This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Last day of my holiday countdown, it is almost time to go
All I need now is 4.00pm on my office clock to show.
Coffee cup washed up, drawers locked; I think I am done
I am off to Orlando for a week to see my mate in the sun!
I am all packed, I am ready to go and work has been sorted
I phone home as well and no dramas are reported.
I head to my car and to Gatwick Airport I drive
Pleased that in about 45 minutes I should arrive.
I arrive at Gatwick South, over an hour early it seems
For my booking with one of the Meet and Greet teams.
A short phone call to say: “Sorry, I have been too quick”
“No worries at all.” They say. ”We’ll be there in a tick”.
Meet and Greet arrive within minutes and are happy and smart
Helped pull my cases from the boot and fetched a luggage cart.
He eyed my three suitcases and offered me a hand
He said, “How will you manage, especially when you land?”
“No problem” said I “For I am flying out to the States
And when I land, I will be met by two of my best mates!
Surprise for my best friend, her birthday as well as Thanksgiving
In Orlando, for five years the Hage family have been living!”
“Well, have a great time!” he said as he scribbled on his clipboard
“Just sign here, and you’ll be on your way!” and took the key to my Ford.
“Do you need help with the trolley? Need a hand with the departure route?”
“No thanks, I am good!” and away he drove with a toot ... toot ... toot!
Originally booked in Economy, I purchased an upgrade in July
I wanted a little extra on my flight so was quite happy to buy.
So Premium Economy was my choice and look forward to it I did
I was surprised that I got this for only an extra four hundred quid!
Before long my VS air miles begged and begged to be spent
Of course, I had to listen ... just to end their pitiful torment!
I telephoned through to CS to see if anything could be done
After putting the phone down, I felt like the lottery I had won!
I told the Boyfriend, the mother, the cat asleep on my knee
I did a little dance, clapped my hands and grinned with glee!
It may sound so silly but as I sat there, my excitement arose
For the first time in my life, I would travel up front in the UC nose.
V-Flyer, without you, the help and your experiences of having flown
To convert Tesco Clubcard points, this I never would have known.
And by simply using my air miles, I would fly UC at a good price
So I simply say thank you, for your knowledge and helpful advice.
Over to Twilight Check-In I head to get rid of my cases
Filled to the brim with gifts, tea bags and strawberry laces.
Find a queue with a few bored looking teenagers in tow
A school trip it would seem but too not much of a blow.
I was called up to the check in desk; the clerk was looking rotten
A “Welcome “or “Hello” seemed to have been forgotten.
Not the friendliest of people, she had a lemon-sucking demeanour
Although to be fair really, he could hardly have looked greener!
Finally a weak smile as she processed me through
My tatty old passport and a purple boarding pass – thank you!
Documents are all in order and the belt has taken my bags
Oh how I wish they were adorned by V-Flyer luggage tags.
I would recommend TWI if you don’t need your gear overnight
Or if OLCI would not work for you and you need to explain your plight.
The whole process took twenty minutes from the start of the queue
The school party made it slightly busier or I would have gone straight through.
I deposited my trolley in the rack out of the way
And through the car park to the Hilton for my overnight stay.
£42 for one night; to me this was an absolute winner
I just need somewhere to sleep and something to eat for dinner.
Although the Check In queue was short; just the one person before me
I had to wait for at least twenty minutes before being seen you see.
All the HHilton customers were served first despite their own queues
And took pleasure in announcing their holiday plans or their cruise.
After checking in, I heard a crowd of men just off to my right
I glanced over my shoulder and gee whiz, oh what a sight!
Feet up on the table sat a true Scotsman; he had a green kilt on
He was "airing" himself in the lounge bar at the Gatwick Hilton!
A wedding? A gathering? A meeting? A huddle? A scrum?
I have absolutely no idea; all I saw was his bum!
Best not take any pictures; the image is etched on my brain
If Boyfriend found my camera, that could be hard to explain.
Frapuccino from Costa Coffee in my possession, upstairs I went
Snacks, a bath, some peace and quiet – my time is well spent.
