This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
I come home one eve after work and he asked me to double check the Miami booking as VS had called with a new PNR due to some mix up over our upgrades so could I check it was all ok. As obliging as I always am I check, only to see Gatwick not Heathrow and almost hit the roof before I see Vegas. Then it dawned on me he had booked another holiday!
Fast forward 9 months and the afternoon before the flight we start to make our way to LGW sofitel.
I was working that day so simon packed for me and also checked in online...SEQ 53 and 54, not bad for his first attempt!
His mum picked me up from work and dropped us off at Newport train station.
Simon had booked 1st class for the train at a bargain price so this made the train journey more enjoyable, we cracked open a bottle of bubbly just after Bristol and we both felt the holiday had started!
We arrived at the sofitel just after 9pm, checked in, dropped our bags in the room and made our way downstairs for some drinkies and food...in that order. No clubrooms or exec lounges so moderation was the name of the game for tonight.
After 2 cocktails and a bottle of wine...and the champagne on the train...both of us were ready for bed.
I woke up quite early the following day due to the excitement of it all, we left the sofitel at 8:30 and made our way to the south terminal to check in/bag drop.
I've never flown out of gatwick south before so it was all new to me but we found the UC check in area without any fuss. It's a nice looking area to check in.
As we approached the UC check in a gentleman in his lovely new VW suit stopped us quite abruptly and gave us the "your not flying upper" look before asking if we were. He asked if we were flying UC, like 2 little school girls, we both chimed up and said yes we are. Now, I'm not sure if I did one of my faces but I think he felt a bit awkward after that. I find it really difficult to hide my emotions and my face says it all! I did think he was quite abrupt.
To try and make up for his initial assumption he did over compensate, he pointed us to the PE check in where there was a free desk so we went over. 2 mins later he comes running over to tag our bags as UC just incase the check in girl didn't.
Check in was slow if I'm honest and I felt the girl didn't really know what she was doing.
I did think at this point I hope this isn't a taste of things to come!
Boarding cards in hand I checked before I left the desk that our seating requests hadn't been changed...and they hadn't, 6A and 6K were ours!
We walked down to the fast track lane and got the bag searched and swabbed but it didn't slow us down to much.
We found the CH with no trouble and were soon through the doors and greeted very warmly by name and given a small tour!
First impressions, it's very small compared to LHR.
We decided to sit in the snug with a family of 5 (more about them later), I over hear them saying they're off to vegas. So I tell simon there's only 7 more pax for our cabin.
We both ordered breakfasts with extra sausage and very good it was to! I do love the clubhouse sausage!
We had lots of champagne and red heads and the service throughout was brilliant. I had a back and shoulder massage to pass the time and simon sat and drank more champagne.
We did have to move out of the snug as I found it to stuffy so we moved closer to the bar. We ppl watched until we got called to our gate and the time passed very quickly.
When we finally got called we made our way to the gate only to find chaos! They were queuing outside the gate area and almost everyone was stood up in the gate pen.
Brilliant! We were with a lady who was also in the CH so as a group we decided (safety in numbers) we would push through politely. We managed to get into the gate area when there was an announcement that EC pax in rows X to X (back of the plane) could board and PE and UC could board at their leisure. Well there was a bloody stampede to the gate so we find ourselves in a queue to board. Maybe I should have pushed to the front screaming upper class darling, upper class!!!
We solider on with the thought of more champagne at the end.
True first world problem...queuing to get on a plane!!!
On the jet bridge simon notices the older couple who were in the CH with us not looking happy, but as you do we all managed to get on board, eventually.
We were greeted on board with smiles but no names today, just sir. Directed to turn left and made our way to the cabin. It's really funny to see the change in the crew when they address UC pax compared the the others in front!
Today we were on Ruby Tuesday with 451 pax onboard.
She was clean with only a few minor wears and tears but Simons drinks tray was broke. Not that this bothered him it just meant he drank it quicker!
We were all offered champagne by one of the cc and refills were offered. They're using the flutes for boarding but have the saucers for normal service, so I was told. After take off champagne was served in my favourite, the saucers.
It fits better in the screen space!
Now, I wasn't feeling the crew by this point and I couldn't put my finger on it, I hadn't seen the FSM yet. I just felt "meh" about them.
When the FSM did her intro it sounded like she was disinterested, I thought...jobsworth!
When she finally came into the cabin I thought straight away I wouldn't mess with her!
Once in the air hot towels were handed out and I over heard 7K kicking off about how dirty her suite was. To be fair to the crew they kicked into action and really scrubbed her suite and offered to move her to the only free seat in the cabin but she refused preferring 7K not wanting to be close to the bar. Clever girl, maybe she's heard about us!!
Drinks orders were taken and crisps handed out.
Before lunch service my opinion started to change towards one CC but the FSM and CSM had an attitude on them. This didn't bother me as the one crew member more than compensated for their lack of interest.
