This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Next morning I needed to go into the city to buy golf balls for Aer John plus one or two other items that I didn't want to cart around Canada and NorCal (and have breakfast) and arrived back at the hotel just after the check-out deadline of 12 noon. I was already packed with only my latest purchases to fit into my luggage and the shuttle bus guy said he would be leaving in 20 minutes. 10 minutes later I was downstairs to find him waiting for me!! On arrival at SFO check-in was open for economy and was just about ready to open for UC. There was one couple ahead of me and they were quickly called to the desk and soon another desk opened for me. I recognised the guy who was there. Last year he had stopped me en route to the Clubhouse to ensure I knew the way and I felt hopeful that he would allow me to check my bags through to LHR just as they had done last year. Actually on the other side of the check-in area in Area 9 Aer Lingus was checking in and I saw someone I used to work with over there! Small world and there was going to be another example later on! Unfortunately the guy I was dealing with did not have the expertise of last year's agent and the answer was no. OK, some you win and some you lose, but it did make a difference when I landed in LHR.
Once checked in I headed off the the Clubhouse. I knew Claire would not be on duty but she had left me a note in which she asked me to thank all V-Flyers for voting for her. The welcome was no less diminished by her absence and soon I was within their portals with a glass of champagne by my side. I was hungry as breakfast had only been a coffee and a scone in San Francisco as I went about my errands. A fantastic pea and asparagus risotto really hit the spot followed by strawberries and cream and later on a cheese plate - truly wonderful! There were a couple of Aer Lingus passengers in the Clubhouse and they looked completely overwhelmed by the experience. I longed to tell them to lie back and enjoy it but I was afraid they would brand me a traitor for flying VS!! [:D]
For those of you who are familiar with the SFO Clubhouse I was sitting in the seats alongside the window with views over the ramp and the runways. They are perfect for a couple facing each other or for singletons like me. At one stage there was a guy sitting in the seat behind me on his mobile phone to God knows who! I was forced to listen to his conversation about work, a car left in Sacramento and his new 7 week old puppy for the best part of twenty minutes. My bile was rising by the minute and I was almost incandescent with rage by the time he was finished to the extent that I called a couple of friends with the intention of whining about him at a similar rate of decibels! Unfortunately none of them were at home so that plan was stymied! Still, two wrongs don't make a right, so it was just as well! [}:)]
Bang on time the incoming flight arrived and it was V-FAB once more. Ah well, no more T10&T. I had finished the last!! A guy at the bar opined that the plane would not be cleaned properly. Excuse me! The incoming flight was on time. Why wouldn't it be cleaned properly? [?] He was pontificating at great length but if he posted on V-Flyer he would have been shot down on some of his opinions!
Shortly after that I had one of those 'Omigod' moments! Last year in the Clubhouse I had met a couple where the husband was wearing a Cork football jersey. We had talked and it transpired they was staying 25 miles from me and had played at the golf course where Aer John works during his college breaks. It had been a pleasant interlude and at one stage I wondered if they would be there again this year as the flight dates were almost identical to last year's! A guy had come and asked if the seat opposite me was free and I briefly acknowledged it was. After all, I was engrossed in V-Flyer. A bit later on this guy passed me and looking at him I was convinced it was the same guy. I was caught in a web of indecision! Was it that guy or not? Eventually nothing ventured, nothing gained and I approached him. 'Excuse me, I'm sorry to intrude but didn't I meet you here last year?' Indeed they had and had considered approaching me but I was otherwise distracted! D*mn V-Flyer!! Friendships were renewed and Aer John invited to a game of golf when they would be in Cork. Thank you Virgin Atlantic!
The flight was called on time and security was empty but once we got to the gate area the flight was not ready for boarding and a boarding time of 15 minutes later was announced. While we were there in the UC line a guy was called to the podium. The IFE at his seat was not working and they were going to refund his money and give him a DVD player. Immediately there was an outcry from the UC contingent who would have happily sought a refund for a non-working IFE. It later turned out the refund was for the exit row seat! Leading the charge was Mr Know-All from the Clubhouse who had set himself up as a VS expert. He let it be known that he had flown on the Dubai route earlier this year and frequently flew on this route. Impressed? Not really. [:w] At one stage I wondered why they had called us from the Clubhouse when the plane wasn't ready for boarding. Mr Know-All opined that it was because security would be busy. Hmmmm! I have always found it comparatively quiet at that time and in fact it was virtually empty when we got down. Another guy announced that he wouldn't go into the SFO Clubhouse on principle because it was landside and not airside. Silly-billy! He doesn't know what he's missing. I mean, there are principles and principles. [:o)]
Shortly after that boarding began and once more I was turning left to my seat at 16K. Because of the delay UC filled up quite quickly (but not before I got my glass of champagne) and the inevitable charade of the folks in 12A and K trying to open the overhead lockers was played out! I motioned over to the lady to place her bag in the one over my seat while the cabin crew explained to her husband that there was no overhead bin there and sorted him out. Because we had boarded late we were about 15 minutes late pushing back and I suppose that by the time we had trundled to the departure runway more then 30 minutes had elapsed and we were nearly an hour late taking off.
