VS043 LGW-LAS 30 Jul 09 (PE)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

I used twlight checkin the night before because a) I wanted more Hilton Honors points b) I wanted PE seat with extra legroom. Which I got. The Gatwick hilton is perhaps the most overpriced hotel for what it is travel lodge in disguise

The plane boarded 3 minutes late.The upstairs cabin was full and by the looks of the other passengers they had paid the 150 to upgrade.
either that or they had mistaken a Thompson Plane for a Virgin Plane. I was hoping wrongly for an operational upgrade, but how wrong
can you be?
The entertainment on this route is poor as you all know you have to wait until every programme has finished before it re loads. So you are doomed if you start watching something you hate.

The aircraft was airborn shortly after 12.30 and the little map showed another 5,000 miles togo. The flight is very tedious with this kind of IFE and looking at the map is a bad thing to do. I am especially resentful to the town of Godthab which is in Greenland and remains on the map for about four hours.

The food is passable if you are not hungary and amazing if you are. The drinks service and crew were very good and attentive. Hardly any inflight annoucements by the flight crew which I think is a shame.

usual baffling approach to Vegas, over lake mead around Vegas and in the other end.

Touched down ten minutes early, which was spoiled by ten minutes of taxing. Immigration, customs, bag reclaim all done in 12 minutes. Amazing!
747 LGW upstairs for PE is the best option, although I hear this is being changed to Y SEATING[:I]

Welcome to VF, Thanks for the TR.

Dominic

Thanks for the TR and welcome to VFlyer - I totally agree with your comments about the Gatwick Hilton.

Why were you (wrongly)hoping for an op-up?

I have down this route 5 times in the last 6 months, and mistaken I thought perhaps like BA you upgrade FF. But I guess I am wrong and loyalty to Virgin only means more miles. Also the aircraft was overbooked.

I find the executive rooms at The Gatwick Hilton fine.

I dont think Y is gooing up in bubble of the LGW/MAN fleet; Y is 'rumoured' to be placing J on LHR 747 on the upper deck.

HG

quote:Originally posted by madjack
I have down this route 5 times in the last 6 months, and mistaken I thought perhaps like BA you upgrade FF. But I guess I am wrong and loyalty to Virgin only means more miles. Also the aircraft was overbooked.


Silver is not a high tier with Virgin and, unlike BA, is incredibily easy to obtain and retain. Op Ups to J (if any on such a popular route with such a small J cabin) would go to Gold or higher FC members first in all likelyhood.

[Decker]

quote:Originally posted by madjack
I have down this route 5 times in the last 6 months, and mistaken I thought perhaps like BA you upgrade FF. But I guess I am wrong and loyalty to Virgin only means more miles. Also the aircraft was overbooked.


Welcome to V-Flyer. Your writing style is pleasantly dry in parts.

That's a little strange, how come you only have 16 TPs then? If we assume that your previous 4 flights were in Y and this one was in PE you'd have 22 TPs and we over half way towards Gold which significantly increases your chances of an OpUp.

quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
I find the executive rooms at The Gatwick Hilton fine.

I dont think Y is gooing up in bubble of the LGW/MAN fleet; Y is 'rumoured' to be placing J on LHR 747 on the upper deck.

HG


I'd also give the [y][y] for the Hilton LGW, providing you get an Exec room in the new wing, ideally near the lounge, it's all good.

I have heard bad things about the older part of the hotel, but thankfully never stayed there.

Free bar, free wifi and canapes = job done!

A

That's worth knowing - I have stayed at the Hilton a few times but probably not in the new bit and found the rooms small and uncomfortable compared with the Sofitel. I'll give it another go!

Thank you for the great TR![y]

quote:Originally posted by madjack
The food is passable if you are not hungary

Or any other East European nation I would imagine...?

With you on Godthab my friend - what makes them think they're so special.

Thanks for an original TR. Enjoyed it.

Yep premium is staying in the bubble on LGW 744s, it's the LHR 744s where upper deck J class is being replaced with economy seats

How cruel to have Y pax upstairs having to listen to all the fun and laughing from the off duty cabin crew J pax at the bar[:w]

cheers

alex

Decker,
You are correct i did forget to add the last two sectors to the tire points, making now a total of 22 points. however my point is this, in the shrinking economy, if my partner and I have spent 18k a year on flights with Virgin, you would expect someone somewhere would realise customer retention important, and by giving good customers operational upgrade keeps them happy and keeps the business. BA forgot this for awhile and lost business. I fly virgin for many reasons, good service, good prices, but like my hilton gold card I get upgraded, as I did on BA. I just do not undertstand when more people are flying y, why they cannot up grade Gold and Silver card holders, thus buying goodwill and enabling them to sell more y seats

quote:Originally posted by madjack
I just do not undertstand when more people are flying y, why they cannot up grade Gold and Silver card holders, thus buying goodwill and enabling them to sell more y seats

Because nobody would buy PE or UC fares. Would I have just coughed up for my upcoming trip to CPT (in UC) if I 'knew' I'd get upgraded? No, of course not.There are millions (well OK a bit of an exaggeration) of silver card holders and lots and lots of golds. As has been explained to you the tier strategy of VS means that even those not flying very often can achieve silver easily (unlike BA or other programmes). Make business sense to me NOT to upgrade people unless absolutely neccessary but I'm no economist.
DL