This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Usual chap performing the security 'interrogation'. Had to wait an age to check in. Big group of people in front travelling together blocking everything up. Things seemed a bit chaotic, as the screens above each desk kept saying the wrong thing, like displaying 'desk closed', or the wrong class.
The agent was un-uniformed, though pleasant enough, confirmed that I knew I was booked in snooze and pointed out that they were now using the Aer Lingus lounge, but forgot to take the green I94W stub out of my passport. Fortunately, I later noticed that I still had it and surrendered it later at the gate.
While I was waiting to check-in, a guy arrived kicking up a stink. It turned out he's arrived on the inbound flight, and because he had connected from somewhere without the 'one carry-on' rule, he'd been forced to go and check-in his second carry-on bag at LHR, and it hadn't arrived. He'd obviously got himself very worked up about it, and when he couldn't find the VS agent downstairs, he'd obviously gone off ranting at some other airport employee who sent him upstairs, presumably just to get rid of him, and get him out of the way. Of course, I had to wonder if the VS baggage agent in the reclaim hall was 'plain clothes' too?
Anyway, this chap was ranting and raving, and blaming anyone who looked vaguely VS in sight. I couldn't help butting in and suggesting he calmed down, because *he* needs the help of the agent in front of him in order to get his bag back, and shouting at her and suggesting she was personally responsible for losing his bag isn't going to endear him to her, nor speed the process of locating the missing bag.
I know there's that red mist and temptation to say 'You've gone and lost my bag', and there's an equal temptation to think 'I've not lost anything of yours' on the airline employee side, but I think it's always best to avoid that sort of confrontational-speak. I find 'My checked bag doesn't seem to have arrived' to be the best way of putting it across in a non-accusatory way.
He seemed like a rational businessman behind the steam coming from his ears, so I asked him what he expected to achieve by shouting and ranting at someone from whom he actually needs help. I think he got where I was coming from, as he started to wind down.
In any case, if anyone should get a kick up the ass about this, it's the person who through checked him, through a UK airport, with two carry-ons. The check-in supervisor had come over to find out what was going on, and she gave me a nod for trying to do the right thing.
Now we use the Aer Lingus lounge, we go through the same security search as everyone else (rather than the smaller checkpoint down the escalator on the right), and I was dreading it being busy, though fortunately, and despite shoe carnivals, I was through fairly quickly.
Knowing I had the windowless 'delights' of the EI lounge waiting, I decided to kill some time in one of the Adirondack rocking chairs by the window, with a good view of the runways, before heading down to the lounge to get a drink before the flight.
The EI lounge, along with several others, is tucked away in what I can only describe as the bowels of the terminal, down a lift, dodging the chaps emptying out garbage (two lifts went past filled with oversized wheelie-bins). There was a VS agent tucked away to the right with a laptop when I entered the lounge, who I had to 'check-in' with. He issued me with a Revivals invite, and he waved his hand generally in the direction of the Virgin-supplied dinner buffet, which on closer inspection had been heavily picked over by the other lounge guests (probably not VS pax).
That said, once I'd looked at the buffet, I didn't think I was missing much. It mostly seemed quite stodgy and didn't look too appetising, mostly like it had been sat out for ages, then manhandled and likely put back. The cheese was okay, though the crackers had taken a hammering, but the key lime pie was sweet and sickly, rather than sharp and refreshing. I gave up on the VS buffet and went for the fresh fruit which was laid on in the fridge for the EI pax. Much nicer.
The BOS Clubhouse can't open a day too soon (and should be open before year-end, I'm told).
Anyway, boarding time was approaching, so I decided to head up to the gate, rather than wait any longer in that claustrophobic, windowless, oppressive lounge.
Fortunately, just as I got to the gate, boarding was about to begin, so straight aboard G-VFAB (again!), I think that plane was following me around, I've flown the most miles on that aircraft than any other VS metal, I think, and upstairs to 3A. I was greeted by a SCC who I had flown with before, though we couldn't remember exactly when, and we soon had a full upper deck. Wasn't long before we got underway, heading into the evening sky to take us toward Newfoundland and across the Atlantic. V:Port was fired up almost straight away, as soon as the seatbelt sign was switched off.
