This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
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Cabin Crew
I arrived at the drive through check in with my travelling companion about two hours prior to the flight - although I usually like to make the most of my time in the CH, we also both wanted to get in half a day's work prior to the 3pm flight. We sat in the car waiting for a few minutes for the drive through barrier to raise.
The subterranean raising barriers in front of the drive through check in have been dumped in favour of a standard raising barrier (to save your imagination take a look at this Manchester bus lane barrier).
After negotiating the general melange we made it to the fast track security line where I mentioned that they seemed to have dropped the requirement to remove shoes. After about fifteen minutes in line I realised I'd spoken too soon when we were picked out and taken to yet another security line to remove our shoes. Other pax are open-jawed and shaking their heads in disbelief at the new inconvenience.
We headed straight to the CH where we both had treatment appointments. For some reason they thought mine was at 13:30 although I rechecked and my email confirmation said 13:45. They were turning people away, and in the end I had to settle for a quick five minute trim rather than a more relaxing proper 'do'. Still, there's precious little left to thicken out anyway these days.
It was clear that despite the fog being clear in town, at Heathrow it was a real pea souper. Having witnessed the situation with my own eyes, it was clear that there was almost no visual reference for taxiing let alone taking off - I'd guess visibility was down to 100yds maximum.
This was the first time my travelling companion had been in the new CH, so after her treatment I took her for a quick tour by which time we had to head for our flight at the new A380 gate area. Boarding was swift, although my companion was a little uneasy about heading to the fron of the line - as is fairly common there was no clear evidence of a priority boarding line.
On board prior to takeoff I changed into a sleepsuit. So far so good - although it then became clear that due to the fog we were going to be delayed. In the end we were sat on the tarmac for two hours waiting for a slot.
The remainder of the flight fairly enjoyable. Food and booze ok - as well as the pre-takeoff Champagne, I had a Tanqueray #10 with a South African Chenin Blanc and Aussie Shiraz to go with the food. I order hot pot for my main but was handed the turkey Christmas main. As I was sitting with my companion across the table, the FA profusely apologised that it would take another ten minutes and offered me some FF miles, to which of course I accepted - although the offer seemed to be forgotten.
I spent an enjoyable couple of hours at the bar with a couple of folk who were friends of the crew.
Right after the meal I'd filled out an order card with about half a dozen duty free items and handed this with my credit card to an FA. It wasn't until about 90 minutes out of LAX that they had to wake me up to deal with it. For some reason they cannot sell duty free without the bar being open (I hadn't ordered any booze). In addition they didn't have one of the items but I wasn't given the opportunity to choose something else. I was more annoyed about being woken up when there was still 90 minutes to go.
Arriving in LAX, we were already about 90 minutes late, but to make matters worse we were put on a remote stand to be bussed to immigration. Immigration at LAX was appalling. Inside it was heaving. Once the US citizen line had cleared, a VS agent called for all Virgin pax to move over to that line - of course it was the back of the plane that was closest and had the opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
There were a large number of pax trying to make their way to Auckland on a connecting Air-NZ flight, which now they were going to miss. The VS agent realised he should have called for those pax first, but it was all too late.
A pax who had been in front of me in UC was a mate of one of the crew. The FA was agitated about how long it was taking for his mate to clear, and came over to ask why he was so far down the line, saying it'd take ages. Which of course it did.
Over one and a half hours later we had cleared immigration. We collected our bags, made for the exit, greeted the driver and were of course exhausted. For the fifth consecutive time since November on VS, my bags had no UC tag. No big deal on this occasion considering the immigration delay. Do the UC bags get containerized on the A340-600 or do they get individually loaded?
I felt most sorry for those who'd missed their connecting flights. I can imagine that those trying to make it to Auckland may even have spent an unscheduled Christmas in an airport somewhere this year.
There is an increasingly gaping disconnect between, on the one hand, the oasis of both the CH and in-air experience, and on the other hand the hours of cattle prodding and sheep herding that goes on.
Other perennial nit picking - IFE switched off way before it needs to be. Don't know if this is a VS thing or a CAA requirement. EK for example plays their VOD IFE throughout from boarding to deplaning.
[Edit - about UC baggage tags or the lack of them]
