VS065 LGW-MBJ 31 Jul 06 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

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Entertainment

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Cabin Crew

This was an excellent flight. We used the new VS service to Montego Bay for our 2 weeks annual sun in Jamaica. We used the Twilight check-in facility at Gatwick and checked in at about 2000 the evening before our flight. I would recommend anyone who is able to do so, to take advantage of this it was very quiet and calm in the departures hall when we checked in Gatwick was an absolute zoo the next morning, with queues even for UC. However, with our boarding cards safely in our hands, we bypassed the morass and headed for the lounge, where my wife and girls settled in for their morning manicure and I settled in for my first glass of champagne of the day, having dropped my shoes off for a quick shine up. I think VAs lounges are really pretty excellent certainly better than any other Business Class lounge I have ever been in, both in terms of facilities and service.

Once the flight was called, we headed for the gate. Yes, priority boarding for UC and PE was in operation, so we were very soon settling into our suites in 6 and 7A/K; the ladies admiring their new coats of nail varnish and I began guzzling another vat of champagne. Airborne on time and, well not much to report really. The cabin crew were absolutely delightful and looked after us superbly well. That said, Ive flown UC many times, but the Freedom Menu concept has become a little bit misleading. You can certainly choose when you wish to eat, however, it would seem that the amount of food on board is now very carefully controlled to avoid unnecessary wastage, therefore, if you fancy, as I did, another main course later on in the flight, you will probably be out of luck theres only just enough for one each. Fair enough, I suppose, but its probably wrong for VA to say you can eat what you want, when you want. The when bit is right, not so sure about the what.. Incidentally, re the much-lamented amenity cardboard thingy mentioned in other TRs recently: I am pleased to report we were all given very nice Ozwald Boateng (who he???) zip-up zippy-up things, containing a pen, cufflinks, UC luggage label, eye shades, wash kit etc etc.

On arrival at MBJ, we and PE were allowed off the plane first. Which was nice.

All in all, an excellent flight. Bar excellent, Crew excellent, bar excellent, food pretty good, bar excellent Memsahib and kids very happy too.

I would have done a return journey report, but really it was more of the same, once wed got through the chaos that was MBJ airport with their new security measures in place.. but thats another story! Did I say LGW was chaotic? MBJ made LGW look like an oasis of calm by comparison.
[:p]

Thanks Blevin for report.Looking forward to my little trip later this year to Jamaica.

[Neil]

Good TR, thanks, and welcome to VF[y][y]

Neil[:)]

[HighFlyer]

Welcome to the forum, and thank-you for the TR, our first for MBJ if i am not mistaken [y]

Thanks,
Sarah

Blevins, Good TR, thank you, and welcome to VF. [y] [:D]

Thanks for the TR....I'd suggest you may need to hire Springfield's Lionel Hutz on the issue of the food...

'Homer: All you can eat. Ha!
Hutz: Mr. Simpson, this is the most blatant case of fraudulent advertising since my suit against the film, ``The Never-Ending Story''.' [:)]

Just as a matter of interest what kind of Amenity kit did you get on the return leg ?

Paul

Nice TR, i love reading these![:D]

Hi PJH

We each got another Ozwald Boateng zip-up kit - very nice!

i love that kit! very posh!

Was there a lounge that you could use at MBJ - please expand on the chaos there - we are traveling there soon and would like to 'be prepared'

Hi
Sorry to take so long to get back to you - I hadn't bothered to check my report to see if there were any other posts.

Basically, the airport could not cope with the number of pax. We arrived at the airport 3 hrs before departure, yet only JUST had enough time to get to the gate before scheduled depart time. In fact, they had to delay the aircraft for 1hr30 because so many people were late. The place was absolutely heaving at checkin. Even the UC checkin was chaotic. I had only 2 pax ahead of me yet it still took 35mins to get my boarding card. THe check in is staffed by Air Jamaica and they really did not seem to know what thy they were doing. Maybe things will have been sorted by the time you go. Also, the security checks were ridiculous. A person was going along the checkin queue looking at passports and actually suggested that my daughters' passports were not their own - because their pictures did not look like them! - They were taken at age 4 and 5 and their current ages are 9 and 10.... There were nowhere near enough scanners and I (but not my family)was searched 3 times at various points before I joined the aircraft (as were other dads). No one seemed to consider that, although the alleged passengers arrested in UK allegedly carrying something allegedly of interest to security staff were allegedly from a particular group, how very unlikely it would be that an individual not from that group, with family, travelling home from holiday, would suddenly decide to carry something of interest which would endanger them and be so good at hiding that the security staff could not find it...... One search, fine - but 3? I have been to Jamaica 7 times over the last 10 years and have never had any hassle at all before.

I hope that's given you some idea and I really hope that it's better by now.

Yes, you could use the Air Jamaica lounge, however we did not get time. Have a great holiday!

Originally posted by blevins
how very unlikely it would be that a white European guy, with family, travelling home from holiday, would suddenly decide to carry a bomb......

Its more likely to be drugs that illicit such a strong security policy from Jamaica... I remember customs in T3 at LHR used to aim for at least 30% of pax off the Air Jamaica flights being screend on arrival, much much higher than from any other flight.

Originally posted by blevins
Hi
Basically, the airport could not cope with the number of pax. We arrived at the airport 3 hrs before departure, yet only JUST had enough time to get to the gate before scheduled depart time. In fact, they had to delay the aircraft for 1hr30 because so many people were late. The place was absolutely heaving at checkin. Even the UC checkin was chaotic. I had only 2 pax ahead of me yet it still took 35mins to get my boarding card. THe check in is staffed by Air Jamaica and they really did not seem to know what thy they were doing. Maybe things will have been sorted by the time you go. Also, the security checks were ridiculous. A woman was going along the checkin queue looking at passports and actually suggested that my daughters' passports were not their own - because their pictures did not look like them! - They were taken at age 4 and 5 and their current ages are 9 and 10.... There were no were near enough scanners and I (but not my family)was searched 3 times at various points before I joined the aircraft (as were other dads). No one seemed to consider that, although the terrorists picked up at LHR were of Asian extraction, how very unlikely it would be that a white European guy, with family, travelling home from holiday, would suddenly decide to carry a bomb...... I hope that's given you some idea and I really hope that it's better by now. Yes, you could use the Air Jamaica lounge, however we did not get time. Have a great holiday!

I suspect that the the whole network of airports in that region are being expected by the US and the UK to upgrade their security operations and are still getting used to the idea and the process and operational changes involved.

Paul

p.s. A couple of small points - ISTBC I don't think anyone was picked up 'at LHR' and until they are tried and found guilty they are 'alleged' terrorists.

[Neil]

Just to add my thoughts to the 'whats MBJ like' part of this thread, I also found the whole set up very shoddy, at the time we were flying Air Jamaica ([n]) and the security/check-in staff just seemed very unorganised, the airport itself is fairly small and whilst I would advise you get there early to ensure you have plenty of time to check-in do security, I wouldn't advise spending too long at the airport as its pretty bleak after a while.

Good TR btw, thanks[y]

Neil[:)]

Thanks for the TR and welcome to the site[y]

Ozwald Boateng is a designer of (IMO[;)]) fine clothing - where have you been[}:)]

VS.

hi,

im off to mbj next week...
thanks for the info.....