VS023 LHR-LAX 25 MAY 12 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

These G tickets were booked almost a year ago using my husbands airmiles. We've been excited about this trip ever since, our first UC experience, so it had a lot to live up to!

We decided to spend the extra and book DTCI. This was really enjoyable and just made the whole thing complete. Greeted at the door, cases taken to be checked in, through security and off to the holy grail of the Clubhouse.

We were given a very friendly welcome and a brief explanation of the facilities. First stop was to book treatments. This was at 11am and we were able to book 2 treatments each for 1pm. Myself a foot maintenance and signature blow dry, husband a facial maintenance and a massage. We spent the time having a drink (cocktails, champagne), bites to eat (hubby had the lamb koftas and very much enjoyed them while I snacked at the deli bar) and just generally milling about. I'm a very nervous flyer, particularly with long haul flights and hanging about airport departures is never a good experience for me. But this was so enjoyable, it didn't even feel like being in an airport.

Our flight was called and we headed to the gate. No queue for any class on this flight so straight on. On settling down we were offered champagne then departure was pretty much on time. After take off drinks and crisps were offered while the FSM came round with menus and introduced herself. The CC member who was looking after us quickly followed and took food orders, asked if we would like to dine together and set up the table for us. I had asked for the tortellini main course but she came back and asked if I was vegetarian as they didn't have enough of this to go round - if I could make another choice she would give me a bottle of wine as an apology. Well since I was actually deciding between the tortellini and red thai chicken curry this wasn't a problem for me! She was very apologetic and I wasn't at all bothered about having to change. Having ate well in the CH I didn't bother with starter but hubby had prawn cocktail and said it was nice. We both had the chicken curry for main, which, for airline food, I found reasonably enjoyable. Neither of us felt like dessert so skipped that too. Then came the cheese trolley, something I know is disliked by some people on this forum. I can't honestly say I thought it was a problem. We had particularly nice and friendly crew on this flight so it was a good chance for some interaction. It also doesn't take that long to serve so I didn't think it was that much of an inconvenience if you wanted to move about. After dinner we settled down to relax, read, watch, sleep, whatever. The bar seemed occupied pretty much the whole flight, which was a slight disappointment to my husband as he wanted to use it so he can say he's "done it". Hopefully some opportunity on the return flight though. Despite it being occupied I didn't notice any noise disturbance. Later came the afternoon tea and again we ate together. I'm sure, like the cheese trolley, some may find this a bit gimmicky, and yes I suppose it is, but I liked it I didn't order anything from the Graze menu but saw a few burgers going past and they looked nice.

I had my bed down for about half the flight and dozed off for about an hour. I found it comfortable and looking forward to getting the best benefit of it in the return flight next week.

My absolute highlight of this flight (the whole day rather) was the staff and crew. Everyone was friendly, welcoming and couldn't be more helpful. Our CC member was a star and was happy to spend time chatting to us. In fact we bumped into her a few days later in Santa Monica and was just as friendly. I watched all the other crew serving other areas and they were all fantastic, nothing was too much trouble. This UC experience definitely lived up to our expectations.

Currently in Vegas and heading back on the VS024 next Thursday, if our crew are even half as nice as the outbound ones, I'll be happy

Oh, if someone can explain how to attach pictures, I will add a few, thanks

Hopefully pictures added now...

cocktail
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cocktails!
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lamb koftas
lamb koftas.jpg (98.41 KiB) Viewed 1785 times

table setting
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prawn cocktail starter
prawn cocktail starter.jpg (87.07 KiB) Viewed 1785 times

2 x chicken curry
2 x chicken curry.jpg (82.34 KiB) Viewed 1785 times

cheese trolley
cheese trolley.jpg (81.83 KiB) Viewed 1785 times

fabulous view
fabulous view.jpg (77.27 KiB) Viewed 1785 times

[buns]

Thanks for an excellent TR which obviously has come from the heart

Your enthusiasm seeps through every sentence and it is so good when a Reward flight using miles scores on every level. Being a nervous flyer, the Clubhouse was an ideal place to relax and clearly you had a good crew, which must also have helped

Hope you are enjoying a very hot Vegas - and you never know you might be lucky and never have to travel economy again

buns

[honey lamb]

Lovely TR. Thanks

To upload photos click on Post New Reply (or in this instance Edit) and scroll down to below the dialogue box. Click on the Upload attachment tab and away you go When each photo has been uploaded there is a Place in line option which allows you to place the photo wherever you want in the report. Off you go now - we're waiting

thanks for the TR were flying out of LHR in August to Chicago and looking to upgrade to UC,how do you book the DTCI

[honey lamb]

thanks for the TR were flying out of LHR in August to Chicago and looking to upgrade to UC,how do you book the DTCI

You call Virgin Atlantic

thanks for the TR were flying out of LHR in August to Chicago and looking to upgrade to UC,how do you book the DTCI

Information is here..

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/th ... style.html

including on how to book a DTCI slot for a non VS booked car.

Thanks for the great trip report - we go on the vs023 on the 3rd July

Sharon

Many thanks Fiona for a lovely trip report.

You have got me chomping at the bit as we are doing the very same thing in Ocober. It had taken us 10 years to build up the miles each for a G reward so its all rather special to us 1st timers. Looking forward to your return trip report. linda

Thank you very much, we fly this route (albeit on the earlier flight) in a few days.

I think that a flight is made or broken by the crew: hope that we are similarly lucky

Thanks for the TR. I will be on this flight on the 11th June. Getting exciting now as I will also be in LV and SF too. I'm seeing Vegas is hitting 39C today

Glad you all enjoyed my first TR thanks also for the instructions on adding pictures but the option to choose the files seems to be greyed out I'm using the iPad so you may just all have to wait until I get home

Meant to say, we travelled on Bubbles. My first time on this type of aircraft, my previous long haul flights all being 747s. I couldn't believe how quiet the engines were on take off, hubby and I looked at each other thinking the same thing, are they actually on lol very smooth flight, hardly felt like being on an aircraft.

Yep Vegas is mega hot, having to give up pool activities at about 2pm, so hot even in the shade. Never mind though, my yard stick cocktail more than making up for that