This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
MMB finally opened about 3 hours before OLCI so we bagged 20 H and K, then had a thought about screens after a question, changed this to 24 H and K as we didn't want a screen on an arm. Wanted the right side so we could see our town if we flew the usual route - more later !
3 hours later OLCI opened and we checked in (seq 1 !) and confirmed the seats. It also confirmed a refurb - woo hoo.
In the car and up from the West Country to LGW dropped the car with the valet company and onwards to the terminal for Twighlight check in. Must admit, the entrance looks a lot like a Virgin only terminal, the screens that change as you move past them are very clever. Good advertising from VH.
Got to a very quiet check in, and greeted by an agent, we were the only people there ! Agent was very process driven, no real interaction and to be honest looked pretty fed up to be there. I did ask about the plane and all she would confirm was the last 2 letters of the reg - OS, just what we wanted to here ! Only 2 days out of refurb
seats confirmed, cases dropped and off we went in search of the Hilton.Saw some reports about the Hilton being through a car park, we didn't find it as much, and thought the transfer couldn't be any easier and better planned. Quick check in at the Hilton thank to Hilton Honours and off to a room in the executive wing. Room was nice, bed hard ! Took full advantage of the 6-9 happy hour(s) and departed to the room looking forward to both our first CH visit (paid) and a newly refurbished English Rose.
Showered and refreshed, we headed off to departures with just boarding passes and hand luggage expecting a scrum at security. Pleasant surprise, we were through in less than 5 mins, and now about 45 minutes before our "official" check in time. Quick scoot through Duty Free and we headed of to the CH.
The staff were great, no issues being early, very polite and cheerful and a real credit. Tour of the CH done, we booked treatments and sat down with a drink and deliberated on breakfast. I went for the full English, OH had eggs florentine. Both good, although I thought the Full English was a little bit on the small side. Breakfast complete, we headed for a treatment each. I had a shave which was very good and mrs FC had a massage, which was recommended. Couple of drinks later, we were off to board.
Down to the gate (21) so a good stroll, passed the 43 to Vegas that was still boarding and arrived at the gate, priority boarding in operation, although some people ignored this and used the priority lane anyway and were not pulled up pay VS staff. Seems a bit pointless anyway as you end up in a long queue on the air bridge !
On we go, boarding for upstairs, the CC looked confused and didn't Really know where we were, I advised her. Plane was already nearly full as the call from the CH was a bit later than normal as there was a lot of congestion at the gate so we loaded and upstairs ec was nearly full already. As I said, ec felt a bit cramped but the front was good, nice welcome from the CC and a glass of cold fizzy.
Loading was nearly complete and 5 mins later, doors closed and we were pushing back, felt hot in the plane so not sure the GPU was up to the task.
FSM introduced herself and couldn't get through her announcement for giggling - not a great start. Captain took over and was very informative, turns out we had an ex cc flying the plane. Loaded with 415 and 15 crew we pushed back for a quick taxi and a lovely smooth departure.
Drinks ensued with menus being distributed and all was looking good. Great selection of films and the new IFE was intuitive. Only drawback is the response was a little slow. Nice touch that you can watch the film on the screen and still have sky map on the handset, slightly strange route out as we went over the channel early and over the Brest peninsula so we missed home
About an hour and a half in, food service begins, no lasagne left for mrs FC so she had the chicken the same as me, not a mushroom in sight
. Food was good for airline food and we both enjoyed it. Drinks round ensued and we were happy and engrossed in the IFE to pass the next 8 hours. This is where the minor problems started, no more drinks rounds after lunch and we barely saw the crew. We has ice cream a couple of hours in but even then they told me as I was last to choose there was none left! Fortunately, a CC member from downstairs magicked up a pot for me. The original crew member advised that they don't stock 100% and most pax are asleep by then ! We had 1 run of water after this and we're left to our own devices.
I wandered to the galley to ask for a drink and to be honest was looked at like I was on the bottom of a shoe - if you get my drift.
Around an hour and half before landing, the cheese and onion sandwiches appeared, they were good but in my opinion this is not sufficient on a 10 hour flight, we both got of the plane hungry.
About an hour out we got the landing call and there was a mad dash for the toilet, I took the time to load my bags stowed in the wardrobe at the back to ensure we had nothing in the overhead (24 is an emergency stowage so nothing allowed in there) to ensure a swift departure.
Wheels down and taxied to the gate around 45 minutes early. Soon as the seatbelt signs were off, I headed through the cabin and got the bags from the wardrobe. I was first there and headed straight down the stairs. As luck would have it, there was a slight delay with the bridge and we ended up first in line for exit from the plane.
Got off the plane and went to the end of the bridget to greeted by a man asking to see our forms, we only had 1 and we needed 2. He went back to the plane to be told that the crew didn't have enough so had distributed the ones they had and everyone else missed out. Great so we are now at the gate filling form out as the crew didn't provide them. Don't get me wrong I'm far from a snob, but surely if you have a limited number of forms, you distribute them to upper first, then PE, then ec. You look after the big fares first....
Cleared customs, bags off quick so we were out the airport double quick to the VH rep and in to our private transfer.
To sum up, great plane, disorganised crew and the food option was not in my opinion sufficient for a 10 hour flight. VH provided a much better service on arrival than VS did In the air. Maybe cross training could work ?
Congratulations for getting to the end ! Please feel free to ask any questions.
FC
) it is of little or no value if the Crew don't match the new polished surroundings 
Given that you are paying that extra, you should expect not to be told we have run out of food / forms etc and to be ignored at the Galley 