I repack my hand luggage given that that is my way
And snuggle up in a huge bed at the end of a very long day.
The early alarm call went off at a quarter to seven
Perfect for my departure time of quarter past eleven.
I drag myself out of bed and into the shower
I wanted to be out of the hotel in half an hour.
If you need to be by the terminal, this hotel is a 5-minute walk
Spaces to sit in evening for dinner and drinks, to socialise and talk.
The staff are professional but cool and the restaurants are not cheap
The rooms can be on the hot side but with air con, I managed to sleep.
Back through the covered car park, I avoid all the rain
And straight through to Security, here the queues are a pain.
It is clearly a popular day for everyone to come to Gatwick
I am lucky to have fast track tickets, so the premium lane I pick.
I made it just in time, as there was absolutely no one about
I was quite early so it would usually be busy, I have no doubt.
Before long, a large family group joined and then another
A very laid-back father and a very stressed out looking mother.
The staff were friendly and there was some pleasant holiday chat
Where was I going, who with, what for and about this and that.
However, it always amazes me every single time that I travel
How when confronted with security, some folks start to unravel.
They nervously take off their shoes and unzip their coat
Remove their watch from their wrist, necklace from their throat.
Slowly unpack their laptops; find somewhere to dump their juice
All while their shoeless little darlings are running wild and loose.
Honestly, I am mild mannered and never try to cause a fuss
Unlike the man behind me who began to gesture and cuss.
Yes sir, it is annoying but it might be their first trip
And security are now on you so out of the line you skip.
And now it is my turn to go through, I hear a familiar "ting"
I think I set off the scanners every time I pass through the thing.
Apparently, this time it is random but I have nothing to hide
And now my wheelie bag is being pushed to one side.
The contents of my bag are emptied and spread out on the table
The little wand sweeps over my laptop, my puzzle book and my iPod cable.
The lining is carefully checked and the agent is very, very slow
I want to say, "I have a ClubHouse to get to, just so you know"!
After the swab is run through the machine, he come back with a grin
"All is well; thank you for your patience, your journey can now begin".
As I repack my bag, I ask why my bag was given a pull
The reply: "We always check a bag when they are less than a quarter full"!
This did confuse me, as my bag was so full I could hardly shut it
Everything was neatly squirreled away, but nothing now seemed to fit!
After raising an eyebrow at my Chelsea luggage tag, he thanked me for my time
I finished packing my bag very happy I had not committed a crime!
Eventually through Security, I made my way to the get some supplies
The ClubHouse was calling but I needed a couple of things for when in the skies.
I was hoping to guest in ScubaRoo so wanted to get to the ClubHouse at eight
To grab breakfast and a drink, read my Kindle and wait for my gate.
A quick stop in WHSmiths for my Dr Pepper and gum
I pick up a puzzle book and a birthday card for my Mum.
A quick poke around the shop but I see nothing else I need
I just pay for my goodies, my drink and something to read.
I approach the ClubHouse doors and I have not been mislead
“Welcome to Gatwick Virgin ClubHouse” I hear being said.
“As it’s your first time, I’ll show you around so you don’t get lost
You can order a breakfast or book a treatment at no extra cost.
I am shown to the treatment rooms; encouraged to reserve a time
Ooh the bar; too early for an Absolute Redhead with extra lime?
There are comfortable chairs to relax in and desks if you have to work
WiFi is free and seems to be stable if on V Flyer you want to lurk.
Full English breakfast is served and there is plenty to eat
With a couple of refills of hot tea, it slips down a treat.
I settle down with my puzzle book and my iPod on low
I glance out of the window and watch the planes come and go.
The staff are attentive without being in the way
I am very tempted to move in and permanently stay.
The WiFi behaves itself and although slow, it is stable
And at least I did not have to move too far from my table
There was only one flaw and that was a little boy running amok
Shrieking excitedly, he darted about the room; a little loud for before nine o’clock
Please do not get me wrong, I love kids, I absolutely do
But I firmly believe your kids’ behaviour is a reflection on you.
