This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
It was an arrival by bus from an international stand to the baggage claim so did away with the miles of corridors which I strangely missed. (always like a walk after getting off a flight)
Bags were through pretty quick and after a small repack (books out of hand luggage and into the case) it was onwards to the check in desks.
After a small wait, I was checked in. I have marked ground staff down but really being very picky. Didn't get a lounge invite, "just show your ticket at the door" and didn't geta proper boarding pass. The boarding pass I had preprinted was on 90gms paper so was substantial but found it strange that I wasn't offered a proper one.
Was advised to go upstairs for the fastrack security which wasn't that fast but that was due to travellers not being ready than slow staff. The upstairs security lane is in a great place and deposits you just about outside the Clubhouse doors.
More work getting done at Gatwick with the large duty free shop being ripped to bits so I didn't venture downstairs.
The Clubhouse was its usual peaceful and calm hidaway and service was very prompt and continuous throught my stay. (food portions remain on the small size but you just order another one
)I was nearly last out of the Clubhouse (the time flew past) and arrived at the gate with only a few left to board.
As I have said previously, I had got the last ticket in Upper and the rest of the plane was pretty much rammed solid.
This was my first time on a refit and I was interested to see the improvements. Walking through the new premium cabin, it looked really nice and I think will prove to be very popular. It will be interesting to see how they refit the A330's into 3 class and how the bar area will work. Unless they find a new place for the bar, the added upper class will be verylarge compared to what we are used to on the Gatwick fleet. Will that lead to more accesible fares
who knows.Anyway, the "new" upper cabin. 1st impressions - the TV is smaller and mines needed a little tightening up. It also seems to stick out more making you think it isn't seated in the side wall properly.
Other than that, the paint job on the pods seems to have been done pretty well and other than the new handset for the new IFE, there doesn't seem to be many changes. (didn't notice if there was new lighting)
The crew on this flight were fabulous and worked there socks off. Nothing was too much trouble, glasses were kept refilled and everything was presented well and cleared away promptly.
Food was very nice, I had the soup, the chicken and the chocolate shortbreak thing to finish. The cheese trolley made an appearence and all was well. Coffee to finish but was its usual luke warm but again thats being really picky.
As has been said before, the IFE is great after having many many years of nova to contend with on these flights with the only down point being the passenger announcements which were that loud through my earphones, they nearly deafened me.
The flight was pretty bumpy and the seat belt light came on a few times (although it seems that doesn't apply to upper class and a few times some passengers were told to sit back down)
After a couple of films, it was soon time for afternoon tea which again was fresh, well presented and very tasty. I still think the cake stands are a little strange, but filled with choc eclairs, they do the job
It was soon time to get ready for landing and the world of immigration.
Through the premium cabin which nows adds more people in front of you but we emerged into an empty immigration hall.
Nice officer and just grabed the bags before they made a second lap of the belt. I think I was second throught the customs channel, just grabbed a train before it left and was at dollar express within a few mins of getting off the plane.
Checked in to Disneys Old Key West for a quick shower and arrived at Downtown Disney to meet the rest of the family at 7.30 after getting off the plane at 5.40 wasn't to shabby
for a week of sunshine and theme parks.In summary, Virgin were back to their best for this flight. There's nothing to complain about the newly refitted aircraft, the staff were 1st class, the food was very nice and an empty immigration hall was the icing.
Long may it continue
thanks for reading
David
Last edited by David on 17 Feb 2013, 20:38, edited 1 time in total.
