VS020 SFO-LHR 12 Dec 06 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Back from a Vegas/San Francisco trip.

Got a taxi from the Argonaut to the BART station and then BART'd (as it were) to SFO.

Perfect timing, arrived just after checkin had opened.

Superb checkin agent (a rarity at SFO in my experience) - cheerful, polite and helpful. She checked all cases in my name (even though the OH was in Y) so they'd all get priority handling.
OH decided against paying for an exit row seat so asked for a bulkhead. and manages to get 30C.

Over to the CH, and we whiled away the time over plenty of cocktails (the OH) and Sprites (me). I was pleasantly surprised to find there was an item on the CH menu that was vegan (a curried lentil/chickpea affair), which was very nice. Had a shower but wasn't impressed (hard to be if you're comparing them to the LHR showers!)

Boarded, I'd gone for 7A - whenever I've travelled in UC before, it's always been on the upper deck, so I was interested to see what this would be like.

First impressions were poor - loud Christmas 'music' blaring out of the speaker overhead, so I couldn't concentrate on the book I was reading. Temperature was freezing.
Was offered a drink, etc. and I could tell the guy couldn't be bothered.

The whole flight was mediocre/bad. This was one of 'those' crews who just want to doss around and joke in the galley. Very unprofessional. Loads of giggling and shouting during the early part of the flight.
One of them dropped something in the galley and then shouted 'SH*T!' really loudly - this creates such a bad impression. I hate the inconsistency with VS, how sometimes you can end up with a crew like this who should just be in the playground.

No duvet nearby so went to the galley to ask for one - 'yeah I'll get you one in a minute mate'... mate? Don't get me wrong, I don't like being called 'sir' either, but 'mate'? If I'd paid with money (rather than L-G with miles) for this journey I'd have been livid.

The seat wasn't comfortable when converted to the bed. Much narrower on the shoulders then upstairs, it seemed, and I couldn't really get comfortable.

Usual scenario with the crew - i.e. quick, get dinner served, whack the lights out then get back to the galley to gossip. Awful.

Luckily, as I always fly with VS I know they can do better than this, however if this had been my first flight with them, I wouldn't bother again.

Interesting to read your comments on the attitude of the cabin crew. Over the past couple of years, I have noticed an increase in a 'relaxed attitude/familiarity' on an increasing number of flights - 'mate' seemingly becoming a more popular term by male crew members. Maybe familiarity is the new direction of Virgin Atlantic, or maybe SRB, is just juggling too many plates at the moment !!

Originally posted by Realistic Flier
Maybe familiarity is the new direction of Virgin Atlantic, or maybe SRB, is just juggling too many plates at the moment !!

Get real, SRB doesn't seem to be as involved in the management of the airline as he used to be, and boy is it starting to show.

Andy, it really shows how the crew can make or a break a flight, doesn't it?

Thanks for the TR Andy.

Sorry that your return trip was not as good as the outbound. It's that old VS inconsistency popping up again[:(!]

Even if I was sitting in Economy, I think the use of the word 'mate' to address a passenger is highly unprofessional[V] Don't sell yourself short, you used some of your hard earned miles to upgrade to UC so you should still receive and expect to receive the same standard of service as if you had paid full fare.

Sounds like it didn't put you of flying VS again? I hope your next flight is much better[:D]

Amanda

Regardless of how the flight was 'paid' for the service consistency should be constant (just remind me how most miles are accrued??- revenue flights or asociated spends via Amex etc??? So some cost to the passenger/company spmewhere along the line ).I've had a couple of shocking flights with VS in the past year or so and the last trip to LAS via SFO was a last chance for them to redeem themselves.They managed this with aplomb -crew and flight were A1 there and back and the only things I had to moan about was the ameanity (sic) pack and lack of 'extras' they had to offer (fab cabin crew member offered me his moisturiser as they had none on board and I'd none in my hand luggage -top bloke!!).Even managed to get a massage each on a full flight.
All in all enough to sway the decision to part with copious ammounts of dosh for the summer jolly to SYD but I'd have walked away and gone elsewhere if it had been less than very good .Let's hope the next trip is better for you (and hope I'm not regretting my words in two weeks when I fly at the back of the bus to MCO).

[Scrooge]

Of course I just get through posting that the UC crew seems to be trending more towards greatness than lowness then I stumble upon this TR.

As said above, I don't care how I get in the cabin be it paid, upgrade or reward, I wouldn't be called mate unless I do happen (as happened on my VS20 flight) to know the person, then I am mate, or honey as the case may be.