I am an Auntie to nine but have no children of my own
Am never happy to hand them back when I have had them on loan.
I would have a brood of my own if circumstances allowed it
I am sure then I would know how difficult it is on the plane to get them to sit!
There were many well-behaved children in the Clubhouse that day
A real credit to their parents and to them, this, I would say.
I am certainly not saying children should never travel in the skies above
How else will they see the world and experience the joy of travel that we love?
Without even asking, I am presented with a new cup of tea
And I settle back into my chair, with my Kindle on my knee.
And then a message from ScubaRoo, they are on their way
Time for a quick photo of the planes, the first of many that day.
Had a lovely drink with Mr and Mrs ScubaRoo for an hour or so
And we shared holiday stories and tips on where we should go!
To make the most of the UC experience, ScubaRoo suggested I soon leave
So almost reluctantly, I pack my bag and onto my shoulder I heave.
A quick stroll down to gate 25 and I see the shiny plane
Oh Pretty Woman, you have definitely been through a rigorous maintain!
I get ready to board, take off my coat and turn off my phone
Come on, come on slow walkers, I am waiting to sit in the nose cone!
Arrive at the gate to complete chaos and folks blocking the way
No one is organising and some folks loudly having their say.
Eventually made it through and I walk straight toward the aircraft
Glaring eyes at me made me feel like I was doing something daft.
The walkway was queued with people waiting to board
It reminded me of an EasyJet free for all hoard.
I hand over my boarding card to the Cabin Crew at the door
Acknowledged me with an uninterested smile at the floor.
I find my seat, which is the cosy looking 9K
My haven of comfort; my own special little bay.
It looks clean and tidy, nothing ripped and nothing frayed
Maybe I would notice more, the longer I stayed.
The Cabin Crew Supervisor, Scott* came straight over and said hi
“If you need anything at all during the flight, then I am your guy!”
I hand over my coat and unpack my small cabin bag
I pull out my Kindle and iPod and into the chair I sag.
Absolutely no room in the storage bin above my head
By the sheepish look on 8K's face, no more needed to be said.
I appreciate 6's and 7's have no bins for storage above them
But 8K had seven (seven!) pieces of hand luggage … ahem!
Upon my ottoman, I see the well discussed new amenity kit
I am used to getting nothing so with me this was a hit.
The toothbrush and paste may come in handy for later
But for me the eye mask, socks and pen could have been greater.
I am now settled with a drink and a printed menu choice,
I am waiting to go and soon over the tannoy, I hear a deep voice.
I can just hear the words that are spoken over 8K’s hacking cough
”This is your Captain speaking; we have been cleared for take off”.
We push back on time, well just a couple of minutes late
I am still clutching the menu, what to have on my plate?
The novelty of a menu and the idea of a choice is amusing
What to eat when you are at 37000 feet and cruising?
The FSM announced we were 423 passengers and 17 crew
And then weirdly announced that we had a pilot – erm ... phew!
Flight time would be 9 hours and 20 minutes give or take
My time in UC, the most I was definitely going to make!
Take off was fine and soon my ears were popping
Where did I put the gum I bought whilst I was shopping?
Up, up, up into the clouds we climb; so, so high
See you London, so long, farewell, au reviour, goodbye!
The seat belt signs are off and the crew do the rounds
And soon, before long, the smell of fresh coffee surrounds.
Would I like another wine, some spirits, perhaps some tea?
Too much alcohol sends me to sleep, so something soft for me.
Quickly I receive my diet coke and some crisps in a bowl
I had not eaten for at least ten minutes so that filled a hole!
M, the FSM came and introduced himself and said “how do?!”
And explained how everything worked if I needed help too.
Another drinks run, the crew do not seem to stop at all
And they are chatty and friendly and answer every call.
My lunch order is taken; I have gone for the chicken and ‘shrooms
I flick through the shopping brochure ... do I need any perfumes?
I think how quickly the time has passed as the CC set up my table
Whoa … that is wobbly, that is unfastened and not very stable.
