VS021 LHR-IAD 1 OCT 10 (Premium Economy)

[mitchja]

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Arrived at LHR at about 07:20 after a pretty un-eventful BMI flight down from MAN, before heading to T3 I picked up my pre-ordered currency from Travelex at T1.

VS check-in was not too busy. Upper class check-in had all 3 desks working, with no-one waiting. I was soon checked in by the ever helpful, friendly and professional VS check-in agents

I was originally in 19H in Premium but switched to 19G on-board, as a another pax asked me if I minded swapping with her so she could sit next to her husband which I had absolutely no issues with.

Headed up to the Upper class wing as was though security in no time at all. Made my way up to the CH and I was welcomed in. Just as I arrived, I spotted a couple of fellow V-Flyers (Mat and Dean) who where heading to SFO)

I popped over to book a treatment (the special the Truefitt and Hills gents barbering treatment) was was booked for me for 11:30.

Had my usual Eggs Benedict breakfast in the Brasserie which was was as good as ever, although definitely shrinking in size. The CH wasn't too busy at this stage but did soon start to fill up.

After breakfast we moved over to sit in front of the bar and had the obligatory few drinks. Service was good the whole time I was there. Before long it was time to say my goodbyes to Mat and Dean as their flight was called.

As I had about 30 mins before my treatment, I did my usual back-track though the terminal to get land-side and back outside for a final nicotine top-up. With IRIS and Upper Class wing access, you can do this round-trip in about 20-25 minutes. I left my bag in the now non-attended cloak room.

Back in the CH and it was almost time for my treatment. I can also recommend this treatment which takes about 15 minutes.

My VS21 flight was called at about 12:30ish and was departing from gate 13. At this point I suddenly remembered I had a jacket I'd left earlier somewhere in the CH. It had been handed in to the concierge desk

Made my way to gate 13, although not visible, priority boarding was in place. There was a long line for economy and I only had a very short wait in the priority line. Mind you everyone then had to wait a further 5 minutes or so in the gate room before boarding commenced.

The A/C was a 343 (G-VSEA) so no V:Port, only Odyssey. It didn't take too long to get everyone on board during which drinks where offered in the Premium cabin. As I'd already mentioned I switched with another pax across the aisle. All 3 cabins where full with no empty seats on today's flight.

There where 2 FSM's again on my flight. The 'main' one seemed to never leave the J cabin whilst the other FSM was working in the Premium cabin.

We pushed back about 13:15 and where airborne some 10 minutes later. The seat belt sign seemed to be kept on a quite a long time but the cabin service was then started. PE menus and head-sets where handed out. A special message was given out to the PE cabin telling us we should only use the economy washrooms behind us, not that most pax paid any attention to this. Yes I can see why VS do this but not having a dedicated washroom for the Premium cabin on all the 300's isn't good either. I just hope VS don't make this same mistake with any future A/C cabin layouts.

One thing I will say about this flights was I felt I had an invisibility cloak on as I was ignored by the crew on more than one occasion. The first been when the amenity kits where handed out before we took-off (I never did get one) and another occasion later on when the crew where offering duty free. I was sat there with my credit card and passport in my hand waiting to buy something but I was ignored again (not the same crew this time). They where even selling duty free to the pax sat opposite me!!! This is the main reason why I have marked the crew ratings down to just 'average'

I later went back to the rear galley to make my purchase.

The first bar service was offered not long after we took off. No cranberry juice was available this time so had to settle with apple juice.

Odyssey was turned on but TBH, there's was nothing that I wanted to watch. The film choice was pretty poor IMHO, so I got my MacBook out and watched Star Trek (again).

The meal service started about an hour later. I'd already decided on the veggie pasta option. Good job I was sat in the first 2 rows of PE, as I got the last one!!! Running out of a meal choice after serving 2 rows in a cabin isn't particularly good. Apparently there had only been 6 veggie meals loaded for Premium!! It was pretty good though and there was nothing left my the time I'd finished.

After the meal service was cleared, the after dinner liquor service was offered. I declined this and went back to watching Start Trek on my Macbook. As I'd been up since 4am I soon dozed off for an hour or so.

I saw one water/juice service and the fruit bowl service (minus bananas though for some reason). There was an ice-cream service (although not *quite* like the new TV advert one, although not far off!!!)

