V-Flyer

After a busy couple of days in the big apple I arrived at JFK around 530pm for the 1030pm VS10. With the clocks going forward by an hour over the weekend, the extra wait was a little unwelcome.

The welcome at the dedicated sky priority/Upper Class check in area was luke warm but I was processed quickly and then it was off to fast-track security line which was far from fast-track as you end up joining the rest of the queues so it took over 30mins to get through

Thankfully the welcome and reception in the CH was exceptional. Service was warm attentive and simply a pleasure from the moment I arrived to the moment I left. Over the course of the next four hours, I had several red carpets which were far fresher and stronger than at LHR and I enjoyed a few items from the new CH menu...



BBQ ribs and Beef empanada.


Then it was time to try the Chicken Kiev which was divine.


Finally the sausage and mash...


After a facial in the spa it was time to board at 945pm. I cannot speak highly enough of the CH team at JFK, it was personal service at the highest level.

Boarding was painless and I was welcomed warmly at L2 by the FSM who addressed me by name and shook my hand. Things were off to a great start.

This was then followed up by a personal "welcome back" from the CSS who was exceptional and at the bar later on kept me supplied with a couple of night-caps and some snacks. I was skipping dinner because I was so full.

Champagne, OJ or water were offered before push-back along with newspapers, sleep suits and a newly designed amenity kit which is now in a large "pencil case" type thing!!

Pushback came at 2224 and a flight time of 6hrs 4mins confirmed with a flight crew of 14 and 203 passengers.

J was completely full along with W so once again both premium travel cabins were solid. A shortish taxi around the airport had us airborne at 2249.

I moved to the bar as the rest of the cabin settled down as bottles of water were handed out. Supper was served to only two passengers and this was either a Nightcap and turndown service or an Express cold supper of Mesclun salad and Mango cheesecake.

A hot supper option was also available which was Seared beef fillet with creamed spinach and potato wedges or Vegetable Thai red curry with jasmine rice followed by Mango cheesecake or cheese plate.

Two drinks later I was settling down myself and managed a couple of hours sleep. Breakfast for those involved began about 1hr out and I was content with a mug of hot tea which was refreshed too.

No hot towels on this flight but service was swift, attentive, friendly and personal. The fantastic leadership of the FSM and CSS was clear to see.

With everyone strapped in we touched down at 0853 reaching the gate at 0900. Another fantastic flight with a great crew, under the leadership of an exceptional FSM and CSS.

The FSM and CSS even came along and asked if everything had been ok and apologised for the heat in the cabin overnight, I hadn't noticed (which I usually do)....

A letter of praise has been issued to Crawley Towers. Now if we could please just have the same level of service on Saturday to DXB

Thanks for reading.

Jon

Thank you for the TR and great photos. They made me feel really hungry.
Super to read yet another positive TR full of praise for the CC and VS.

Another exceptional experience all round by the sound of it ,a short visit jon ,work or pleasure?

Thanks Jon, brilliant TR with good photos as usual. They really "make" a TR. Like you, I'm baffled by so-called "fast track" security which simply puts you into the non-fast-track queue. EWR is the same.

You marked the seat down slightly - was this the dreaded UCDS?

Thanks for posting a great TR. Sounds like a good flight and great service too :-)

Looking forward to my flights next month :-)

Gratified to see this report, as we'll be on this flight in 3 weeks and a bit....

Blacky1 wrote:Another exceptional experience all round by the sound of it ,a short visit jon ,work or pleasure?

Sadly work on this occasion Blacky

whiterose wrote:Thanks Jon, brilliant TR with good photos as usual. They really "make" a TR. Like you, I'm baffled by so-called "fast track" security which simply puts you into the non-fast-track queue. EWR is the same.

You marked the seat down slightly - was this the dreaded UCDS?

It was the UCDS which actually seemed wider than 3K which I was in on Friday night. I do like the seat in the deep recline position but as a bed it just doesn't work for me....

pjh wrote:Gratified to see this report, as we'll be on this flight in 3 weeks and a bit....