Sincere apologies come forth; "So sorry it has come very loose
We will find a way to wedge it and my apologies are profuse.”
A white linen cloth, plane shakers, a real knife, fork and spoon
An actual glass! Is it time for a drink? Well it has just passed noon!
Of course, I must take a picture; I might not fly Upper Class for a while
I want to remember the moment when I did travel in such style.
I play with the IFE; games, quizzes, films and TV shows
Ten minutes in and the screen unexpectedly froze.
I pressed a few buttons and tapped on the screen
Not quite sure what I did but I made it go green.
The starter is served and is nicely presented on a plate
Smoked salmon and warm bread rolls; it all tasted great.
I stuck to just water as I had a line up of films to watch
And sleeping right now, my plans this would botch.
The main course is served and looks good for aeroplane fare
I have the chicken with gnocchi; it is all presented with care.
The chicken was lovely; the slightly watery mushroom sauce was not bad
The vegetables a little soggy but definitely not the worst I have had.
Dessert was a little salted caramel and chocolate pud
If I could have another one of these, I most certainly would.
Oh goodness me … what is this? Is this a cheese trolley?
Some brie? Some Stilton? Some Cheddar? This is all rather jolly.
After dinner drinks followed, a Baileys with ice
It was creamy and cold and all so very, very nice.
Lunch table is cleared and stowed out of harms way
I pull out my laptop out of the convenient storage bay.
With my Kindle Fire showing the latest episodes of Grey’s
I soon pass the time and even bypass the “bored” phase.
Oh blimey, now there is ice cream and it is Haagan Daas too
Perfectly in time for me to watch a film called “We Bought A Zoo”.
I am starting to feel very full now and I might try a quick snooze
Must be the combination of the altitude, the food and the booze.
Whatever it was, I managed to grab a little bit of sleep
It was not for long, I only managed to count thirty sheep.
A quick trip to the bathroom and this shows signs of abuse
Hand towels on the floor and the tap fittings are loose.
Other than that, there is a toilet and you can wash your hands
As it meets my basic needs, it is great as it stands.
After the OK from CCS Scott and promises to be as quiet as mice
Mr and Mrs ScubaRoo join me at the bar, which is so very, very nice.
A great chance to chat with our fellow pax and the UC crew
About their work in the skies and all sorts of other things too.
I do so love an eccentric, more so than ever on a flight
I was in the midst of a film, when came into my sight …
A man wearing Armani, arms out straight and his eyes closed
Doing lunges, squats, hip thrusts and by the bar he posed.
Having never flown in Upper Class I thought, “Ooh, this is new”
Is he a VS Mr Motivator? Are we supposed to join in too?
I really do not think I am ready to walk the cabin doing the odd lunge
Then I guess it is one way to work off the lovely chocolate sponge.
Mr Armani decided to do his round of lunges once more
By the nose of the plane, by the bar and by the toilet door.
With his arms flailing wildly, he nearly hit the Cabin Crew
Just as she was trying to serve the scones and make the brew.
Dani, the ever-smiling cabin crew lady set up my afternoon tea tray
I thought to myself how much I really was enjoying this lovely day.
From the Clubhouse to Cabin Crew to eccentrics, all of this was great
And I would try to fly UC at every possible chance, whatever the rate.
Afternoon tea was sandwiches, a little dry but OK to eat
And a clotted cream scone which slipped down a treat.
I was offered more cakes but I was about ready to burst
In UC, you cannot say you are hungry or dying of thirst.
The Captain soon announced our descent from the skies
I switched off and packed away my electricals and art supplies.
A flight time of 9 hours and 22 minutes meant we landed just about on time
The smooth, bounce free landing on the tarmac was utterly sublime.
We taxied over to gate 95 and the seatbelt sign went ping
Within seconds, someone’s mobile phone beings to ring.
I sort out my bag, my coat, passport and my landing card
The doors are opened and the Cabin Crew stand guard.
I thank them for their kindness and for a relaxing flight
I feel well rested, unstressed, bubbly and bright.
