This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Background / booking, aka "pot luck with FC call centre"
Myself and OH have 'done' this route many times before. Since I was made redundant in 2008 we haven't been away thus this was a long time coming and much deserved.
I am passionate about San Francisco and had been really looking forward to the trip since we booked it in March this year.
I am a lowly Red FC member (previously Silver), as is OH. I've been flying a mix of UC and PE for the last few trips using miles.
I booked an 'L' return, using an VS Amex Black companion voucher to get a 'free' Y reward for OH.
I then used 60k miles to upgrade myself to Upper both ways. This may seem somewhat unfair on OH but we've done it before and at least she gets the use of CH, etc
Booking annoyed me - having confirmed online there was availability in the relevant classes, I rang FC. After a 30 minute wait I explained what I was wanting to do.
Frankly the CSR was snotty, rude and arrogant and said what I wanted to do was not possible (despite me pointing out I'd done it twice previously which was demonstrated by my FC account history). After several minutes of getting nowhere (and him refusing to check with anybody) I gave up. Great start.
After having checked on this site, and grabbing the T&Cs off the VS website, I rang back up and thankfully got someone who was a)polite and b)knew what they were talking about, and a few minutes later was all ticketed (I believe my fare came in just below £900+60k miles). To make this a bit sweeter nearly all of my fare was paid for by poker winnings from late 2009
Some months later I logged on to the booking to find it had been changed from a 747 to an A340-600. And naturally my seat res had changed. Fine, moved it back.
More weeks later, it changed again to an A340-300, and again ditched my seat res - annoying.
Managed to pre-pay for an exit row seat for OH due to the new policy from VS (that of course I read on here rather than the VS website)
The trip down, aka "don't use Hoppa buses"
We'd booked a night at the Travelodge Central Heathrow for the bargain price of £29, the idea being we'd get the coach down the night before from Southampton.
Hotel was OK for the money - clean, cheap, nothing more to say really.
The Hoppa bus 'service' to/from hotel was a pain - no signage to it in LHR so walked around for ages trying to find it.
Found the stops (no indication of which Hoppa stopped at which one), went to use the machine to buy a ticket with my card. Machine wasn't working.
Went to next one - tried 3 card, all gave error messages.
Knowing I'd need cash to buy one on board, went to cash machine (which only gave out £20s).
Bus turns up - driver refuses to take us as she hasn't got change. I point out I would've bought one at the machines were they working.
After a few minutes she agrees to take us and she'll get change en-route. I then find out that the tickets are cheaper on board anyway. Grr.
Got up early the next morning and Hoppa'd back to LHR.
Checkin - aka "I've no concept of customer service, manners or basic courtesy"
We arrived at the VS area at about 545 - admittedly this is early but we both get a bit stressy when travelling and get more relaxed when we're checked in (also wanted to make the most of the CH).
I'd checked in online the day before but sadly only got SEQ5
We stood in front of the UC desks (two agents on, no other UC pax near us).
I was aware checkin opened at 6 so expected to stand around for a bit (plus every time I've been at LHR before they're never opened on time anyway).
So we stood..and stood.. two checkin staff clocked us a few times and sat there talking amongst themselves.
Y and PE start to get served (around 0555).
UC agents clock us again - I make eye contact. Nothing.
Finally one of the agents calls out "are you waiting to check in?"
This wound me up a treat given we were stood there with passports and etickets in hand, suitcases etc. Really bad start.
He was very blunt, rude, didn't listen and kept interrupting.
E.g. I said to him "I checked in online but.."
only for him to cut in and go "did you print a boarding pass?" really gruffly.
I then started to say "we've pre-paid for an exit row for OH, could you put her in 50k", only for him to interrupt yet again and go "I've put you in 50c" and thrust a boarding pass at us.
Rude, terrible service regardless of what class he's checking in.
If I'd have paid ££££ for my ticket I'd have been furious, especially if it had been my first time travelling with VS.
No apology for making us wait, just a crappy attitude.
Clubhouse, aka "why can't everything VS does be this good?"
