This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Made it through to the A zone and straight over to the UC desks and waited as the desks were all busy. There was a VS employee who was managing the line who did ask me if I was flying Upper that day. I said I was... I was swiftly dealt with, handed a replacement boarding card and was asked if I knew my way to the Lounge. Of course I do!
Swiftly through security with my bag being swabbed just before I left the security area. Wandered through the shops, making a phone call home and then up in the lift to the CH.
There were two greeters on duty, both busy with flyers who had queries. The person directly in front of me was obviously on SQ metal for an onward flight because they were told to either go to the SQ lounge or Revivals (but in a very tactful and helpful way of course). Very cheerily greeted by the male greeter as soon as he was free and waved through.
Headed straight to the Spa, booked a facial for about forty five minutes time but was told they could do later for me if I wished. I took the earlier time. Given my issues with eggs at the moment, I headed straight to the Deli counter and got myself a large bowl of fruit. I then found a lovely seat behind the bar overlooking the apron. A waitress asked me what I would like. This is the result...
I watched the planes start to head out. And saw this rather dented AA plane leave..
.
And then listened to one side of someone’s very loud mobile phone conversation – which kind of annoyed me as I really, really didn’t want to know what he was saying. Had a nice conversation with an employee who was greeting people throughout the lounge. It was soon time for my facial and when I came back, my seat had been taken but no matter... The CH seemed to get quite busy all of a sudden, indeed the Spa were now putting people on wait lists. The restaurant was full.
I headed over to the breakfast bar near to the Deli and grabbed a seat by one of the laptops. I then had a second helping of breakfast.
I had been told on entry to the lounge that we'd be called about 10.25 for the flight. When I'd finished brekkie part two, I headed over to the information board to find out which gate the flight was leaving from (gate 17). The gate had obviously just opened (10 am) so I gathered up my stuff and headed off to the gate, just went at a leisurely pace. No wait to get through into the gate lounge and saw Maiden Tokyo hooked up to two jetties.
Grabbed a magazine off the rack while I waiting. Very soon an agent went down to the plane and opened up both doors and announced pre boarding and the arrangement for the doors. A was for UC only and B was for everyone else including AU and Premium Economy. The agent beckoned me forward and I headed down the short jetty leading to UC. The FSM greeted me and told me where to go. Sat myself down and started to arrange my bits and bobs and look at my phone which had decided to freeze and then shut itself down. A FA came up and said ‘let me guess… Champagne’ and I smiled back. This set the tone for the entire flight. All the FA’s were cheerful, friendly and great at their jobs. One even helped me get the back of my phone off to get the battery out. It was a while before anyone else came into the cabin but it soon filled up once they started arriving. Seat area was clean but a little chipped around the edges but understandable given the age of the plane. First time I’d experienced the double jetty makes you seem even more in your own little part of the sky.
194 passengers & 14 crew later, we were taxiing off to 27R (iirc) and were soon taking off with a projected flying time of seven hours and thirty minutes. They started to play the safety demonstration soon after push back and then stopped it. They then claimed a problem with the safety video and did a manual demonstration instead – I’m wondering whether this was a surprise test for the crew…(Video seemed fine to me).
Orders for the first drink round weren’t taken until after the crew were released from their seat which happened fairly shortly after take-off. The CSM made her way down the K side giving out menus and taking orders for drinks where I was sat and it was quite obvious that she was checking seat numbers. She welcomed me back (not by name) but it was unexpected. (Although for the first time on a G, the checkin agent made sure to inform me that she had attached my FF number to the booking – it was indeed on the boarding card issued).
Usual pre meal drink with crisps arrived.
The IFE was switched on and then orders for lunch were taken.
The amuse bouche of a cream cheese combination arrived. Very tasty it was too!
Then the beetroot cured salmon for appetiser.
Followed by the very, very, very delicious Pea and Mint Tortellini.
Chose the Chenin Blanc to drink.
Then the Cheese Trolley came around – not sure about what I thought about it – a bit unnecessary but does ensure you do get some nice interaction with the crew at a busy time for them.
Of course a small glass of Port to accompany the cheese.
The crew were fantastic throughout the flight but they really excelled at the meal time. One of the other seats had a problem with the table, i.e. it didn’t work but they were very pro-active and made up one of the few spare seats so that the passenger could move across to that seat. The FSM helping with this – indeed he was obvious throughout the flight.
I didn’t watch the IFE – nothing I wanted to watch available and it was the inflexible Odyssey system. Just had the sky map on. I asked one of the FA’s if it was all right to go for a walk down the back of the plane to help settle my food after the meal and she gave me permission. I was very glad to get back to the little cocoon of UC!
I settled back into my seat. reclined it, wrapped the quilt around me and snoozed and read and snoozed for the rest of the flight until Afternoon Tea arrived.
My initial thoughts that the crew were running behind with the making up of these as one of them kept arriving with them as the trolley made its way through the cabin. Apparently though this is normal procedure. Thanks to Virginboy747 for explaining this! Contents were great though. The FA that served me agreed with me that the stand appeared to be a bit of a faff…
Rest of the trip passed very smoothly and as usual IFE was turned off about forty minutes from touch down. We taxied straight to the stand and passed an AF airbus 380 on stand and I thought ugh –ugh.
One of my neighbours on the flight was a newbie to IAD and I advised her to stand with me near the front of the moonbuggy. We slipped into the little corridor behind the driver and watched as he moved everyone down the buggy. Felt like ages for it to fill up.
On disembarkation I swiftly walked down the stairs into the immigration hall and stopped short. It was … totally … empty. I went straight down to the entrance, found a yellow line to wait behind and was called to a citizen only line. I kind of said ‘who me’ and he laughed. Had a lovely conversation with the man and was straight through. Even beat the luggage to the belt!!!!
Took a few minutes for my bag to arrive – arrived with a lot of PE bags and I noted it didn’t have a UC tag on (more of this later). There was a little line for customs and got yelled at by the customs lady – she beckoned me forward, then some other crew arrived and she yelled at me to go back. She took my form, and then waved me out.
Val-gal, my friend had only just arrived as I got out of the luggage hall- quite simply my smoothest arrival ever into IAD.
Sorry for the length! Superb flight on so many levels.
(edited to amend TR to include Virginboy's explanation of cake stand procedure!)
Last edited by Mandy Hall on 26 Oct 2012, 17:13, edited 1 time in total.
An excellent summary of what seemed to be a super flight, thanks for posting 
