This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Woman at the podium was quite nice, just tapped my name on the screen, checked my friends boarding card and we were in. First thing that struck me was the size of the Clubhouse. It was much bigger than i expected from all the video and images i had already seen. It was incredibly quiet (Monday 5.30pm) and it seemed that every time i made eye contact with a member of staff they asked if everything was ok. I think it was because i was off exploring and not just seated. Eventually we stooped at the bar, now realising that this must have singled us out as CH 'Virgins' if you pardon the pun! We soon settled in the Gallery gazing out of the window and a few champagne cocktails later, we did venture to the brasserie for some food. I did think the portions were a bit on the small side, but in hindsight, probably best before a flight really. Anyway, i was desperate to enjoy my first UC experience in full and then began to realise all this champagne was going to ones head a bit! Time to have a soft drink!
We waited for the second call and zipped straight to the aircraft and got onboard avoiding the whole 'purple' trying to get passed 'red' fiasco that i have read so much about. IMO i would rather just queue with everyone else than look like an elitist. It's not like it's going to leave without you, or your seat will be taken by anyone else!
Anyway onboard i was in Seat 1A. I have to say in the run up to my flight i did log in to Flying Club and gaze at my seat on the seating plan a few times. Am i the only one who does this? A bit sad, but somehow reassuring! I was gutted to see that my original 2A was now 1A, yip an aircraft change. I just knew that my first UC experience was not going to be just quite as good as it could have been. Even before the flight i also knew i had about a 1 in 6 chance of it being V:Port, but to no avail. It was African Princess. One of the crew offered to hang up my jacket, refered to me by name and then the FSM came and sat on my ottoman to introduce herself and tick all the options on the A4 sheets she was clutching which made the whole thing a bit functional and a little less personal i felt. I ordered more champagne (was i desperate to forget everything for my TR???) and then she asked if there was anything she could do for me, i just had to ask. There was one thing i said to her..... I was travelling with another Pax in another cabin and that i completely understand if it was not possible, would would really appreciate if they would be allowed to join me for a quick drink at some point. I was happy for it to be on my ottoman or at the bar would have been amazing. She did explain that shortly after take-off, the bar can be busy, but leave it with her and she would do what she could. Seemed quite a positive response. On the food front, i just quite fancied some cheese and biscuits to round of my food from earlier in the CH. I did slightly get the impression i should have just been ordering the hot chocolate and turntown and going to sleep, but as with all shorter night flights i was caught between wanting to have a seat and drink at the bar versus getting some sleep in my UC suite. The bar did get busy as prdicted, i got my plate of what i can only describe as soaking wet crackers and cheese and once the bar calmed down i wandered along and took a seat. Ended up chatting to a guy who worked in banking who was off to DXB with his wife for a break and combining a quick meeting. They were flying on points. I told him i could have got the UC return for 1300, he was amazed at how cheap that was. I do tend to trawl the website regularily and travel when the deals are on though. We ended up chatting for an hour and were offered a few drinks, then it becomes quite obvious (but quite subtle too ) that the crew just want you to go to bed as they have other things to do. The topping up of the drinks seems to just dry up. We were keeping our voices extremely low too. It was interesting to have a long chat with someone who is as obsessed with Tier Points, miles, hotel deals etc etc as i am!!!!! Needless to say that pretty much after i got my wet crackers, i never saw the FSM again till she woke me up. Lying low, avoiding my obvious guest request. I do understand, but just felt she did indicate it may have happened and then ignored it. It could have been a real opportunity for her to do something for a passenger that fitted into there 'excelling' category and not just 'achieving the norm' i forget the name they have for it???? I got my bed made up for me and managed to catch a few hours kip too. I did find it a bit strange having breakfast on my knee while the bed is still made up. It's pretty uncomfrtable sitting upright with your legs straight. I popped one down to the side which helped. I was also a little underwhelmed by the amenity kit, but i guess as with everything else it is a fraction of what it probably used to be. Next thing was, as i had my bed made up for me, i had zero idea to restore it back to a seat. Now we have the whole dilema of trying not to look like a complete novice infront of fellow UC Pax, but i soon sussed it out! What did strike me about my first experience was how quickly the time went passed. I had little comprehension of it and that's not because of the champagne!!! I guess i'm just used to the defined stages that other cabins experience. We had a smooth landing slightly ahead of time. And i received my fast track voucher for immigration. Now this may be handy whilst the hall is full, but we ended up in the situation where all the UC pax were queuing for two desks and all the other pax swanned through as there were no people at any of the other 20 desks! My friend took great delight in pointing this out to me!
My return leg was a disaster. Missed flight in a non refundable and changeable rate. I will post as a separate TR and hopefully anyone in a similar position may be able to learn something from it.
In the meantime though, yip you guessed it, turning right at boarding is going to be extremely hard to do again. :-)
