V-Flyer

Again apologies for the delay in posting this return VS trip report.
After the time in LA, Vegas and San Fran it was time to head home. As I had a number of bags to check in on the return flight, we were going to get a taxi but used the hotel car service instead. Nicer and smarter car than a usual cab and only $5 more. Arrived at fairly busy check-in area, but the staff were friendly and efficient – lounge invite given and off we headed. When we got there it was fairly busy but managed to get a table by the window and settled down with some drinks to relax before the flight home. As we had eaten late in San Fran, even though it was only “appertizers to share”, we weren’t that hungry. I did try the cheese plate a little bit later on, which was very good indeed. Staff were attentive throughout the time there – I do like the SFO clubhouse – when VS has a proper clubhouse overseas, the service and experience is always much better!

Flight called over an hour before departure which I thought was rather early. We were amongst the last to leave the lounge and realised why they had called it so early – there was a huge queue at immigration and it took quite a while to get through, even with priority immigration. Boarding was underway when we got there and soon we were onboard and settling down with our pre-departure glass of champagne.

We were delayed pushing back and then had a long wait on the ground before take-off – the Blue Angels had done a display in San Fran that afternoon, and everything had been delayed as they had landed at SFO after the display. I was lucky in that after take-off I could see the whole display team parked up on the apron near the cargo area of the airport.

Drinks offered after take-off and then dinner orders. I went for the sweetcorn chowder (very disappointing indeed as more like a watery soup than a chowder and only a tiny amount of sweetcorn in it), chicken breast filled with mushrooms and served with crushed red skin potatoes and morel mushroom sauce (really really good) and then the lemon and vanilla cheese cake (ok but not brilliant). When the cheese trolley came around, I asked for a glass of the Stone The Crows Shiraz/Viognier that I had enjoyed on the way out. Unfortunately this had run out, and instead of offering an alternative UC red the crew came back with a glass of premium economy shiraz – the comment was well its a shiraz and they are all the same! A rather odd comment, and I am sure that wine buffs who pay a fortune for a bottle of wine can now stop and just by the £3 bottle in the shops! It wasn’t the same as the Stone The Crows one, so I tasted it, declined and asked for an alternative red instead. Could have been handle a bit better in my opinion.

After dinner, a short visit to the bar with my partner and then it was time to head back to my seat for some sleep. Managed a good few hours in the end and woke up as breakfast was being served. We had decided that we would be heading straight home from the airport, so opted for some cereal – I don’t normally eat cereal apart from in hotels or on planes and love cornflakes with cold regular milk and sugar on top – and then the cooked breakfast. All very good indeed!

Soon we were arriving in a grey, cold and wet LHR – very different to the weather in San Fran when we left which had been sunny and warm. Immigration was fine and the bags were all off fairly quickly after we got there. The bottles of flavoured Smirnoff vodka (whipped cream and fluffed marshmallow) both survived ok in our checked luggage which was good news!

All in all another good VS flight – some aspects were not great....in particular the sweetcorn chowder and decision to get a glass of premium economy wine rather than offering this or an alternative from the Upper Class menu.

You got the delay from the Blue Angels - I arrived into SFO the day before and our pilot informed us of a likely one hour delay circling to land at SFO, in the event we had none. The weather indeed that week on the West coast was lovely wasn't it, I headed up to Portland where it was balmy.