VS032 UVF-LGW 6 Jul 08 (PE)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

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After what I can only describe as a fantastic week in St Lucia it was all too quickly time to be heading home. The 1625 departure time allowed for a leisurely breakfast before the rather excellent 'Check-in and Chill out' service. This has to be booked at least 48 hours in advance. At 1100 an impressive convoy swept into the hotel, with a lorry for the bags, numerous security staff, and VS check-in staff all in uniform. Boarding passes and baggage labels were pre-printed and ready. The only niggle here was that there was confusion as to who had to pay departure tax. We did unfortunately have to pay although we weren't offered a receipt to prove we'd paid.

With bags gone we played a final resort game (won a bottle of rum - what a shame we'd already checked our bags!) and then it was off to catch our pre-booked taxi. gf didn't fancy another heli-journey so we went for the stomach churner of the road variety instead. It had taken 13mins to get to the resort and it took 1h30mins to go back to the airport. Still, we left plenty of time and did some sight-seeing on the way.

At UVF I asked about getting a miles upgrade to UC having checked G class availability before we left the hotel. I was sternly told that it wasn't possible to do a miles upgrade at that airport. I posted a Q about this a few days ago. The most likely answer to this is that they were selling upgrades, hence why miles were frowned upon. UVF is a small terminal (think Luton in the 90s) with a few very small giftshops. Once a load of the US flights departed it quietened a little but still no seats were to be had.

Prioirty boarding was in action and worked perfectly - why can't LGW/LHR do this in much more spacious surroundings? The plane was nice and cool and all was calm. Took our pre-assigned seats 74H, 74K and there was no evidence of IFE covers falling apart. This ac had Odyssey which promised a slightly bigger screen, though being a night flight I wasn't planning to use it much - the film selection was rubbish too.

Departure was slightly late and the sun came out as we took off.

I think I recognised the FSM from his voice from previous flights. He has a confident assertive whilst friendly voice. He announced the load as being 292+17. The upper deck was full (probably the upgrades worked their trick as EF reported all 7's that morning).

Drinks and meal service worked well. The FSM became an evident feature during service throughout the flight. He was never seen between services but whenever there was a trolley around he was there + the 2 dedicated CC members - really good! Interestingly for dinner he took the food order in advance, on the outbound it had been the Y style of 'what would you like sir' as the trolley possed. I think this makes PE feel more classy.

For some reason I couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep - despite 2 Boots Sleepezes and a Baileys! I worked out well into my flight that my seat was too far reclined to give my back proper support. Half-reclining it made things much better and off I went into a deep sleep.

Waking suddenly for 'breakfast' I was astounded to see that the service consisted of a muffin and cookie. Now I know airline food is not gourmet standard but I thought this effort was pitiful. If hot food isn't an option pastries and croissants would be so much better. St Lucia can make these - my hotel certainly hadn't struggled in this department.

We landed to a rain-swept LGW 15 minutes early at 0515 and were promply on stand. Again it was a free for all getting off, though I heard the FSM on the phone trying to get his colleagues to stop Y PAX temporarily. Passport control was totally deserted. Looking at the baggage screen I suspect we were the 2nd arrival of the day. Our luggage was quickly off (Not many UC bags ahead!) and we off to catch the train home.

We arrived home at 0710 ready for a few hours kip before starting work at lunchtime. I think that's pretty good considering I landed on Air Atlanta in 2004 at 0630 and the first bags didn't come through until 0830.

To sum up, again what a great journey. I couldn't fault much other than my niggle over an upgrade and the brekkie. From this holiday I believe the LGW operation has an undeservedly hard time and I can see why VS remains a popular choice for PAX. Keep it up!

Hi David,

Thanks for the 2 excellent TR's which I really enjoyed and which brought back memories of our trip to UVF a few years back. The road journey from South to North and vice versa through the rain forest certainly is an experience.

Thanks
Iain

[buns]

David

What your excellent TR confirms is that the calibre of the FSM sets a fine example for the rest of the crew and leaves a lasting impression on passengers[y][y]

That does not cost VS a penny and the repeat business it generates in premium cabins would pay for a more presentable breakfast.

Thanks

buns

[HighFlyer]

Another great TR! Yes, we had to pay departure tax in UVF too, which is always a tad confusing as if you are like me you assume that departure taxes are incorporated into the ticket price and can be left without the necessary currency.

Glad you had a good hol and a great flight back!

Thanks,
Sarah

Originally posted by HighFlyer
Another great TR! Yes, we had to pay departure tax in UVF too, which is always a tad confusing as if you are like me you assume that departure taxes are incorporated into the ticket price and can be left without the necessary currency.

Glad you had a good hol and a great flight back!

Thanks Sarah. It was all a bit confusing as some PAX weren't charged whilst others were. This link proves the confusion. Additionally VS charged us $52 for the 2 of us rather than the $50 that link infers

Originally posted by McMaddog

Thanks Sarah. It was all a bit confusing as some PAX weren't charged whilst others were. This link proves the confusion. Additionally VS charged us $52 for the 2 of us rather than the $50 that link infers

Thanks for the TR. St Lucia is, of the caribbean islands we've visited thus far, our favourite. Particularly for the roads and the driving style.[:w]

Most of the islands have a $25 / $26 pp departure tax, though I know it's changed on one of the islands recently (Barbados, I think). Some end up paying it more than once as some excursions are classified as 'departures'. When we left Antigua at the start of the year one chap was getting quite irate with the check in / chill out staff accusing them of ripping him off and pocketing the cash..

Is the 'who pays' issue possibly related to whether you booked through a travel agent and the package price includes the tax?

Paul

Hi David
We came out of St Lucia on this flight back in May and the crucial factor in the departure tax saga is when the flight was purchased. Flights bought in the UK after 1st Jan 2008 had to include all taxes in the price and if you had an e-ticket it would show the tax paid of U$26 per person.

Glad you enjoyed St Lucia, I suspect we were at the same hotel (Rendezvous?) and I agree wholeheartedly about breakfast onboard.

Graham

Originally posted by GeeJay
Hi David
We came out of St Lucia on this flight back in May and the crucial factor in the departure tax saga is when the flight was purchased. Flights bought in the UK after 1st Jan 2008 had to include all taxes in the price and if you had an e-ticket it would show the tax paid of U$26 per person.

Glad you enjoyed St Lucia, I suspect we were at the same hotel (Rendezvous?) and I agree wholeheartedly about breakfast onboard.

Graham

Hi Graham,

Yes you are correct about Rendezvous!

Re the tax, my e-Ticket was issued 24th April 2008. It shows:
Fare GBP 415.00
Taxes/Fees/Charges/Surcharges YQ111.00 GB40.00 XT28.50
Total GBP 594.50
I have no idea that that all means however!

The not doing miles upgrades may be due to the fact that the local staff aren't aware of how to do it. However when I flew back from Cuba and asked at check-in, they said if a seat came up, it would be about £250, which I thought was pretty good!