VS007 LHR-LAX 28 Apr 08 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

firstly this is my 1st time in upper class 'EVER' and I must say I was certainly impressed by certain aspects , but less so by others.

check in was easy and painless, straight thru dedicated security channels and then joined everyone else to take our shoes off and pass thru a second security system!!!

duty free was quickly dealt with and then we had to ask directions as there is no sign posting at all to get to the lounge.

Once inside however this lounge really did live upto expectations. The service was equisite, the food, beautiful and the choice, very impressive. [y]

My wife and i both had our cowshed treatments ontime and were well and truly stuffed by the time we got on the plane.

Once on the plane, the excellent service continued. The crew were incredibly attentive and when i asked if the divider could be put down between our seats as my wife was a nervous flyer, they promptly removed it with no hesitation.

They took their time to show you how everything operated and were always ready to offer you more drinks and food if need be.

Now my first and major gripe - the food. [:(]

This was a very poor selection and my wife who is allergic to mushrooms and does not eat pig or shell fish found herself limited to a main course only, and no starter or afternoon tea. They did make my wife a jacket potato - (but they did that in PE for her a couple of years ago)

The inflight entertainment was good although May's schedule was playing (on apr 28th) the cabin crew appologised, and it turns out I missed out on a film i wanted to see.

Conclusion:

I have flown, economy and pe before and i must say once you're on the plane i don't beleive that pe is much worse than uc especially considering the cost implication - for us this was a points upgraded flight - would i pay for UC - unlikely - although the seats and the lounge could persuade me.

Now I'm off to Cheesecake factory in Marina Del Ray [:p]

[honey lamb]

Thanks for the TR. I don't blame you about the food. The current UC menu has me glad that I'm not flying anywhere at present and hope it changes before my next flight.

check in was easy and painless, straight thru dedicated security channels and then joined everyone else to take our shoes off and pass thru a second security system!!!

You can by-pass the shoe screening by showing the stamp on your boarding pass. I went through the shoe carnival a couple of times before I learned this.

duty free was quickly dealt with and then we had to ask directions as there is no sign posting at all to get to the lounge

The check-in staff usually tell you how to get to the lounge but IIRC there are signs in the Duty Free area which tells you the way to the gates AND the Airline Lounges

[Neil]

Thanks for the TR, and glad you enjoyed your first UC experience.

Originally posted by esf666
I have flown, economy and pe before and i must say once you're on the plane i don't beleive that pe is much worse than uc especially considering the cost implication

What you say here is very interesting. After just completing our first UC flight, on an inbound, I would say the UC is 100% better than PE because of the bed, something you wouldn't really have benefited from on an outbound flight. I do too wonder how much better UC would be, given the cost implications, than PE on an outbound USA flight and is something we are debating over at the minute trying to book some more flights.

Neil

[HighFlyer]

Great perspective and summary from a first time UC flyer. [y]

duty free was quickly dealt with and then we had to ask directions as there is no sign posting at all to get to the lounge

Did you recieve an invitation to the Clubhouse (postcard sized piece of card)?, as there are directions on the back of the invite but its usual to not be given one at check-in.

I do too wonder how much better UC would be, given the cost implications, than PE on an outbound USA flight and is something we are debating over at the minute trying to book some more flights.

As much as I love flying Upper, if i'm paying for the flight out of my own pocket then I'm raesonably happy with PE for an East Coast flight. Flight times are so short that unless you are in real need of sleep its almost not worth it. If you are lucky to have Clubhouse access or FC Au and can still benefit from the lounge, this makes the decision even easier for me. Just my $0.02 ..

Thanks,
Sarah

Originally posted by honey lamb
You can by-pass the shoe screening by showing the stamp on your boarding pass. I went through the shoe carnival a couple of times before I learned this.

HL

What stamp? Is this the red stamp VS place on your passport at check in?

If so I am interested to understand what difference this makes other than to blind the shoe carnival operative with science 'does not compute, does not compute'. Did smoke start pouring from their head? [;)]

My method of avoiding the shoe carnival, that so far has achieved 100% success, is to completely avoid eye contact with the shoe carnival gate keeper.

HL

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by Howard Long

Originally posted by honey lamb
You can by-pass the shoe screening by showing the stamp on your boarding pass. I went through the shoe carnival a couple of times before I learned this.

HL

What stamp? Is this the red stamp VS place on your passport at check in?

If so I am interested to understand what difference this makes other than to blind the shoe carnival operative with science 'does not compute, does not compute'. Did smoke start pouring from their head? [;)]

My method of avoiding the shoe carnival, that so far has achieved 100% success, is to completely avoid eye contact with the shoe carnival gate keeper.

