VS020 SFO-LHR 18 May 09 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

After a most enjoyable few days in San Francisco, and who could forget the Bay to Breakers race, it was time to bid farewell to the
other V-Flyers and head home.

After a bit of a mix up with my room account, which necessitated a quick call to Natwest Black card who sorted it out with the
hotel, I got into the CDC for SFO.

Checkin was a bit of a mess - not such a long line for Upper but it was very slow moving and the annoying thing was that the two
Upper/PE lines were calling over Econ pax to check in and not Upper/Gold.

Anyway after I eventually got checked in I made my way to the Clubhouse and was met by Claire who wanted to know all about the race
etc. Had a good chat, promise that other V-Flyers will show her some photos in due course she asked me to clarify a guest
situtation (she had received a phone call about someone briging in a guest but the names didnt correspond). We got it sorted that
it will be Darren bringing in Dan so now noted into the system it was time for a drink and a snack.

Boarded on time and with a estimated duration of 9 hrs 27 min. Flight was full in all cabins (which it had been for several days
according to Claire) offered a glass of champagne, sleep suit etc.
After take off offered a drink, T107T and lime served plus dinner order taken. I noted no use of names as yet.
Order the vegetarian option which was served after a very tasty corn chowder. Asked for sparkling water but none had been loaded so
settled for the Aussie red merlot/cabinet - ok I guess. My Veggie Pasty arrived - no carrots as adverised and after one bite
decided that raw pastry was not to my liking so returned it and asked for something else - either the PE offering which was 'not good
either' or a veggie curry fron Econ but as I cant digest rice I refused and ordered biscuits and cheese.

After tray clearance I went to the bar had a chat with the Crew about the appaling meal. FSM overheard and came over to aplogise
remarking that it did indeed look dreadful but 'they only re-heat what was cooked on the ground'. Strange as I have had it many times before and was always OK. FSM then offered a reasonably large amount of miles as both compensation for the meal and not recognising me by name or my FC status (having just been promoted from Gold).
He explained now that they were a crew member less now, niceties as using names, welcoming Gold and others back onboard on a full flight wasnt possible as the FSM and all the crew were too busy - I have to say they certainly looked it to me. Anway thanked but refused the miles, FSM filled in a comment sheet and I went to get some sleep.

Woken up by the 40 mins to hear the landing announcement so went to freshen up and change to return to my bed to find it returned to a chair complete with pot of earl grey tea - nice touch.

Landed on time but took 45 mins to park up due to late departing of another flight. Grrrrr. Straight through Iris to find baggage
reclaim screens not showing correct flight information - no announcments just had to find a small whiteboard near customs showing which belt to use.

Collect luggage and off to find CDC to head home. CDC was there but getting worried as by this time we had been landed over an hour - journey home in East London took over 1 1/2 hours, double what is usual due to heavy road works in Town,

Bottom line: Trip excellent, checkin poor, clubhouse excellent, flight - OK, crew seemed over worked though and food dreadful.

NB Was supposed to fly out Weds/Thurs to MCO but, thankfully, trip cancelled so catching up with chores, work and family.

Thank you for reading my first TR.

Regards,

Hackneyguy

quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
Asked for sparkling water but none had been loaded so
settled for the Aussie red merlot/cabinet - ok I guess.


A man after my own heart...

You must have been famished though!

Thanks for putting this together..an enjoyable read.

Paul

Thank you for the great TR![y][y]

quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
My Veggie Pasty arrived - no carrots as adverised and after one bite
decided that raw pastry was not to my liking so returned it


That is not good at all.

quote:
and asked for something else - either the PE offering which was 'not good
either' or a veggie curry fron Econ


Are W and Y meals not the exact same except W is heated on a plate where as the Y meals are served in plastic. Certainly that was the case when I was traveling Y once and they had run out in Y but started using spares from W.

quote:
He explained now that they were a crew member less now, niceties as using names, welcoming Gold and others back onboard on a full flight wasnt possible as the FSM and all the crew were too busy - I have to say they certainly looked it to me.

Fair point but really how long does it take to say hi and welcome back? It doesnt take two seconds for the person stood on Door L2 to see the Gold FC number on your boarding pass and say 'welcome back with us HackneyGuy'. Granted the whole FSM coming round for a chat may disappear but a personal welcome can still be done very easily at the front door so to speak.

quote:Originally posted by willd
[Fair point but really how long does it take to say hi and welcome back? It doesnt take two seconds for the person stood on Door L2 to see the Gold FC number on your boarding pass and say 'welcome back with us HackneyGuy'. Granted the whole FSM coming round for a chat may disappear but a personal welcome can still be done very easily at the front door so to speak.