I got plenty of cheese straws with my 'nightcap' glass of wine. Some sort of snack karma going on, given the measly snack service on the way out. The FSM came around offering the amenity bowl because we didn't have an IFBT.
I had asked the crew member upstairs if it would be possible to get something to eat, as the snooze buffet in the lounge wasn't great. I said cheese and biscuits would be okay, or anything else quick, and I didn't mind eating at the bar. I was offered a seat on the main deck if I wished, but I preferred to stay put for sleeping, then I wasn't woken by the to-ing and fro-ing of the breakfast service on the main deck. So, I was asked to 'bear with us for a few minutes', after which I was called down to the bar to be presented a lovely dinner salad tray.
This was a really nice salad with parma ham, tomato and mozzarrella, nice fresh green leaves, a bottle of balsamic and oil dressing, with warmed bread and the cheese selection on the side. Of course, I had to follow it up with ice cream!
I really appreciated the extra effort the crew went to, in getting this served to me only about 45 minutes after takeoff.
A couple more glasses of wine to help me off to sleep, and I headed upstairs, where I found my bed had been made up, I got changed into my shorts and tee-shirt (no sweaty sleep suits here!) and I soon dropped off for a few hours sleep, eventually waking to a nice view of my home town of Blackpool from the window!
Coffee was very quickly offered, and I got my normal clothes back on, as we would soon start descending into London.
Landing was a little early, just after 7am, however that was lost as we ended up on a remote (594), where we then had to wait about 20-odd minutes for steps to be sorted out, yet the buses were already there, as were some ground handling staff. I think we finally got L2 door open just after 0730, where after a bus ride through the tunnels that seem to criss-cross underneath Heathrow we were dropped off by a staircase near the SAS gates, to be greeted by a chap still vacuuming the stairs, rushing to get his wires out of our way so we didn't trip. Welcome to England and the BAA!
The line into the immigration hall was coming up the slope, but I could tell that this wasn't the EU line, it was mostly non-EU passport holders, but how was I going to get through to the IRIS lane with this tailback blocking the works up? It's very un-British to even appear to queue-barge, and even when I tried to make excuses and work my way forward, I was met with hard stares and even the odd elbow ('Just who does he think he is?')!
Suddenly I saw my chance, a person being helped in a wheelchair, with their helper asking people to move out of the way. Like following a fire engine with it's blue lights and siren on, I jumped into the gap between this and a second wheelchair, and found myself deposited right next to the IRIS lane. Of course! Special Assistance customers are taken through a lane immediately to the left of the IRIS booths, and boy was I glad of my IRIS registration, because even the EU line was enormous by the time I got to see it!
However, some sort of airport karma struck, and it took over another half-hour for luggage to be brought from the aircraft to the baggage hall, meaning we didn't get bags coming through until well after 8am. There was one announcement made apologising for the delay due to 'difficulties unloading the aircraft', which I'll take as meaning 'we didn't have a container loader ready' from the description of what happens after a sudden allocation of a remote. I noted that only the bulk hold was opened up when we left the aircraft, and there was no container-loaders in sight.
Of course, we'd also arrived slap bang in the middle of the Tube strike, so I was greatful of a shower and breakfast in Revivals, while I regrouped and decided how I'd try and get to work (near London Bridge), which turned out to be by bus to Feltham and SWT train to Waterloo, and on to London Bridge either by surface train, Jubilee line (which was working), or a bus.
While using the now free wi-fi to catch up with the office, Honey Lamb turned up off her JFK flight, so we chatted about our flights and whatnot before I left to tackle the trip into London.
Overall Impression:
Check-in: Below average. Quite a long waiting time, and things seemed a bit haphazard. Seems to be a trend with the US stations these days. Oh, why did you outsource?
Seat: Average. Not perfect as the turnround clean was poor (things left in the pockets and under the ottoman), the suite wall 'shell' seemed to be coming away from the seat behind, and these upper deck seats really do feel narrow, you end up banging your elbow on the little drink table for example.
Food and Drink: Excellent, and I mean it. Delicious, quick, just what I wanted.
Entertainment: Average. Certainly nothing worth staying up for.
Cabin Crew: Excellent. Really felt looked after on board.
