VS001 LHR-EWR 28 Sep 06 (Upper)

VS 001
LHR - EWR
Aircraft Tinkerbelle
Seat 7K



After taking the V-Flyer contingent on a VIP, tour of T5, it was time to say our goodbyes and off I went back to my office to catch up on my emails. Left T5 at 1345 got to UC check-in at 1400 where I did the usual security questions before entering and then it was straight up to the desk. There was only one other passenger who was using the other desk. I did online check in the night before so I just picked up my boarding pass and dropped my bags off. Check-in was very swift and a pleasant service. [^]

Now I was off to negotiate slow track as it never seems to go fast for me but today I was to be proved wrong as when I got there there werent any queues so I was straight through. [;)]

Stop off in duty free to pick up some cologne only to be told that I wouldnt be allowed to take it on the US, flight which I found strange consistency huh?? [:?] so I said no thank you and off I went to the clubhouse.

Drop my bag off and headed straight for the showers which was very nice and refreshing as always. After a quick change out of my suit into my jeans all of a sudden I felt so much more relaxed and ordered my favourite clubhouse burger washed down with a couple of nice cold beers and catch up on the news. The clubhouse was very busy at this time with about 30 passengers in there but as always the service was spot on. [y]

My flight was called at 1515 and I took a nice slow walk down to gate 31, reminiscing on all the nights I spent working on these piers on T3,( so I know theyre safe!!) doing the segregation project and the new gate rooms - oh boy that brought back some memories. I arrived at the gate and straight into the lounge where to my surprise all the passengers were still there milling around as the crew was late arriving at the aircraft and they was still doing there on board safety checks and briefing.

Anyway they soon started boarding. Upper and P.E, was call first and straight onboard to my favourite 7K (on the 747) to find the scrooge kit was waiting for me and while I was packing my bags away a CSA came up addressed me by name [:D] and introduced herself and offered me a drink which she came back with in a flash. Then the IFBT was next on her rounds. We pushed back bang on 1600 and wheels up around 1625, and 15minutes later the seatbelt sign was off and IFE, turned on.

The FSM, came round and introduced himself again addressing me by name and he recognised me from my last flight which I always find amazing as they do see a lot of passengers. Had a quick chat and asked about the load - he said there were 285 pax on board today with 44 in J, PE was full and the remaining in Y.

Then the crew came round did the drinks service and a little while later came round to take lunch orders and from looking at the new menu I decided that I wasnt going to eat as I did not like what was on offer so I told her that I will just have the cheese & crackers which for some reason she found surprising!! A few minutes later the FSM, came to see me and said he heard that I didnt like what was on the menu so he asked if I would like to try a meal from Y, which was chicken with pasta & broccoli or beef so I opted to try the chicken which was very well presented. It seemed like it was 2 meals put together on a plate and I must say I was pleasantly surprise as the chicken was very nice [y] and well cooked and the pasta was also very nice in whatever that white sauce was???? hence the reason I gave it a good mark.

After dinner I watched an episode of little Britain and then I got up to get my suite ready to catch some shut eye and again in a flash a crew member came and did it for me while I went to the bar to stretch my legs and a few minutes later she came to tell me my bed was all ready. I went to bed with my Ipod for company!!

The flight passed very quick as the next thing I knew when I woke it was just over a hour to landing so I must have slept for a good 4 hours. Again the crew came round asked if I wanted a hot or cold drink and\or something to eat. In the end I just had a cold drink and some fruit.

Landed in EWR, just before 1830. Waited on the taxi-way for about 10 minutes to be towed onto the stand and straight off the plane to a semi-empty immigration hall with the last of the Air India passengers in front of us. I was through in less than 15 minutes and the baggage reclaim and the baggage started to shoot off the belt in less than 5 minutes. My bag was the 3rd off and I went out into the warm Jersey evening.