Thanks Wild,

I do not disagree with you - however I really do think that this one member of crew less had made a great difference to the overall flight experience, esp when sitting on a full LHR 747 up at the pointy end. It may not be as noticeable on a less than crowded flight or on a 340 ? Time wil tell but I will write to VS Premier with my obsverations.

As for the meals - I am not sure as I was offered two different choices one from PE and one from Y. I expect a Crew member of V-Flyer will be better able to explain please ?

Thanks,

Hackneyguy

NB Thanks to others for their kind replies too [y]

Thanks for a great TR. I'm hoping to do that route in UC in October, so this made an interesting read.

G.

Thanks for the TRs. Shame you got a bad meal, clearly not the norm across the flight as from McMaddog's TR his was OK (albeit the usual dry beef you seem to get). Weird that they would not have the water, personally I'm for both water and wine!

[ChuckC]

Excellent report. I'd never know this was your first, hackneyguy.

I'll be going to and from the UK in a few weeks and will report on my own observations. Nevertheless I fear that 'niceties' will no doubt be considered expendable and as you've reported, the welcoming back on board for VS Gold members is likely one of the points of difference that VS is willing to exchange in favor of the savings the crew redundancy is presumably generating.

In view of everything that's happened at VS in the last several years I can't say I honestly blame onboard crew in any way for not having the time for the personal greeting of each pax. The ground crew? Well, we all know why those problems are occurring (clue: outsourcing) and the issues you report, all too common, are also apparently acceptable in return for savings.

One truly wonders where VS will 'draw the line' and say no more reductions in service standards.

Chuck-

Congrats on your 1st trip report xxxx. The pasty sounded awful and without carrots too, how very rude indeed. xxxx

To be fair, you shouldn't notice any difference in the service in Upper on a 747 as the crew member that has gone is from Premium and not Upper Class. I feel that the FSM was trying to make excuses for the crews failings that day.

Thanks HG having an uncooked ginsters doesnt make me feel all warm and fuzzy about UC either, thanks for taking time to write

cheers

alex

Good TR but a shame about some of the service issues.

I liked the fact that your 2nd choice of drink as there was no sparking water was a glass of red wine ! You are a true v-flyer !

[y][y][y]

[Neil]

Thanks for the TR, HG[y] The food sounds terrible, and just continues the numerous negatives comments made by V-Flyers over the past however months, VS really do need to start taking note.

Seems your inbound flight was a little less rowdy compared to the outbound, which I guess is a good thing for the other pax and it being a night flight[:D]

Neil

The crew member that vanished on the LHR 747 worked in both Premium and Upper Class. They were known as a 'floater' and assisted in both cabins where needed.

quote:Originally posted by Galley Guy

The crew member that vanished on the LHR 747 worked in both Premium and Upper Class. They were known as a 'floater' and assisted in both cabins where needed.


That is what I was told too and it was certainly noticable by me in Upper. I am sure the FSM was being honest and upfront and I thank him for that.

Hackneyguy

Thanks for the good first TR. Seems to be a trend with food. Hope this changes soon.

DMB

A magnificent expression of the traveling arts.

Great TR! Thanks for posting!

GJ

[buns]

Hackneyguy

For an inaugural TR you have done mighty fine[oo]
quote:After a bit of a mix up with my room account
[:0] Hope that is not the case for me.
quote:Checkin was a bit of a mess - not such a long line for Upper but it was very slow moving and the annoying thing was that the two Upper/PE lines were calling over Econ pax to check in and not Upper/Gold.

As I mentioned in response to Maccdog's TR, I was a little more fortunate the day before, but I think the pillar in the queuing area does not help matters[n]

I have to agree about the corn chowder,but not having any sparkling water on board[V]

Thanks once again - best I get my typing fingers going and do my own TR[:I]
buns

quote:Originally posted by Galley Guy

The crew member that vanished on the LHR 747 worked in both Premium and Upper Class. They were known as a 'floater' and assisted in both cabins where needed.


Thanks GalleyGuy - I haven't been on a 747 in a while but have done three Upper flights in the last week on the 346 and it is very noticeable that the crew reduction (from the UC team on the 346) is really detrimental to the service. If you add the loss of beauts in the last year that's two down in UC (well ish, the beauts did often help out with drink runs during meal service for example).

I encourage anyone who observes this to write, or comment to the FSM.

Oh, and thanks for the TR [y].

I encourage everyone to write in to the company. Crew's complaints fall on deaf ears. Hopefully if the paying customers complain then things will change.