VS044 LAS-LGW 16 Apr 07 (PE)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

I didn't do a TR for the outbound (UC via LAX) as there wasn't much to mention.
Well after six very pleasant nights in the Signature (this time in a one-bedroom suite, definetely worth the extra $s), it was time go home.
Highlights of the trip - Le Reve, Shiatsu massage at the MGM spa, my 77s holding up against AK at Paris)
I'd booked us in PE flying back directly to LGW as I thought it would be more convenient.

We arrived at LAS shortly after 10am. Checkin was still being set up, and we had around 10 people in front of us.

Checkin took the best part of 45 minutes as there was only one agent working checkin, with no priority for PE/UC at all.
Upon checkin, we find out the bad news that the flight is delayed by around four hours. Oh joy.
Bagging exit row seats in row 75, we make our way back to the strip and I head to Paris for the 1.30 poker tournie. Spent the
rest of the afternoon hanging around Bellagio Paris and NYNY.

Got a taxi back to McCarran with plenty of time spare - typically, being early, we breezed through security and found
ourselves in the hovel of the terminal with loads of time to kill.
The first thing that struck me was what a dump the terminal was - I've flown out of the domestic terminal before, which was
bad enough, but this took the biscuit. Added to that, there were hundreds of grumpy pax hanging around, doing the usual English thing of tutting and moaning in relation to the flight being delayed.

We had been given $15 each to spend on food (as the flight was delayed), but with me being vegan, the options (Burger King or
Pizza Hut) weren't too helpful.

Boarding was a farce - an announcement was made saying that pre-boarding was starting soon (this was to include PE pax), and
we were told to line up. Got halfway through the queue (which had also got plenty of Y passengers trying to blag it) only to be told this wasn't the right queue at all.
Eventually found the correct pre-boarding queue (which was extremely badly organised, as everyone was hanging around the same part of the gate).

Whilst queueing we witnessed a hilarious argument between an English couple. At first I thought they were joking (her prodding him and shouting 'you're lazy!') but when she started kicking and punching him I realised they were serious.

Hysterical to watch him stood there taking the abuse. And, true to form, most of the pax were stood there pretending it wasn't happening. Eventually one of the gate agents came along and took her aside - not sure what happened to them in the end but thankfully they weren't in PE!

Finally boarded, even though it was just PE and UC, boarding was a complete free-for-all, everyone seemed very impatient to get on the flight, I guess because it was so delayed.

I should point out that I've never flown into/out of LGW and hence I'm used to the more modern LHR fleet. Although I knew in advance the LGW fleet wasn't as good I must say I was really disappointed. The PE seats looked dated, and the whole cabin just looked a bit tatty.
No cabin crew were seen for at least 10 minutes - they then showed up with the usual orange juice/champagne pre-flight drinks.

There was turbulence for the first 30-40 minutes of the flight. My vegan meal showed up (although they'd cocked up and put it in my partner's name) - and was (as usual) so foul it was inedible.
Again (this often happens) the meal was served with a portion of cheese, some butter, and two salad dressings that contained milk / egg. It really annoys me when there's no attention to detail like that - and also surprises me that CC aren't aware what 'vegan' means.

Rest of the flight went fairly quickly - Nova was rubbish, I slept for around 7 hours which is very unusual for me.

'Breakfast' was served - I was passed the usual muffin, etc., to which I pointed out I had booked a vegan meal - the FA didn't even respond to me, she just took the muffin off and handed it me back - mm, a piece of fruit, yum yum.

Landed at LGW just as the delayed Orlando flight was, so quite a queue to get through passport control.

Got to baggage reclaim - my case came straight out with the UC lot (I guess because I still had my UC tag from the outgoing LHR-LAX leg). 15 minutes later the baggage belt broke down - eventually it took around an hour for my partner's case to appear, which came out with the latter half of the Y luggage. Not amused - so much for priority baggage handling.

Overall I was not impressed - we both agreed we'd never fly directly from LAS again and certainly no into LGW. We're planning another LAS trip later in the year but this will definetely be via LAX both ways.

Also felt let down by the lack of priority checkin at LAS and problems again with so-called priority baggage handling.
Flying on the LGW aircraft was almost like flying a different airline - it really highlighted how inconsistent VS is.
The delay was also annoying as it meant having to leave our dogs in kennels for another night, costing us extra.

[Decker]

Wow - catalog of disasters start to finish! Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. Thanks for bothering to report on it all though. Presumably you'll be writing to customer services?

