VS651 LHR-LOS 22 Nov 07 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

I was quite looking forward to using the new Upper Class wing at LHR.I also wanted to spend some time in the Clubhouse so arrived in plenty of time. What a disappointment!!!!! There were 2 desks for upper check in which resulted in a long queue. Not a big deal unless you remember how much VA have hyped their new wing. The PE check in was a lot shorter and quicker. Surely they could have assigned more desks to UC. The lift up to the security area was very good and was the highlight of my whole journey.

The lounge was quite busy and there were a lot of young Americans around (apparently US rap star Sisqo and his entourage were on the way to Nigeria for a concert date). However, the service was prompt and very good it must be said.

We took off about 40 minutes late, and the initial part of the flight was quite good until we got to the meal section. I can honestly say that I have never had a more pathetic meal on an aircraft and that include flying Economy on some real dire airlines. We had a choice of starter. The squash soup did not sound too nice so I opted for the oatmeal bread and haddock pate. Not very flavoured it has to be said.

The choice for main course was lamb and jollof rice or roast chicken, roast potatoes, carrots and turnips. I went for the roast. What a pathetic meal!!!! The carrots and turnips were burnt, the potatoes and chicken were luke warm at best and in fact the chicken was cold in the middle. Now, I am not the sort of person to make a fuss and I could see that the cabin crew were quite busy as it was a full flight so I chose not to complain which was my fault. However, I noticed that none of the other passengers finished their food. I saw several plates being taken away with plenty of food still on them.

Dessert was profiteroles which were not too bad but I was so hungry that I had to resort to eating fruit.

One of my friends travelled in PE and commented that their meal was much better. I would prefer UC food to be served in those foil containers rather than on china plates as it seems that they get heated up better without being burnt.

If I had anything to be grateful about it would have to be that the IFE never froze and was very reliable.

In Lagos I was forced to wait for 2 hours for my luggage. No priority luggage there. Economy passengers got their luggage and were off home whilst I remained stuck. Surely the VA station manager should be able to do something to make sure that UC luggage is given priority.

The cabin crew to be fair were very good but I have to say that I have finally had it with Virgin's food and falling standards. Once I use up my airmiles next March I will be moving to BA until I hear that VA has improved things.

Sorry for the negative TR.

Oh dear ... food again, we thought it was getting better too!

Did you not ask for the lighter bites or cheese or even another option?

You did mark the CCrew down on the ratings???

[mitchja]

Thanks for the TR

You can always ask for a PE or Y meal when flying in J.

Regards

[Nottingham Nick]

Thanks for taking the time to post.[y]

Sorry to hear about the food, I can fully understand why you marked it at 0%.

It does seem a bit harsh, however, to mark 'check in' at 0% just because there was a queue. Most posters reserve that score for when they have a fall out with the agent. [;)]

You have also marked the crew right down, but haven't reported any interaction with them. Was it attitude or service that caused the low mark?

Nick

Thanks for this (all too) rare post regarding a flight to LOS! I am sorry your journey was not up to snuff.

It intrigues me how people rate food here -- I must say, I am not sure the way I do it is correct. What I tend to do is lower the bar considerably when I rate the food on airplanes...in other words, if it isn't alive on my plate, coated in mold or tasting of Hull, I tend to give it decent marks. In retrospect, this does no one any good, and if the food is relatively tasteless or of poor taste/preparation, then, by god, I should rate it as such.

It's all too easy to go on about a meal that is merely 'edible.'

I appreciate your high standards and I think I will adopt them for my future TRs. If it isn't truly excellent, then it will not get an excellent rating from me. By this day and age, they should have figured out how to serve food that is truly remarkable at 35,000 feet!

GJ

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
Thanks for this (all too) rare post regarding a flight to LOS! I am sorry your journey was not up to snuff.

It intrigues me how people rate food here -- I must say, I am not sure the way I do it is correct. What I tend to do is lower the bar considerably when I rate the food on airplanes...in other words, if it isn't alive on my plate, coated in mold or tasting of Hull, I tend to give it decent marks. In retrospect, this does no one any good, and if the food is relatively tasteless or of poor taste/preparation, then, by god, I should rate it as such.

It's all too easy to go on about a meal that is merely 'edible.'

I appreciate your high standards and I think I will adopt them for my future TRs. If it isn't truly excellent, then it will not get an excellent rating from me. By this day and age, they should have figured out how to serve food that is truly remarkable at 35,000 feet!

GJ

GJ - what a good strategy to base your view at zero and then mark up the food anywhere above that.

I however still think that VS, for flights that cost thousands, could get this right. BA do it on short haul European flights - serving to my mind very good quality and in very short times too.

Of course, this is how it should be done.

I was overcome with a tiny bit of excitement when I saw a LOS TR its a shame you didnt have good things to write about. Doesnt sound like a good flight at all. If I were you a letter to VS would be in the post.

VS really do need to get this food problem sorted out and ASAP.

Originally posted by slinky09
GJ - what a good strategy to base your view at zero and then mark up the food anywhere above that.

I suppose it's not that revolutionary -- and probably should be the way all ratings are done -- but I admit to starting at 'average' and seeing what happens on these dials when I fly versus starting them all at zero and seeing what happens. Not anymore.

Originally posted by slinky09
Of course, this is how it should be done.

Agreed -- but no doubt the TSA and others would see those hors d'Ïuvre toothpicks and call in a mortar strike [:#]

GJ

This is the last week of the last menu cycle - thankfully in it's death throes!

I really didn't rate that menu at all on my last SFO trip, and found it to be generally of a poor quality, right down to some of the base materials - 'vile and disappointing' was my description of it.

Sounds like the galley operator was a place setting short of a meal cart too, if they were dishing up lukewarm food, and I've had some terrible experiences in that area too, even with the same menu cycle, so I put it down to whoever is running the galley. I think marking the crew down, in the sense that it's a crew member that is incapable of serving your meal hot, is justified.

Sadly, LOS is one of those flights where there are no lighter bites boarded, but then again, you'd have only been missing the rubber chicken tikka.

I really think offering some sort of hot snack in UC on all flights would be a great idea, as it gives the crew some room for manoeuvre if a passenger isn't happy with their meal, they are short of meals, or some meals have somehow become spoiled. BA always used to have a 'pasta of the day' in Club World, didn't they? (Or am I thinking of CO?)

VS' own marketing says something like 'A bacon bap at the bar after a snooze - no problem'. I beg to differ! Unless it's a breakfast flight, it's definitely a problem!

Food is an area where I remain concerned about VS' performance, and I'm looking forward to seeing if the new cycle delivers on what appears to be a promising set of menus.

Mike

Another TR with bad food from VS, just hope the return is better for you. I would of spoken to the FSM if I were you, or at least a letter off to VS.

Thanks for the TR.

Domninic

Originally posted by slinky09
Oh dear ... food again, we thought it was getting better too!

Did you not ask for the lighter bites or cheese or even another option?

You did mark the CCrew down on the ratings???

You are right I did mark the crew down. I think I was a little angry at the time. The truth is that the crew were quite good. They don't choose the meals so not their fault. Btw, I rated check-n quite low and do not consider that to be too harash especially since Virgin have been hyping their new wing so much. It failed to live up to the hype. Seems that the hype only lives up when doing the drive-thru checkin.

[quote]Originally posted by mike-smashing
This is the last week of the last menu cycle - thankfully in it's death throes!


So-any insight into what the new UC menu is?

thanks,

RR

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by roadrunner
So-any insight into what the new UC menu is?

See the sticky in the On Board Experience forum called 'Current Upper Class Winter menus (2007/2008)' [;)]


Nick