This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
We'd left the hotel just after 2pm (flight left at 6.20pm) as we wanted to do the Concorde Experience prior to returning home.Having arrived at the airport just after 2.20 we were pleased to find all the check-in desks open and were duly processed with minimal fuss.This gave us a good 3 hours at the Concorde experience which flew by.Iain was right when he said it was a fantastic attraction [:)]. The place was virtually empty and we went through the aircraft twice (the guide leaving us alone in the cabin the second time and letting us make our own way out).After reclaiming our hand baggage which had been stored in the ticket office we wandered back to the terminal.Security was empty, and the BA flight was boarding as we arrived in the departures area.
As Iain has said the terminal has been upgraded over the past few years and whilst the lounge isn't a CH it's a darn sight better than the pokey little hole it has replaced (I think it used to be called the Caribbean Club Lounge ?).Food and drink is limited (and self-service) but was adequate for what we wanted ie a final Banks and several bottles of water.
Boarding was called after an announcement advising of a 10 minute delay with priority boarding to the left.This was a bit chaotic and the ordinary Y line moved much quicker [n].Allways nice to hear 'please use the first set of steps madam' and soon we were at the top of them escaping the searing late afternoon heat for the last time on this trip.
As this was A LGW config craft it was back to the 14 seat UC cabin. All my trips in UC over the past two years have been on LHR craft so the cabin looked diddy in comparison.Once on board a FA came over immediately and offered a drink, and this set the scene for the journey home.Nina and Anna (permission to use names given)were to be looking after those up front and this they did fabulously.
After my first glass of fizz I got up to get another and guess who I spotted lurking at the cabin door?? Indeed it was my whining nemesis from the outbound flight.She seemed to be hovvering with no purpose (looking for empty seats no doubt) and I commented that I remembered her from Monday's flight. Strangely enough, she disappeared into the abyss after that.
Several announcements were made by the Captain that we were waiting on a passenger and after about 40 minutes the crew were asked to prepare for departure.No sooner had all the glasses been taken away than the Captain announced that there was now another problem with a passenger number discrepancy and that they were trying to sort it out.Nina re- commenced the pre-flight drinks and almost an hour and 40 mins late we were on our way. UC was full as was PE (a couple of seats were out of use due to damage),with a total of 288 passengers onboard.The extras basket and sleepsuits were distributed whilst we were still on the ground.
I'd noticed 2 FSMs on board and the flight was managed by Kerry- Louise (permission to use name-the other FSM had been called out on the oubound flight as standby as they were a crew member down). VS lurkers (we know you're out there), sit up and listen.This woman is class. This is how a FSM should be -she led from the front, was HIGHLY visible and ensured the rest of the crew worked as hard as herself.I had a long chat with her (she came and spoke with all the UC passengers) and I was seriously impressed by her attitude to customer service (and ensuring it's delivery).
Due to our late departure drinks were brought soon after we were airborne. Limes on board. Hoorah!!!(I'd still brought one with me just in case [}:)])T10+TWL and my dinner order placed, I sat back to watch The Reader. Having Odyssey as the IFE system was a nightmare - I simply can't cope with not being able to stop the film to go to the loo etc. I can understand why those using the LGW craft feel hard done by.Anyway, back to the matter in hand.
Dinner in a word was simply vile. Inedible.
Starters
Seasonal Leaf Salad with Ginger Prawns oven Dried Garlic tomatoe and Vinaigrette.
Roasted Vegetable Soup.
I opted for the salad which was incredibly spicy (hot) and burnt my mouth. One mouthful and the rest was left.
Mains
Lemon and Thyme grilled Chicken with wild rice sauteed leeks, broccoli, corn and red pesto sauce.
Navarin of Lamb with minted new potatoes and roasted red peppers .
Ricotta tortellini in herb putanesca sauce.
I opted for the lamb which was greasy and tough. Yeuk.
Dessert
Raisin bread and butter pudding with rum creme anglaise.
Coconut ice cream.
I opted for the bread and butter and butter pudding which had a distinct lack of raisins and the creme anglaise had split (all of them had [:$]).
Cheese
Mature Cheddar.
Brie Stilton.
The only edible bit of the meal.
Wine list was the same as the outbound flight.
All the passengers were asked if they were familiar with the suite and all( bar mine) were converted by the crew following dinner and the cabin lights were dimmed.The lovely Nina and Anna (who seemed to be ever present in the cabin) both offered to convert my bed but I declined as I like to arrange my bed myself.I listened to a bit of music for a while and dozed for a couple of hours.When it became apparent that my snoozing was over Anna brought me a cup of Earl Grey (unprompted) as she thought I might be a bit parched [y].
Breakfast was served about 1hr 30 mins from LGW.
I opted for the fruit (melon which wasn't ripe)and a chive omelette with mushrooms tomato and sausage (all OK apart from the sausage).
Again Kerry -Louise was highly visible in the cabin finding time to speak with the passengers.
We arrived into a cloudy cold LGW having made up about 30 mins and landed just over an hour late.Several aircraft had landed simultaneously but we were placed on a stand immediately [y].There was no priority disembarkation (my only gripe about the whole journey)and the UC passengers were off after most of the Y passengers [:0]. It was at this point I saw Moaning Minnie for the last time (hopefully)-loudly proclaimimg she was off to LA on Thursday as crew.
Immigration was heaving but IRIS was operational (and empty) and Mr DL and I were through in seconds (why only one booth though????). The baggage was again speedily unloaded and once again priority baggage seemed to have worked with our cases being amongst the first out.
Lots and lots of customs officers were visible, but we exited swiftly and were soon being met by the driver who was returing our car.
The M25 was it's usual stationary self (oh how I miss living in the South East -NOT). The journey home took about 4 hours (because of the traffic)and I now feel some sympathy for Mr DL, who currently makes the journey to Crawley twice a week.
In conclusion , an excellent trip home despite the abysmal food.
Fabulous crew and a sterling FSM [y][y]. This is how it should be done.Lets see if the next trip (to LA in June) maintains the same standard.
DL
PS There were other staffers on board (as well as Moaning Minnie). They were however completely unobtrusive.No invites to the bar, no cluttering up the galley/jumpseat areas. This management was simply down to the hugely effective and committed FSM.