Andy,

Sorry to hear it wasn't a good experience, despite your comments I am glad that we are upstairs in PE for our flights .. I can't imagine what it'll be like in EC [:0] Might have to use my boney elbows as an alternative to priority boarding [:(!]

How funny that couple were arguing , must have been a long 10 hours for him [B)]
Perhaps he had blown all there money in the casinos [ii]

What was the weather like ? I have been keeping an eye on the LAS temps and it hasn't been as warm as I had expected. I hope it warms up next month... brrr.

Any other hints and tips, other than avoiding VS43 & 44 in future.

Thanks
L2H

Hi Lovetoholiday - weather was really nice, rained on one day but apart from that was pretty textbook. I'd recommend the exit rows in PE upstairs, but on the left hand side of the plane (H and K that we were in face on to the seats the crew use for takeoff/landing, thus the other side gives you a bit more legroom)

Originally posted by AndyK
Hi Lovetoholiday - weather was really nice, rained on one day but apart from that was pretty textbook. I'd recommend the exit rows in PE upstairs, but on the left hand side of the plane (H and K that we were in face on to the seats the crew use for takeoff/landing, thus the other side gives you a bit more legroom)

Excellent, textbook, that's what we like [y]

We usually avoid exit rows as there is nowhere to store your bags in front of you. Mr L2H likes to have his 'man-bag' containing PSP, Ipod, book etc within reach at all times [:D]

Good point, although to the side of the there is a 'bin' which should have space for all those things.

Thanks for the TR, doesn't sound like you had a great flight! At least you did have some live entertainment with the couple fighting! [}:)]

Shame about the food, however I do not think I have heard anyone say they like their specail meal, my ex was a veggie, and he always moaned that it was cheese pasta! Packed lunch maybe in order next time! [:?]

Dominic

[honey lamb]

One of my friends who is vegan and who flies nearly every weekend in America always takes food with him or else relies on buying something at a connecting hub where he knows they have more than just Burger King and Pizza Hut. His experience of airlines generally - or more correctly airline caterers - is that they really do not understand vegan. He often finds that he is served a salad which would be perfectly acceptable except that it has cheese sprinkled over it

Well it certainly sounded like a good tactic to head back to the strip ... or you too might have been kicking and screaming after the string of disappointments. When you say the outbound was not worthy of mention, I hope that means it was text book, and the return must have been a shocker!

I know others' have flown to LAS directly but for various reasons, including the LGW fleet and TRs I've read about LAS itself, I too prefer LAX or even SFO as the much preferred route into Las Vegas. That said, the last time I flew VS out of LGW was when the BOS flights originated there ...

It never ceases to amaze me how the simplest of catering reuests can be cocked up on a regular basis!! Just looking 'vegan' up in the dictionary would give you enough information - but to get it so wrong when you are a professional caterer is just ludicrous!!

Thanks for the report Andy - hope the furnish you with lots and lots of miles.

Oh dear. How unpleasant. For what it's worth, I'm sorry this was such a terrible journey.

My tactic with the couple would have been to walk right up to them and watch, guffaw loudly, say things like, 'Good one!' every time she went into full-on harpy mode...that way, if you can annoy them both, they might just unite to hate you. It helps save a marriage. LOL

Your TR -- indeed, all negative TRs -- make me wish for that magic convergence when we have V-Flyers in all three classes on the same flight, providing a true, sametime review of how the entire service from pointy tip to loo-aroma tail is operating. I'm curious to know if the entire fish rots at once or just a portion at a time...

Has there ever been such a happy coincidence in the TR section?

GJ

Thanks for the TR - sorry to hear it was such a negative experience. I will be flying out of LGW for the first time late May and I must say that I am not looking forward to the old PE seats and the old IFE system.

[Darren Wheeler]

Thank you for the TR.

A TR like this just underlines why I refuse to fly out of LGW unless I absolutly have to. Last year I went via LAX and put up with the slight inconvinence of an internal flight to Vegas and when Florida calls again, it will be via MIA.

As LGW tends to be more a B&S route I feel the levels of service are far below what would be acceptable on LHR routes and UC is a very poor second indeed with no Revivals and a CH not up to par.

Originally posted by Darren Wheeler
and when Florida calls again, it will be via MIA.

Urrghhhhh!! MIA is such an unpleasant place to begin your holiday!!

[Darren Wheeler]

I won't stay long though. In, get car and out of the city. The extra time is more than made up by not battling the M25/23 route, which, after an overnight flight is no way to end a holiday.

Thank you for the TR, and sorry to hear about the flight. [:)]