This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
As sad as we felt when the end of our trip was signalled by getting into the car at the hotel, we knew there was still a bit of the adventure to come in the UC trip back, and that once back real life (wondering why the offspring hadn't emptied the bins or opened a window for two weeks) would soon kick in and the post trip blues would have to wait.
And the final bit of the adventure didn't disappoint.
TR 2 left us arrived in SFO after sampling VXware. Bart or NoBart was the next consideration, and NoBart won out. Quite whether NoBart would have been such an easy winner had we realised our cab driver was evidently in training for a sequel to "The Fast And The Furious". Red lights, other cars, pedestrians (once in SFO) were issues to be addressed by deft application of the right foot. It might challenge some of Jeremy Clarkson's preconceptions to know that this was achieved in a Prius Hybrid.
Choice of the Hilton on O'Farrell in which to vest my use of free nights certificates was perhaps not the best. Waaaay to big for comfort, slightly ropy rooms and neither free water nor wifi. The complimentary breakfast was, however, excellent. We almost came to grief through losing the bottle opener - how was I going to consume my final bottles of Dead Guy! - but we found a primary school solution (see the end of the TR). Anyhow, enough rambling.
Leaving the hotel (after two very sunny days in San Francisco, taking in Alcatraz, Sausalito, the Cable Car Museum) we received the standard bell hop's offer of a "cheap limo" and decided to take it - hell, it was fixed price and it wasn't going to be a Prius Hybrid. And I do have a slight thing for black Lincoln Town Cars for some reason - I think I was overawed to be picked up by one the first time I went to the US on business and have never really recovered from that experience. The driver worried us slightly (aka put the fear of god into me) by asking us whether we were in a hurry for our flight as he took another couple for the same flight over an hour previously. Swift calibration of various time bearing devices and checking of tickets proved that we would still be early so we were breathing easily when we arrived the check in.
Though I had done OLCI, we still need our purple stubs (I find them to be excellently ostentatious bookmarks) so went to the desk. Our agent dealt with us smoothly and efficiently, though I did keep an eye on the baggage tagging as this seemed to involve a "Generation Game" style task. Bags were placed by multiple agents (not just UC agents) in a common area behind the desk. Tags were then passed by the agents to a chap who had to put them on the correct cases, to the accompaniment of shouted directions from the various agents - "no, not that one!" and "Upper class".
Thence to the clubhouse. Largely devoid of people when we arrived, we were shown the facilities and then followed our usual mode of behaviour in these environments - sitting first by the window, then at a table, and then back at the window. Fidgety, or what? Sampled several wines and a Virgin Kiss with some food in between. We almost lost our Revivals invitation (which we had to request - it wasn't offered) to another couple. How could she make that mistake? I mean, they were old...mid 50's at least.
Our ride was already here.
As penalty for taking that "anoraky" photo, I also had to take a picture of the "new bag", replete with UC tag. MrsPJH did admit to always being a teeny bit excited when seeing the UC tags on her bags.
So, after a very pleasant couple of hours we were called to the gate. Despite being assured at check in that we'd be able to waft through the priority security lane, when the line marshall-ette spotted the purple pass we were rather brusquely informed "no priority line!" and ushered into the standard lines. To be fair it took no time, but just the chuffin' once I'd like to use the priority line (and not just the one that Edinburgh has for EasyJet passengers with Speedy Boarding).
We did, however, get to use the Upper Class airbridge and directed to our seats, 12K and 14K. No names - at this point - and no welcome back, but a cheery greeting and a promptly offered drink. Given that we have zilch status, and had paid with miles, I wasn't surprised nor bothered by the no names, and to the crew were addressing a subset of the passengers by name and entering into conversations that consisted of more than "I'm x, I'll be looking after you today and this is how the suite works..."so I think those who paid real folding money or had status were being given a little more customer care. We were addressed by name later on in the flight, however. The male FSM introduced himself over the pa, but didn't put in an appearance in our part of the cabin, which was being managed by a female crew member who was visible and actively present throughout the flight.
At this point I became aware of a lady seated next to MrsPJH who had arrived in the company of a stoical looking chap and bearing a number of magazines of the "Hello!" style.
The conversation went something like
Her: "Look - here are the pictures of Titania and Oberon's wedding!"
Him: "Mmmm."
Her: "Jocasta and Sextus Plantagenet Tollemache-Tollemache look divine together"
Him: "Mmmm."
Her: "We really should have cancelled this trip and gone, you know"
Him: "Mmmm."
MrsPJH to me: "Please swap seats"
Me to MrsPJH: "No"
Departure was on time, and were afforded wonderful views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz as we turned over the city. It made us feel a little sad, but as I said earlier this flight was still part of the adventure..
