This is a Trip Report from the Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
- waking up each morning and strolling out onto the verandah to watch the birds dive past for fish,
- The Favoured One exuding a certain something that led to him getting romanced by hotel guests and staff alike (giving rise to the family quote of the holiday Well, this never happened in Morecambe)
- A sunset cruise laid on by the hotel that started just after the sun disappeared over the horizon,
- some truly spectacular, rum fuelled, dad dancing on New Years Eve,
- swimming in the Caribbean on New Years Day, remembering New Years Days past and thinking how lucky we are.
When we attended the VH briefing (not that we particularly wanted to do anything, but like safety briefings I feel we should show willing) we found wed lucked into a hotel that featured the Check In / Chill Out service and so I completed the relevant form and handed it back to the VH agent (a bit odd at the start of the holiday but, like completing immigration forms before I have my first drink, a sensible way of avoiding problems). At the appointed time on the day of departure we foregathered in the foyer to complete the necessary formalities.
It seems to me that this is one of those services that benefits both the consumer and the supplier. From our point of view we got an extra couple of hours at the hotel and a certain relaxed attitude then to what would happen (a 4.30 pickup for a 40 minute drive to the airport for a 5.15 boardingis this going to happen? Probably not, but they must know what theyre doing, oh go on, just a small one then). From VS point of view, smaller queues to be processed in the heat at a small airport and better use of staff resources? Overall the process didnt take any less time than at the airport, but the surroundings were more convivial and an afternoon on the beach was the next step rather than a move to the security queue.
My only concern had been that they might pitch up and declare something along the lines of we thought youd like to be sat together in the centre aisle and throw my pre-assignment of 61 & 62 HK to the wind (it has happened before). Sad I know, but Id actually had nightmares about this. My fears were entirely unfounded however, and the VS rep handed them over commenting oh, the honeymoon seats; cue retching noises from offspring.
One small disconnect in the service lay around the fact that 2 groups turned up to use the service that were not staying at the hotel. This didnt faze the VS reps, but did slow things up as the groups concerned hadnt completed the forms the VH reps had handed out, and therefore they had to go through completing passport details rigmarole and then phoning base to get seats allocated. This was further complicated by the insistence of one of the groups that they be allocated seats adjacent to their parents (who had used the service) and the other group taking umbrage at the 20 dollar exit tax.
In the end it worked well; we got an extra couple of hours by the pool, and had boarding actually been at 5.15 we would have just made it, as emigration and security were quite swift. As it was, the crew for the flight was only just going through security when we got there, so it seemed the boarding time wed been given was on the optimistic side. This was probably as well, for a good number of the passengers had lost / forgotten / never been given the exit slip and were having to complete extra forms. I do wonder where the responsibility lies here; should airlines be more thorough in explaining what is required, or should be up to the individual to spend the time reading and making sense of the form?
Once through security we found a corner of the terminal, watched Gabrielle swan around and waited for the boarding announcement over the Mr. Whippy quality PA. When it came, it did so in two parts; upper / PE / Gold card holders and then everybody else. None of this boarding by row number nonsense. This failed to provoke a mass stampede, and everything proceeded in an orderly fashion after you, no, please, after you. Everyone got a cheery Happy New Year from the agents at the desk and then a similar greeting from the crew on Virginia Plain, who were also decked out in appropriately festive headgear.
We took to the air a little later than scheduled, but with a promise to make up the time. Service started promptly, and as on the outbound leg the crew seemed, with a couple of exceptions, to be doing their job efficiently and with good grace and a smile, which I think is what youd expect in Economy, unless you have some specific special requirement of which they are aware. Then again, were an pretty undemanding lot as a family, so perhaps our expectations are low. Which may be why again I actually quite enjoyed the food that was served as the main meal; I cant bring all the options to mind, but the curry I had was reasonably tasty and filled a gap. Cant say I liked the oatmeal biscuit that was offered for breakfast though, and I wish theyd include sweeteners as standard when offering the tea and coffee.
IFE was Odyssey this time around, so I got in a few rounds of Trivia and Millionaire as well as watching Superbad (very sweary, very funny, not at all suitable for some of the ages I saw watching it) and some of Run, Fat Boy, Run. Though I knew I should get some sleep, it just wouldnt come. Tactically Id made a mistake by taking the aisle seat, so was disturbed by people passing by, and there was a good deal of turbulence which didnt help the relaxation programme. I made a note to myself that falling asleep at the wheel is not a good thing and perhaps looking to book day rooms at a hotel or even a taxi to and from home would be a sensible additional cost to bear.
Ive left the crew rating as good, because generally it seemed to be so for most people and I certainly the service I received was as it should be. There were, however, two small incidents that rankle. There was a family of four in the centre aisle, and they were having a good time. It was evidently mums birthday, a message was put up on the IFE (which the two little girls thought was wonderful) and they got a couple of glasses of something fizzy and some chocolates. Anyhow, after that they all settled down to sleep to find they were a blanket short. They asked a passing crew member who reacted a little abruptly saying it should have been on the seat and there werent any more. So, I did my good deed of the day; knowing there was a spare in the locker above me I got it and passed it over. They all then bedded down, after which several crew members headed for their rest.. carrying blankets still in their wrapping. Frankly, that didnt give a good impression.
The second of the incidents related to the same family. Dad had gone to sleep with his blanket over him but without his seat belt fastened. During one of the periods of turbulence a member of the cabin crew had taken great care to check whether his belt was in place, and, when finding it wasnt, had woken him up. It gave the chap a bit of a fright, and he made a comment to the crew member along the lines of dont wake me up like that! At this point the crew member dealt with his reaction quite well, along the lines of sorry, its for your own safety and so on. It was later that I thought things could have gone better, for when he next saw the crew member the Dad tried to apologise for his reaction only to be given the response its for your own safety. Im probably being too picky, but it just struck me that the crew member wasnt listening to what was actually being said and was just delivering a template response, which doesnt augur well for how they would deal with a more serious problem with a passenger.
We were down on the ground about ten minutes ahead of schedule, and as on the outbound flight the FSM made a point of thanking the crew for their hard work. Thence to immigration (very shouty staff member instructing everyone to take passports out of passport holders) and to baggage reclaimfor a bit of star spotting (Gabrielle again, master songsmith and Squeeze frontman Glenn Tilbrook)and an hours wait for baggage. Not at all pleased by that to be honest, not least as Partner was due in work. As people was getting anxious and slightly cross about the time that was being taken (particularly galling if youve a taxi waiting and the minutes are clocking up) there were a number of incidents of people not taking sufficient care checking whether the bags they were taking were actually theirs and then being chased down the concourse by the bags rightful owners.
Just to compound the low feeling that this gave to the end of the trip, we then had to wait ages for the bus back to the G section of the long stay car park. In the end, one of the drivers for the other sections took pity on us and said hed extend his trip so that we didnt have to keep waiting, so we all bundled on his bus. A few minutes later we were at the car and ready to go.
Even with the slightly off end to the trip, a good time was had by all. In terms of flights, outbound better than inbound, but on both legs Id say the VS Economy service did what it says on the tin. (Hang on, didnt we used to get hot towels, or am I just imagining that?).
Paul
We can get better, because we're not dead yet