All in all another top class flight and service from VS. [^] Apart from the new menu [n] I have no complaints at all. Full marks to all the VS staff from check in to the clubhouse and the FSM and his crew who did a very splendid job indeed. As I have said before when VS produce service like this they are up there with the best of the best. I hope you all enjoyed my 2nd TR. as Im so busy I dont get a chance to write one as often as I would like but I felt the VS team today deserved to be applauded in this way!! [^][^][^]

Thanks for the great TR, Peter[^]

30 pax - busy???[:0] [;)]

VS.

[buns]

Maverick

Thanks for an excellent TR[y][y][y]

At least your trip from 'the office' to T3 was not too long[;)][:o)][;)]

It does seem that it is a bit hit and miss on crew service - it is good to hear of the levels of service you enjoyed on board and perhaps this is what VS should aspire to on every occasion.

Enjoy your weekend

buns

[Neil]

Good TR, thanks Peter[y], nice to hear of another top notch service provided by the CC, haven't heard of many bad CC lately, which can only be good news[^]

Neil[:)]

Glad you had a good trip Pete.Hope it's not all work and you get some R+R.
Julie

Sounds like a great trip though the new menu doesn't seem to be going dow very well which is a shame.

Excellent TR as usual Peter - it kinda made me smile when you mentioned about the food coming from Y - there must be so many passengers in Y who would have gladly swapped - hahahahah!!

Have a great break and dont stay up too late!!![:I]

Great TR Mavrick[y]

Sounds like VS are really getting it together on the CC front[:D]

Great TR

It's nice to read a great TR![y]

It seems the summer burnout has gone away with the return of school, and I hope the holiday crush doesn't bring it back (but CC are only human, and the [:0]craziness[:0] of the holiday travel season would send anyone over the edge if you did it as part of your job). It's bad enough traveling during it, but to work on one of the planes? I'd run screaming.

The CCs over the holidays have my sincere condolences, especially when some of the pax whine like a bad engine, drag their feet like sulky toddlers at the checkpoints, and act like Scrooge's RUDEness mentor during the flight! [V] I'd get myself fired so fast - I don't know how they can take the antics some pax dish out. Some of the finally reach their limit, true, but I'm always amazed it doesn't happen sooner!

The food problem, though, seems to get worse instead of better. I wonder what the wastage is, and where Catering is getting testers for planning their new menus. I do wish VS would send Catering to read this site more often... [i]

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood
It's nice to read a great TR![y]

It seems the summer burnout has gone away with the return of school, and I hope the holiday crush doesn't bring it back (but CC are only human, and the [:0]craziness[:0] of the holiday travel season would send anyone over the edge if you did it as part of your job). It's bad enough traveling during it, but to work on one of the planes? I'd run screaming.

The CCs over the holidays have my sincere condolences, especially when some of the pax whine like a bad engine, drag their feet like sulky toddlers at the checkpoints, and act like Scrooge's RUDEness mentor during the flight! [V] I'd get myself fired so fast - I don't know how they can take the antics some pax dish out. Some of the finally reach their limit, true, but I'm always amazed it doesn't happen sooner!

Three points:

1. Not everyone who travels in the holiday season is rude or whining;

2. The holiday travel season loads help keep VS afloat as a business;

3. The single most unpleasant thing I've heard foisted on a cabin crew was a from a business traveller out of the holiday season.

Paul

OK, not every pax is rude or whining during the holidays. And it pays for much of the rest of the year (summer being the other moneymaker).

I also admit the worst traveler I have ever encountered (rudeness-wise) was a harried business traveler. Get the name of the traveler's company if you can! Their company will be greatly dismayed to find out how they are represented in flight. I guarantee you, if you complain to their employer, they will probably lose travel rights, at least in the US.

What I'd like to see more often is a return to polite common sense from some travelers. Yes, it's wet or snowing. Your commute to the airport may be slow, or fraught with accidents. Leave early. Do not grouse at check-in when you don't make the cutoff.

