VS023 LHR-LAX 15 APR 13 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

VS023 LHR-LAX (UC)
15th April

Pre-flight nerves. It always bothers me when we decide to drive down to LHR on the same day as the flight. The M6 can be a fickle mistress! This time no problems, arrived at LHR at 11.30, for a 15.45 flight.

First change from previous experiences. Purple Parking have now changed, and drop off is the same place as pick up (Short Stay 3, T3) and was a model of efficiency. Brilliant! Gaily handed over my car (a wonderful XJ) to the PP staff, and headed off to check in. By 11.45, in the lounge, and straight to lunch! (Well, it was an early start!) Lovely piece of seared salmon, rendered much more naughty by a side of chunky chips, glass of Prosecco, and then, with some regret, to the business area to do some work. All fine, but noticed there were no ‘tailfin’ biros to nick, and the wifi was pretty feeble. No problems, just jump onto AA downstairs (also free, no password – certain pleasure in that). By 2.45, work finished, back to nice part of lounge for a cuppa and a scone before boarding Miss Kitty.

Flight perfectly on time, and a ‘high’ flight (suitable for lovers of the Arctic Circle). Pre-prandial drinks and nibbles, and a chance to explore to ‘re-invented’ VERA. Hmm. Slow, and marginally better, compared to the new system. I can’t wait for all aircraft to be refitted (I had the pleasure of coming back from YVR on the inaugural return flight on Miss Sunshine [add ref] –absolutely brilliant –if I tried to stick to her, would that make me a stalker?).

The meal was very good…salmon/fancy radish, wasabi mayonnaise, followed by lamb hock, pearl barley, and carrots – really rather tasty, and washed down by a rather good chianti that had a lot of front, but not much back (analogies deleted!). Cheese and biscuits, and settled down with 9h to go to write this report and prepare my lecture for tomorrow (I mean start my lecture - eek!).
Crew fabulous as ever, paying particular to attention to Mrs A/Prof H, (depending on which mode she is in) who although dairy intolerant, was dismayed to find that her usually policy of ‘chancing it’ did not work this time. Crew went out of their way to concoct a 'mix and match' meal of bits from multiple courses and were a model of attention and friendliness. Full marks to them. We’ll book a dairy free option on the way home!

And, being an ego-centric git, loved the bit where the FM introduced herself and said’ you won’t need any instructions on the seat, will you?’ Nice one Virgin, that’s my next flight booked with you, for sure -in the final analysis, we’re all 35,000 feet up in aluminium (NO, Word, it’s ‘aluminium’, not ‘aluminum’) tubes, and the things that discriminate airlines are rather subtle, so this is where the difference is made. Never underestimate the purchasing power of a male ego <grins>!

Oh yes, VERA seems to have a makeover. Didn't they do any user testing? Human interface guidelines went out of the door, for sure. Much harder to do anything now. Press 'pause' and it is ignored unless you also press 'select'. Not a good enhancement.

Bouncy over Reykjavik , but I have my Mac in front of me, and 8h hours of work time, so all good.

A calm, uneventful flight. Into LAX 20minutes early from the ocean (W, due to strong winds) rather than in over the city (E). And here the miracle begins! After the obligatory ‘engines off, whilst we are towed onto stand’ we were quickly off the plane, straight into immigration, and immediately walked up to a desk. Five minutes from plane to luggage carousel! Bags on trolley within 5 minutes, and out of LAX to car, which was a couple of minutes late, because the driver could not believe how fast we came through. That was faster than my previous record, in Singapore! Way to go LAX! It was of course an exception as previous flights have not been this good at all, and the lines can be loooong, especially after an 11h flight.

Anyway, within the hour, we were in the ‘W’ in Westwood, ready for a quick bite, and catch up on those zees.

Thanks Virgin!

Should link up with Purple Parking for a drop off at The Upper Class Wing...... absolutely seemless !

Thanks for report..... was good reading

When I last flew in to LAX back in September I was also supper excited to be the first to arrive at immigration with no queue at all. A couple of months before this I had waited 2 hours!

noticed there were no ‘tailfin’ biros to nick

You need to make a trip from JFK. There were plenty there (now less one) last week.

I had the pleasure of coming back from YVR on the inaugural return flight on Miss Sunshine [add ref] –absolutely brilliant –if I tried to stick to her, would that make me a stalker?

No, but assuming you flew UC you would be possibly the first V-Flyer to express a preference for an A330

Crew went out of their way to concoct a 'mix and match' meal of bits from multiple courses and were a model of attention and friendliness. Full marks to them.

Excellent.

Bouncy over Reykjavik , but I have my Mac in front of me, and 8h hours of work time, so all good.

Whilst a bit of me is envious of people who fly a lot for work and thus accrue mileage, the notion of having to work on a flight makes me shudder. There's a bit in Suggs' one man show where he talks of the joy of travelling by train: the train is doing the work and meeting the requirement of delivering you to a destination, and you are left to the joy of simple contemplation.

Anyway, within the hour, we were in the ‘W’ in Westwood, ready for a quick bite, and catch up on those zees.

Thanks for the TR and hope the time in LA was good, even if by the sound of things it was work based.

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the TR.
Sounds like you had a great flight all told.
Enjoy LA.

Thanks for the TR Astacus, sounds like an exellent trip. I know what you mean about the new Vera system. Overall its better, but that pause facility is annoying.

All fine, but noticed there were no ‘tailfin’ biros to nick,

There's usually a few in a little tray at the spa reception. When you book a treatment, they seem happy to let you have one if you ask nicely.

Cheers

Martin

A great TR depicting a fabulous flight, thanks for posting