This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
I normally spend hours perusing the brochures planning but not this year; we were so impressed with Grenada last spring a revisit was compulsory. However I was keen to make sure I got the best price – last year the VH prices were up and down like a bride’s nightie and I got it wrong. I was later advised by VH CS to cancel and rebook, losing the deposit but still saving several £hundreds. This year the prices were more stable but I did notice that a fortnight before departure our holiday (same dates, flights etc) was near £2000 more expensive!! I am not quite sure what happened to last minute bargains; it is a strange price model VH are using.
Sad old git that I might be, the worst bit about going away for me is the separation from my dogs. So going away always has an “OH NO” moment for me (not, in this case, Mrs HWVs usual comment on my sartorial elegance and my innate and incredible ability to mix and match inappropriate colours) as it features dropping off my girlie gundogs to their hotel.
Anyway, dropped off they were with my comforting thought being “at least they are together and will be safe”. BOO HOO.
Homeward bound for a quick bit of house cleaning (apparently it is important to come back from holiday to a clean house!) and then the one hour pootle down to Gatwick.
We parked in the long stay and after a brief bus journey we had a rather slow twilight check-in. On reflection, I am not convinced that it was really a good idea to have someone with an almost impenetrable accent in such a customer facing role.
And then into that place which some think is inhabited solely be people who regard teeth as a luxury item. Being partly chav (great Uncle Albert, on my mother’s side, had more than one tattoo of the regimental badge and “I love Ivy” varieties) I like the Hilton. It could not be more convenient and, although it could do with a “wash and brush up” in some places it is perfectly functional. We had a very nice room, recently refurbished, in the newer block. We were on a “thank you” freebie so other touches such as chocolate coated strawberries and a nice bottle of cabernet sauvignon were much appreciated. There was only one problem with the Hilton and it wasn’t their fault, more about that later.
It was then off to Frankie and Benny’s for supper. We were meeting Number One daughter, popping up from Brighton with her current beau (6 foot 5 inches and on the fringe of the England rugby XV) – THE ONE, apparently. Number 1 daughter turned up on her own, they had had a row. As a result his current status is undetermined and my plan for his allocation of international tickets is currently on hold.
I like F and B’s; fast food, good quality and quantity and reasonably priced. While there we also caught sight of a VS and V-Flyer legend, the esteemed Tizer Vipond. We were far too awe struck and too shy to approach the young lady plus we didn’t want to disturb her dad who looked like he was already drafting a TR.
Back to the Hilton. I have a simply brilliant android phone, one of those which already does everything that the well-known manufacturer of overpriced smartphones will claim to have invented when it eventually puts them on its next generation product. Anyway I had let the phone battery run down with the intention of charging it up overnight. Best laid plans!!... the plug attached to the usb connector becomes quite a large unit and needs a plug socket to be 5 inches from the floor. Those in the Hilton room, both above floor and desktops were less than this. As a result, none of those texts of the “wish you were here” and “slurping cava right now” variety, including some to peeps on here, got sent. Note to self, buy socket adaptor which enables the plug to be fitted on the top surface.
After a relatively peaceful night in the hotel we were back down to the terminal at 7am. Fast track hadn’t opened, surprise surprise, so we went through the standard security channel. The queues looked more intimidating than they were, everything moved quickly. The chap in front of me got searched as thoroughly as he could be without the security staff resorting to latex gloves etc (!!!!!). I am not sure what he had done wrong, he just looked like a pensioner to me.
After a bit of shopping, perfume sampling and a coffee we wandered down to Gate 17 where Virginia Plain (VTOP) waited. The vast array of papers (well, there was a vast array of Daily Mails) brought a smile to Mrs HWV who, at times, has been known to display tendencies slightly right of Genghis Khan. We watched in amusement as there was one kerfuffle of the bad language/handbags drawn variety as some of those with priority endeavoured to get through to the gate ahead of those before them in the queue.
Onto VP where we greeted by name. Now this is a strange one because I didn’t really think that such really mattered. However, I was surprised how boosting we found this simple little “nice to see you again Mr and Mrs H” courtesy.
Then upstairs to the bubble, seats 78H and K. Everything looked neat and tidy in the cabin. The first glass of sparkling wine was soon followed by a second and then a third. The fourth was refused after I noticed the look Mrs HWV was giving me, bear in mind we had yet to take off.
We left about15 minutes late, 398 on board. Apologies were already being offered by the FSM and Captain for the food supply problems and that the food service would not be up to standard. Although certain things were not available we both had the Kingston meatballs and yummy they were too.
I settled down to watch a movie, Up In The Air. It had just finished when the entertainment system broke down. Numerous attempts to reboot it failed. This didn’t bother us at all; after all the volcanic ash related “we are going/ no we are not” of the previous few days I was quite happy to chill out looking out of the window trying to spot rude looking cloud formations. Judging by the frequent and increasingly apologetic apologies I would guess that some elsewhere on the plane were angrier about the lack of entertainment. (NB At the end of the flight each passenger was given a voucher for either £20 off a VH holiday or 4000 miles from VS).
And then the bubble passengers decided to party. I don’t know why; perhaps we were all demob happy? (we WERE going on holiday), perhaps it was the seemingly continual flow of booze? Perhaps the lack of other entertainment? Whatever. People who didn’t know one another started talking to each other and having a laugh. Life long friendships might have been formed, illicit relationships might have been started. Who knows? It really was great fun and this fabulous atmosphere in the bubble continued all the way to Tobago.
We spent an hour at Tobago, deplaning about half the passengers. Then the twenty minute hop to Grenada. Priority disembarkation was in place helped by the middle steps not appearing until UC and then PE had been allowed off the front steps. A quick trip through immigration and our luggage was already on the carousel. Five minutes later we were sitting drinking a fruit punch at out hotel. BRILLIANT.
I would imagine that to most the part food service and lack of entertainment would probably mean this flight was worthy of only a 6 or 7 out of 10.
However, to us this was a memorable flight. We arrived on time, it was smooth (seatbelts only on at take off/landing); the bubble dedicated cabin crew were great, fun and professional and lots of fun was had by all.
So I am going to invent my own marking system, the HDubya, based entirely on how much I enjoyed things. I am giving this flight 99 dubs out of 100. That places it in a tie with a flight I took from Rio some years ago where I shared a cabin with a troupe of Brazilian samba dancers (and yes, I REALLY did). The only reason neither of these flights gets 100 is just in case one lucky day I have a flight that is even better than either of them.
Regards,
David
Last edited by HWVlover on 07 May 2010, 19:11, edited 3 times in total.