Those in the nose disembarked first and I saw people run
“Blimey!” I thought. “They must be desperate for the sun”!
Ah! I remembered the MCO Immigration queues
Reading this on V Flyer gave me time to muse.
Into the Immigration Hall, the lines were already quite long
Nothing to do about it, so I joined the back of the throng.
Waited in line for what seemed an age; only seven officers at work
Saw Mr and Mrs ScubaRoo who let me skip ahead or I would have gone berserk!
Queued for forty five minutes until more officers eventually came
“Oh good,” I thought, “I’ve had quite enough of this game!”
Was through all the processing in five minutes – score!
And off to collect my luggage from carousel number four.
Mr and Mrs ScubaRoo helped me with my tonne of “stuff”
Through the customs checkpoint without any trouble oddly enough.
I kept my bags with me rather than sending them on the second belt
I wanted to get out of the airport and that would slow me down I felt.
The tram chugs away and I text my friends “I’m here”
“Yay, we are waiting in arrivals so hurry … hurry!” they cheer.
A quick goodbye to the ScubaRoos and it was so lovely to meet you
And thank you again for your help and travelling companionship too.
Met up with my friends and we are soon on our way to Celebration on the I92
After a quick visit to Walmart for some bread and some baby food goo.
And now as the time difference catches up with me, I write this report
I had hoped to add a lot of detail but also tried to keep it short.
It looks like I failed but I thank you for reading all the way to end
And thanks again V Flyer for your help in flying UC to see my friend.
*Scott and Dani – permission to use names granted
In summary –
***** Meet and Greet Car Parking
Highly recommend this method. On occasion, I train it to Gatwick but as I needed to be at work early when I landed on my return, I needed my car at the airport. I have used M&G several times, and it has always been good and really only a couple of pounds more expensive than long stay parking.
***** OLCI
T minus 24 hours saw me posed ready to Check In. I got SEQ 2 which for me was not too shabby. I noticed that there were still ten available seats in UC and they had been that way since July! I checked before I left the office at 4pm just because and all ten seats were still free.
**** Twilight Check In
Professional service, no frills but all I wanted to get rid of my bags. I did not need it for anything other than a “dump and run” so to speak. I noticed a few people were querying seat numbers so definitely a good idea if you are a family and want to make sure you are together.
*** Hilton Overnight Stay
Room was hot, bed was on the harder side but I prefer that. The hotel floor was noisy, passengers come and go, all times but then I am light sleeper anyway, and this is why we use airport hotels! Price was perfect. Food is expensive but I brought my own. Location is ideal for an early flight or if you have a young family or do not want the hassle of getting the household up first thing in the morning.
*** Security/Departures
No hassles just needed time to get through. Luck of the day and time though really. The extra security checks do not bother me in the slightest although some times the reasoning is bizarre!
***** Gatwick South Terminal
I fly from Gatwick South quite a lot and am happy with the amount of shops, types of shops and restaurants etc ... I would never plan to do a Christmas shop there but if you need a new set of headphones or you need a bottle of water, you are covered.
***** ClubHouse
The shiny haven of calm and rest until your flight is called. Food was hot and drinks were cool and a perfect way to wile away some morning time. The WiFi was wobbly at times but it was busy in there. There was a minor (IMO) celebrity in there and they were getting a lot of attention from the staff, which was sad when there were "normal" people trying to get their attention. Meeting up with fellow V-Flyers was brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
*** Boarding Control
There were not two separate lines. It was a scrum and even the agents checking the boarding cards didn’t seem to know how to handle it. But I made it through and still had all of my teeth so maybe not that bad!?! I felt a little like eyes were burning in the back of my head and it made me feel a little uncomfortable and in a way wish I had either got down there the minute the gate opened so I could squirrel myself away or been the last to board (not in a "I'm here" fashion). Perhaps it was just me.
***** Flight Welcome
I got a “welcome” from Scott the CSS when boarding, and the Cabin Crew all said hello to me. I am a Red FC member so was not expecting bells and whistles and really enjoyed (IMO) the personal touch.
