VS011 LHR-BOS 4 Jan 06 (PE)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Again, used our HEX vouchers --where the BBC news loop (same as Sky News on our later flight) was still celebrating 13 survivors of the West Virginia coal mining cave-in.

Had to really dodge the crowds to reach quick PE check-in. DIY looked agonizingly long, people grumbling over waiting forever when having been told it would be a simple drop and run. Y was stretched back past UC check-in. Were given the seats we selected (upstairs) and thought about using FLYCo points for the clubhouse but the large young (and loud) family of a gold card member in front of us, all headed for the CH, convinced us to lunch at the Caviar Bar and read the paper in the quiet spots near Chez Gervaise.

Boarding was a short walk to Gate 26, and all priority (Gold/Silver/PE/UC/Family/Disabled) called at the same time but really not a problem. Birthday Girl seemed a little less shiny than last I saw her but she was also carrying a very full passenger load.Scrambled upstairs and was gratefully given glass of champagne (In UC flutes)whilts settling in. Noted that UC upper deck was marginally occupied--curtain tied back so toddlers had the run of the place. One VIP seemed to be in residence (I am TERRIBLE at recognizing film stars--but this was certainly one--I think who plays Mafia bits). Note-Quentin Tarantino sat near us at the Logan cafe on our outbound flight--and I believe was onboard with us as well--and we pulled our bags off the carousel with GroundForces' Charlie Dimmock who was meeting a friend/or relative who was on our flight.

Spent time waiting our turn for lift off, and realized, even with engines on full rev-up that I have figured out why the new PE seats are so annoying (besides leg room issues). It was deja vu all over again as the two people seated behind us talked NON_STOP just as the duo had on our outbound--for THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. The rounded moulded seats offer no noise shield to conversation behind you. I could hear every (tedious) word these two spoke for nearly 7 hours--even with my (admittedly less than fabulous) noise canceling headset on. They were not even terribly loud--they were simply academics who loved to talk--and talk and talk.

Still. I amused myself by watching films, reading to a wonderful Buena Vista Social Club selection and giving up on sleep all together as clearly the couple behind us were not at all weary.Stretched my legs for a bit by heading downstairs and doing a circuit of Y and noted that while Y was completely packed, UC downstairs was light. Birthday Girl was looking rather worse for wear as sheer numbers of passengers overwhelmed her. The Y toilet I visited did not even have soap dispenser--just bars of soap.

Headed back upstairs. Lunch was good--or would have been if I hadn't inadvertently given it a push on the very slick tray table and launched it on the floor in front of me. My other was still picking up spoons and salt tubes out of his shoes when we disembarked. I'm sure the pudding was lovely but I never did see where it landed.

The white wine was still not good, or perhaps I am just having difficulty tasting anything after a season of oaky Napa chardonnay.


Leg room was no problem on this flight--largely due to the woman seated in front of me who never figured out how to recline her seat. She was sat though, in the wrong seat (K rather than A) and there was a dark and scary moment when the very large gent whose seat it rightfully was, debated about claiming it or settling across the asile.

We circled Logan by heading up the New Hampshire coast and then back around. Disembarked quickly but bags were a while coming off. Al would have been a quick run out to the cabs until my other discovered he had lost his customs card. Rather than simply give him a new one to complete, we were sent to a 'special' agent who was very displeased with us, and made us stand feeling guilty while he and his co worker ran our passports again (and I had already handed in MY customs form!) and let us know that we were potentially in BIG trouble. He really seemed to want to be in our faces about this relatively minor issue, reminding us that he was afederal officer and a very busy one at that. Eventually we were cleared through--and interestingly my other was never asked to complete a new form nor was he asked if had anything to declare!

By the time we were cleared, the flight crew were awaiting transport into the city and we were very grateful to find a cab and head home ourselves. The expected 8 inches of snow apparently fell just west of Boston yesterday so things here are (for the moment) dry.

But--more snow coming...

RR

[Decker]

Lovely report Road Runner. Nicely paced and well written.

I was interested by your FlyingCo comment - do you carry spare clubhouse vouchers as I've always been under the impression that FlyingCo insist on 5 days notice. It'd be useful if you could do a walk up redemption for those short notice travel plans with groups of people.

Your observations on the new PE seats are most interesting. Also very nice to hear of SOMEONE using the HEX vouchers [;)].

[Scrooge]

Thx for the TR RR,sorry to hear about the couple behind you,but on weest bound flight's that's one of the hazzards.

