This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
When you enter it was a few yards to the empty upper-class check in desk. One thing about India, there are always plenty of helpful people. After we checked in another virgin agent guided us on how to complete the departure card. Escorted us to the security channel and talked us through how to locate the shared lounge.
Thankfully we were able to use the business/first security channel, which was just as well as the general channel was queued for a long, long, long way! Now one thing the Indians do a lot of is security checks. As well as hand luggage scanned you go through a metal detector, then get searched by a security guard. When you collect your hand luggage they record in a book your passport number and number of bags, then you must get your luggage tag stamped.
Arrived at the lounge. It was The Plaza Premium Lounge. All was fine here. Seating area and dining area with a bar. Food was buffet self service. It was tasty Indian selections. (I have not had a bad meal anywhere in India, which accounts for a 7lb weight increase!!!). The bar attended and had plenty of choices. A short 2hr stay and boarding was called.
[seating]
[dining]At the gate the usual boarding card check. Priority boarding was a separate lane. There were two air bridges, one for upper/premium and the other for economy. As we walk toward the plane another guard checks your hand luggage is stamped, another few feet and your passports and boarding card are checked again. Phew, that really is a lot of checks!
On board mrs harps and I were in 4 & 5K. A333 G-VGBR (Golden Girl) was our transport. Suite was in good condition. Champers accepted. The flight was full in all cabins and 12 crew on board. Once announcements finished IFE turned on. We were a few minutes ahead. I really like the VERA TOUCH system. More choices than you can shake a stick at. Also you can watch the main screen and have skymap running on the little handset.
Once airborne menus handed out and orders taken.
[menu p1]
[menu p2]I chose the Indian experience (as I did on the outbound). We chose to dine together. The table is a bit tight for space but all the food (a feast) just about fitted. The quality and taste of the Indian selection is amongst the best I have had on an aircraft.
[food]We had a brilliant crew in upper and the stewardess looking after our section was attentive, friendly and very, very efficient. The FSM was also very visible and got stuck in during service.
In 10 years of flying Virgin this is my first day flight (honest!!). Therefore I was desperate to make use of the bar. My bum had only just hit the seat and my friendly stewardess (‘J’) arrived. I had a top up of wine. ‘J’ was very engaging and one of the Indian crew arrived too. I did not realise if a passenger was at the bar then cabin crew must stay at the bar too. They looked busy and I offered to sit down so they could get on with their job, however, ‘J’ was insistent I stay.
Eventually I was trusted to sit on my own while they did cockpit service to the flight crew. I loved the bar experience.
On speaking with the Indian crew they said they only work the LHR-DEL-LHR route. They all love it and the other crew enjoy their happy, hard working attitude.
It was soon time for afternoon tea. I had the cake and sandwich selection and mrs harps had the Indian selection. Again, all food was very tasty.
[afternoon tea]All too soon we were on finals and landed only about 10mins late.
As is often said on here, the crew make or break a flight. On this one the flight, the food and the crew were definitely 5 star. I don’t mind the dream suite. Yes aisles are narrow, space a bit tighter but the IFE and overall look made up for it (in my opinion).
Finally there was a great sunset to watch....
[sunset]Well done Virgin
