This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
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As mentioned earlier, I had flown over the night before on Aer Lingus and had decamped in the Marriott at LHR for the night. I have to confess to a double wimp-out. [:I] Not only did I take the Hoppa bus to the hotel my excuse was that it was late and raining and Id had a hard enough time finding the Hoppa to go round looking for the free bus but I booked a return fare. I left the hotel at about 7:15 and there was a Hoppa waiting at the entrance so in no time at all we were whisked via a stop at the Sheraton to T3.
This was my first time entering T3 in this direction. It is usually via the subway from T1 and I was confused when the first thing I saw was Arrivals. In all my years travelling through T3 I never realised they were on the same level and the Check-in was just around the corner, so to speak. [?] Ah well, you learn something new every day. So after battling my way through the humongous family parties greeting each other rapturously in the centre of the concourse (OK, some may not have seen each other for decades but I bet others were only away for a couple of weeks in New York, distinguished by Statue of Liberty head-dresses and other such paraphernalia and that was just the Dads) I suddenly turned a corner and there was the haven within my sight of Zone A and the Virgin Atlantic check-in. And of course coming from this direction the first thing to greet me was the UC check-in rather than having to battle my way through Economy and Bag Drop and all the other VS services. Ah well, the battle through Arrivals made sure that I had the genuine T3 experience. [:D]
So, approaching UC check-in I felt my critical faculties switch on and zoom in on this experience. The security guy was charm personified as I approached him. None of this Are you travelling Economy? that I had had in LGW last October. That still rankles and I can hold a grudge with the best of them. In fact I could get a gold medal for it. No, he took it for granted that I was, looked at my eticket and passport and after the usual stupid questions they are obliged to ask I was released to the haven of UC check-in. In the meantime I had been surveying the scene. At one desk was a guy we had dealt with before. He was efficient, professional and friendly..and dealing with another couple! At the other desk was a lady whose head was bent down at her work. As I approached I prayed for the guy to finish as she had not raised her head and I felt it did not bode well for me. Wrong! Just as got there she raised her head, greeted me warmly, dealt with me quickly and professionally, acknowledged that I was a gold member and thanked me for flying VS again and handed me my boarding pass. I had checked in on-line and mentioned I had chosen not to print out the pass. She said she preferred to give UC passengers a new pass because it was nicer and in any case sometimes they dont scan very well. She then directed me to the lift alongside check-in since the escalator has been removed and in two shakes of a lambs tail I was upstairs.
In that brief journey in the lift I decided that the antennae were to be switched off; that I was becoming hyper-critical with a tendency to fault find and therefore write something that could be off-putting to new VS fliers. [V] I would enjoy the experience and let it flow over me. Therefore problems, inconsistencies etc would jump up and hit me on the nose rather than me seeking them out. It was a good decision because as a result I enjoyed one of the best flights I have ever had!
Anyhow, back to T3 and the road to Fast Track! The new security rules now mean there is only one entrance to the security area and once you have passed the guy wanting to know what liquids you have in your possession does it filter into Fast track (and Decker dodging under the tensa lines. I wish I were as brave!) Once there the queue was not too long but there was the usual kerfuffle of people waiting until they had reached the head of the line before taking off jackets, taking out laptops, taking out liquids etc. Those in the know had done all this before and the guy in front of me shuffled along belt in hand, clutching the waistband of his pants in desperation thinking we would not get to the top of the line fast enough. He was sweating with anxiety which he managed to pass on to me too!! [:0] Soon enough we were free and then off to the secondary shoe screening which as Decker remarked was NOT optional, nor did I expect it to be since the security alert was still Critical In fact what surprised me was the ease with which I had got through LHR at that stage. So there was I, shoes in hand waiting for the secondary screening when an American voice behind me complained, But weve been through this before No buddy, you havent and in case youd forgotten there was an incident in GLA at the weekend and in any case this isnt as half as bad as the idiotic rules they have in your country. However in the interest of international relations I threw him a withering glance and hurried off to the haven that is the Clubhouse, noticing all the while that the departure lounge isnt that crowded at that hour of the morning.
