V-Flyer

Returning home after a v nice break in Bermuda so no limo this time as I was making a same day connection.
I had asked what time check-in opened and had been told 2pm but the staff briefing was still going on at 2.10pm and once it was over nobody seemed to be in any particular hurry to deal with anyone!
However the agent was extremely personable and efficient which came as a pleasant surprise - has not been the case often when checking in in JFK or BOS.
So off to the Clubhouse for a nice extended stay - some 4 hours or so to relax and indulge and make the most of it.
I've always find the Staff here to be excellent in every way - friendly and attentive and it was nice to see some familiar faces.
Had a v good meal - the vegetable soup - which really should have been called bean soup! and the ubiquitous burger with all the trimmings.
Have to say it took its time in arriving but the staff came to apologize several times and it was worth the wait even though there were pitifully few fries on the plate.
Only disappointment was the banana bread pudding - tasted very odd I thought but the ice cream that came with it was v good.
V good selection of reading material and also spent some time on one of their applemacs - which kept crashing.
I think they really need to upgrade this side of things - two of the computers weren't working.
I had a nice hot shower in readiness for boarding.
Flight called very early indeed and there was a discrepancy of some 20 minutes between the time on my ticket - which I think was 1830 and the time on the screens which was 1810.
I asked about this at the gate and they muttered something about wanting to push back early - seemed v strange to me.
By the by security was quick - line was long but moved very speedily.
Was full in UC as everyone going home post holidays.
Very little attention from the crew - they all looked very busy but not sure what they were doing!
Was eventually offered a drink and told that I was in the Snooze Zone and did I know - which I did but the steward looked very put out when I said that I would like to eat though.
He said that I could be it would have to be at the bar after they had finished the main service ....
I could not be bothered to talk about the notion of the Freedom Menu but then it was the ghastly Goodnight Menu.
In the end I was fed along with everyone else and allowed to remain in my seat - I was on the back row of the Snooze Zone.
This however led to agitation from a passenger two rows in front who then rang her bell and asked if she could order some food and was told only if she was prepared to move to the bar to eat it ...
I kept out of it all.
Food was as ever nothing special - best thing was the cheese and crackers.
This side of things really lets Virgin down I think.
Was first for the IFBT and very good she was too - excellent massage and really helped me to relax for the flight ahead.
By the way we were told - having pushed back early - that we were number 30something for takeoff and also that it was going to be a quick but bumpy ride - it was the former but not so much the latter thankfully.
I thought the selection of films was not very exciting but did enjoy THE QUEEN
Had a bit of a sleep - I am 6'3' and find the UCS pretty comfortable.
Flight uneventful - had a pretty underwhelming breakfast and we landed just on time.
All in all ok but nothing exceptional in terms of service or food or extras - best things were the Clubhouse and the IFBT - thank you again.
I had the most horrendous time changing my flight which i won't bore you with and this coupled with the substandard food and inconsistency of the flight crews and the niggles of the lack of amenity kit mean that I am thinking what i always thought would be the unthinkable - giving BA another go on the London to Bermuda route on their direct flight to Gatwick.
Will depend on the response i get from Customer Services on the response i get to the fiasco that was trying to change my flight.
Having said all of that - i had a great trip over to JFK on Dec 23rd in UC but then it was very light load and the crew seemed to be in festive spirits and there was a special Xmas menu - wish it was Xmas everytime I flew VS!!!

Thanks for the TR[y]

Unfortunately you were subjected to the inconsistency that haunts us all[n] As you said, VS do seem to perform much better when there are light loads.

VS.

Nice TR PP [:D]

Glad you had a nice stay in Bermuda. We had some fantastic weather over Christmas and the New Year. Hope you enjoyed it.

I can understand your consistency issues with VS. It seems to be a recurring theme in many a TR. We are going back to the UK next week Friday via EWR. Even though it adds time to our journey, we prefer to fly with VS. We took 3 round trips with BA on the LGW-BDA route last year and overall we would still fly VS, even though when we are in England we are nearer to LGW! We also find the VS FC benefits more generous than the BA Exec Club.

Another consideration I guess would be the proposed strikes by BA. We have many friends flying back to the UK for the February half-term from here, worried they won't be able to fly out.