VS046 JFK-LHR 31 Aug 08 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

I have been reading this site for over a year now and made the leap to become a member last month.

I am currently in the UKs second biggest city, Birmingham, for work after a swift trip on Virgin Rail upon which I had Virgin Coke and all paid for on my Virgin Credit CardI think it may have been subliminal messaging that spurred me to write my first trip report.

This was my return leg of a 2 week trip in the states, visiting NYC, SFO and LAS[^], which is becoming a habit for me each year, but this was my first UC experience.

I had been booked to travel with Silverjet.the rest as they say is history. A great shame in my opinion as I had travelled with Silverjet a lot during their short life span and although the seats and IFE were not the most up to date, the lounge, private channel and customer service outshone any other carrier I have been on, and most importantly they never seemed to run out of champagne.

So to the trip report:

The car arrived at the hotel, The New York Palace, about 4pm to take us to JFK. Since I started my trip I had managed to acquire another bag, due to the great exchange rate (at the time) and the sales! Why will I never learn to pack an empty case..I now have 3 cases I never use loitering under the stairs[:?].

Traffic to JFK was very slow, mainly due to the hot weather and tennis! Not like the 8mins it took by helicopter [^]on a previous journey well worth the extra money!

Arrived at the terminal and struggled with the now 2 bags, but walked straight to check in with no queue and was promptly told to return to the security guy at the entrance to check in..struggled back to the entrance.no security guy[?]

Waited a few minutes and it seemed the security guy was actually behind check in, where I had started?[:w]

Have you got your boarding pass? he grunted

No I replied, I did check in online, but didnt print my boarding pass

You need to go to the machine then! he grunted..a pauseare you travelling UC? he enquired.

Yes I said..a pause

Oh I will have you boarding pass here then..enjoy your flight he said, just with a slight grunt this time.

Check in was swift but soulless [n]- Are the ground staff employed at JFK actual employees of VA or are they from a handling agent? Either way they do need to learn some common courtesy and manners.

A quick detour via the shops, chocolates for work, and then onto the clubhouse. Its a nice space, but not a patch on LHR.

Food was good and all helped down by champers and port and vodka and coke..not all at the same time and a great member of staff, they do make all the difference dont they?

The flight was called relatively early in my view, but once I saw the scrum at security, even for fast track, the early call become clear.any reason why they couldnt have put the clubhouse airside?

Priority boarding was in force when we arrived at the gate [y](unlike our outbound journey from LHR) and quickly onto the air bridge, passing my boarding pass to the FA at the door he said I was upstairs[?], I gave him a quizzical look and he looked embarrassed, so I turned left and was quickly settled into 12A.

I was seated for a while (or seemed like it) before I was approached and offered a drink, no calling me by my name.a simple task I think, if Silverjet managed it why cant Virgin.

Champagne (again) and sleeper suit promptly arrived, by an FA who reminded me of a strict headmistress. After reading trip reports on here I went for a large suit.now I am not a big guy, 61 but of average build, and this suit was snug..perhaps too much champagne and over holiday indulgence #61516;

I made a quick change in the toilet, before push back.managing to dislodged one of the panels in the toilet[:#]. I did try to fix it, but to no avail. So neatly placed it to one sideI should say that the panel it was still placed neatly to one side when we landed at LHR.

Back to my seat and pushed back a bit late for the slow taxi crawl, which took about an hourtook off and bad turbulence for sometime so FAs were seated for sometime before starting service.

They soon made up for itservice was abrupt and dinner choice taken quicklyis there not a freedom menu, or has this been dropped?

Popped for a quick walk around the plane and also to sneak a peek and try out the new PE offering (not bad at all) and the table was set up on my return, on sitting down food quickly arrived (which was so-so) but no wine offered[V], took 4 call bells to get anyones attention.

On finishing the food, completed with some cheese and port, made my way to the bar for a night cap.

Had a couple of drinks and spoke to the FA there, who basically complained for 20mins about how VA were cutting out long stopovers on rotas and FAs were having to return the next day in some cases..she didnt seem happy. After the sob story I smiled politely and returned to a made up bed #61514;

Settled in, but wasnt tired so watched a couple of episodes of family guy. At some point I feel asleep as I was woken about an hour before landing, which allowed me time for quick change, bacon sandwich (no sauce offered) and a coffee, which I think had been brewing since we left JFK.

Landing was quick, even flew over my house (note to self always keep camera out) and we were off and after the marathon walk arrived at immigration.

IRIS queue = 1 person

Immigration queue = 355 people and rising.

