V-Flyer

I wasn't intending to write a trip report for this flight until I read Billybobs and realised that they had a totally different meal service to us.

Drove down in the afternoon from Harrisburg PA (which incidently houses the National Civil War museum, which is well worth a visit)utilising a portable sat nav. I normally take the interstate which skirts Baltimore but the sat nav directed me down the 15 which runs past Gettysburg and is a lot quieter and quicker dual carriageway style of road.

No problems at the airport, straight through security and into the clubhouse for a couple of drinks before boarding. The clubhouse was offering 1 hot dish of chicken something or other but I thought we would wait until our meal on the plane.

Priority boarding worked fine and we were soon into our seats 4,5,6K.

The ''Freedom'' menus were already on the seat waiting for us and I was looking forward to my usual soup starter. However on this flight that was not to be. On offer was a cold platter for those that wanted to go straight to sleep, or the cold platter as a starter followed by a hot chicken dish. I contemplated asking for a P.E. meal and to be honest was completely p----d off by their UC cabin food offering.

The flight took off on time at 1840 with the food being served immediately after the drinks run at around 1940. I checked with the FSM that I wasn't sitting in the snooze zone and she informed me that the snooze zone was the 3-4 rows infront of the pe cabin. For some reason they kept the cabin lights down low so that we had to eat our meal by using the reading lights.

Other than the food or lack of it and my lighting issues whilst eating the rest of flight was great, the staff were brilliant as ever. with the IFBT trolling round the cabin almost begging passengers to have a treatment. My 21 year old son woke up half way through the flight for the loo and she was on him in a flash. He reckons it was the best shoulder massage he has had to date. Upon leaving the plane at Heathrow she told me that she had managed to do 14 treatments not bad for a night flight.

whilst I am whinging about the food, on the outward flight with a total of 15 pax in UC they had nowhere near enough food for the passengers to have their first choice. I was sitting at the bar after take off (as all V-flyers do)and overheard the FA's saying they were 5 salmon main courses short. I can't imagine more than 7 or 8 people wanting fish when they had the lamb shank and one other hot dish on offer.

So, to recap staff great, availabilty/choice of food crap.

The '''Freedom''' menus were already on the seat waiting for us and I was looking forward to my usual soup starter. However on this flight that was not to be. On offer was a cold platter for those that wanted to go straight to sleep, or the cold platter as a starter followed by a hot chicken dish. I contemplated asking for a P.E. meal and to be honest was completely p----d off by their UC cabin food offering.

Hi Tony,

I assume this is part of the GNF service? I recall that when we last flew back from IAD in Upper this was in effect. Neither Richard or I had eaten much in CH, partly because the meals that we had ordered came out incorrectly, but we didnt make a fuss as we thought we'd simply enjoy a proper meal onboard. We both completely forgot about GNF.

Thanks,
Sarah

Sarah, thanks for reminding me about GNF.
Virgins website states the following;

To compliment our Good Night Flight service, we will be offering a greater range of food options in our Clubhouses. For those of you who do want to eat onboard, a choice of freshly prepared full meals will be available satisfying the heartiest of appetites:

Other than the one hot chicken dish, club sandwich or a salad there was no full meals available in the clubhouse.

Still at least I know now not to book a GNF in future.

Originally posted by Tony T
Other than the one hot chicken dish, club sandwich or a salad there was no full meals available in the clubhouse.

Would concur with you there, Tony. When we were at IAD the other month (albeit flying PE) i didnt really fancy anything from the very limited CH menu and ended up gorging on the cookies and crudities that were laid out - and the Champagne of course. I am glad we were flying PE as i think we ended up with a better/more filling meal than we would have if we were flying J, and that really is quite sad.

Thanks,
Sarah

Night flights from the East coast of US can be a little disappointing in UC in terms of the food service. Learnt the first time, that if you are really hungry that they will do the cold tray as a 'starter' and then the hot as a main course.....so it depends how busy the flight is and how many people are eating!

Originally posted by Tony T

My 21 year old son woke up half way through the flight for the loo and she was on him in a flash. He reckons it was the best shoulder massage he has had to date. Upon leaving the plane at Heathrow she told me that she had managed to do 14 treatments not bad for a night flight.

Glad your son had an enjoyable rub-down by a VERY hard working gal! [}:)] I am sure he will remember it.

Food is lacking out of IAD. Always has. I prefer to stick to a liquid diet. Remember: Cerveza no es justa para desayuno m‡s! [y]

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
Food is lacking out of IAD. Always has.

Yep, I don't think I'll argue with you there. My girlfriend had an absolutely vile meal in UC a few years ago on a flight out of IAD.

I think the food from the (ex-Dobbs) Gategourmet kitchen at IAD is better than LSG, ISTR UA and BA are catered by Gategourmet there.

Mike

Funnily I've always quite liked IAD CH food... but that bit on the VS site about improving food on the ground for GNFs is taking the proverbial...

Originally posted by HighFlyer
albeit flying PE

COUGH!!! I nearly spat out my Clubhouse burger with bacon, cheddar cheese, and mayonaise served in a warm bap with tomato, gherkins and onions.

I'd have some serious words with you know who about that if I were you.

H

Originally posted by HighFlyer
I assume this is part of the GNF service?

Didn't you know? GNF = Get No Food. It's a special service carefully formulated to cater for those lucky passengers seated in the highest revenue earning seats on the plane, after feedback from a random survey at least half a dozen carefully selected people who only eat lettuce.

Howard

COUGH!!! I nearly spat out my Clubhouse burger with bacon, cheddar cheese, and mayonaise served in a warm bap with tomato, gherkins and onions. I'd have some serious words with you know who about that if I were you.

Well, you know, one ought to keep ones self grounded from time to time, otherwise flying J & F all the time just becomes routine [:D]

Didn't you know? GNF = Get No Food. It's a special service carefully formulated to cater for those lucky passengers seated in the highest revenue earning seats on the plane, after feedback from a random survey at least half a dozen carefully selected people who only eat lettuce.

GNF = Get No Food LOLOLOL [:D] It would be funnier if it wasn't frighteningly true!

Thanks,
Sarah

As I was so busy whilst writing this TR whinging about the food (or lack of it) I forgot to mention the drinks. In the nicely formatted menu booklet it lists the wines and spirits on offer for the disconcerning premium passenger.

For this flight we choose to drink Jack Daniels and coke. We drank the plane dry after 3 drinks as they only had 6 minature bottles on board. Next time I fly UC from the east coast I will take my own sandwiches and a hip flask. If it carries on like this, in a couple of years time we will be asked to bring our own pillows,duvet and possibly a fold up seat.

Wait until they have a whip round for the pilot!