This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Check-in at EWR was fast. I arrived just as they were opening the check-in and I waltzed straight up to the desk, checked in and was directed to the Clubhouse. Couldn't have been easier.
The Newark Clubhouse is much smaller than Heathrow but the welcome was every bit as warm. The lady who was running things told me how it was Virgin's first Clubhouse, and to make myself at home. She checked on me periodically too which I thought was a nice touch. She managed to do it without it seeming intrusive too which is quite a knack.
The food in the Clubhouse was buffet style and decent - but nowhere near Heathrow standards. That said, after a very intense and amazing week, it was nice to sit back and relax before the flight.
This was my first experience in the UCS so I was a little ball of excitement as I went to board. I was in 8A which is on the upper deck. It felt more like being on a private jet than a big 747. I was offered pre-flight drinks, they stowed away my hand luggage for me and I got myself nicely reclined for take-off.
As soon as the seatbelt signs went off I pottered downstairs to the bar, found a seat and had a pre-bed brandy. I had a chat with a guy who was coming over to the UK on business for the first time and who had never flown Virgin before. He was awestruck that there was a bar on board and said he would be using them from now on for his twice monthly visits to the UK. We had a good old natter and then I went back upstairs for a quick bite to eat before bed.
I had the chicken cacciatore, some camomile tea and then converted my seat into a bed. I'm not very good at sleeping on planes and maybe it was the booze, maybe it was all the excitement of the week gone before, or maybe it was the rather hot cabin, but I didn't sleep very much. That said, the bed was comfortable and I did manage a bit of sleep which is better than nothing!
The cabin lights came on about an hour before landing, I'd ordered a bacon roll which was a little on the dry side (both bacon and roll). I'm thinking a bacon roll can't be too hard to get right so a 'could do better' for Virgin on that one.
The flight was turbulence-free, the cabin crew were attentive although the FSM never introduced themself to the UC passengers and there was no attempt to use passengers' names when addressing them (which I've seen done on other airlines and I always think is a nice touch). That said, the CC were very professional and very attentive.
After leaving the plane and collecting luggage it was straight to the Revivals Lounge and what a God-send that place is. I felt so much more human after showering, putting on some fresh clothes, having some breakfast and getting a massage. It was the perfect way to freshen up for the journey back to Nottingham.
Ah - I almost forgot to mention the pen. For those that saw my letter to Virgin about my malfunctioning PE pen, you'll be glad to know that not only do I have a working PE pen from the outbound part of my trip, but I have TWO silver upper class pens. When none were handed out after takeoff I asked one of the cabin crew if they still did them. 'I've not seen them loaded on board today. We usually have them' was the reply. Now, having read on the forums that they are being done away with, I feared the worse. I explained there was a bit of a running joke going with the pens and the very polite flight attendant said 'I'll see what I can do'. She came back 15 minutes later with two for me which was lovely. I can report that they both write very well and show no signs of injuring anyone in the workplace.
