V-Flyer

Well as many of you know, this flight was a reward ticket as a result of me winning and becoming the 1st virgin atlantic flying club swingers winner. So we decided to head down to Sydney with a stop over in Hong Kong for a few days along with a short trip to Singapore as well (those trip reports to follow also)

Anyway to start we had to make the walk from T1 to T3 via the walkway with all the bags and especially the clubs since we couldn't check them all the way through to HKG. We arrived at T3 early enough, around 6pm to find a mostly deserted check in. We did notice a good amount of people checking in for the late flights to NYC and also some to India and Lagos. We arrived at the upper check in and were greeted by the security man asking the usual questions. There was a couple in front of us but they were almost finished and we were seen to very quickly by a nice chap and he told us everything we needed to know from where the fast track was and the clubhouse. Top marks. I also noticed on the boarding cards that we were both sequence number 1 and 2 to check in.

Anyway headed off to the slow track which was mainly due to a group that were ushered through the fast track to catch their flight to Singapore. I noticed that their boarding passes were economy but once we got through we noticed a SQ rep trying to rush them to the gate even though the group seemed more interested in the Duty Free shops.

Off to the clubhouse after that. It was the same as i had remembered it in March. The only new thing was the Jag on the roof which is a sweet motor. That being said I wouldnt like to be in the back seat of the car as it makes Ryanairs seat pitch look like first class. Went to the salon at 7.30 to get my hair cut. The woman that cut my hair remembered me from March and remembered that this was my reward ticket after winning. Once the hair was cut, which was more like a field of hay to start, I headed in for a dip in the hot tub which was very relaxing after a rough couple of weeks of golf (golfaholic here). After I had a shower, I found myself a seat and had a very good burger and chips which was followed by some ice-cream.

The flight was called shortly after that so we made our way down to the gate which was all the way down by gate 40 (can't remember exactly). Our aircraft for todays flight was an airbus a340-600 G-VGAS. Here priority boarding was kind of in use but since general boarding had begun we had to wait for a bit in the jetway. Not that long of a wait and I was settling in to seat 11A with the lamb behind in 12A. I was soon offered a pre take off drink of water. Not long after the inflight beauty therapist made her way to my seat and asked did I want a treatment. I asked for the shoulders massage but i never saw her again for the rest of the flight, not even with a priority card.

We soon pushed back and the captain announced a flying time of 12hrs35mins. We had to queue for a while before taking off in one of the longest take off rolls I've ever had, 55seconds to be exact. Soon after the seatbelt sign went out and not to soon after that v-port was switched on without the 3 day old news.

The crappy whatever you want to call it cardboard thing was already in the seat. Probably the IFBT didnt want to be embarrased by handing these out and i don't blame her. The cabin crew came around to take our meal and drink orders. I decided not to have anything at that time as i was just after eating in the clubhouse but he was good enough to keep the lamb for me. I fired up v-port and listened to a bit of Hard-Fi to start (great band) and followed that with a bit of sleep. I got a good 6 hours of sleep and then went on to watch The Wind That Shakes The Barley. What can I say about this film, absolutely brilllant. Im not just saying that cause Im Irish or that some of it was filmed 15mins away from us, but this film was so realistic and so well made that made me like it so much. I would recomend this to anyone. I can see why it won whatever in the Cannes film festival. About 2hours before landing breakfast was served even though we were landing around 6pm local time. Anyway i had 2 bacon rolls which were very good.

We started our aproach early and had to circle for a tiny bit but we landed nice and early on runway 25 right. It was a bit a treck to the gate passing the airport fire crew playing volleyball out front of the station. We pulled into the gate which i think was gate 16 and made a long enough walk to immigration. There was a bit of a queue here because an Air France 777-300er had come in before us. Got through easily enough to find our bags on the carasol, priority had actually worked. All in all we were through the airport in less than 30mins and in our hotel in less than an hour from leaving the plane.

Cant complain at all with this flight everything went bang on. No problems whats so ever. Even though the flight wasnt very special in all departments, the consistancy was defo there on all counts.

Thanks for the TR AJ. The first of many I hope. Looking forward to reading the others.

Iain

Thank you for the TR, John. [y] [y]

Originally posted by AerJohn

Well as many of you know, this flight was a reward ticket as a result of me winning and becoming the 1st virgin atlantic flying club swingers winner.