Once the crew were released to their duties the drinks round commenced. Knowing that I had finished off the last of the T10 on V-FAB ten days, I was pushing my luck in asking for one and sure enough there was none on board and so a Bombay Sapphire was the order of the day. Worse still it came with a slice of lemon - although the second one had lime. Around that time the FSM came round with the goodies basket but spent rather a long time talking to the elderly man in 12A. I was shortly to wish he had remained there. Or perhaps not! As he arrived at my suite he said he believed he had flown with me before. I had thought there was something familiar about him and said so. 'Yes', sez he. 'It was on a flight to X and Y was the FSM'. OH! MY! GOD! I cringed as I remembered that flight. [:I] [:I] Not one of my better moments and how I prayed that no-one would remember me from it. I know you are all curious but what happened on VSXXX stays on VSXXX and the FSM graciously acknowledged that. Gathering my wits (although I continued to be covered in embarrassment from time to time) I recalled that Y had been the FSM. Therefore this guy must have been promoted since then so I congratulated him and thereafter we were the best of friends and he took great pains to ensure I felt all was forgiven. One way he did was over the lip-balm. My friend in NorCal has Sjogren's syndrome which basically means she cannot produce saliva and tears and a by-product is that her lips blister and peel. Nothing she had tried previously had helped but the Cowshed lip balm seemed to provide some relief. I therefore asked if I could take a second one. He asked me to wait until he had finished the round, which was fair enough and later came back with a few extra for her. Top man! [y]
Having eaten in the Clubhouse I was unsure of what I wanted to eat. I chose the red onion and leek soup which was absolutely delicious and followed it with the flank steak which was moist and tender - and far too much for me to eat. Mind you the shiraz accompanying it was very nice as was the second glass. Shortly afterwards I decided that the cheese would be welcome together with a nice glass of port - and so it was. Very nice. I read for a bit before deciding to convert the suite and try to get some sleep. I had taken a sleep suit but knowing the preferred temperature in UC is equatorial, I had kept on my own t-shirt. I snuggled down but the reality was I dozed rather than slept. I woke up somewhere between Iceland and Ireland and realised I wouldn't sleep again so converted my suite and read. The cabin crew saw that I was awake and offered me breakfast but all I really wanted was fruit which was duly provided. I have to say that this particular cabin crew was very attentive but never really engaged with me. However I was well looked after by the FSM.
Unusually for the SFO flight, the flight came in over Ireland rather than Scotland and I was agog to see whether it would be anywhere near where I lived or where I spent my formative years. The cabin was beginning to rouse so I felt safe to open the blinds slightly. I needn't have bothered. The cloud cover over the country prevented me from seeing any landmarks.
Because of our late-ish departure we were still running a bit late and on our approach to LHR the captain announced that we had been sent to circle over Biggin Hill for a bit. This was eating into my connecting time and I begin to think that Revivals was not an option. After about ten minutes or so we were allowed to descend into LHR but once on the ground we had to wait for a gate to be free so that we were even more delayed. And then when we arrived at the gate there was still a further delay, first of all because they were slow in getting the jetbridge to the door and then because they didn't bring the jetbridge to L1 in spite of the fact it was the gates which allow two jetbridges, and thirdly (and the most annoying of all) that economy was not held back [V] and by the time the A zone reached the door half of economy was off also. Fortunately Immigration, especially for EU passengers was relatively quiet although there were only two desks open. At one the lady from Immigration seen on Airport was there with the guy on the desk and quizzing a family at length. Another couple was sent to the non-EU line having chanced their arm at a shorter line and at that stage a couple of desks opened up so I was swiftly through. In the baggage hall priority baggage worked for one of my bags but not for the second which came out with the economy bags. That effectively put an end to any idea of Revivals as by this time there was less than 2 hours to my connection. [:#] And I would so loved a shower and possibly some more breakfast but since I didn't know how bad the check-in would be for my Aer Lingus flight I couldn't risk it.
As it happened the line was short and all I needed to do was pick up my boarding pass. The meanies there charged me for an extra bag since the website doesn't allow you to book an extra bag on-line - a disappointing end to a fantastic flight. honey lamb was somewhat grumpy on boarding that flight!
