VS021 LHR-IAD 10 Dec 08 (PE)
Posted: 11 Dec 2008, 13:16This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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We stayed the night before in the behemoth that is the Hilton Metropole. Its okay as big anonymous hotels go and thought the 8 minute walk to the Heathrow Express was a good trade off against the extra 150 the Hilton Paddington was charging.
Set alarm for just gone six but was wide awake by quarter past five (why does this happen) so got up and processed some orders to send to the warehouse. Well itll save more time for doing not much in the Clubhouse.
After our uneventful journey on the HEX (really, what can possibly happen in those fifteen minutes?) we arrived at Upper Class check in for about just gone seven. Still dark outside, it all looked very nicely lit this morning. Apart from a couple of trees down towards Economy check in Christmas decorations were minimal and looked very spiky. Wouldnt want one to drop on my head.
We were booked into row 21, on what we discovered was a 340-300 but managed to change to 18 A and K. Cant beat the footstools. Mini pouffes, if you will. Check in staff was nice and polite and did the usual phone call to release these seats. Today Mat was described as my travelling companion. Makes us sound like were going on a grand tour around Europe! What must be noted was check in, for all classes was very quiet this morning. Normally with the early JFK and now earlier SFO flight its generally busier around this time. Light loads all round d I guess.
The security channel was a breeze, as ever, and we didnt even get asked to join the shoe carnival (which I always take great delight in saying its not for me). After a couple of essential purchases in Smiths of Conde Nast Traveller and polos (were not in Upper, remember) we hot schlepped over to the Clubhouse. Slightly worried when we got there at about half seven and the big shutter was down. Had something changed? Luckily the shutter was only broke and we entered through the little door by all the V-Flyer awards,
Like check in the Clubhouse was also very quiet we thought. Nothing too exciting today. Had my usual of misty morning juice with salmon and scrambled eggs, and some bacon on the side. Much needed haircut (and shower, for that matter) in the Cowshed. No Z listers hogging the staff. I think of late service in the Clubhouse has got better. The staff working the floor seem to be a little more attentive.
We had no magic calls for us from concierge offing lovely suites so accepted we would be in PE. After checking and seeing it was 7s across the board in all classes a beep at the gate seemed unlikely too. A day flight so no worries really.
Finally pushed back from gate 7 about half an hour late as the plane needed de icing, which also left ugly smears on my window.
The plane was very quiet in all classes. I would say only about 30% full. I think there was only one customer in the bit of Upper directly in front of Premium. Once we were cruising the usual tactic applied in Economy where everyone spread out over the centre four seats. This is always a bit galling when they have more legroom than even the Premium bulkhead seats. Still, just luck for them I guess. The crew all seem very polite. Minutes after asking Mat if he thought theyll acknowledge me as a gold in Premium a member of ordinary crew did the pre lunch drinks and welcomed me back by name very loudly. The snob in me liked this.
We had the new Premium seats, but only odyssey for the IFE so I settled down to watch the Dark Knight again, which seems about 6 hours long anyway. Lunch was okay, but as is often the case sounded better than it tasted. We both had the beef stew with braised cabbage and herbed dumpling. Nothing special, but finding out the Gu pudding wasnt banoffee as advertised and just chocolate more than made up for it.
Ive managed to doze a tiny amount, and what I had was always disturbed by turbulence, and the crew then telling us it was turbulence. I never sleep on outbound flights usually so will need my disco nap in the hotel on arrival. Ive now managed to kill a bit writing this trip report and we have about an hour an a half left of the flight so think its probably a safe bet to end it here.
Were being picked up at the Airport by mcmbenjamin, whos going to show us his city for a day and a bit before we get the Amtrak up to New York for three days. Ive only been to DC once before, and that was only for about 30 minutes, at half two in the morning standing in front of obelisk thing in only my underwear. It was 1997 and I was on a Green Tortoise bus trip. Im guessing theres more to see.
Right, Gu brownie just arrived and laptop on its last legs so Ill call it a day.