We use the upgrade vouchers (thx Paul) but IMHO they are a total waste of time,at least throw in a free cup of coffee in 1st?

I agree with you about the paint job on Birthday Girl, I was in seat 32K on the same flight yesterday, and there were a lot of scabby peeling patches on the wings.

How did you know we were circling over New Hampshire? all I could see out of the window was clouds [:)]

I can't really add much to your excellent trip report, except that you were lucky to be upstairs, it was packed chock-full at the back of the bus, and we had severe V-port issues, it took nearly an hour and 4 reboots before it finally coughed into life.

IMHO you didn't miss much with the pudding, the chocolatey gloop was hideously sweet [:$]

There was plenty of snow just outside Boston, as I discovered on my drive down to Connecticut.

[Nottingham Nick]

Nice TR, roadrunner, thanks.

Originally posted by roadrunner

Boarding was a short walk to Gate 26, and all priority (Gold/Silver/PE/UC/Family/Disabled) called at the same time but really not a problem.

Silvers called for priority boarding?????


Nick

[buns]

RR

Thanks for another informative TR[y][y]

(once again brought to the attention to Mrs Buns - so thanks for that too[;)][;)])

there was a dark and scary moment when the very large gent whose seat it rightfully was, debated about claiming it or settling across the asile.

That was certainly an excellent result[y]

[RichardMannion]

I flew in on Birthday Girl from SFO yesterday (obviously turned around for your flight), and it was indeed a bit shabby in places. Me and Lady S were in !%D & G (again) and the area between the seats (once the divider had been removed) was in poor condition.

I have already fired a mail off to the relevant person at VS, as some of the UCS suites are beginning to look a bit battered. One thing me and Sarah did notice was a different design of the UCS table on the A343's. It was more of a leaf format, the table slid out from within itself. Not sure what the thought behind that is as it didn't make any difference to sturdiness.

Thanks,
Richard

Originally posted by RichardMannion
I have already fired a mail off to the relevant person at VS, as some of the UCS suites are beginning to look a bit battered.

A co-worker did a round trip in Upper over Xmas. It was his first ever experience on VS, and one of his comments was how the whole (otherwise positive) experience was let down by the shabbiness of the Suites - how the finishes and features simply haven't worn very well when subjected to daily wear and tear, making the product look very scruffy.

From the LHR movements page, it looks like he was on G-VROC both ways.

I remember flying on G-VTOP when she was the first and only UCS aircraft, and how even at an early stage, things were showing problems, like the ottoman adjuster (which we seem to have lost for good), the cocktail tables, and the reading lights.

One thing me and Sarah did notice was a different design of the UCS table on the A343's. It was more of a leaf format, the table slid out from within itself. Not sure what the thought behind that is as it didn't make any difference to sturdiness.

Ah, this is the same design of table that is fitted to the Contour suites on the ANZ 777s. By all accounts, it hasn't made them particularly better from reports I've heard.

Mike

Hello David,

Yes, there was an incredibly low cloud cover all the way in but if you recall the Captain had informed us that we would have a quick and straight run straight to Logan but we spent considerably more time meandering around before we broke through cloud and headed in from the south.

NB: New Hampshire is just a few miles north of Logan...up Rt 1. Live free or die! (NH state motto).

In reflecting back on yesterday's flight--it was in fact incredibly restful. I forgot my No Jet Lag (probably all hype anyway) but have felt--NO jet lag all day at work--despite about 4 hours sleep last night and a westward flight, which usually has me yawning by lunch time. I am wondering if being forced to stay awake the entire flight by the talkers was in fact a (painful) blessing in disguise. I may not have been making any brilliant decisions at work today and was too busy for coffee but the day just seemed--a work day. None of that sort of fragile floating where any soft landing seems good for a quick nap or you wonder if anyone has understood the last five comments you made because you're not too sure you understood yourself either.

Sorry I didn't know you were on the same plane! People down back seemed crowded but using the aisles for exercise and chat. I must admit I was grateful not to be in that number. We had two reboots and a slow start to V Port but otherwise no problems. I am still impressed with the video quality of the screen. Y screens certainly seemed, well, small.

Re Flying CO-yes--you have to have them 5 days ahead of time--but if they go unused (as in making your flight at a flat run) I believe they are valid for a year. They're stuck in my passport case--right next to the IBF priority cards...Next time!