This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
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First, this was not a planned experience.
Burbank, CA; 5AM July 8th, 2007. Phone rings. My consort, Tommy, is a bit katzenjammer from last nights LA Galaxy game, but since Im the DD I am coherent enough to know this is not a good phone call at this hour.
Tommys father Harry, who is from Wath-Upon-Dearne Yorkshire, had taken a fall and hit his head on a small old rock wall outside his flat (in an old gorgeous Victorian stone home that some person instead of restoring it, was allowed to make into seven flats. Oh what I could do if only I could win the lotto!) He was currently on life support at Rotherham, with brain bleeding and things didnt look so good, but theyd ring us back in a few hours when the doctors had made their assessment, as they might be moving him to Sheffield where the neurosurgeons were. Four hours later we were trying to get to the UK as fast as possible.
This is not an easy task these days day of departure ticketing. You can do nothing online with any airline. Originally, we thought it might be faster to fly into Manchester, but we quickly abandoned that idea when there were no direct flights from LAX, and we figured it might actually be faster to just take the train from London which it was.
Since we both love Virgin, and they ended up the kindest on the phone, we made our reservation and headed to LAX around 4pm for our flight on VS024 at 20:55.
NOTE: They will not take your CC# over the phone, nor confirm your seat on a flight, day of departure, until you show up in person at the airport with credit card in hand. And while we were flying Y, every VS employee we ran into along the way, from the ticket agent (who went ahead and checked us in, over an hour early, ahead of the long queue waiting for the rest of the desk to open up to check in our flight [^] ), to the gate gal, tried to upgrade us due to our circumstances but it was a full flight. The girl at the gate, after what seemed an eternity of trying, even gave us both a hug and wished us all the best in such an emergency. We never asked to be upgraded. What must have happened is the agent I originally spoke with on the phone must have put something in the record, it's all I can figure out.
I wont go into the outbound as both our heads were more about Harry than about any aspect of our flight. Somehow we managed to get seats A & B by ourselves. How that was still possible day of departure, Ill never know.
More than a week later, after a seemingly endless series of the neurosurgeons at Sheffield wanting to try one more thing, Harry finally was having a little physical movement (no conscious response) and his brain swelling had gone down, so we needed to postpone our return flight to secure his flat, and make sure all his bills would be paid during his very long recovery. I suggested that since we had a ton of AmEx points we had not used for World Cup, we upgrade our deserving selves to Upper on the way home, and luckily we were flexible and two seats were found returning on 20 July, on VS007. Hoo-ray!! We're going to break our UCS cherries!
With Harrys flat secured, we said goodbye to lovely Wath, and headed down to our friends in Wysall for an overnight visit before heading down for a night in London before our flight home.
[tangent] We are Galaxy season ticket holders, and Tommy is one of the founders of the supporters group The LA Riot Squad (LARS). One week into our trip, BabyJesus, oh sorry, I mean David Beckham, has his big introduction day at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, in his amazing Armani; and Short Hair Barbie in her PINK Barbie dress with matching stilettos on the pitch at the HDC. We miss this, but all of our friends make HELLO magazine and Tommys interviews hed done back in January when Becks had first signed, were finally seeing the light of day. The reason this is important? July 21, the day after our return to SoCal, was DBs first game with the Gs vs Chelsey. More on this later[/tangent]
Before we head to London, we settle in for a nice pub lunch in our friends village and Tommy finally gets the fish & chips hes been craving since we landed two weeks prior, (which, unfortunately, wasnt on the menu at Royal Hallamshire Hospital.) Three bites in, his mobile rings, its the head surgeon. More infarctions found in Harrys brain, theyre pulling him off life support. Unfortunately, at this point, weve spent gobs of money on the trip already as it was last minute, and the USD is virtually worthless. We also both have jobs to get back to, so going back to Sheffield when we could never make it in time is pointless. Harrys wish was to have his body donated to education, and considering he went to Sheffield University, there is a certain comfort (we think at the time.)
We head to London with heavy hearts, but are very relieved we have our UCS flight ahead of us. A bit of a reward at the end of such a trying trip (even though all things considered, one of the best adventures ever!)
We board HEX around 7:30am, for our VS007 flight at 11:30am, as we want to spend as much time as possible in the CH. We arrive at the UC check in, but theres a problem with our reservations. Even though we upgraded five days prior, they havent put it through on our credit card. Tommy must go over to the economy check in to have this sorted out because somehow the UC check-in do not have the talent [:?] . Meanwhile, I wait with the bags by the UC desk. The ceiling is draped with plastic since the entire check-in area is under construction. This is not a great start, but weve got the best part ahead of us, if we can just get past this with some time left for the CH.
