This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Tickets identified with fast track stickers, so after dropping off the oversized Slazenger cricket bag (excellent for taking little uns car seat in) we went straight through into the teeming mass even at that time in the morning, which is the South Terminal shops and food court.
Well, straight up the stairs and through that opening to the haven which is the Virgin Clubhouse, or should I say as there was a big advert at the door the Nigerian clubhouse ()
Quite busy at that time of the morning, but the staff were on excellent service, bringing our drinks and full English straight away.
The clubhouse menu has three different covers on it by the way, same inside.
We had all of us hair cuts booked in the V-Touch area from 7:45 (Eurohill had pinched our later ones!) and whilst I had another champagne and a go on the excellent computers in the business room the wife and little Un went for their haircuts.
They have done some decorating in the clubhouse, the couches have all gone and the business room now has a proper wall between it and the pariahs area.. Sorry, smoking room
Bad news is the cinema room is out of action, but the games room has been cleaned up since our last visit in January.
Eurohill came up and introduced himself and Mrs EH
I then went for my haircut and scalp massage, wonderful!
Back out for more drinks and snacks to wait for our flight to be called. I would recommend the hot chocolate with mini marshmallows After the Antigua and other West Indies flight was called the clubhouse thinned out quite a lot.
Not a lot to see out of the windows as the temporary cabins have hidden the bridge and the views of all the aircraft.
Eurohills flight to MCO was called and that just left our gang on the VS15.
Finally time to make our way down to the gates. Virgin are back at the satellite and I can tell you that all but one of the walkways was moving.
Got to the gate and the flight was already boarding, so got held up at the door to the aircraft as they we transferring an invalid to a isle friendly wheelchair.
Still we were the first into UC and little un went straight to his seat as if this is his normal modus operandi.
SHOCK!! Each seat had its OB amenity kit and A COPY OF CARLOS!
Just two seats empty, but these were opped up before take off.
Extra staff it seemed on this flight, as one guy was being checked for his UCS approval. The FSBM came down the cabin but did not introduce herself, seemed a little harassed, but the rest of the crew were superb.
The aircraft was Hotlips, looked in good condition, but the usual suspects, the frame around the screen was losing its paint film. Also a couple of bulkhead light strips were out.
Now, the new individual lights, I defy anyone not to knock themselves or their glass when using the drinks tray, worse design than the units they replaced.
Flight took off 5 mins early, and the V-Port (I wish!!!) was turned on straight away.
Hot towels were brought round plus drinks, I settled down to watch a film (the wedding crashers, what a load of pooh!)
I had picked up from the clubhouse, some visa waiver forms, so filled them in at the bar, as no one else was using the bar #61516;
Then the food came around.
The Freedom menu was:
STARTERS
Seasonal leaf salad with gravadlax, red & yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes and dill dressing
Cream of asparagus, Gruyere and tarragon soup served with a choice of warm breads
MAIN COURSE
Chicken breast wrapped in pancetta served with herb gnocchi, mixed leaves and Provencal sauce
Grilled steak served with dauphinoise potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables And horseradish sauce
Vegetable lasagne topped with sun blushed tomatoes and chives
CHEESE
Shropshire Blue
Camembert
Mature Cheddar
DESSERT
Fruits of the Forest tart with a pistachio tuile
Mango & Lime ice cream on its own or drizzled with summer berry sauce
The soup was fine, the steak was Ok as well, the desserts were quite unappealing, but I had the ice cream and had to wait 45 mins for it to defrost! I will have to check but I am sure there was more on the menu in January.
I asked for the Cote Du Rh_ne, but was informed that as Virgin were changing their wine supplier it was pot luck which wines were loaded on each flight, so I had the Bordeaux instead.
After this, quite a few changed their seats into beds and slept for a while, Little un slept in the seat mode, so thats comfortable as well.
Watched Charlie and the Chocolate factory, Johnny Depp was not as good as the original Willy wonka, but it filled few hours.
I went for a walk around the plane, GOD! A full economy should be called cattle Class! There was not an empty seat in any class, but the economy looked and smelled like a refugee camp! This is not a comment on the passengers, but rather what a full economy cabin looks and feels like. I have never been on a full flight before, even when travelling in econ, horrible! No room between seats, nowhere to stand outside the seats, I think Jeremy Clarkson is correct when he says that cattle have more room than economy.
Time for tea,
A selection of egg mayo on oatmeal bread, poached salmon & watercress on malted grainery bread and chicken & peppers on sun dried tomato bread.
Ginger scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam
Cake stand pistachio _clair, toffee symphony and apricot and almond pastry
As with the read on the main meal, there was extra food available even with a full cabin.
Arrived on time, over cape Canaveral and was at the gate in fine time.
Deplaning however was a little annoying as the upper deck was let off before the downstairs PE and UC, but a relatively short walk to customs, all gates open and through in a staggering 35 mins!
Cases collected and sent on their way and out through secondary security, well not so straight forward. Even Americans are getting peed off with this, As my shoes made the gate buzz, off with them, the laptop out of the case, the camera and video camera out of the case
Get to the little shuttle, and whoops! Get on and the shuttle stops. Now, in the UK we would patiently wait for it to start, but not in the USA. As soon as it stopped, a yank pulls the emergency door opener so she can get off, so the whole tram is paralyzed!
Out and across to the other tram and to the main terminal, where our cases already awaited us.
Onto the Hertz bus, and after a row about the car left for us, finally out of the airport 1 hour after landing.
