How is the new Upper Class Checkin

Hi All

We have not travelled with Virgin from Heathrow since they opened the new Upper Class Chekin system with the promise of dedicated security channel. We are travelling with a couple of friends later this month and are trying to figure out when to leave from our hotel to make it into the lounge with plenty of time! Basically we wondered how close to the 10 minutes they seem to get or if it is still busy at times?

Also on a different note, we are flying down with BMI the night before and staying at a local hotel. We know we can get the Hoppa bus but always think it is very expensive as there are 4 of us. Was not sure if we could get a taxi to the hotels as I think i read once they do not have to take short fares? Anyone any thoughts of suggestions?


Thanks as always
Michael

[preiffer]

My average to date, since it opened, is around 7 minutes from car to clubhouse entrance [y]

NEVER more than one person in front of me at the metal detectors.

[honey lamb]

It really only is about 10 minutes from check-in to the clubhouse - less if you measure it from the time check-in is completed. The lift is alongside the check-in desk and you are whisked up to the door of the security area. More often than not you will be the only party there but there is only likely to be one or two ahead of you. You may be held up at the passport area but once through there you can side-step the shoe carnival by showing the stamp on your boarding card and then it's straight through duty-free and along to the Clubhouse. It's so smooth and speedy.

Sorry I can't advise about travel from the hotel as I've only ever taken the Hoppa bus which is £4 each way and as you say expensive for four of you. I believe you can get a LT (or whatever it is called now)bus from along the Bath Road to the airport for free, but I've never tried it

[preiffer]

On the taxi front, if there's one way to *really* p!ss off a cabbie at LHR it's to get in and point at the hotel you want to go to. While some MAY well take you, expect a LOT of huffing and puffing about it if they do. (I've had them refuse to take me to Hayes before, which is actually a fair old ride, around £25 I ended up giving him, from memory)

To be fair to them, a lot of the time they've been waiting for 30-40 minutes 'in line' for a fare, so your £5/6 taxi ride really isn't going to cut the mustard I'm afraid. I'd go for one of the local transfer options, or check if the hotel runs a courtesy bus of their own?

Originally posted by preiffer
To be fair to them, a lot of the time they've been waiting for 30-40 minutes 'in line' for a fare, so your £5/6 taxi ride really isn't going to cut the mustard I'm afraid.

They can wait for 4 hrs!!!!!

As to check in to lounge ... concur with the 7 minutes, the most time consuming thing is negotiating through the duty free area to get to the lounge [:D] ... oh, and don't forget that if you go through the Virgin channel you do not need to do the shoe circus ... your boarding pass will be stamped so show that and walk around it!

Originally posted by preiffer
On the taxi front, if there's one way to *really* p!ss off a cabbie at LHR it's to get in and point at the hotel you want to go to. While some MAY well take you, expect a LOT of huffing and puffing about it if they do. (I've had them refuse to take me to Hayes before, which is actually a fair old ride, around £25 I ended up giving him, from memory)

To be fair to them, a lot of the time they've been waiting for 30-40 minutes 'in line' for a fare, so your £5/6 taxi ride really isn't going to cut the mustard I'm afraid. I'd go for one of the local transfer options, or check if the hotel runs a courtesy bus of their own?

Hang on, if I want to take a cab from LHR to a hotel 5 minutes away, I will, and have!! Just after a 10 hour flight with 4x32KG bags in tow, I want to have as least hassle as possible. Not my problem if they want to go all that way out of London on the chance of ripping someone off for a fare back into town. Last guy we had huffed and puffed, was quite rude, so I didn't tip him, tough!

There really is no need for a cabbie to get all aggrieved at a short fare out of Heathrow, because there is a system in place to try and make this fairer.

If you have a short fare, you get a ticket which allows you to come back to the airport, bypass the taxi pool, and go straight to a terminal to pick up another fare.

Mike

[preiffer]

Originally posted by stoneman

Hang on, if I want to take a cab from LHR to a hotel 5 minutes away, I will, and have!! Just after a 10 hour flight with 4x32KG bags in tow, I want to have as least hassle as possible. Not my problem if they want to go all that way out of London on the chance of ripping someone off for a fare back into town. Last guy we had huffed and puffed, was quite rude, so I didn't tip him, tough!

Sounds like you would have been quite a joy to take from their perspective, too... [ii]


Nobody's saying they *won't* take a short fare at all, but there ARE other services available in LHR to avoid exactly this situation. If you'd rather sit with a huffy cab driver, go for it.

Originally posted by preiffer

Originally posted by stoneman

Hang on, if I want to take a cab from LHR to a hotel 5 minutes away, I will, and have!! Just after a 10 hour flight with 4x32KG bags in tow, I want to have as least hassle as possible. Not my problem if they want to go all that way out of London on the chance of ripping someone off for a fare back into town. Last guy we had huffed and puffed, was quite rude, so I didn't tip him, tough!

Sounds like you would have been quite a joy to take from their perspective, too... [ii]


Nobody's saying they *won't* take a short fare at all, but there ARE other services available in LHR to avoid exactly this situation. If you'd rather sit with a huffy cab driver, go for it.

Welcome to my world ... I have had personal experience of this at Heathrow [:(]

It took us around 10 mins to get to the Clubhouse from check-in. In Aug on our flight to Miami, we are going to show our stamped boarding cards to bypass the shoe horn.

We always stay at The Park Inn and always get a taxi to and from the airport.Its normally about £10. AS there are 4 of us, its cheaper this way.

Thank you for for all your replies, sounds like the 10 mins from Checkin to Lounge really does work which will be great!

I think we might just take a taxi, much easier than the Hoppa bus, just make sure i give the driver a decent tip as it won't be the fare he is hoping for!


Thanks again
Michael