Luckily I had registered for IRIS on the way out so through in a blink of an eye..I wonder if they can implement the same system for baggage..as I then had to wait nearly 30mins for my now 2 bags to come off

Off to revivals for a quick freshen up and have to say I wished I hadnt of bothered. It reminded me of a motorway service station that was an afterthought.wouldnt it be cool if there was someway you could get back into the clubhouse after landingimpossible probably I know and they may never shift people out, but its nice to dream.

Car arrived promptly for a quick 30-40min journey home, which for Monday rush hour was welcome.

Overall the flight and service was ok, but just ok. What is Virgins USP these days? In-flight beauty treatment whoops no, Amazing customer service so so, World-class seating well comparable with BA CW.

Nonetheless I am hoping my expectations were too high. My next trip is back to the states in February, so just hedging my bets and waiting for an UC sale.

[Neil]

Thanks for the TR.

Sounds like you had a pretty standard JFK ground crew, who are mainly outsourced and certainly not a patch on the UK Virgin ground crew.

Neil

[buns]

Welcome to V-Flyer[y]

As Neil as already pointed out, there is much that has already been said about the Ground Staff on this site and when compared to the previous VS employed staff, it would seem that JFK did not fair as well as the rest of the US Airports which underwent the same traumatic change.

It is interesting to hear the comparison with the now sadly lost Silverjet Service and I have to admit, that if you have a good crew then the standards can be much high.

buns

Thanks for the report and the important perspective of VS versus the late Silverjet. It's a shame that such a worthy competitor has gone.

The 'so-so' aspect seems to feature so much about so many travel experiences these days. Ah, remember when travel used to be special and enjoyable. Now it's just commoditised, reduced to lowest common denominators at times.

The coffee can't have been brewing since leaving JFK. That's because VS coffee is instant! (Except for the little espresso capsules.)

It used to be some utterly minging Douwe Egberts powdered instant, that changed last year to some fairtrade stuff, which is marginally better but still instant.

A fresh ground coffee brewer was trialled on G-VWOW in 2007, but I understand it's since been removed.

Mike

The crew wouldn't have known your name when you were first approached at your seat as we dont get the name list until just before the door closes but after take-off it should have been used during the flight. Does sound like the service wasn't up to scratch, bad that you weren't offered wine with your meal or sauce with your breakfast, these are basic things. Hope you get a more on the ball crew next time.

Hi there and welcome, thanks for the TR, really good and highly pertinent that you observed so many of the things what can be variable on VS, just that they all occurred on one flight [:#].

Originally posted by sthuk
Since I started my trip I had managed to acquire another bag

LOL - that described the #1 and I perfectly, we'll undoubtedly do the same when heading to LA and Palm Springs in three weeks time!

Originally posted by sthuk
promptly told to return to the security guy at the entrance to check in ...just with a slight grunt this time ... Check in was swift but soulless [n]

JFK check in can be sooooo variable, from downright miserable to just passable, never any better. There is one security lady who gives off a fierce demeanour, but is soft as marshmallow underneath, shame VS doesn't get rid of this like at LHR now, but then the check in agents with their unfeasibly long fake fingernails might have to apply another IQ in intelligence to their part of the process!

Originally posted by sthuk
Priority boarding was in force when we arrived at the gate [y](unlike our outbound journey from LHR)

Indeed, your's is only the umpteenth mention of the same, nothing changes!

Originally posted by sthuk
the slow taxi crawl, which took about an hour

Which is why I avoid the VS046 like the plague, preferring the later VS002 from EWR.

Originally posted by sthuk
is there not a freedom menu, or has this been dropped?

Yup, on these short East Coast services it's the hot or cold crap plate dished out as quickly as possible - sometimes it's better to eat at the bar and be a bit more relaxed!

Originally posted by sthuk
Had a couple of drinks and spoke to the FA there, who basically complained for 20mins about how VA were cutting out long stopovers on rotas and FA's were having to return the next day in some casesÉ..she didn't seem happy. After the sob story I smiled politely and returned to a made up bed

Now this is becoming noticable, happened to me heading to SYD last week, ruined my time at the bar and left the crew to moan on to each other. Come on VS, crack down on this now before your customers get pissed off too!

Originally posted by sthuk
IRIS queue = 1 person

At least working, on Monday morning it was barricaded off ...

Originally posted by sthuk
Overall the flight and service was ok, but just ok

I agree, arrivals is getting in need of a makeover but it's still a fabulous service. But overall, a shame, I have noticed that my last few flights, with one or two exceptions notably down to the character of the FSM, have been so-so. It seems to me that various industry pressures and those on staff and crew are beginning to have an effect ...

Welcome to V-Flyer! and thank you for your first TR.[y]