*** Amenity Kit
It was my first amenity kit for a very long time. It is cute but if I did not have it, I would not have missed it. My sister flew Virgin Upper Class a few years ago and received a make up bag with dozens of little useful gadgets in it. She still uses it today. I gave my kit to my friend’s eighteen-month-old daughter to play with and it was destroyed within minutes. I agree with previous threads/posts about the amenity kit. Do away with it, save some money and just have small baskets on the bar for items that folks might need.
***** Take Off and Announcements
A few minutes late leaving but nothing really to report on. We had 423 passengers on board the Pretty Woman and 15 Crew. Upper Class was full bar one seat as was PE. I did not go any further on the aircraft than that.
*** Aircraft Temperature
It was so hot on board the aircraft. Luckily, I had travelled with extra layers and could strip off but I did hear a few pax complain about the temperature. I am kind of in the mindset that it is pretty much winter so bring extra clothes but I guess not everyone travels like me.
**** Lunch Service
FSM took my request for lunch and it was served. The novelty of table linen, “proper” cutlery and the plane shakers was fun. My table was broken but the FSM fixed it. I did not expect an apology over it but it was nice that they did. They offered for me to eat at the bar but as long as I did not want to stand on the table, all was well and did not want "all eyes on me" as I was eating lunch.
**** Food
Yes, it is aeroplane food, not a 5* Michelin restaurant. Am not a fussy eater by any stretch of the imagination but it was more than palatable. I had the smoked salmon to start with, followed by chicken and gnocchi. Then the salted caramel and chocolate pudding. The meal itself was 10 times better than the offerings I am used to in Economy so thumbs up from me. The Cheese Trolley that came round a little later was (to me) quite novel. I took a little cheese although I was not hungry but wanted to try some of the blue.
**** Wine and Wine List
I am not a big drinker by any stretch of the imagination so I do not have a finely tuned wine palate. I enjoyed my glass of white but I did not need a second one. I went for soft drinks because I am aware of my limits!
**** Toilets
A strange thing to mention perhaps. They were a little on the "old" side. Possibly could do with some new sinkware. When I went in there, there were hand towels all over the floor and either soap scum or toothpaste (at least I hope that is what it was!) all over the mirror. I was just surprised that whoever dropped the hand towels on the floor did not pick them up.
**** IFE
I did not use the IFE that much. I brought my laptop and Kindle with me anyway. I had a few TV shows downloaded and wanted to catch up with those. I thought I would use the IFE on the return leg of my journey as I thought having the laptop shining onto my seatmates face was a bit unfair. I thought I would try it out however and after about ten finger presses the screen froze and it turned green. It never went back to normal again and I did point it out to the CC.
***** Afternoon Tea
I would have been happy with a plate/tray with some bits and pieces on rather than a cake stand simply because I am on the clumsy side and was concerned that I would throw it all over the floor! Sandwiches were OK, a little bland but still nice. Scones were delicious. Tea was hot.
***** Landing and Disembarkation
Landing was smooth and without any dramas (always a good thing). The seat belt sign had not been off for more than a nano second before a mobile phone went off. This does annoy me. Before we were secured at the gate, 8K was up and collecting their hand luggage from the storage bin above me. Decided to have a good rummage first so I got an interesting full frontal dance in my face for 90 seconds. Bubble pax were off first and then UC. This annoyed 8K, which just amused me.
* Immigration
Just took forever to get through but "them's the breaks" I guess. Took probably nearer the hour and a half to get through from start to finish but it could have been worse! If it hadn’t been for ScubaRoo, I would have waited probably about two hours. Had a surly Immigration Officer; I wasn't there to make anyone my best friend but just a polite "hello" works wonders
*** Luggage Retrieval
One of my bags had been opened by the TSA. I travel with those eBags within my suitcase and the only one that had been unzipped was my underwear bag. Hmmmm. Other than that, everything was OK.
***** Leaving the Airport
The trams were working fine and were in a timely fashion.
.
