This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Following the success of my previous VLOGs and trip reports, again there is a video to accompany this trip report.
I arrived at Terminal 3 by cab. Departures and the private security lane were not too busy so I go through to the Clubhouse quickly. The Clubhouse was busy, but not packed. However, many tables had not been cleared, so it was difficult to find an empty space. I eventually sat at an uncleared table and then spent about ten minutes trying to attract someone's attention to clear and take my order. That said, from then on it was a good service.
I left the Clubhouse just before the plane was due to be called. It was at gate 22, the furthest gate away over on the far pier. I waited about ten minutes at the gate before they started boarding and was then one of the first people onto the plane, through door L1.
I sat in my seat and could hear the FSM greeting people at door L2 behind me. "Welcome onboard", "So good to see you", all said with great enthusiasm. At this point, you just know it will be a good flight! And it was.
There was an amenity kit sitting on the ottoman along with the menu. The amenity kit has changed colour and is now burgundy and beige; but it is the same bag and contains the same products as previous versions. See video here.
Before take-off, the FSM came over to welcome me back onboard. I’ve been on a couple of the flights with this FSM in the past year or so.
We departed much to schedule but queued a little for take-off. I think the pilot said there were six planes ahead of us when we got to the runway. I started watching The Greatest Showman on the IFES.
Quickly after take-off, drinks orders were taken and served, followed by the food service. I had the Mozzarella and tomato gnocchi, the chicken biryani, apple cinnamon break and butter pudding, followed by cheese and biscuits.
Once the movie was finished, I went to the bar for a couple of drinks, and a chat with some other passengers and crew members. All good fun.
Later I had the classic beef burger from the extra bites menu.
We arrived much to schedule at JFK. However, we were parked at a remote stand and bused to the customs hall. That wasn’t much of an issue as the buses were waiting for us at the stand and took us directly to the side of immigration, saving a long walk from the gate.
Immigration was not very busy; but I used Global Entry so skipped around the side. Again, there appears to have been a change to customs processes at JFK, like other airports; the immigration office after Global Entry didn’t just check my papers, but asked customs questions and collected my form. Post-baggage claim I then just walked out in to the main terminal, rather than queuing to hand my form in to another officer.
All in all, a very good flight.
Here’s the video
You can also see the previous two VLOGs here:
A330-300 VS118 from Miami to London night flight
A340-600 VS5 from London to Miami
If you like the vidoes there will be another one soon on a 787-900 and a 747-400 later in the summer. You can subscribe on YouTube here.