This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
When I step back and look at it, Virgin Holidays does what it says on the tin it is selling packaged holidays for the general consumer. I think its fair to say their hotel rating system is skewed to a different demographic than mine. On the plus side, the appointed rep (SunTours) was a local, very knowledgeable, helpful and very approachable. A good merit to the Virgin Holidays offering. Now VHols offer their Check-in, chill out service at certain Caribbean hotels, and I am still actually to understand the actual benefit given the flight times. We didnt bother and asked what time the transfer back to the airport was (given its a 90 minute transfer). An interesting aspect for VHols customer that has paid the Upper Class supplement in the Caribbean is that they will do a private transfer for you. With that in mind, we bid adieu to the resort at 1:15pm in a very comfortable CDC that had the all important air conditioning. 90 minutes later we were at Hewannora International airport. Now the airport looks like its run in someones back yard. The entrance driveway is within metres of where the Virgin 747 is parked up at Gate 1.
Upper Class check-in was clearly marked out with a separate enclosure, and no queue. Service actually was rather impressive; quick, efficient and friendly. Here we paid our departure tax of $26US each bit of a novel concept for me as Ive never done Turkey or Bangkok. Cant understand why its not collected like any other tax. It has to be paid in cash, no cards are taken (and as a whole, only the top end Duty Free stores seemed to take AmEx Visa/MC was the usual predominant). As another useless token piece of information, I found the mobile coverage to be excellent for the island, but the data connection and throughput was poor.
Check-in is in a covered outside area (in the soaring heat), so too is the entrance to security/emigration. Fortunately the queue was 2 people, and the strange thing is that the door in is on a swipe pass, so after the agent had checked our boarding passes she swiped the door, so we could walk through to the security area which is immediately in front of you, like all of 2 metres. First there is the emigration desk that check you have the voucher to show you have paid the departure tax, and to remove the departure slip from your immigration form. All very courteous and efficient again. Through to the security screen which was with the shoe carnival, but it was all very friendly and non-confrontational. We were through the process very quickly. We then turned left and headed up the stairs to the VIP Lounge.
The lounge used for Upper passengers is also a Priority Pass lounge, and obviously no Clubhouse. Usual suspect though of a bar, some comfortable seats etc. Notable items was a shop in the lounge selling premium Jewellery, and the mysterious hot plate. Whatever delight would they be serving alongside banana cake, cookies, finger sandwiches and fruit? Cheesy garlic bread was the answer. Mmm not quite sure on that but it didnt stop Sarah indulging in some white trash moment. I decided to have a look at the selection of shops downstairs for a possible last minute purchase well it makes Gibraltar look good. There is a perfume shop, an alcohol shop, and a tat shop. That ended that visit. Quick look in the shop in the lounge and see that they are charging normal retail rates, as opposed to retail minus 10%+ I found in the main town of Castries. That was strange to see Rolex watches with 10% off and with no 2 year+ waiting list. Lounge was very quiet with no more than 8 of us in there. First boarding call came, and we decided to make our way down to the gate so we could settle into our suites. The other passengers had already formed a queue at the gate to board, but again top marks to UVF (even in their tiny terminal) as they had laid out a separate Priority boarding zone. We walked to the front of the zone and were processed. It was then the short 30 second walk across the tarmac to board the plane. Another set of marks for UVF in them having 2 sets of steps; One for UC, and the other for everyone else.
Onboard and things started seemingly normal. Sleepsuits, amenities and the announcement the flight was going to be 7h30 mins to take us home. G-VGAL was the craft, along with another old-skool IFE that yielded none of my attention. Alarm bells should have gone off when one of the crew spent 10 minutes chatting to the 2 passengers in the row in front of us whilst collecting drink orders. Now I sat and laughed earlier in the year when our distinguished TR author mdvipond described in detail the token Caribbean UC couple gobby bottle blonde and husband. Oh yes, how true the man was. Sandals blah, Sandals blah, Suite blah, 2nd trip this year blah, Orlando blah. Shut the blah up please. Yet the crewmember continued with the conversation to the point I considered putting my QC2s on before we even took off to counter the whine. Eventually after the 400th utterance of suite and Sandals, our drink orders were taken. Flight then took off, drinks were duly served and it was time for the meal orders. Another 10 minute chat ensued, with them deciding if they were going to have a meal right now or not. They decide they will eat later, but the crew member asks them what they will likely have so she can put them to one side for them so they dont run out. Mmm, now am I jumping the gun or are there friends of crew or maybe there are another pair of Golds on the flight. Id find out later. Our orders were taken, Pumpkin soup and Chicken curry for me, Pumpkin soup and Sea Bass for Sarah. Sat with Sarah at her suite and had dinner, again the food was not that bad and one of the better meals in Upper for some time. Interesting to see the new Upper class version of Do you want beef, chicken or.... The wine was brought round and Sarah asked what they had. We have a French, a Spanish and a Chilean came the reply. French what? How hard is it really. Im no wino, but given the efforts Virgin have taken to get Berry Bros on board to select accompanying wines, it would be nice if the crew could at least name them and their type, or recommend a wine to go with a meal.
