explanation that it would soon empty with guests ( non virgin flight ) leaving shortly, so be careful what menu I pick up. There is I think a Jet Airways menu and a Virgin menu.

Anyway, Virgins was more than fine and some pea soup, the Clubhouse burger and the strawberry sorbet was ordered along with a glass of champagne.

As mentioned in a previous report, the soup wasn't the warmest (never mind the hottest ) but was quite tasty, the burger was very nice with some proper chips and the sorbet was again very nice.

There seemed to be some prawn noodlely thing which was very popular. In comparison to the Gatwick Clubhouse, the portions were substantial

The new Clubhouse, was nice but without any windows and actually felt a little small. I keep feeling there was a bit of it that I had missed , but it was very comfortable and the long wait, soon passed.

It must have been full of regulars as after the 1st call for the flight nobody even flinched

Boarding was quick through the priority side of the lane and onto the plane and into the front cabin to the last seat on the right (where the bar would be on the Gatwick jumbos)

Champagne soon offered and a little shuffling around by passengers to seat a few family's together started. Upper seemed full but the rest of the plane had only another 200ish on board.

2 FSMs on board, a kinda couldn't be bothered sounding one doing the announcements and an Irish one in the front cabin who was very chirpy.

The rest of the flight was a little blurry, not through alcohol, but it seemed the whole front cabin bedded down almost immediately after takeoff. I had no food, no hot chocolate, nowt.

This was to be a quick flight at just over 6 hours, which meant not much more than 4 hours to catch a few zzz's, which I think I got around 3 and a half.

Woke for breakfast, which was a bacon roll and tea. A little strange why a full English isn't offered in Upper, but I assume is still offered in premium

It was soon time for the cabin to be secured for landing but we ended up doing the usual loops before landing into Heathrow. IFE was kept on to the gate now which is great and it was repeated many times that you were free to use it to the gate but only with headphones supplied by VS. It's interesting after only 3 flights with the new IFE out of Gatwick that I was could out caught out trying to use the nonexistent touch screen

So the next question aft landing was do I attempt revivals and a transfer to T1 or do I use flight connections ?

I chickened out, we landed around half eight and departure was ten past eleven so my theory was it would be a little tight, getting through immigration ( time unknown ), breakfast and shower at revivals, maybe half an hour, plus transfer to T1 ( time unknown but maybe upwards of half an hour) plus security at T1 etc. I think it could have been pretty close so opted to go the flight connections route.

Flight connections was very easy, follow the purple signs, onto a bus for a 6 min journey round what looks like the new T2, through a very quick and empty immigration and into the servisair lounge for a couple of coffees.

That didn't leave a huge amount of time to get to the get for an alleged 10.40 boarding.

So all that was left of this trip was the Little Red flight up to Edinburgh and the drive home to the Borders for a busy night at Hawicks Common Riding celebrations.

As strange flight in a way, which was probably dictated by the quick flight time, but certainly not bad in any way ( apart from the fact the another email was needed to get points and miles posted due to the fact it was originally an economy ticket upgraded with miles and the stupid IT system tells me I wasn't on the flight after trying to claim the miles via the missing miles button )

Thanks for reading, one more to go

David

Thanks for an interesting trip report.
I remember my first overnight return from the West Coast when all the "regulars" bedded down five minutes after take off, when asked by the CC if they could make up the bed I replied " no thanks I want to enjoy the Upper Class experience". The light were promptly turned off and I had to join the rest of the cabin in the land of nod!
Hope that you were able to make the Common Ridings, and if you took part didn't fall off your mount, they are certainly a great tradition in those parts.
I live in the Border TV region so am aware of the significance.

Thanks for the TR.

I think VS standards are clearly slipping..

As mentioned in a previous report, the soap wasn't the warmest

Thanks for the TR.

I think VS standards are clearly slipping..

As mentioned in a previous report, the soap wasn't the warmest

Lol, had that much hastle trying to get the photos in using my ipad, I didn't notice that one

David

Great TR, thanks for posting David I think I too would be a little miffed without food and drink in UC Do they still have snooze zones - haven't turned left for a little while now

I think that the kind of breakfast you get depends on the route taken. On some routes you get a full English in UC but on others you get a bacon roll.

The PDF at the bottom of this page shows you what you have in store.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/th ... ights.html

Rich

Hi Hazban,

Not a mounted participant, but a guest at that one. The start of another exciting summer with only a few weeks till ours starts, which is a little scary.

Thanks for you comments

David