Ah, the Clubhouse! That haven of tranquillity. I quickly signed in and gave details on sbgs friend whom I had agreed to sign in since sbg had had to go to IAD a day earlier and then made for a cosy spot near the bar. Immediately a staff member was at my side and you know how it is folks a reflex action made me say Champagne, even though it was about 7:45. I ordered the wonderful Eggs Benedict for breakfast and then went to let them know I was there for my 8:30 appointment in the Cowshed. Breakfast was of course delicious and just as I was finishing it I was paged by the concierge. Omigod! I thought, Ive been downgraded! Aer John has burnt the house down! (See, I have my priorities right) No, it was the Cowshed. They wanted me to defer my appointment by 15 minutes as there was a lady who was running late and had an early flight. Relieved that neither disaster had befallen I acquiesced and returned to do my customary circuit of the Clubhouse. At the appointed time I presented myself for my pedicure. However the lady who was running late was not finished and by this time the MIA flight had been called. Hubby was prowling around with the carry-ons and calling Martha, are you nearly done? Martha replied to the affirmative and hubby went away only to return some seconds later. Martha averred once more that she was nearly done and away he went but at this stage the second call came through which had the effect of propelling him back to demand, Martha, we need to git going Martha stressed that she was all done but there was no sign of her appearing through the magic curtain and at this stage hubbys eyes were popping alarmingly and he was turning a dull red colour. By this time they were at the stage of calling individuals to the gate and Martha flew out of the treatment room with the alacrity of a champagne cork leaving a bottle in fact she went so fast she was a blur going past me. A few minutes later there was a specific call for them and I prayed they werent going to somewhere like gate 42 where they would need to be as swift as Roger Bannister to get there before their bags were offloaded.
After that all was quiet and tranquillity. Just before our flight was called I sauntered down to gate 3 to see what it was like. My first flight on VS had been from gate 1 and I was anxious to see the changes. It was light and airyand no priority boarding! I toyed with a memory from a previous TR where someone had questioned What would Mrs D do? but decided I didnt have the bottle to barge to the head of the queue. In any case it hadnt been called in the Clubhouse so I decided to wait. As I did priority boarding was announced but I still wasnt in the gate area. I shuffled along with the rest of them and as I got through the gate the throng from the Clubhouse arrived. When I actually got to show my boarding card the lady told me that they had called priority boarding five minutes ago and maybe I would like to wait as there would be a crowd in the jetway. I politely said that I was aware that priority boarding had been called but in the absence of any priority boarding sign I had been stuck in the queue, whereupon she looked somewhat shamefaced and muttered an apology. In the jetway I met a couple who had been in the Clubhouse and the wife was anxious to get on board for her glass of champagne a woman after my own heart!!
Once on board I was directed to my favourite 16K. Immediately I was offered a drink and requested and given a sleep suit. I noticed that in this instance the cabin crew were keeping strictly to the areas assigned to them. Normally, it has been my experience that if someone notices you without a drink another crew member will bring it, but not on this occasion. It was not a difficulty for me as the cabin crew was very attentive and I think, acknowledged early on that I was a gold member. The IFBT came around and more in the hope than expectation I put my name down for a manicure. She later came with the basket of doo-dads to supplement the amenity kit. At one stage I caught a glimpse of the FSM and thought he was the fantastic guy who had been on our HKG-SYD leg. The CC told me his name and I realised I was wrong but I need not have worried. He was great!
