This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
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In May 2006 my nieces daughter was christened. My brother and family came over from South Africa; my sister and her tribe arrived from the west of Ireland and I headed there from Cork. In the wee small hours of the morning, fuelled by far too many G&Ts than were good for either me or my liver, I promised to bring one of my many nieces to South Africa on a companion fare. It was a foolish promise. Apart from the fact that much was happening in the honey lamb household at Christmas 2006, reward fares for JNB at Christmas were already as scarce as hens teeth. However in the cold clear light of morning everyone seemed to have forgotten and we all went our separate ways.
Fast forward to some 18 months later when I decided to visit my brother once more and booked my flights. I guiltily thought of the promise I had made and wondered if I could get away with it. Fat chance! I must have come from a family of bloody elephants as, once the news was out, I was assailed with cries of Is S going with you? Well, a promise is a promise so S was contacted and was in the happy position of being a supply teacher and therefore able to come. Moreover the last G fare was available for the travel dates we wanted and so we were on our way! Oh, there was just one thing. S didnt know she was travelling Upper Class
Exodus
The original plan that we would meet in the baggage hall after flights from Ireland arriving within 10 minutes of each other was slightly scuppered when her flight was delayed by some 50 minutes and so instead enjoying the delights of the Clubhouse I was confined to gazing at revolving empty carousels, watching planes landing on the nearby runway and noting that it took over 30 minutes for luggage from a BD flight from DUB to come through whereas the bags from both Aer Lingus flights had started to come through just as the first passengers were arriving into the hall. Soon we were reunited and S was positively sizzling with excitement and she still didnt know she was going to be in UC.
On our way out of the baggage hall I casually tapped my gold card and hinted at delights to come since it would bring her to places she didnt know existed in airports. However that dramatic statement fell a bit flat when I remembered that to the best of my knowledge she had only taken one trip on some package holiday years ago and wasnt really acquainted with airports! Anyhow, we trotted over to T3 and to the VS check-in. I noticed they had finished the work since my last trip in January and some rather nice purple lighting was over the UC area which was now marked Upper Class Check In and Bag Drop. The agent who checked us in was perfectly pleasant but somewhat lacklustre in her performance and much later (like about 6 or 7 days later) I found she had forgotten to give me back Ss eticket . The lift to the UC security channel was out of order but the escalator had been re-instated so we headed up there, were through security in a whisker and also managed to avoid the shoe carnival by showing our stamped boarding cards. Next stop the Clubhouse.
As soon as S saw the stairs up to the Clubhouse her eyes widened and by the time we were in there, they were like saucers. By this time the early afternoon flights had gone and so it was very quiet and we headed for the bistro area for a very nice Eggs Benedict for me and a Shepherds Pie for her which she stated was delicious and both of which were washed down with champagne. I had already pre-booked facials for both of us and she shook her head in disbelief as we headed off for what was a very enjoyable experience. Nicely relaxed we enjoyed some more champagne before it was time to head down to the gate area, which was one of the far ones but I cant remember the number.
On the way down to the gate I decided that for S to get the maximum benefit of the whole turning left experience I would tell her of her fate. Dear friends, do not, I repeat, NOT tell anyone jaw-dropping news when on a moving walkway. She stood stock-still, her jaw resting on her chest....just as we got to the end of the walkway where we were unceremoniously chucked off. [:0] We had two options; either to fall in a heap and have everyone pile on top of us or to stagger ignominiously around the place clutching each other like a couple of drunks thrown out of a pub on a Saturday night. We chose the latter and a pretty sight Im sure we made too! However dignity was soon restored and we made our way to the gate. Priority boarding was marked but there was no indication as to how we would get there since the entrance was blocked by the albeit small queue. I wasnt too fussed as I felt there would be a queue in the jetway and there was.
Every once in a while when stepping into an aircraft one gets the feeling that this is going to be a good flight and such a feeling came over me as I boarded V-SSH. We were welcomed on board and directed to our seats at 3 and 4K. The cabin crew assigned to us, J, followed us eager to help us stow our belongings, get a drink and sleep suits and indeed attend to our every need. He reminded me of a team member I had had some ten years previously who was cheerful, as friendly as a puppy but utterly professional as well. This guy managed to convey that there was nothing more he wanted to do in life than look after us for the next 10 hours or so. On hearing that S was a Virgin virgin he undertook to show her all the bells and whistles of the suite but I also noticed that he did not neglect the other passengers now boarding. We changed into our sleep suits and quaffed our champagne and waited for take off. I hadnt seen the FSM and so asked J in the hope that it was going to be one of the truly excellent ones I had had on my last few flights. He told me his name but also added that he was not yet on board as he was stuck in traffic a fact that was later confirmed by the captain in his pre-flight speech.
