This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Once again i managed to pick up a couple of G's LHR-LAX SFO-LHR, on the exact dates we wanted them (had to book 11 months in advance). To be honest i've never had trouble with getting G's on those routes.
Drive through check-in, and the private security does speed things up immensely, and had we not had one of the tom tom weighted dashboard mounts we'd have been through security in a couple of minutes. The security guys had never seen one before, and were very puzzled about what to do with it. For the first time I've seen a security guy with a sense of humour.
One of my favourite areas in the clubhouse is the roof garden, its always been empty every time we are there, it was a lovely bright morning, but a little cold.
Clubhouse Outside Viewing Area
Tinker belle turned up while i was up there:
We were too early for the clubhouse burger so elected for a simple Sausage Bap, sadly i don't drink so didn't use the bar, but i love the look of it:
All too soon our flight was called, Gate 17, the queue for economy snaked back out of the door, but no-one waiting in the UC queue, so we breezed through.
We flew on Surfer Girl:
One thing i've never noticed before is the queuing of planes to use the runway, but this year i did:
Seat 2a was in pretty good condition, but a little grubby in places like the pop up arm rest which had quite a few crisps in it. Not massively impressed with that, my OCD kept wondering what was in the bigger pocket!
Food on this flight was simply stunning, in the past I've not bothered with the mains, and just gone for the light bites or whatever they call them now,
Starter was Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese salad, not normally a fan of blue cheese but it did taste good.
Main was the Fillet Of Beef, which again was unsure of ordering but i have to say it was brilliant.
Finished up with the Salted Caramel Chocolate Pudding, which was again brilliant though a little rich!
Overall i think this is probably the best food i've ever had on a plane, the presentation was great, and it was very tasty. I didn't have room for cheese though it looked good.
Afternoon tea was served about an hour and 45 before we landed and was the usual selection of sandwiches, and cakes, though i chose not to have cake this time, from all accounts the missus enjoyed hers.
I have to say i like the fact you can now have your iPads etc on until you get to the gate, i used to find the last 45 minutes of flights so tedious, but this one just flew by, when we landed i had just 2% battery remaining.
We left the plane via the doors near the bar, i think this is the normal door for LAX on an A340.
Amazing weather at LAX:
I was dreading the last time we went through immigration at LAX it was over 2 hours, this time, we were through and had picked up our bags within 20 minutes which was a relief. No pictures in immigration as they don't take kindly to it or so i've heard.
One final thing, Car Rental, we booked with Virgin Holidays this time, and picking up the car was a joy, no queues, a dedicated Virgin Holidays counter, and for the first time ever, no up-sell on the car, in 18 years of travelling to the US thats the first time!