You can probably tell by now I wasn't amused. Thankfully the CH was just as good as we'd remembered. For me it embodies what the Virgin brand is/should be all about - modern, friendly, professional, fun. We had breakfast (both vegan so there wasn't a lot of choice), played some pool (badly), OH had a haircut and we both had a steam shower. Have to say I love the steam showers there - really sets you up nicely for a long flight.
All the staff were very helpful and courteous - the perfect mix of being attentive without being 'in your face'. Fantastic team.
The flight, aka "why not to drink vodka on an empty stomach at 38k feet"
Boarding was fine, offered OJ/champagne, took OJ (I don't drink). Asked for a medium sleepsuit, sat and read. And sat..
We were delayed about 1.5hours due to fog - the CC turned on the IFE but being Odyssey this wasn't worth much
Fell asleep for a bit, eventually we pushed back.
Lunch - being vegan I always pre-book vegan meals. Historically (regardless of airline) they're always dire and I make sure I take on my own food just in case.
Today's wasn't too bad in fairness - a reasonable salad to start, and some sort of ratatouille-thing, with a fruit salad to follow. Not great but not the worst.
Being a non-drinking vegan unfortunately I miss out on some of the perks of flying UC!
After lunch I popped back to Y cabin to see OH - she'd been having a good chat with the pax next to her and was fine, so I went back to UC.
Changed into my 'medium' sleepsuit which turned out to be shrunk/more like a small (I'm a 32" waist). Chilled out for an hour reading.
The FSM then comes over to my seat - "are you Mr K-? sorry to bother you but your girlfriend's really ill.."
My immediate reaction was of panic - not just because she was ill but also as we were in a plane.
Anyway it transpires that OH had decided to accept a few vodkas from the person next to her and it had suddenly hit her.
'Embarrassed' is somewhat of an understatement when I appeared in a crowded Y cabin, wearing overly-tight sleepsuit bottoms, trying to extract some sense from OH who at this point had locked herself in one of the Y WCs whilst she vomitted.
Thankfully the FSM and CC were really good about it. OH was very apologetic (in the way only a drunk person can be - e.g. "I'm shhoo sshoorry"). They pointed out she'd need to move from the exit row for landing.
After said drama, I retreated back to the UC cabin for some sleep. I found the suite in the A340-300 noticeably smaller than in the 747 and wasn't comfortable to sleep how I normally do (lying on front with my hands under my head) but got some sleep.
IFE was, being Odyssey, pretty lame. Tried watching a film or two but couldn't get into it.
It's interesting what a difference a bad/good IFE can make to the flight experience and perception of the airline.
It does annoy me how much of an issue (in)consistency is to VS.
Anyway, flight went quite quickly. The CC in UC were, well, just average. No sense of an urge to give great service or being in a premium cabin. Pretty bland really and again, if I'd paid ££££s for the ticket I'd have been even more disappointed.
As we got into the gate at SFO there was a small procession of cops/military to greet us (the plane that is, not myself and OH!). The entire cabin was watching this until it transpired they were here as a lady onboard was bringing back her deceased husband (I'm assuming he was ex-military).
Met OH once she'd disembarked - wasn't looking too pleased with herself!
Immigration wasn't too bad - in fact this was the first time I've had someone who was friendly and actually smiled! Possibly they've been having training recently but it was noticeably better (seemed to be the same at the nearby agents as well) which is encouraging.
Summary (aka "pretty lame"(
In summary, I just didn't feel (aside from the CH) there was anything 'Upper Class' about this trip. The suite itself was marked and chipped, the IFE rubbish, check-in dire, and the cabin crew lackadaisical.
Frankly I feel VS has lost it's 'edge' - I used to be really passionate about them, and indeed the Virgin brand in general. However after this flight I get the impression most of the staff couldn't care less, despite the economic climate and surely an increasing need to keep their passengers happy.
It's a real shame because having experienced VS on a 'good day' I know how great they can be and how valued and special they can make you feel as a passenger.
I'm not (and probably won't be for some time) a passenger that makes them a load of money, but I expect (whether in UC, PE or Y) a certain level of politeness, courtesy and service. Something which this flight didn't deliver at all.
I'll post up the return flight soon.
Thanks for reading
even though it wasn't all a positive experience for you.
If anyone's experience sets off in such a negative way, then irrepective of Class travelled, VS face an uphill struggle retaining that custom.