HL

From one HL to another [;)]

It's the stamp they put on your boarding pass when you go through the UC security channel

Thanks for trip report, as has been said already its good to get view from someone on their first UC trip.

On my last trip with VS we were back to PE to SFO, after having flown UC twice last year, I've also been seriously wondering if UC is worth the extra dosh, and still not decided. For me the best thing about UC is the Clubhouse, and on my last trip I got access to there thru the Matterbox promotion. I can't sleep on a plane, however long we on there for, or if got a bed or not, so that's not a major isuue for me. PE coming back from SFO was nearly empty, I got front row seats opposite door, so loads of room and first off plane, think UC passengers were leaving from a different bridge. The CC were friendly and accomodating, food was ok, only downside is there are no specific toilets for PE cabin. Loved flying PE from LGW as were upstairs and that's a different experience altogether.

I reckon if you get a good deal on UC, or use miles then its worth it, other than that especially when paying for it yourself, and as in my case for 2 sons too! PE is ok. But come July, on way to Washington, just watch me looking longingly through that curtain, green eyed monster or what?

It's a shame that VS couldn't stretch to paying for 1 UK Border Guard. That way you could avoid the normal security, UK Border and shoe carnival altogether.

Honeylamb, thanks for the tip on the shoe screening bypass, as first time Upper passengers too just last week, we did raise our eyebrows when we had to take our shoes off twice.

Will remember next time. I remember the guy in the private security channel stamping our boarding cards.

i am really looking forward to the return flight on friday evening as i will be driving from vegas in the morning so will be knackered, will post tr when i get home

It is funny - I find the most important things about flying business class is the seat (ability to sleep and personal space). You might appreciate that more on the night flight home. However, when we fly to LA, I do turn my seat into a bed for a nice 3+ hour nap on the day flight too (which helps me with the time difference when we get there).

I agree that the LHR Clubhouse is fab. Wasn't very impressed with the food when we last flew Virgin (to Dubai last August). Didn't eat much on the way out (cheese and biscuits), but the meals on the way back were not great at all.

Generally I prefer BA (better food and more consistent service), but husband is a big VS fan. Also flying to Dubai (eat in the Clubhouse and sleep all the way to Dubai on the way out), it is a fairly sensible choice. It is a real shame about VS's food - it used to be quite nice a few years ago.

Have a good flight home [:)]

Boo

Originally posted by Boo Boo
It is funny - I find the most important things about flying business class is the seat (ability to sleep and personal space). You might appreciate that more on the night flight home. However, when we fly to LA, I do turn my seat into a bed for a nice 3+ hour nap on the day flight too (which helps me with the time difference when we get there).

I agree that the LHR Clubhouse is fab. Wasn't very impressed with the food when we last flew Virgin (to Dubai last August). Didn't eat much on the way out (cheese and biscuits), but the meals on the way back were not great at all.

Generally I prefer BA (better food and more consistent service), but husband is a big VS fan. Also flying to Dubai (eat in the Clubhouse and sleep all the way to Dubai on the way out), it is a fairly sensible choice. It is a real shame about VS's food - it used to be quite nice a few years ago.

Have a good flight home [:)]

Boo

Boo ,

VS food to be honest is very good commpared to the thrash BA served me last week in CW TO/FROM Barbados. It was awful to be honest. My kids also had the kids meals - they would not ea a thing - I wont tell you what my 10 year old said [:I]

[ChuckC]

esf,
Your report was interesting as a 'first timer's' observations. You zeroed in on the Clubhouse (great), service on board (good) and the food (lousy -- my word). For the most part it seems your experience mirrors that of the vast majority of Upper Class pax who post here on V-Flyer. What will be interesting to see is how our perceptions change as VS discontinues the IFBT and makes any other cost-cutting moves that may be ahead.

Am looking forward to reading your second report.

Chuck-

less than 2 days to go now :-(

forgot to mention there was no ifbt on the outbound, just an empty area!!

Originally posted by Catherine
Honeylamb, thanks for the tip on the shoe screening bypass, as first time Upper passengers too just last week, we did raise our eyebrows when we had to take our shoes off twice.

Will remember next time. I remember the guy in the private security channel stamping our boarding cards.

I think the first time I went through they had just opened it for a week or two, and there was a host welcoming you when you got off the elevator from the lower check-in area, letting you know you could bypass the queue by showing the stamp.

You'd figure they would mention it still - not like the area is ever extra busy ...

Totally agree with Sarah, on the shorter flights it just isn't as big of a deal to fly UC if you have lounge access. You would want to eat there anyway and not on board so much. On a day flight, it is nice to have the bar, and easier access to drinks, but a front seat in PE is otherwise perfectly fine most of the time.