V-Flyer

Headed out to Heathrow about 11am, from Bedfordshire, decent run down and into T3 Business parking well with an hour. Bus to terminal took a while to arrive but not too bad. Terminal 3 seemed a bit manic at just after 12. The bag drop queues must have been 30 people deep on every desk, way beyond the furthest out self check in kiosk, actually to the point that people were having to push through the queues, to use the machines. No ground staff in sight to manage the queues.

Managed to get to a desk in just over half an hour, which to me is pretty unacceptable for a 'fast bag drop' (had checked in the afternoon before) Everything fine when at the desk, with no issues, but an apology for the wait wouldn't have gone amiss.

Rather large queues for security, but through pretty efficiently, even with the usual crowd of people who seem to have never even been near an airport before.

Took off for a pint or 2, some lunch and some snacks and wasn't long until the gate was announced, so headed down. Boarding was pretty much the usual rush, we waited until most people had left the gate area, as our seats were at the front of Y (can't remember the exact number) Large queue in the jetway, but G-VYOU was waiting for us.

Left the gate pretty much on time, with another 15 minute queue for the slot on the runway onto 09R.

Flight was very uneventful, drinks and meal service was pretty soon after take off, asked for a two cans of beer, but told very frostily that it wasn't possible, and I'd have to go to the galley later and collect myself. I didn't have anything to eat myself, very rarely eat anything on board. My companions weren't too impressed with their meals.

There was a choc ice served a couple of hours later, and a choice of a cookie or a brownie nearer the end of the flight. There was one juice and water run, but they soon made the way through the cabin.

Landed ten minutes early, deplaned pretty quickly, into a quiet immigration area. Immigration was not very well run, the visitors queue was pretty full, while the US residents queue soon went. We were sent over to queue in the residents lane, just before another flight arrived. Waited there for a while not moving, when another officer checking the lines came over and asked why I was in the residents lane. I told him I was sent over but he had none of it, so I was marched back over to the visitors line, with the officer stating very loudly to everyone that 'I' had queued in the wrong lane. The officer on the desk saw this, and I had the whole 20 questions to why I was there. Never had any issues with entry before, and never had so many questions asked. Bags were through by the time I was there, and then got stopped again by the customs officer in the customs queue, asking many of the same questions about my occupation and how I was funding my trip. Wasn't my day!

Overall a very uneventful flight, crew were a bit sullen. Check in was poor, and the meals weren't great. It did it's job and that's about it.

Edited to remove the name of the crew hotel - honey lamb

Thanks for the TR.

*fast* bag drop seems to be a misnomer. Good service should stretch across all the cabins.

jubjubbird wrote:Flight was very uneventful, drinks and meal service was pretty soon after take off, asked for a two cans of beer, but told very frostily that it wasn't possible, and I'd have to go to the galley later and collect myself. I didn't have anything to eat myself, very rarely eat anything on board. My companions weren't too impressed with their meals.

Edited to remove the name of the crew hotel - honey lamb

Are alcholic drinks limited now in Y. I remember the days when I asked for a couple of drinks and received them quite happily and also throughout the flight.

Anna

I've never had an issue before with an extra drink.

Thank you for the TR.

Thanks for the TR.

jubjubbird wrote: The bag drop queues must have been 30 people deep on every desk, way beyond the furthest out self check in kiosk, actually to the point that people were having to push through the queues, to use the machines.

Ah, bag drop. What a cost saving marketed as an improvement in service.

jubjubbird wrote: asked for a two cans of beer, but told very frostily that it wasn't possible, and I'd have to go to the galley later and collect myself.

I suppose charitably you might think that they were in effect saying that they'd like to have a complete run over the cabin without having to restock the cart, but, if so, they could have given you a better response.

goldenapple wrote:Drinks are limited in y??

Oh noes, why is that??? how is my dad going to unwind??? (he likes a nice red, but never goes to far folks)

I don't think jjb said that drinks were limited, just that they were told they would have to go to the galley to get them.

Paul

No, not restricted, but sat in a window seat with a person asleep next to me, I thought there may have been a little more leeway.

jubjubbird wrote:No, not restricted, but sat in a window seat with a person asleep next to me, I thought there may have been a little more leeway.

Ah. A bit of a better reading of the situation by the cc wouldn't have gone amiss, then.