While all this was going on the IFBT was going round to all of the passengers as per usual. However I noticed she seemed to be rather quick in coming up the K side of the plane. As she got to Ss seat I heard her ask if she intended to sleep that night. S looked at her as if she had two heads. Of course she was intending to sleep it was a night flight and an 11 hour one to boot. What did she expect? The IFBT came and asked me the same question but before I could draw breath to ask why, she had passed on to the guy in 2K and had gone back to her lair. S, thoroughly puzzled asked me about this. I explained that she was the beauty therapist and what normally gets said but I could offer no explanation for what had happened.
We pushed back more or less on time and there did not appear to be any undue delay in take off. As soon as the cabin crew were free to leave their seats the acting FSM came and introduced herself to me as a gold member and asked if everything was OK. I mentioned what had happened with regard to the IFBT and how we were puzzled by this and she promised to look into this. Shortly after the IFBT came round to apologise, saying she was anxious to speak to everyone before take-off and had intended coming round afterwards. To my mind she would have been better off if she had introduced herself and told people she would be back immediately after take-off. Drinks were offered and I joined S at her suite. Soon we were in possession of a G&T each which was followed by the offer of a refill. I told S it would have been rude to refuse. [:w] The dinner menu was a starter of a salmon and crayfish roulade followed by either chicken or the lamb dish with a South African take or a mushroom stroganoff. S had the chicken and I had the mushroom both of which we declared were delicious especially when accompanied by a couple of glasses of wine. Mind you, I dont know how we actually remembered as we were talking nineteen to the dozen all throughout dinner! We followed up with cheese and were more than satisfied with our meal.
After the meal service there was a bit of a surprise for me. The FSM came through with another crew member who had been on two of my flights last year. She was working in the PE cabin, had seen my name on the manifest and had come to say hello, which was rather nice of her. Incidentally the acting FSM was great. [y] She was a lot better than some FSMs I have flown with and the absence of the real FSM in no way impacted on service.
Shortly after that S and I went for a stroll down the back so she could see what she was missing [}:)] and then stopped at the bar for a nightcap mainly so that she could experience an on-board bar (yeah, right!) and we chatted to the crew before going back to our suites which had already been converted into beds. I managed to get a good 4-5 hours sleep and when I awoke S was already tucking into her breakfast. She told me that as soon as she was awake J had come and asked her if she wanted breakfast right now or wanted to wait. He also asked if he should waken me but when she suggested I be allowed to sleep, he nodded, put his finger to his lips and tiptoed away. As soon as I stirred he was along to take my breakfast order and I had a very tasty hot breakfast of what I cannot remember other than it was hot!
Soon we were beginning our descent into JNB and touched down more or less on time at 7:00am. At Immigration the side for South African passports was very busy but the visitors side was quiet enough. One or two people coming behind us from the flight ducked under the barriers to get through the queue faster, although there really wasnt any need. However just as it was our turn to go to the desk the lady there decided to take a bathroom break and ambled along as if she had all the time in the world. Nonetheless we were soon through and into a hot and airless baggage hall. There was no air conditioning on and already in situ were passengers from the BA flight which was just in before us. Their bags were to come out on carousel 1 and ours on carousel 2. The wait seemed long enough but soon carousel 2 cranked up and we were delighted that our bags were coming off before those of BA and started to wonder if BA had in fact lost them. [}:)] Not so. It soon became apparent that these were BA bags and a guy started shouting telling BA passengers to go to carousel 2 and us to go to carousel 3. Why they just couldnt have changed the signs is beyond me! [?] The crew bags came off first but ours were off immediately afterwards and soon we were through Customs and dodging the wannabe porters on our way to the domestic terminal for our flight to Durban. The crew were getting on their bus as we were passing and with a last wave to them we were on our way after an excellent flight.
Revelations
S thoroughly enjoyed her experience in UC and said to me, I dont know how Im going to travel down the back ever again. We hadnt even taken off at that stage!! Text messages had started to fly to her family, first of all in the Clubhouse and then on board before the doors shut. All of a sudden everyone is being very nice to me and calling me their favourite aunt. [:o)]
