This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
This trip is the return leg of my weekend in London to attend a friends wedding and it was a reward flight that I booked only a week earlier. I had received an email inviting me to take part in the upper class check in trial so I was quite excited and looking forward to the experience.
I was required to estimate time of arrival and provide car details for security purposes, so after an unbelievably quick drive through central London I arrive at Heathrow T3 and veered left just before you hit the main drop off area and the car stops in front of a barrier where a camera reads the car number plates and opens the barrier then we move say 10 meters forward and wait a bit before a bollard now drops. Then the magic happens, as we pull into the entrance a check in staff is waiting to open my door and welcome me by name and whilst she confirms my passport against the ticket/flight details two other chaps are tagging my suitcases and taking them away so all in all, from stepping out of the car to security check literally took 3 minutes! - to say I was impressed would be an understatement!
After passport control and the mandatory bit of shopping in duty free, I found my way to the hallowed confines of the CH and the fun began. I headed straight for the dining area where I promptly ordered my first of many many glasses of *champagne. The CH wasn’t particularly busy so service was prompt and attentive, I ordered the ham and had the crumble for desert. I always enjoy making my own salad so I headed to the deli bar to “construct” one. All of this was washed down with more champagne. I ‘retired’ in front of the big screen where I had more champagne and tried to follow the football and the uprising in Egypt
The flight was called at just after 9pm and I made my way over to the plane which was (I think) an A340??? Plane was presentable and could have been cleaner (found a used chewing gum wrapper behind the TV) the stewards were welcoming (although not by name and I do have Au status) but I wasn’t really bothered as I ordered another glass of champagne which was waiting for me after I changed into the sleep wear. I ordered breakfast and another glass of champagne for after take off. Once I finished my drink, I converted the seat myself and went straight to SLEEP!
I was woken up not too long before landing, I freshened up and breakfast was waiting for me. The English breakfast was okay except for the rock hard toast (positive that if I threw it, it would cause some damage) the remainder of the flight was just getting ready and before I knew it, the plane was taxing into the stand and I was the 3rd person off.
To summarise, the experience was excellent and renewed my faith in the Virgin brand so a big thumbs up
*oh and I really love champagne – even the cheap ones VA serves
Rgds - Yomski