Not long at all - just updated the TR with some more menu detail

horburyflyer wrote: a newly designed amenity kit which is now in a large "pencil case" type thing!!

Jon

Great TR, Jon but can you tell us what was in the amenity kit. My mind is still blown away from the offerings in EI in J so I'd really like to know

honey lamb wrote:

horburyflyer wrote: a newly designed amenity kit which is now in a large "pencil case" type thing!!

Jon

Great TR, Jon but can you tell us what was in the amenity kit. My mind is still blown away from the offerings in EI in J so I'd really like to know

If the same as we had for Boston at New Year, a roll up design (rather than zipped) with an unbranded lip balm added to the usual suspects.

horburyflyer wrote:Not long at all - just updated the TR with some more menu detail

Thanks. I think I may take the grown up option of eating in the CH, snacking on the flight and then breakfasting in Arrivals. And drinking only water (Warning - something here is untrue)

Thanks for posting, you're putting me to shame getting them on so fast.

Another great flight by the sound of it, hope mine is just as good tomorrow.
D

Anything for you HL, here is a photo - but it included socks, eye-shade, lip-balm, pen, toothbrush and paste, tissues, mint (eaten!) and ear-plugs.




This is the kit which was on the outbound flight and has been around a little while though was only on about 50% of my flights in January and February.....same items but it unravels and is tied with a shoe-lace (well that is what it looks like..... )

Pretty pathetic really. We had a thread about amenity kits not long ago and a comment that VS could perhaps get together with Cowshed to provide something better. The current offering does the brand no favours.

whiterose wrote:Pretty pathetic really. We had a thread about amenity kits not long ago and a comment that VS could perhaps get together with Cowshed to provide something better. The current offering does the brand no favours.

In agree really disappointing. In fact when I first saw the kit provided on outbound flights I did think it was a really poor effort considering the Delta offer was much more enhanced....

horburyflyer wrote:

whiterose wrote:Pretty pathetic really. We had a thread about amenity kits not long ago and a comment that VS could perhaps get together with Cowshed to provide something better. The current offering does the brand no favours.

In agree really disappointing. In fact when I first saw the kit provided on outbound flights I did think it was a really poor effort considering the Delta offer was much more enhanced....

Just to level set, here are two views of the contents of the amenity kits from my two J class flights with EK at the end of 2014.

pjh wrote:

horburyflyer wrote:

whiterose wrote:Pretty pathetic really. We had a thread about amenity kits not long ago and a comment that VS could perhaps get together with Cowshed to provide something better. The current offering does the brand no favours.

In agree really disappointing. In fact when I first saw the kit provided on outbound flights I did think it was a really poor effort considering the Delta offer was much more enhanced....

Just to level set, here are two views of the contents of the amenity kits from my two J class flights with EK at the end of 2014.

Photo 11-03-2015 08 42 38.jpg

Photo 11-03-2015 08 42 46.jpg

pjh wrote:

horburyflyer wrote:

whiterose wrote:Pretty pathetic really. We had a thread about amenity kits not long ago and a comment that VS could perhaps get together with Cowshed to provide something better. The current offering does the brand no favours.

In agree really disappointing. In fact when I first saw the kit provided on outbound flights I did think it was a really poor effort considering the Delta offer was much more enhanced....

Just to level set, here are two views of the contents of the amenity kits from my two J class flights with EK at the end of 2014.

Photo 11-03-2015 08 42 38.jpg

Photo 11-03-2015 08 42 46.jpg

Fantastic!!!!

pjh wrote:

horburyflyer wrote:

whiterose wrote:Pretty pathetic really. We had a thread about amenity kits not long ago and a comment that VS could perhaps get together with Cowshed to provide something better. The current offering does the brand no favours.

In agree really disappointing. In fact when I first saw the kit provided on outbound flights I did think it was a really poor effort considering the Delta offer was much more enhanced....

Just to level set, here are two views of the contents of the amenity kits from my two J class flights with EK at the end of 2014.

Photo 11-03-2015 08 42 38.jpg

Photo 11-03-2015 08 42 46.jpg

Oooh, I had exactly the same amenity kits on my EK flights