Please have the sense given a gerbil or more, and leave your gifts unwrapped! Read the latest BAA or TSA prohibited list before you start to pack. Demetal yourself. Those behind you will thank you.

Even if you are waiting onboard for a long time to be deiced, don't take it out on the crew! They'd surely love to be on their way, too - and there's nothing they can do about the wait.

Don't get me wrong - I've been on many happy flights year-round, and I just wish politeness under stress was in vogue again. So, again I say, thank you, all CC I have ever had and will have again! [^][oo] We couldn't fly without you. I wish you well this holiday season, and hope you avoid the boors who seem to crop up now and then. Even when it's not a holiday!

And it was still a great TR! [^]

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood
What I'd like to see more often is a return to polite common sense from some travelers. Yes, it's wet or snowing. Your commute to the airport may be slow, or fraught with accidents. Leave early. Do not grouse at check-in when you don't make the cutoff.

Can't disagree with that...[y]

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood
Even if you are waiting onboard for a long time to be deiced, don't take it out on the crew! They'd surely love to be on their way, too - and there's nothing they can do about the wait.

I've only once flown in weather that required a deicing phase (as generally I go warm places and the UK tends to the damp rather than the cold in the winter). A slight delay but the weather front that caused it rewarded us with a spectacularly clear and crisp sky over Chicago so I got some great views of the city.

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood
And it was still a great TR! [^]

Indeed it was.

Paul

OK, not every pax is rude or whining during the holidays. And it pays for much of the rest of the year (summer being the other moneymaker).

Actually, business travellers and those in the premium cabins are how the airlines make their money (although some aren't so good at that[;)]). Still, it all helps[:)]

VS.

[honey lamb]

OK, not every pax is rude or whining during the holidays. And it pays for much of the rest of the year (summer being the other moneymaker).

Ah, yes! As George Bernard Shaw said:

'England and America are two countries separated by a common language.'

For us this side of the pond summer is the holiday season, not Christmas//Kwanzaa/Hanukkah [|:)]

Originally posted by VS045

OK, not every pax is rude or whining during the holidays. And it pays for much of the rest of the year (summer being the other moneymaker).

Actually, business travellers and those in the premium cabins are how the airlines make their money (although some aren't so good at that[;)]). Still, it all helps[:)]

VS.

[:?] They may be the passengers on which they make the greatest margin but if they were the true and sole generators of profit why would any airline bother with Economy passengers ?

Paul

[HighFlyer]

Lovely TR Mavrick [:)]

Have to agree with you on the new menu. I didnt like any of the three main entrees and was also offered a meal from Y. The thing that bothered us most was the removal of the scones from Afternoon Tea! How could they, that's a British Institution!

Hope you had a fantastic break over in NYC [:)]

Thanks,
Sarah

Great TR, shame that you didnt like anything on the menu

quote:
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Originally posted by VS045


quote:
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OK, not every pax is rude or whining during the holidays. And it pays for much of the rest of the year (summer being the other moneymaker).
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Actually, business travellers and those in the premium cabins are how the airlines make their money (although some aren't so good at that). Still, it all helps

VS.

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They may be the passengers on which they make the greatest margin but if they were the true and sole generators of profit why would any airline bother with Economy passengers ?

Paul

I'm not saying that Y pax aren't needed from a financial point of view, but they certainly don't bring as much money in as the pax in the premium cabins.

VS.

Originally posted by HighFlyer
Lovely TR Mavrick [:)]

Have to agree with you on the new menu. I didnt like any of the three main entrees and was also offered a meal from Y. The thing that bothered us most was the removal of the scones from Afternoon Tea! How could they, that's a British Institution!

Hope you had a fantastic break over in NYC [:)]

Thanks,
Sarah

Thanks Sarah, The new menu was not to my liking at all, as for the scones I say we should start a petition to bring them back lol. [;)] [:D]

And NY, was great thank you, I hope you guys are having fun in the land of Mickey. [:D]