VS030 BGI-LGW 17 Nov 07 PE

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Arrived at Grantley Adams, amidst sheeting rain, 2 hours before the flight. No queue at the PE check in, but long one for Economy. Luggage was added to the ever growing pile behind the desks! As usual security was easily navigated ad the whole process took less than 15 minutes. After almost 2 years the building works in departures are almost complete. They now have a bar and the beginnings of somewhere to eat (Caribbean grill coming soon), unfortunately they have also adopted worldwide airport pricing practices (BDS10 for a Banks had me crying into my beer).[V]

Priority boarding was in place and actively policed by a very keen member of ground staff. Walked out to Pretty Woman and was quickly settled in 80H. Champagne was offered by the efficient and slightly shrill CSS. The captain informed us that there would be a delay while the luggage was loaded as the rain had flooded a luggage belt. Finally left about 40 minutes late.

Drinks run was followed by the meal service about an hour out. Food was unremarkable as is frequently the case on UK bound flights from Barbados and the breakfast was hardly worth waking up for (made worse by the smell of cooked breakfast wafting up from below).

Menu
Salad

Seasoned leaf salad with tomato, green pepper and cheddar cheese

Main Course

Barbeque chicken with pineapple served with vegetable rice

Beef Bourguignon with roasted potatoes, crushed carrots and beans

Spinach tortellini with creamy garlic and chive sauce

Warm Bread

Pumpkin bread roll

Dessert

Pina colada cheesecake

Cheese & Biscuits

Cheddar Cheese served with crackers

For what its worth, I had the chicken which lacked real flavour.

The remainder of the flight was uneventful: finished watching Die Hard 4.0 then tried to sleep. This is where the choice of seat proved, with hindsight, to be flawed. Unavoidably noise from the galley and constant traffic made any prolonged periods of sleep impossible. It was, therefore, a slightly more tired than anticipated David that arrived in Gatwick about 25 minutes late. Unlike the outward journey, disembarkation was being done by cabin, so was amongst the first off the plane.[y]

Immigration was surprisingly empty and progress rapid. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the luggage. Once the luggage started to arrive it became apparent that in the rush to get away from Bridgetown the loading had been carried out without regard for priority so bags arrived randomly. All in all it was almost 75 minutes after disembarking that I found myself waiting for the train home.

Again, like the outward journey, I was left slightly underwhelmed by the PE experience. I cant help feeling that the word Premium promises a bit more than it offers. On the other hand the second half is economy, so I guess I shouldnt be expecting too much. That having been said, the lady sitting next to me couldnt stop raving about the whole experience, including the food. So perhaps its just me?

Thanks for the TR, shame that you were left underwelmed! Now your view could well of been different if you were flying out on the LHR fleet! [:?]

It's possible, I'll find out early next year when I go to NY. I just feel that there's that little something missing to make it really stand out over Y. But perhaps it's just me being too fussy? The extra room over Y alone is almost worth the extra, so if I get a good sale price it's still the best way I can think of traveling long distances (until I try UC off course [:)])

nice TR the LGW jumbo is a different experience to the LHR jumbo especially in PE. from a crew perspective you get to work n your own cabin with your own galley and as there are only 2 of you in there if doesn't get cramped. Its almost like working on a private jet, you can completely forget about the 400 or so people downstairs! LOL however, sitting near a galley is never good especially upstairs. the area at the top of the stairs is where other PE passengers go to stand and stretch and enevitably end up chatting, it is almost the PE bar! Maybe we are slightly to blame as we use the unit above the stairs to put the fruit bowl and juice on. also the premium passengers who are sat downstairs, ( and who normally sit upstairs) use the upper deck tiolets, instead of the one near the 2 doors in Y. When i have worked up there though, the galley is normally quiet after dinner untill about an hour before breakfast when i have to load all the ciossant things. its hard to load an aircraft oven quietly, tin shelves and plastic wrapping is going to be niosey no matter what we do LOL!

in my humble opinion i would say sit on the left of the plane either near the front or in the middle, also on a carribean inbound (whatever destination as the food is the same except HAV) go for the beef! more flavour and actually quite nice!

[Neil]

Thanks for the TR.

With regards to feeling a bit underwhelmed by your PE flight, I think it just happens sometimes. I had a PE flight to BOS last year and I felt really unimpressed with the whole thing for some reason. Nothing was specifically wrong and everything was done/given as advertised and how it should have being, but whether it was the mood I was in or something else I just don't know.

Every other PE sector I have done has been fabulous and really has enhanced my flight/holiday experience, so don't give up on it just yet, one bad apple and all that!

Neil