VS027 LGW-MCO 7 Nov 09 (PE)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

During on line check-in, there no additional seat choices apart from the two we had been allocated downstairs. We had decided to stop overnight at LGW, so went to twilight check-in to enquire about on the day upgrades to Upper and also seats upstairs. The only upgrades available were through ticketing, which came in at 3000 roughly each! However, we were able to grab two exit row seats upstaris. I was up early the following morning, so wandered over to the terminal to ask about on the day upgrades, to be told that it was now 899 (still way too much) and for cash/miles it was 1100 plus the miles. We did even more cheekily offer a maxmium of 400 as a maximum we would pay (may be they would take it in the current financial climate).....but the answer was the computer says no! Went back to the Hilton for a snooze before time to get ready to leave.

All in all a very pleasant experience travelling on VS from LGW, and the non-V:Port wasn't a problem (shame that VS wouldn't come down in price for the upgrade as 899 each was far too much to pay out).

Wandered back to the terminal and dropped bags off at the Upper/Premium side of check-in. Bags tagged Upper without even asking. We were given lounge details - told it was the V:Room today and fast track stickers on to boarding cards. As some friends were travelling to Barbados that day, we asked cheekily for a couple of fast track stickers for them, which we were given. Went to the wrong end of security, directed to fast track at the other end, but by the time we got there we were then directed to the security upstairs.....which had no fast track and was very slow. The Gatwick security staff were unfriendly and unhelpful....maybe a change in management will change this???

Headed off to the V:Room and on arrival we were told that as Gold we were allowed to use either the V:Room or the Number One lounge. We were offered to option to look at both before making a decision - in the end we opted for the V:Room. Service was very good and it was nice and bright in there.....hopefully the CH will be open when we fly through LGW next time.

Boarding was called on time and we headed off to the gate. There was no real priority boarding at the gate, but once through we walked straight onto the airbridge, up the stairs and into out seats. Obviously there is no purple leather on the LGW fleets....and maybe there never will be, but the seat was comfortable. We have Nova entertainment with a relatively good choice of films to watch during the flight. Post-boarding drinks were offered, and unlike LHR the sparkling wine was not upsold as champagne. Short taxi and off to Orlando we were. Hot towels and amenity kits distributed along with headphones. There was the usual intro video and then the main entertainment started. It is annoying that you have to turn your monitor on and so I missed the first few minutes of my first choice. The entertainment worked fine throughout the flight and the quality was ok as well.

Post-take off drinks offered, and a gin / tonic accepted....with lime! Main course food options on the flight were chicken in gravy with veggies, seafood pasta or vegetable paneer curry, rice and veggie korma. These were served with a salad (not really worth the space), 25th anniversary dessert and cheese/biscuits. I had the veggie option which was very good - tasty and a good size portion. Baileys accepted after dinner and then time to relax and enjoy the flight. Half-way through the flight ice-cream distributed but too hard and frozen to eat, followed by a cheese/coleslaw or ham/tomato sandwich with a cookie pre-landing (both sandwiches were ok, but not great). Cabin crew were around and about throughout the flight and were smiling and friendly all the way. Fruit bowl was at the back of the plane throughout the second half of the flight.

Arrived at MCO and then it was a long taxi around to the gate. Security was empty when we arrived, and unusually the immigration officer was smiling and chatty! Luggage came out on the separate Premium/Upper baggage carousel and off to find a cab and to the Hilton in the Disney Resort

Thanks for the TR - pleased you had a good PE experience.

I personally think 899 is a very good price for upgrade on this route - given the few UC seats I would they expect they will get people to stump up that cash without having to accept offers; were you able to see if UC was full (i.e. they had sold the sets on offer ?)

Thanks again,

HG

there were two seats at check-in and my understanding is that they didn't sell them (they weren't offering them around and it wasn't mentioned at check-in either, only because we asked about it). I disagree about the price - 899 each way per person for an upgrade, irrespective of PE class paid for seems very steep - apparently if it had been oversold in PE or Econ, then the price drops accordingly to get 'any extra cash rather than a free upgrade'.

I personally wouldn't have paid that upgrade price. Considering the price of a PE return seat in the sale at present is 802, that's over 1700 for a one way upgrade and UC both ways doesn't cost anywhere near that!
Then again, I think 200 one way for Y to PE is steep too. Money better spent elsewhere (although I wouldn't begrudge that amount quite as much if I were on a non-bucket & spade route.

I thought they'd stopped doing the cheese & crackers now? Someone mentioned elsewhere that none were given out on a flight they had recently taken, unless they weren't loaded or something?

I'm pleased you had a pleasant trip. I do feel that the UC cabin should be protected though to prevent devaluation of the product. I would hate to expect to see a full UC cabin every flight because they were accepting 'offers' on upgrades.

Its not because I am some elitist but would reconsider my airline if every flight I was wondering if I was the only person who paid the full fare. Such is the case with many US airline F cabins. It makes for a very cheap image.

Thank you for the great TR.[y]

quote:Originally posted by gingerflyer
I was up early the following morning, so wandered over to the terminal to ask about on the day upgrades, to be told that it was now 899 (still way too much) and for cash/miles it was 1100 plus the miles.

Got to agree with you - 899 one way for an upgrade from P/E is a lot. I understand the other arguements about the product, but for a Gold, you might have thought there would be a little give and take.

I am not saying there should be automatic upgrades like some of the US airlines, but 899 for a one way upgrade from P/E is a little excessive. Of course YMMV

David

quote:Originally posted by gingerflyer
I was up early the following morning, so wandered over to the terminal to ask about on the day upgrades, to be told that it was now 899 (still way too much) and for cash/miles it was 1100 plus the miles.

Got to say that I find it amazing that VS would ask for more money with the addition of miles than for cash only - what's the point of using miles in that case?? [n][?]

Cheers
Michael

[buns]

Thanks for the TR

I can vouch for the V Room following an extended stay soon to be reported in my upcoming TR[:D][:D]

For me the LGW fleet does well enough

buns