Twenty minutes later we have our Purple Passes, are steered thru the fast-track security, (no shoe review for us) and suddenly find ourselves on the set of The Jetsons! [y]
The two weeks weve been in the UK have been mostly sunny apparently the only two weeks thus far of 2007 when the entire country wasnt getting Katrinad but today it was pissing down two months worth in a single day. NO MATTER! Were on the set of The Jetsons, having champagne and eggs benedict while the world floods to Hell outside, but Im having a wonderful pedicure in the Cowshed and more champagne! They call our flight on time so we head over, and we turn LEFT at the door. Oh. Yeah. A7 & D7. Small sleep suit please and yes, thank you, I WILL have more champagne.
CLAUDIUS: Gertrude do not drink.
GERTRUDE: I WILL my lord, I pray you pardon me.
Tommy is wearing his LA RIOT SQUAD t-shirt. The same shirt that was seen in HELLO Magazine and countless other publications throughout the week.
Most of the flight crew not only have tickets to tomorrows Galaxy/Chelsea game, but see Tommys t-shirt, and recognize his name from the manifest from all the interviews in every UK publication known to man. Suddenly were their best friends, and are giving them all information on tomorrows tailgate party.
The IFBT comes by and asks if Id like to book a treatment. Of course! Head and shoulder massage please, and feel free to wake me if Im sleeping when my turn comes.
I should confess at this point, I am not a very good flyer. However, since Im in Upper, the plane will magically not crash. Were held at the gate for 90 minutes while I have yet more champagne and the rain gets harder. Many of Upper are in their sleep suits (even though this is a day flight) hanging out, cocktailing, getting to know their cabin-mates. It seems almost like a big college Frat PJ party. Such FUN! What the hell else are we going to do, its pouring outside?
Suddenly, captain comes on and tells everyone, to take their seats, as he simultaneously backs away from the gate, effectively seating everyone. Outside there are small patches of blue sky, and the rain seems to have let up. We taxi to the runway at what seems like light speed, and before you know it, were taking off. Tommy, usually sitting right next to me, always finds a way to distract me during take off and landing so Im not too nervous. Today hes across the aisle in Guam and Im left on my own.
Before we clear the clouds, there is a bright light, and a very loud BOOM just outside my window. Tommy leans forward from his suite to see how Im doing. I give him a thumbs up and say, How cool was that?! Thankfully, Ive been drinking champagne for the last three hours. Had I been left to sober up in economy while we were held at the gate Id most likely be certifiable. Captain comes on and tells us, Yes, that was lightening, and thankfully were in a plane which is designed for lightening strikes.
The menu is anytime and Tommy and I are starving so we go for the food right away. I have carrot soup, the lamb and an okay French Pinot, followed by cheese, and everything is superb. When our plates are cleared, our salt & pepper mini Air Force were magically left behind on our table.. nice.
We both grab our glasses so our beds can be made and head to the bar for a top off. We chat awhile with the crew regarding tomorrows game logistics, and Tommy promises to get them all in the LARS (LA RIOT SQUAD) section. Im fading so I finally head back to my lovely bed and fall into a coma. [|)] This is the best sleep I have the entire trip. (I never sleep on flights.) Im so out of it, neither the IFBT nor Tommy can wake me for my appointment.
4, 5, 6 weeks, hours or so - who knows - later, I finally wake up and the IFBT comes back to see if I still want my treatment. Yes please! Its heaven.
Tommy is awake after my massage and we share some afternoon tea and snacks. I am a happy kitten! He tells me of my coma. I feel so refreshed at the moment its unreal. I rarely sleep that deeply at home!
After tea, its back to the bar to hang for a while. I know I watched some of the V-port things, but not an entire movie. Was far too busy doing everything else.
We land around 4pm. Lovely to be let off first, and enter a completely deserted immigration. We sail thru, grab our bags which are also first off, and are in a car heading up the 405 within 30 min of landing! The only problem: its a Friday, and traffic is from Hell.
Next day: we meet the VS flight crew at our tailgate party at HDC, and Tommy is successful at getting most of them into the LARS section. Of course, the day is oversold, and BabyJesus is still broken (and would remain so for most of the season), however, he does play. There is a paparazzi circus of about 70 photographers who follow him out of the locker room, and stand behind him in a huddle behind the team bench. Its insane. (WWDBDTMT? What would David Beckham do to my team?)
Epilogue: Royal Hallamshire Hospital would not take Harrys body, so we had it cremated and there was a funeral in Wath about a month later that we could not attend. The plans are to go back this fall and not only scatter Harrys remains over his beloved Moors and Highlands, but were taking a bottle of Laphroaig 15 and toasting him in a few of his favorite places. Thankfully we have enough miles to have confirmed upgrades in UC both ways.
I never want to turn right at the door again when flying internationally!!!
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