This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
I had decided to experiment with OLCI and so took care of everything before leaving home. As I was flying on a Z there was no limo, but its only an hour or so to the airport so I drove and parked, can't stand waiting around for the shuttle bus to Napa, particularly at the end of a long flight.
Arrived at the terminal and went to bag drop off, where the TSA guy and I remebered each other from our January safari trip, he has subsequently been to Tanzania and so we are buddies now.[y]
So I stood in line for bag drop while the two groups ahead of me took the obligatory twenty minutes to check in. After a couple of minutes the UC desk agent came and grabbed me from line, then on checking me in, jokingly chastised me for not coming to the UC desk. I think OLCI probably is not the best choice when already ticketed in UC.[V]
Off to the lounge for a very relaxing time, answered a few e-mails, and caught up on my reading. I now have mobile broadband and recommend it very highly, of course the company pays the $60 a month, otherwise my praise might not be so fulsome.
The flight was called and after a short, but efficient security check I headed down to the gate. So why after showing my boarding pass and passport at the gate do I then have to show my boarding pass as I get on the plane.[?] I assume VS dont trust that all their passengers know where to go. I was headed upstairs, but the CC insisted on reviewing my pass.
4K was in good shape and UC was composed of single travellers so minimum noise potential, always a good thing. CC introduction was good, didn't see the FSM, but the reason for that would soon be apparent. I declined the services of the IFBT.
FO came on for the obligatory rambling message, fortunately he was not over enamoured of his voice like some and gave us the information we needed. Its funny, back in the days of United Economy or even Business, I would have been delighted to hear a flight time of 9:15, but in UC I am not so eager for a quick crossing.[8D] Quickly he came back on to let us know that a couple of passengers were sick, they had been taken off the plane and once their luggage was off, and everything was cleaned up then we could leave about 30 minutes late. How glad I was not to be anywhere near the clean up operation, whatever it may have entailed. I assume the FSM was dealing with all this, and so deserves a pass for not greeting UC.
Beverage and meal service was prompt and efficient, I decided not to drink like my last flight and limited myself to a beer and two small glasses of wine. No finishing off the single malt bottle this time[n]
Didn't take menu notes, but it was good, I really liked the apple pie for dessert.
Watched Borat while eating dinner, particularly enjoying the introduction to Kazakhstan, lets hope VS fly there soon[;)]. Starting watching the Good Shepard, but fell asleep. Excellent five hour or so kip, then up and dressed and downstairs to the bar for some juice. FSM and other staff were knee deep in paperwork, medical bags and other stuff. Thats when I remembered somewhere during the night the dreaded announcement, 'is there a doctor on board?'. Apparently four passengers had been on oxygen during the flight, and I heard the terms dialysis and gastro-enteritis - lovely. If that wasn't enough, one CC told me that a young couple travelling to meet his parents in London, her future in laws were no longer talking, because she had got rat arsed, passed out in the galley, and then been copiously sick on awakening[ii]
Breakfast was good, though the bacon rolls seem to be quite hit and miss these days, not sure what is going on there.
Of course on arrival we had to wait for the paramedics to evacuate sick passengers, but I managed to elbow my way past the PE rabble[}:)]
and get down the stairs in good time.