We pushed back more or less on time and with a very short roll were in the air. The safety video was shown, drink orders were taken and V-port was switched on. I, being a bear of little brain, decided that of all the choices available to me nothing pleased me more than to watch Happy Feet. (Lets face it, once you have been drinking champagne on and off since 7:30 and have just had a G&T plonked in front of you, Happy Feet is the equivalent of Hamlet or some other drama) Unfortunately the sound was low and try as I might I couldnt raise it (Aer John reckons Im as deaf as a beetle and during his exam revision time reckoned he heard the television at the top of the house two storeys up) Nevertheless the little dots did not move! The FSM came by to see if we wanted more drinks (Yes, please!) and when he heard of my dilemma agreed to reset it for me. All the while he talked to me and when he heard about V-flyer he acknowledged he had not visited the site but knew it was a force to be reckoned with. The reset did not work, nor even when he tried it a third time so at that stage I gave up, set it on to the iMap and contented myself with my book. I did start to play a game of Trivia but no-one else was playing so it really wasnt much fun. In any case lunch was being served.
The menu has already been described in other TRs. Suffice it to say I had the prawn cocktail, the lamb and strawberry and ice-cream dessert. It was gorgeous and I enjoyed every morsel. True some of the prawns were so tiny they seemed embryonic but it was tasty and as I hadnt had a prawn cocktail since God knows how long (well last Tuesday week, actually) I thoroughly enjoyed it. The lamb was moist and tender and the accompanying spuds and veg just right. Excuse me, I must just go and wipe my mouth. Im drooling again. Sorry about that. Now where was I? Oh, yes, lunch. The FSM was highly visible throughout the service which seemed to run like clockwork.
Now GJ, brace yourself. Im going to talk about amenity kits!! I should mention that 15G and K were empty and I had eyed the spare kits speculatively as Aer John would not have seen them. However I wasnt fast enough and they were whisked away by the cabin crew just before take-off. However after the meal service the FSM came by and asked me if I needed anything else and I proffered my request to him. He promised to see what he could do and true to his word just before we landed he came back with one for Aer John. He then asked if we had seen the new PE one and when I said no, he disappeared only to return with a selection of amenity kits nicely wrapped up in a Retail Therapy bag. Top man!
At some point around then I realised we were flying over Greenland. In May 2005 on the same flight I took photos of the snow-covered mountains and glaciers, but on this occasion it was mostly rock with thousands of icebergs bobbing about it the water. Im still trying to decide whether it is global warming, the fact that it is July and not May so therefore having midnight sun or whether it is a combination of both.
After a while I converted my suite and drowsed for about 3 hours, waking up somewhere over Alberta. The cabin crew assigned to me asked if I needed anything and I wondered had I missed the tea service. She offered to get me some tea but when I learned they would be doing a second meal service shortly I decided to wait. Some short time later she came by and asked me if I wanted anything more. The choices were sandwiches and a scone with clotted cream or cake; a light bite which, if I recall correctly was either a mini Ploughmans or a savoury tart or and this surprised me anything from the main menu. I opted for the sandwiches, which for once were not stale, and the scone which was gorgeous. I hadnt realised how much I missed it.
No sooner was I finished when the IFBT came and invited me for my treatment, which delighted me and surprised me. I was to be her last treatment of the flight and she informed me she remembered me from a previous flight. Dont you love it when that happens?
All too soon we were making our descent into SFO and one of the best flights I have had would soon be over. We touched down on time at 13:50 and as we taxied in the Cathay Pacific flight was just ahead of us. Both Air France and BA were in and I wondered at the crowds in Immigration. I renewed my acquaintance with the lady whom I had met on boarding and as we looked at the crowds streaming towards Immigration we opined that it was going to be busy, especially as the passengers from the Air France plane were still coming off the plane and rather inconsiderately blocking the passageway, but when we got there to our surprise the Visitors section was almost empty. Joyfully we positioned ourselves behind the shortest queues and in no time at all were through. The bags were just coming through on the carousel and, oh joy! there was mine trundling along ahead of me. I sprinted to be reunited with it and within moments was through Customs and in the cab to my hotel and by 3pm I was in my room
