This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
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Cabin Crew
This is my first post on here - thought I would share my experiences on my first Upper Class flights to Chicago - and the returns (see under VS040)
Unfortunately I have to say I was thoroughly disappointed, with the exception of the Clubhouse at Heathrow which was mind-blowingly good - the real highlight, with excellent facilities, treatments at the Cowshed etc It's just a shame it went downhill from there...
I should also point out that the cabin crew were attentive & friendly, much better than on some of the American airlines, where my general opinion was less than positive.
Before flying, I had already booked a second Upper Class return flight to Chicago on Virgin for later during the month if I had known how poor the quality would be, Id have flown BA instead.
Specific observations as follows:
1. Plane interior
The A340-300 was worn out and falling apart literally. The side panel covering in my upper class suite was falling away from the main structure, and I could see the internal wiring (this looked dangerous as well as poor quality). The suite was marked and chipped in various places, and was considerably below the quality I'd expect on a business class product.
2. Cleanliness
There were crumbs and grime left over in my suite from the previous flight I find this unacceptable, regardless of the class but when you've paid over 3,300 for your ticket - outraged! Furthermore, the toilets were not kept clean during the flight I found these were of a worse quality that some economy class toilets I have seen.
3. In-flight entertainment
For a company whose brand is centred around quality of entertainment, this was absolutely outrageous the worst of every other airline I have flown with recently. The film selection was poor, the screen was of exceptionally low quality for business class, and I found the headphones did little to cancel any noise. I understand some other Virgin aircraft have newer IFE systems, in which case it I find it unacceptable that VS has such inconsistency in the business class product, and still charges such a high price for the ticket. Compared to the American Airlines business IFE (new high-quality TFT screen, excellent choice of films, Bose headphones) the Virgin IFE was a total joke.
4. Food
The quality of the food on-board was disgraceful. Orange juice from concentrate?! Youve got to be kidding. A bland chicken and rice dish that looked worse than some Tescos value meal that was past its sell-by date. Some bland generic gloopy pie for desert in lukewarm runny liquid that I think was meant to be custard. Afternoon sandwiches that couldnt be any more tasteless and dry if theyd tried. Overall a thoroughly unappetising experience. I suggest VS looks to its partner airline, Continental, whose business class menu if superb 7 courses of very high quality food.
5. Lounge at Chicago airport (return journey)
The JAL business lounge was nothing more than a big room. Having arrived at the airport early, I was dismayed to find that the only option for anything proper food was to purchase a tasteless chicken sandwich from an outside kiosk for $10!!
I have recently flown business class with Air Canada, BA, Continental, Delta, and American, and the VS product ranks, in my opinion, at the bottom with Delta. A real shame, I was hugely excited about flying upper class, and it turned out, in my opinion, to be a big flop.