'Flying Club Swingers' ? What kind of competition is that ?[:I]

Thanks for the TR and the film recommendation. Through my brother's research on our familty tree, I find have a connection to those events, but unfortunately not one that would be approved of in the Eire..[:I]

An offbeat film I would recommend is Tommy Lee Jones' 'The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada'.

Paul

John

Thanks for the TR - what really comes across is how good VS can be and that you have come away with the impression that you were well looked after. It is nice when staff remember you and that goes a long way towards making you feel the experience is special[y][y]


BTW I do like your writing style:

The only new thing was the Jag on the roof which is a sweet motor. That being said I wouldnt like to be in the back seat of the car as it makes Ryanairs seat pitch look like first class.

Absolutely priceless[^][^]

glad that the Prize has worked out so well
Buns

PS

I do hope you have permission to use the term 'The Lamb'[}:)][}:)]

Originally posted by buns4vs

I do hope you have permission to use the term 'The Lamb'[}:)][}:)]

Ma-a-a-a-a!

Originally posted by buns4vs

PS

I do hope you have permission to use the term 'The Lamb'[}:)][}:)]

Not only that, but it sounds like he had The Lamb for Dinner!

Originally posted by aer john
I decided not to have anything at that time as i was just after eating in the clubhouse but he was good enough to keep the lamb for me.

Mint Sauce! Mint Sauce!

Aer John,
Excellent report from you. Sorry that we will miss 'The Lamb' and you next Saturday on the Riverboat but obviously you are otherwise occupied. We look forward to reading your following on TRs and please give my best regards to your M-a-a-a-t-h-e-r.

Chuck-

Originally posted by pjh

Originally posted by AerJohn

Well as many of you know, this flight was a reward ticket as a result of me winning and becoming the 1st virgin atlantic flying club swingers winner.

'Flying Club Swingers' ? What kind of competition is that ?[:I]


Paul

It is a virtual golf competition details of which can be found on the VS website in the Flying Club pages

Originally posted by honey lamb

Originally posted by pjh

Originally posted by AerJohn

Well as many of you know, this flight was a reward ticket as a result of me winning and becoming the 1st virgin atlantic flying club swingers winner.

'Flying Club Swingers' ? What kind of competition is that ?[:I]


Paul

It is a virtual golf competition details of which can be found on the VS website in the Flying Club pages

Sorry, feeble attempt at humour on my part.[:#] After a crushingly embarrassing time when 'entertaining' clients once I vowed never to set foot on a fairway again and indeed have developed a filtering mechanism when I see the word 'golf'.

Congratulations on winning the competition anyhow and I look forward to the remainder of TRs..

Paul

Aer John decided that he was going to do the trip reports for this trip but I could add my own comments. In fact he did a good job so I have little enough to add.

Just a couple of points, though. The flight was full in UC and although the FSM was visible throughout the cabin she made no attempt to introduce herself to us. However the cabin crew assigned to us more than made up for it, but it would have been nice to have been acknowledged as Gold.

Aer John asked for the lamb and asked for it to be served later - not a problem, except that he slept throughout and then had 2 bacon rolls instead. After all who wants lamb shank for breakfast? Incidentally I had the lamb shank and its presentation made it look unappetising. I had expected it to be browned on the outside but it just looked as if it had been boiled. It was served on a soup dish-type plate along with carrots and potatoes. It tasted OK but really looked off-putting. By contrast the breakfast, a cheese frittata was the nicest breakfast I have ever had on a plane. Yum!

As I mentioned in another thread, the additions to the Scrooge Pack were left in a basket in the loo - except there were no toothbrushes, only toothpaste. After a genteel argument with a cabin crew who insisted they were there, he went off to get some. This however meant that he had to leave wat he was doing to look after that and I'm sure that this imposes extra work on them at a time when they have plenty of other things to do.

My 2 cents

Nice TR, I second the comments about the film 'The wind that shakes the barley' it really is a brilliant film.

Im not just saying that cause Im Irish or that some of it was filmed 15mins away from us,

The church scene was filmed in Timoleague, 6 miles away but I suppose the fact that the roads are twisty means that it would take the best part of 15 mins to get there [ii]