When it was time to take our lunch orders I must have had quite a few champagnes because it gets all fuzzy from this point for a while! But luckily simon put the menu in our carry on!
To start we had:
Ballottine of Scottish salmon (me)
Pear and blue cheese salad (simon)
Both were nice enough.
Main:
Filet of beef (me)
Caesar salad with tiger prawns (simon)
My steak was small and tough...just how I like my men
Simon really enjoyed his salad.
The dessert was 3 horrible dry profiteroles.
Looking back at the pictures I notice how full my wine was and I now remember changing my wine for dessert!
no wonder I was a bit tipsy! Cheese and port followed and we got chatting to 7K and 7A, soon enough the older couple in 8A and 9A got chatting to us then 8K got involved. So we were all having a good old chat and a few drinkies at our seats.
We must've been talking for a while because we all decided to rest for a bit. Obviously not due to the effects of alcohol...
I wake up 2 hours later and 7K is awake and not happy! As were the others...
Remember the family in the CH....well they weren't in our cabin they were in PE but they were at the bar chatting very loudly with the crew. 7K had noticed they weren't sat in UC, due to it being a small cabin we all "knew" each other.
She wasn't happy! They had woken her up!
I could see her point so I go and speak with the crew and ask where they've come from. I'm told they were gold card holders and on this occasion were permitted to use the bar! The UC crew didn't look to happy they were there if I'm honest.
On my way back to my seat I stop to chat with them at the bar saying I saw them in the CH. At this point I notice how drunk the wife was!!!! So I leave them to it at the bar.
About 5 mins later they decide it's time to leave after some words from the crew.
So the wife gets of the stool, completely looses her balance and falls into bed with one of the sleeping pax!!!! With what dignity she has left she manages to get herself up only to fall again and hit the bulkhead and fall over...well, the entire UC cabin is in fits of laughter! We are all roaring!!!!
So after all the fun 8 of us get chatting again and have a few more drinks at our seats, the flight from this point was an absolute blast! We find out 8K's wife was in PE so I go up and get her, if they let the drunk couple at the bar I think it's only fair she gets to sit up with us and have a chat for a bit. (I did ask if I could)
We chatted and laughed all thro afternoon tea, I was telling them stories of our escapades, our run ins with go go boys in Thailand and crazy nights out with virgin CC in Miami!
I've been told I was the ring leader of the group but I get carried away and love telling a good story especially after a few drinks! Naughty me!
Feeling worse for wear during our fun I kept going back to the galley for a coffee with honey and the one crew was more than obliging.
About 1h out of Vegas the co pilot came down and started to chat with us, he told us he wanted to see what all the laughter was about as they could hear us upstairs!
Before landing our little group decided to meet up at the belagio that evening for some drinks and a show!
We also had a picture of us all grouped together in the nose. As you do!
Hoover dam from above
The flight was aprox 10h 20m but it literally flew by!
We landed into a very hot Vegas and we disembarked from L1 so the rest of the aircraft was held back for upper to disembark.
I didn't like the looks we got from the PE cabin...I think we might have been a tad loud for them! But you know what...we were having fun and not hurting anyone!
We arrived into and empty immigration hall with no queues and walked straight through to baggage reclaim!
Our bags were 5th and 7th out and very soon we were on our way to the taxi rank.
Waiting for our taxi our little group saw each other again and we reminded each other about our evening date!
So from plane to suite it took about 45m!
So in summary...
Another great flight with virgin, small things at check in.
I don't like Gatwick airport. Sorry I'm a LHR girl.
Fantastic service, good massage and good food at the clubhouse.
The one CC was good but luckily this time we were more involved with fellow pax so the poor FSM and CSM didn't make the flight a bad one for us.
There was a particular girl serving in PE that stood out! She kept calling me "babes" whenever I bumped into her! Loved it!
The cabin was clean. With the exception of 7K suite...it was covered in chocolate and snot apparently.
The IFE when I used it was very responsive, much better than the LHR 747's.
I love love love the UC cabin in the LGW 747's so intimate and exclusive and made even better by the friends we made!!!!
To think the days of traveling in the nose of a 747 are limited brings a tear to my eye!
But let's not leave it there....I'm sure you're wondering (or not) did we make it for our date at the belagio with half the UC cabin?
Yes we did...we had drinks at the belagio piano bar and then moved onto Divas Las Vegas (one hell of a drag show), we had a great night and decided to meet up the following day for food.
The older couple from 8 and 9A booked a table at jasmines and we ate in the most amazing setting...centre elevated table with the best views of the belagio fountain show! Great food with great company and newly formed friends!!!
Thanks for reading.
. However I can understand someone's frustration at someone from PE, gold or not muscling in and being loud 
When you haven't on this occasion paid your way to the bar. 
Sounds like a great flight and good memories to remember and share 
