V-Flyer

We arrived at LGW in what felt like plenty of time in the morning having checked in online for our flight and secured two seats together in economy towards the back. However, I'd had a pretty rough week at work up to this point and felt like treating myself, so I asked the first person in the check in area if there were any upgrades available. There were to PE for a price of £199 each. I decided this was probably more than I wanted to spend but did so anyway! We were whisked over to the ticket desk where we were given new boarding passes for our news seats in PE (36D&E). It did take a little while to complete this process and then we had to go to a bag drop separately. PE has its own bag drop, but so few desks that it would have been quicker to join the economy line at that time!!

However, we were soon free of bags and headed to security. With the PE boarding passes you are able to use the VIP Gatwick line, which is BRILLIANT. Lovely area, chatty people, classical music. It's just better! Not to mention that we were through in less than 3 minutes! Before long we were sat having breakfast and having a cheeky glass of bucks fizz!

The plane boarded on time and was actually quite full! But we were on early and given drinks and a paper/magazine very promptly. I was very impressed with the space around the seat, I am 6ft3 and very broad - so the width of the seat was absolutely excellent for me. Plenty of leg room too, I was absolutely blown away by the quality of the seat.

Once in the air, we were told we had a relatively short flight time (7hrs40) and that was about it, very smooth, on time, no drama! A drinks service and the food menu came around promptly and once the V:Port system had been reset once I got into a few movies. This was about the peak for the cabin crew I'm afraid to say. After this, EVERYTHING felt like it was a chore to them. I wanted another Gin & Tonic, but decided I would take my empty glass to the galley and wait there, rather than pushing the call button. I was met with a young lady with the attitude of Vicky Pollard and begrudgingly she obliged. When it came to the food (which was excellent by the way), the two girls working the cabin were short on certain dishes on one side. Rather than adopting any sort of signalling between them they just shouted over us in the middle and leaned across us!

Then when my meal came they were out of red wine, so she nipped back up with her trolley to restock, I was then MISSED on the way back past. When I turned around to ask her, it was the same Vicky Pollard attitude to me...in spite of her mistake. Just a tiny lack of attention to detail which sticks out!

From then on, all was fine. I got plenty of movies in, enjoyed some Brandy after dinner and my ice cream in the afternoon. My afternoon tea snack was quite nice too! The next annoyance, and perhaps this was my fault a little too, is that I had ordered some champagne to be delivered to us during the flight. This didn't arrive until 25 minutes before landing.... I had forgotten to chase them too given that we'd changed cabins and I was finally relaxing!! But all the same, I think it was a bit of a let-down, and it would stop me from buying it as a gift for others travelling on VS...

Overall, my flight was excellent though. On time, great seat, great entertainment and I was sat near the front so my queue at Bridgetown immigration was only 20 minutes from PE, beware in economy...the queues get MASSIVE at that time in the afternoon, thankfully we were down before the BA flight! My flight was 8 hours in the end but I had such a great time it felt more like 25 minutes! A few minor points on attention to detail from the cabin crew, but barring them, it was an excellent flight, so a big thumbs up for VS.

Thanks for reading and I'm happy to give anybody any information from the above which might be useful for their trip!

Cheers,
Alex

Thanks for your inaugral TR Nice job! Sounds like a good flight spoilt by your expectations not being met in a few areas which is always frustrating Just wonder sometimes if we catch CC during an off moment sometimes which can leave a slightly bitter taste even when, generally, they are great

Petmadness wrote:Thanks for your inaugral TR Nice job! Sounds like a good flight spoilt by your expectations not being met in a few areas which is always frustrating Just wonder sometimes if we catch CC during an off moment sometimes which can leave a slightly bitter taste even when, generally, they are great

Perhaps yes! But I should emphasise that in spite of this gripe it is the best flight I have ever taken. I've just had / seen better attention / attitude from CC on Delta flights in Economy. Again this shouldn't take away from the overall quality of the flight which was exceptional.

Thank you for the TR.