This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
So, around 1.45pm we arrived at the airport and started the queue for the pre check in security. Our group of 20 took around 10 minutes to be processed, after which I left them and joined the line for UC check in.
There was a couple being processed ahead of me so I patiently waited the couple of minutes before being beckoned forward. The check in precedure was efficient and the agent was polite and thanked me for choosing Virgin.
Next it was up the stairs to the 'proper' security, and at this point I noticed the in bound had been delayed by around 35 minutes. I consided that we were likely to be delayed on departure...
The lounge facility at Las Vegas can only be described as dated, and basic. However, the staff were friendly and the beer was cold. Time flew by watching some baseball and reading the newspapers. But just to reiterate my comment that this lounge is dated; the TV was ~28' 4:3 CRT TV, mounted in a hideous wooden cabinet....what??
Around 4.20pm boarding was announced, and priority boarding worked! There was a slight delay in the air bridge as a wheelchair passenger was taken on board. The aircraft was Jersey Girl (99% sure) which I flew UVF-LGW earlier in the year.
Champagne, sleep suit and a friendly welcome later and I was seated in 9A. I think this has to be the best row in the LGW/MAN 747 since the storage locker isn't as full as that above row 8, and the bar is not so close as rows 10-12.
Several announcements were made by the cabin crew in the following 10-15 minutes, all apologising for the delay, but none giving any hints of when we'd actually leave. It was only when the flightdeck welcome announcement was made that we were told of a departure time, and sector duration of 9hrs5min.
Just as the doors were closed, and the cabin was being tidied for takeoff, the power failed. Lights off, IFE off, air con off (41 degrees outside..)....emergency lighting on. A horrible feeling that this was going tech came into my mind, and the cabin became eerily quiet. No explanation was made, just another announcement that the safety briefing was to be done manually. Mid flow the power came back on (phew!) and normality returned.
We taxied to the very back of the runway (A320's, 737's joining the runway further down for their take off runs), and took off flying away from the strip.
Seat belt signs were switched off at ~30,000 feet. The bar was laid and drinks orders were taken by the CSS who was very friendly and seemed to enjoy referring to me as 'young man'....odd. The CSM soon after did the rounds with the basket, apologising for not doing it sooner as she'd been assisting the wheelchair passenger.
Several passengers decided to stand at the bar and have drinks and nibbles there. There were 4 already using it when I joined. Our dinner orders were taken here too, and the ambience of the cabin was becoming more sociable, no doubt through the alcoholic lubrication of the passengers.
Menu (my choices marked by *)
Classic Italian salad with prosciutto, tomato, mozzarella and black olives with balsamic vinaigrette dressing Goat's cheese and sundried tomtao tartlet with pico di gallo sauce *
Sauteed chicken breast served with white bean ragout,spinach and blistered cherry tomatoes*Flat iron steak served with Merlot butter, cheddar mash, baby carrots and asparagus Roasted mediterranean vegetables served with saffron couscous, tomato sauce and pitta wedges
Molten chocolate pudding served with raspberry coulis * Vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and Pirouline wafer *
The conversation moved to that of the airline itself, and the flying club. It was at this point that I found the topic most entertaining. I stayed tightlipped as the 'regular UC passengers' talked of being able to buy 30k miles for 200, and so forth. As I listened I saw the CSS' cabin manifest and noted a heavy bias to FC red membership numbers... I didn't have the enthusiasm to correct them so moved back to my seat for dinner. I was very impressed with the food despite the recent mediocre reports and was greedy enough to have both desserts [y]
After dinner I returned to the bar and had a Baileys whilst my bed was turned down. I asked for a blanket to sleep under as the last time I slept in UC it was very hot. The large measure was inevitably going to induce sleep..... [|)]
I drank half and returned to my seat and settled in. The cabin was quite cool at this tage so I disposed of the blanket and used the duvet over me rather than the blanket. Bose QC2, Morcheeba, and I was soundo.
I slept for about 4 and a half hours, waking around an hour and three quarters before landing. I'd handed in my breakfast card earlier in the flight and this was promptly served once they noticed I was up. The crew had also put my bed away whilst I freshened up. The orange juice was cheap rubbish, but the food was tasty. Oh, and the tea was also rubbish [n]
I dozed a little after breakfast as the other passengers busied themselves waiting for the single availble toilet (the other was out of order), glad that I'd beaten the rush.
We landed 30 minutes behind schedule at a bright and warm Gatwick. The taxi was slow to the gate, but it was at least gate 15/17 making the walk to the main part of the terminal short.
Priority boarding had worked perfectly. Priority baggage didn't. Most of my colleagues in Y were getting there luggage when I was (15 minutes after the first bags came out, which were mostly tagged PE). And as I left some other UC passengers were still waiting...
To summarise. This was a very enjoyable flight and the comfort of the UC cabin should be warned to bank managers! It really is addictive! The service was on top form with the CSS being exemplory. And the food was good! I might even be inclined to say this was my best UC flight, only marred by the slow baggage claim.
I'm a happy if slightly jet lagged UC customer [y]
Thanks for reading!