When we had our first UC overnight experience last year, there were two things we'd not done. The first of these was soon rectified in that as soon as the seatbelts light went off, we broke out the black pjs..well, after after changing mine from medium to large. A little swamped on the arm length, but more suitable around the waist. We also went through a number of Milk Tray references. Curiously I began to wonder more about looking like an extra from a village scene in "Apocalypse Now".
Service then began and it was top notch. Yes, they were undoubtedly trying to get us through the meal and into a sleep mode, but they were doing it with smiles and a positive attitude that spoke of little being too much trouble. A couple of drink runs and then dinner - I had requested the steak and that is what I received. In fact, the crew member taking the order had been taken aback when I had offered up a second choice. MrsPJH had the chicken dish, and declared it worthy. As on the outbound journey, I wedged myself into the ottoman so we could break bread together. Of the four couples in the cabin, we were one of two that did this; the parties in the other two couples ignored each other remained glued their IFE screens throughout.
In terms of the seating, in retrospect I wonder whether it would have been better to have opted for 12A and 12K. I would have been uncomfortable for MrsPJH to have moved to my ottoman as the socks of the chap in 12A would have been just behind her head. Had we taken both the 12's we could've played footsie. The chap sat opposite me hardly stirred during the flight, and stuck to reading his book entitled "Controlling Alcohol". Was he trying to make a point? In another seat a lady spent the entire non eating flight time working her way through a book of Sudoku puzzles.
After dinner we went of the second untested UC experience, a drink at the bar. I felt a wee bit sorry for the crew member at the bar as she ended up repeating with us the entire conversation she'd just had with a couple of guys at the bar. It turns out that she lives not far from us. She also worked a small miracle and persuaded MrsPJH to sign up for a VS credit card, a noble achievement as MrsPJH had just been told they'd run out of champagne.
So, having completed the UC experiences we retired, MrsPJH to sleep and me to watch "Kick Ass", which I enjoyed greatly. When watching Malcolm Tucker getting sweary earlier on the IFE had been playing up, but was stable for the film.
I then fell into a fitful doze (not helped by the large brandy), waking as I was both in need of spending a penny and also thirsty. This exercise made me feel quite guilty as not only did I, resplendent in ill fitting pjs and slighlty woozy, have to disturb the crew but also they were having to take a meal break sat outside the UC lavs. Anyhow, they furnished me with a bottle of water and back I went to my fitful dozings.
I woke when the crew started to prepare breakfast, found the time to change out of the pjs (banging elbows and knees as I did so in the facilities) and found my choice of a full english ill judged. I had more luck with my choice of the K side of the aircraft for seating, as out route brought us in north of Wembley, with a turn over the Olympic Village and then a run in along the south side of the Thames taking in all the sights.
After a slightly early touchdown, we were then delayed first by an aircraft being at our gate and then guidance system being faulty, which necessitated our being guided in manually. We were kept well informed from the flight deck, who sounded more irritated then we felt ("Those of you still in possession of the will to live..." began one of the announcements).
Passport control proved to be a bit of a zoo - how envious I felt of those few using the Iris machines. Once through, we headed up to Revivals to await the taxi and have a cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich and, as it turned out, earwig on a interview that was happening.
And then the taxi arrived and our big trip was over. We'd had a great time, and the UC and CH experiences on both legs had contributed greatly to that. Of the two flights, I'd rate this return leg the higher, on the basis of the service.
Just to bring us down to earth though...the taxi driver said he'd pick us up in the drop off area. Not a good move. The Civilian Support Officers decided that there was something wrong with his vehicle, told him it couldn't be moved and called in the local traffic police. Oh joy. After an hour or so it was resolved, and we went away late but happy - lord knows what we would have done had the car been impounded...
And now, for those who wish to read on, some more pictures...
Our first evening we took the night trip to Alcatraz (glad we booked well in advance; on the Monday evening there were no more tickets for any time of day until the following Sunday). After a hot day, the fog began to come in and when out there it took a while for The Rock to emerge
It's a excellent tour, with a very well put together audio guide. Apparently four states still have prisoners who served time on Alcatraz, which closed in 1963.
The next day we took to the water as well, taking the ferry over to Sausalito.
A very picturesque crossing to a picturesque town, setting put from the ferry terminal at the refurbished Ferry Building where I'd seen these offerings to delight the inner Homer.
This time we failed to manage a ride in a cable car, but we did go up to the Cable Car Museum, where you can see the hub of the network in all its glory (and it also has a small exhibition about the 1906 earthquake with some amazing pictures). In an electronic world, it's fascinating to see operational mechanical engineering of this sort.
And the final picture....the primary school scissors that saved the day, subsituting very well as a bottle cap opener.
We can get better, because we're not dead yet
.
.
