VS030 BGI-LGW 14 JUL 11 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

How can 7 days pass by so quicly? It seemed to me that we’d only been in Barbados a few days, but sadly and inevitably, it was the full week and time to return home.

Really, I’m becoming adicted to that beautiful island, and I’ve already booked to return for xmas - and for 10 days this time!.

Anyway, for many reasons of a personal nature that I won’t go into here, this holiday to Barbados was a special one and chance for us all to relax and have a great time - and that we did.

But then, it was time to get ourselves to BGI and make the journey home.

Determined not to have to rush and sour the end of the holiday, our taxi arrived promptly at 13:45, and we were at Grantly Adams soon after 14:00 - a bit early, you might think, for a 16:40 take off.

Well, as I had booked in PE, and to finish our holiday in style, I rather inocently asked whether any upgrades were available for cash or miles.

Now, this produced some good news, and some bad. The good news “Yes, sir, there is availability in UC and we can arrange that for you”. The bad news, it took 1 hour and 35 minutes to sort out

After an incredibly long wait for the miles to get sorted out, plus paying a small amount (it took them 20 minutes between taking my Amex card and bringing the slip back for a signature), then a further 15 minutes to produce the boarding cards - we were on our way.

Security (by this time) was deserted, and we rocked up at the gate at almost exactly the first announcement for priority boarding.

With mini Concorde proudly announcing to anyone in earshot that “we’re going upper class you know” and embarrassing the hell out of me, we walked out on to the baking tarmack to take the long ladder in to the cool interior of Viginia Plain, and turn left

Now, it’s a funny thing, but one thing I love about BGI is that there is no jet bridge and you need to use (old fassioned) metal steps. There is something undefinably “real” about climbing up all those steps to a little doorway on the side of this huge aircraft, with the wine of the jets making it impossible to talk to each other and the smell of burnt kerosine all pervading. I’m an unashamed aviation fanatic, and the presnce of that hulking great metal bird still amazes me - I konw the physics and fluid dynamics, but how the heck does that get off the ground.
Walking down anonymous jet bridges on to an aircraft without really seeing it, being protected from the burning sun and noise just doesn’t seem so adventurous some how...

Err, where was I - my mind is wandering again, must be age.....greeted very warmly and ushered to the left (did I mention we turned left?).

Firmly ensconced and made to feel comfortable, drinks provided and all duty free orders and meal requests placed etc.

A couple of glasses of bubbly later, it was time to prepare the cabin for take off.

Short taxi and smooth take off followed by next glass of bubbly plus all the usual announcements. I don’t remember the number of PAX on board, but I had the impression that Y was half empty, and PE/UC nearly full.

To be honest, the crew were all excellent without being outstanding, the service similar and nothing dramatic happened that is worth reporting here.

I have to say though, that I had one of my best sleeps ever on a plane.

After dinner of sweet/sour chicken salad, mahi-mahi and some cheese biscuits, accompanied by several (it wasn’t as many as 4 was it) large glasses of an excellent french white, I made myself comfortable and lay down to relax.

Next thing I know, I awake to the smell of coffee and sounds of breakfast being served - a good 4 to 4.5 hours sleep.

I didn’t feel like much to eat, but had a bacon roll plus pastry anyway! I was more focused on the coffee, as my body refuses to accept that it isn’t asleep anymore until at least 2 mugs of black coffee have been supplied.

And really, once breakfast finished, changed back to civies, packed the sleepsuit plus odds and ends, we were on approach to LGW.

Off very quickly, long walk to imigration, no queue, bags out V quickly, and in our taxi and on the motorway within 20 minutes of having left our seats.

An unremarkable flight, but no less enjoyable for that. The crew were perhaps better than I’ve indicated here, but without doing anything specific - just generally friendly, helpful and very efficient.

Altogether, a terrific flight, and an upgrade well worth the outlay of miles and a very little cash.

On a final note, whilst everything was functional in our suites on G-VTOP, I must report, as others have done before, that it could probably have been cleaned a little more thoroughly...now I know what the hot towels are for

Definite positive for Virgin for this flight.....oh yes, and having used only the A346 in UC before, is it just me, or are the suites fractionally wider?

Hope you enjoyed the read

Great achievement.

I totally agree about using steps.

Yes, the suites are wider.

Andyes, now you do know what hot towels are for .

Love the TR, thank you.

With mini Concorde proudly announcing to anyone in earshot that “we’re going upper class you know” and embarrassing the hell out of me, we walked out on to the baking tarmack to take the long ladder in to the cool interior of Viginia Plain, and turn left

Sounds like mini concorde is a natural for the UC cabin !

Thanks for the trip report, I'm in total agreement, Barbados is a complete gem. Your report has put me in the holiday mood, even though I've got 33 days til wheels up for my annual trip to Barbados....Ohhh can't wait

Great TR

Thanks for the TR - great deal - well worth the wait

Thank you for the great TR.

Great TR, as someone who frequently flies out of both ANU and BGI, I have to agree about the metal steps,in fact it's one of those things I love doing most in life, that walk out as the sunshine descends in the caribbean, and then (hopefully) turning left for 7 hours of UC treatment