This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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This was actually my very first flight with VS from LGW so I decided to give it the bells and whistles treatment (well exculding UC that is which was whahaway too expensive for us). So we headed off to LGW after lunch the day before to a reasonably deserted South Terminal. I had to ask where to find VS as there was no signage but no biggie and entered a huge and totally deserted check in area with just a single desk open and security blokey sitting idly. Walked passed those whizzy looking machines (I'm Ag don't you know!) only to be rebuffed by said security blokey. 'You have to use the machine first' he said, 'what even if I'm a silver card holder?' I retorted. 'yes, everyone needs to use them first'. So shruggingly we reversed to have a play with the technology. Now, I'm a programmer so I think computers are my bread and butter but even then this one had me stumped. There was a cartoony lady prompting me to scan my passport (it's fastest she told me). Anyway she lied. Said lady just continued to smile. Oh well I thought, my crumpled passport has obviously gotten the better of the scanner. Let's try my FC card, the slot duly ripped the card out of my hand, and the lady continued to just smile. [:?] At this point I was getting a bit antsy. Called blokey over, he shrugged his shoulders and called a VS lady over. 'Oh yes' she said, 'this machine isn't working at the moment'. So then another VS staffer was called over, much shoulder shrugging continued until he went off and found one of the 'Can I help' girls with a big exclamation mark on her shirt. She had the magic key that would reunite my card with its owner I thought, until the machine rolled open and more shrugging commenced. Finally after much huffing and prodding the card was ejected, I was rejoicing, and we were hussled back to the security blokey to do a manual checkin - the must use the machine rule had been seemingly swept aside for us as we went straight to a desk and were checked in within a minute. It was at this point that my gf twigged that I'd booked PE rather than Y as she'd previously thought! Boarding passes were handed over with Fastrack passes (not something I'd excepected but I didn't start uncorking the champers having read of so many poor experiences by others). Hassles over, it was time to check in at the Sofitel, watch a police roadblock outside of the huge window and head down to the pub for a bit of refreshment.
Come morning, what a pleasure it was to walk straight past packed checkin counters and look for fast track. No easy job as for me it was cunningly camoflaged with a closed shutter (I hadn't spotted the little walkway next to it. Evidently either no-one was intending on using it or they'd all seen the shutter and left as it reminded me of the UC security at LHR. Not a soul to be seen other than ourselves! [y][y][y] The departures lounge was pretty busy and I looked longingly at the Clubhouse sign (my previous 2 VS flights both started with a Clubhouse brekkie) and headed for some porridge (only McDonalds seem to offer this). Boarding was called, we walked past the IRIS enrollment sign - gf wasn't amused at the thought of giving her eyeball info to HM Govt. and down to the gate. As we got there PE/UC was being called for boarding, although there was a bit of a scrum as no-one was actually checking boarding passes so it was a freeforall really down to the ac door. On board we were ushered upstairs to the delight of my unknowing other half. Wow what an oasis that is. A CC member confirmed this when she said downstairs resembled a bit of a zoo on LGW flights! I sat down into 76C only to kick the purple plastic IFE cover which promptly fell over to a clatter. I always thought that VPORT encroached on legroom - that's nothing compared to these behemoths. So, we switched seats and A was much nicer (I am quite a bit taller so a fair exchange).
I was pretty impressed with the PE seating, the legroom is generous and oh I've gotten to love those side bins. Not only are they cavernous but they act as an extra tray when closed - brilliant!
From going to be ontime we eventually departed about 15mins late. A CC member was taken ill after the doors had closed and she and her bags had to be deplaned.
The IFE (Nova) was on within the hour from take-off and all worked fine. Food was absolutely no problem and no complaints there.
Coming into St Lucia is a strange course. You fly from the top of the island and straight down it finally passing directly over the runway you will land at at 90 degrees which made for some stunning and strange views and of course a stomach turning descent on a curve in to land. Maybe the pilot still pangs over the loss of the old HKG airport approach [}:)].
We were off reasonably quickly although the vaunted 'PE is first off' came to nowt as it was a free for all out of the ac door (UC had their own stairwell though). Customs was quite quick and the luggage was already thorugh. Then out of the terminal come the final surprise for my partner. We were met by a person with my name on a card to take us to our helicopter transfer! 15 mins later we were in the air departing almost over the 744 and into the volcanic island interior. The views were stunning although we were quickly into clouds and rain. What with no windscreen wipers that was a little nerve-wracking for us heli-virgins. Breaking through the clouds we were into sun and an amazing downward approach into SLU over Castries. From there a 2 minute taxi journey took us to our place of sun and relaxation. Our cases arrived about 2 hours later with no problems.
So to sum up, wow what a journey. Everything went to plan. I was pleasantly surpised by the LGW ac given all the gloom and doom I've heard. Aside from the IFE cover I thought it was in pretty good nick. Certainly the seatcovers were newer than those on the 346s. As for Nova, OK it's no VPORT but it worked perfectly and I was certainly satisfied by it. So all in all a big [y]
(Apologies for the length)
We have a trip over to the same place Sept. Not Upper but PE. Tickets were a prezzie so im not gonna complain 