We both passed on dessert, and I decided to change into my sleep suit. The toilets were both busy, so stood and waited took the opportunity to look at the meal sheet that was taped up as usual for all to see. 2 golds onboard, Sarah and I. One silver who was a friend of my father and 3 reds. No prizes for guessing which category the Sandals pair fell into.
Changed into sleepsuit and sat and read a bit more of the Times. Decided to try and get a bit of sleep so I convert the suite, and bed down. Some of the other passengers have done so too. The same crewmember then approached the Sandals Two, and engaged in another conversation with them, and it continued, and continued. That long that she felt tired on her feet and sat on the edge of Sarah's suite ottoman. There is annoying, and then there is f*cking annoying and lack of spatial awareness. Ive come to expect it from time to time from other passengers (not even entering the kids debate) but for a crew member? By now we are at 20 minutes of wasted oxygen. I got up in a huff and sat at the bar. As by some miracle, the game of how long can we stay in the galley? by the rest of the crew had entered intermission and the cabin was graced by the FSM. She asked if I wanted anything, and me being tired and in a huff replied honestly with For the passengers in row 6 to shut up. FSM said the crewmember was taking their order. For 20 minutes plus?. At that you could see a huff of her own and she walked off to speak to the member of the crew. Sure enough the Mothers reunion in row 6 ended almost immediately and both crew members withdrew to the galley. No apology, again just a cabin devoid of crew whom I could now hear gossiping in the galley and peering through the curtain that they had abruptly closed.
Now being controversial for a moment, have I had the misfortune of again meeting a crew that couldnt care less and would rather spend time in the galley than in the cabin making sure passengers are okay? Ive had better service in PE, and from junior cabin crew than on this flight. Ive changed stance now I used to want the staff in UC to be tenured and proven. Now Id rather have a new starter that is professional and courteous than a SCC that has got rank on tenure. It was like our outbound to NRT all over, yet at least on that occasion we had the presence of the Japanese crew that totally showed the English crew up. Maybe Im being harsh given the current situation with the strike/pay deal but again passengers dont really take that as a reason for substandard service when they have paid for a premium class of travel. Suffice to say, no more interaction from the FSM, so no 2 second thanks for flying with us again as a Gold, and a blank when departing the aircraft.
I got a bit of sleep, the rest of the flight was largely uneventful, except for when Sarah went to use the toilet mid-flight and waited for over 20 minutes as several Premium Economy passngers were coming behind the curtain and using the UC toilets. Sarah mentioned this to FSM and was curtly told that yes, on the LGW/MAN fleet, PE passengers can use the UC toilets. This was news to us, and seems ridiculous when PE already have two restrooms on the upper deck. I dont have an issue if its a passenger or two with limited mobility but throughout the flight there were passengers from PE forming small queues for the toilets and congregating around the bar. This seems like such a devaluation of a premium product, especially when we were close to landing and UC wanted to change out of their sleepsuits. Sarah needed the toilet again shortly before landing but did not get the opportunity due to the queues. With 14 in UC. this should not happen.
I had a quick breakfast before landing. Sarah wasnt offered anything to eat after requesting a cup of tea and didnt feel like chasing a crew member down for anything so passed on the food. We were soon at LGW at 5:30am. Very disappointing flight as on the whole it had been pretty good, but a crew make or break a flight in my book and boy did they break it by simply appearing disinterested for the duration of the flight.
Made the walk to the immigration hall that was heaving, fortunately the IRIS machine was operational today. Only 2 passengers were in front of us, so surely it wasnt going to be long. Think again, there must be something wrong with the aircon mix at Gatwick or there are special subsidies for intellectually challenged travellers. The couple in front of us attempt to use the IRIS machine; the woman goes first and its all going horribly wrong. She stands looking at the middle glass even though the lights are indicating to the use the top one. This ensues for another 2 failed attempts until by sheer miracle of odds, the machines lights up the middle section to use and after been told 3 times by the machine to move forward it recognises her Iris and lets her through. Now onto the male, a complete repeat and the immigration officer just asks him to try again. Eventually after the third failed attempt, the agent asks him to step to one side so the now growing queue can use the machine. Call me lucky but I was through in 10 seconds given it worked on my first attempt, or was it my ability to spot lights that indicated which section to look into. Ditto for Sarah. The previous woman stood there amazed, and questions why it worked so quickly for us. Given my huff at being held up by such luddites, I decide not to totally humiliate them as it would remove potential yearly revenue in general departures. For god sake, why are they letting people that either dont travel that often or are incapable of identifying the common light/indicator of where to look register for IRIS is beyond me. My father is a total technophobe but he is not that stupid. He can line his eyes up in the guidemarks with ease.
Short wait for the luggage carousel to be announced and then utter amazement as my case is the very first off. Top marks for priority baggage. A hasty departure out of Gatwick ensues, and off to the car to get home.
If it wasnt for the crew, this would have been quite a good sector as everything else seemed to be good in my book. I know its a night flight, but to close the curtains and just stand in the galley gossiping is doing no favours in winning customers over if the crew want their support in the strike/pay rise thing. All customers are valuable, but to upset or ignore regular premium travellers is just foolhardy. Nothing exemplary was expected, just courteous service and some respect of the passengers please.