The snack service was offered about 90 mins before we landed which consisted off the usual paper cups and cookie or muffin choices. I really wish VS would improve the snack service. At least offer bigger snacks.

Before long the cabin was being secured and we where on final approach into IAD. We landed at about 16:30 and it didn't take too long for the A/C to taxi to the terminal and we where soon getting off and heading to those dreadful mobile lounges.

On exiting the mobile lounges and going down the escalator, we where confronted with a huge immigration queue. The line was almost as far back as the bottom of the escalator!!!!

1 hour 45 minutes of queuing and I finally got to one of the 4 working immigration desks. I noticed it even took the crew almost 40 minutes to get though too. Most of the US desks where working and as already mentioned only 4 of the visitor desks where working and they certainly where not in any rush to get pax though.

Once though, all the VS bags had long been taken off the carousels and had all been left out in a corner. Several other of the baggage carousels where also the same too!!

1 hour 45 minutes is a new immigration wait time record for me, just beating JFK last year at 1 hour 30 minutes.

Once landside, I made my way to the Washington Flyer ticket desks and was soon on my way into the city.

After landing at 16:30 I finally arrived at my downtown hotel at 20:00!!

All in all, this was just an 'OK' flight. Nothing worth complaining about but also nothing worth giving praise about either.

[honey lamb]

Thanks for the TR, James

It seems to me that IAD is getting worse! 1 hour 45 minutes is disgraceful. I thought one hour was bad enough a few years ago but this is beyond a joke especially when there are only 4 desks open. Makes me glad that I went o Washington via EWR and DCA in August.

[buns]

Thanks James - as always, a detailed account of your Trip

In your TR, you mention the new Advert - on the one hand there is all the sophistication of your Clubhouse experience, which is quite how the advert portrays VS - but on the other, the on-board experience in a premium cabin IMHO was dire

VS really do have to tackle this consistency issue pdq

1 hour 45 mins Perhaps the US are getting back at us for the awful Immigration Hall at Terminal 3

Enjoy Washington

buns

Sadly, this so called "Premium" service isn't going to get better for a long time now that it looks like the old 343s are going to be around for up to 2014, so shabby interiors, old IFE for years (I agree, it's really run its course and the movie selection has panned recently), inadequate facilities, and unless VS up the ante on the on board service, not good.

I've noticed recently that PE service is very variable too, in terms of drinks service before meals, even on day time flights, and on many of my recent flights there have been crew down issues, e.g. on the VS6 on Friday 11 instead of the normal 13 and a noticeably inferior service.

So, great new ad. on the telly, VS needs to follow through.

As to IAD, immigration is such a joke there that I sometimes fly into Newark and take the train down!

Mind you, last time I arrived I had SS staff meet me at the aircraft door and escort me to the front of the queue, which was a marvellous and much appreciated benefit.

Thanks for the TR - as you say a very average flight with disappointing service from the CC.

My VS21 flight was called at about 12:30ish and was departing from gate 13. At this point I suddenly remembered I had a jacket I'd left earlier somewhere in the CH. It had been handed in to the concierge desk

Did that myself once except I dropped it on the stairs on the way to the gate and I was 2/3rd of the way to the gate before I realised so a long schlep back for it !

Shame about immegration at IAD though.

[Decker]

Thanks James, detail much appreciated. Did wonder if you'd see Mat and Dean .

I've actually seen queues longer than that in Washington - it really is the worst airport in the US for getting through immigration.

1 hour 45 I am shocked. When I was at IAD in MArch they had multiple foreign desks opened and as as soon as the US lines were cleared, they opened up the US desks for foreigners as well. I was through in about 25minutes. Seems you may have hit IAD on a bad day.

Great TR btw!

[mitchja]

One observation I forgot to mention during check-in.

Why do the check-in agents still circle the 'e-ticket' text to highlight it on boarding passes?

It's not like the gate agents are looking for attached paper coupons anymore is it. Seems a bit pointless now that paper tickets are no longer issued?

I suppose it's done more by habit than anything else.

Thanks for the good TR James. Shame about the onboard experience, especially after the new ad campaign. We have friends moving to Washington but based on the immigration time to get through I am not so sure I would want to visit them to often.

Thanks
Iain

Thank you for the TR, sorry to hear about your onboard experience.