This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
We'd stayed at the LGW Hilton the night before so showed up at the PE / UC check in desks approx 2 hours before the flight. The queue was a lot larger than we'd seen before but hoped we wouldnt have to wait too long. After approx 30 mins of not moving we started to realise that the economy queue was moving lots faster than PE/UC. We asked what the reason for the long delay was and were told that a number of groups were checking in for a number of flights and they were using the PE / UC facility to ensure that they were 'managed' correctly.
Another hour passed with very little movement in the queue. People in the queue were beginning to get frustrated and thought it would be helpful to insult both the check in agents and the groups of travellers. Panic set in amongst people in the queue when a member of the ground staff advised that the St Lucia and another carribean flight would be closing in less than 5 minutes. We had to shout out which flight we were on and be picked out of the queue to be taken straight to the front for a rapid check in and sprint to the gate....without any opportunity to shop
The ground staff handled the situation really badly and made no attempt to open other desks or communicate to the many frustrated passengers who expected a premium checkin service.
All that said, once onboard the experience was excellent. We were sat at the very back of the upper deck PE cabin (rows 79 &80) which, in my opinion, is a great location as it feels so much more private with no adjacent seats. I have to say that I find the old style PE seats very 'upright' in their upright position and cant wait until after take off when it can be slightly reclined.
Old style IFE so small screen and the movie selection wasn't up to much.
Food selection on board was great and drinks service was regular although lots of PE pax were hanging around in the upper deck PE galley expecting a drinks service like it was the UC bar
Arrived ahead of schedule feeling excited for the helicopter flight to the north of the island....well, all excited apart from the mother in law who was a nervous wreck!
