VS008 LAX-LHR 18 Mar 08 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

At check-in, we didnt have much trouble, but since we had changed the inward leg of our trip, our outward leg wasnt in the system, so after a re-issue by the gentleman at ticketing, we were on our way... We didnt have to go through TSA, which was weird. Maybe its one of the perks of flying on Virgin in Upper.... After doing the whole security spiel, we headed over to Air New Zealands Koru Club, which they share with Virgin. You would think that VS would have a swinging, swanky Clubhouse at LAX since they have 2 non-stop daily flights from LHR-LAX and back again. Had a sandwich, and after about an hour's delay, we finally boarded @ 7:40 in the evening.

But then we encountered some serious electrical problems (something about not enough power being provided @ LAX, blah blah blah) which meant about another two hours of waiting on board... then to top it off, because it got so hot in the cabin, some passengers became a little unruly and wanted to get off... eventually two came to their senses, but one actually left, leaving ground staff scurrying around outside the plane to get their bags.. so at 21:35, after almost two hours of sitting in 16A and chatting up the cabin crew, we took off... About an hour and a half into the flight, the FSM/CSS (she said she was the cabin services supervisor, but her name tag said flight services manager) came around to apologize for the delay....we had a connection on BA to Barcelona to catch in T1, but fortunately this didnt compromise our plans... wed be arriving just after 14:00 apparently, which about two hours to spare...

Cabin crew wasn't as attentive as they could be though...overall the service was good... not superb or excellent... I've had better service on Virgin before but by no means was the service crap. Had a salad with salmon (delicious!) and some spare ribs and guinness stew, along with a Stella Artois...

V-Port was terrible on this trip though. They must have re-booted it at least three times.

Slept for a good five and a half hours (didn't get the sleep suit, i heard they reuse them without washing them first!) then had breakfast (yogurt, fresh fruit, weetabix and orange juice) about two hours before we landed.

Again, not terrible service, but I'm sure it was just an off day for the crew... Could have been much better. Overall I'd probably give it a 7.5 or 8 out of ten... Still, I refuse to fly anything but VS to Europe...

Thanks for the report. I've often wondered why VS has no CH at LAX (not that I'd ever get the chance to use it[:)])

Originally posted by zootvd
then to top it off, because it got so hot in the cabin, some passengers became a little unruly and wanted to get off... eventually two came to their senses, but one actually left, leaving ground staff scurrying around outside the plane to get their bags..

Did this not trigger a full scale security alert ? My one experience of somebody deciding to get off lead to police on the aircraft, everyone having to identify their hand luggage, seats and overhead lockers being searched...

Paul

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by zootvd


Slept for a good five and a half hours (didn't get the sleep suit, i heard they reuse them without washing them first!)

Not true

Originally posted by zootvd
You would think that VS would have a swinging, swanky Clubhouse at LAX since they have 2 non-stop daily flights from LHR-LAX and back again.

There is no room in the terminal

Originally posted by zootvd

V-Port was terrible on this trip though. They must have re-booted it at least three times.

I still cant figure out why they shut it down to start with ????

Thanks for the TR, shame about the delay, I hope they kept the drinks flowing in UC, I was delayed only by 45 mins or so in DXB, and they made tea, coffee and we could have any drinks we like in UC. I thought it was very good of them to do that.


DMB

Originally posted by pjh
Did this not trigger a full scale security alert ? My one experience of somebody deciding to get off lead to police on the aircraft, everyone having to identify their hand luggage, seats and overhead lockers being searched...

Paul

You know what, I didn't think about that! With everything going on in the world post-9/11. this should have triggered something. From what I can remember, these were passengers in J who were being quite obnoxious. While we were waiting and I was chatting up the cabin crew a bit, one of the girls had said that this passenger was stubborn, incapable of being pleased and had got a bit nervous. Maybe they thought she was some sort of loon or nutter, God knows...

I'd like to believe that TSA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_Security_Administration - for those that don't know) would have caught something if *fingers crossed* they were doing their job correctly BEFORE all the bags were loaded on the plane. Then again, you can never be too sure. The terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives over the Atlantic en-route to America proved that. Sadly (don't want to cause any controversy over this), Americans are a little slow security wise compared to the British... Getting a little off subject, I was on the Underground during the 2005 UK bombings and was very impressed on how everyone handled the situation.

Originally posted by Scrooge
I still cant figure out why they shut it down to start with ????

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear, Ebenezer (sorry, I'm sure you get that a lot on this board ). It was pretty slow and sometimes non-responsive. The captain had made an announcement that half of Y wasn't running V-Port properly and that they'd have to reboot it.... and this happened twice before we took off, and once after we had reached our cruising altitude.

Originally posted by Scrooge

Originally posted by zootvd


Slept for a good five and a half hours (didn't get the sleep suit, i heard they reuse them without washing them first!)

Not true

[:w]

GJ

Originally posted by zootvd

Slept for a good five and a half hours (didn't get the sleep suit, i heard they reuse them without washing them first!)

Maybe - but certainly not on my last few UC flights this month the crew have thrown used ones in the trash so perhaps (one hopes) VS have become like BA and no longer re-use them whether laundered or not !

Originally posted by hackneyguy

Originally posted by zootvd

Slept for a good five and a half hours (didn't get the sleep suit, i heard they reuse them without washing them first!)

Maybe - but certainly not on my last few UC flights this month the crew have thrown used ones in the trash so perhaps (one hopes) VS have become like BA and no longer re-use them whether laundered or not !

I'd like to hear others' opinions on this.

GJ

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes

Originally posted by hackneyguy

Originally posted by zootvd

Slept for a good five and a half hours (didn't get the sleep suit, i heard they reuse them without washing them first!)

Maybe - but certainly not on my last few UC flights this month the crew have thrown used ones in the trash so perhaps (one hopes) VS have become like BA and no longer re-use them whether laundered or not !

I'd like to hear others' opinions on this.

GJ

Quite. I for one will require signed affirmation from the Bearded One himself before the slender mdvipond form ever finds it's way into a sleep suit again.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - one word - commando...