VS025 LHR-JFK 19 APR 19 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

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So I've had this odd bucket list thing that I've wanted to do for a while, which was at the drop of a hat just book a long haul trip on the fly for virtually immediate travel. Destination was irrelevant, and with nothing to do over Easter and miles to use I ended up looking at my VS app , prices in Premium were in the £3k region so this was going to have to be a miles ticket. I expected everything being taken, but sure enough I managed to find the perfect trip. (Well not perfect, perfect would be Upper...more on that later)

Managed to get the VS25 out on Thursday, and the VS10 back Saturday, so giving a good little two day jolly, I can be back home Sunday, Monday off and back at work Tuesday.

I was in the Clubhouse for 9am (Yes....really!) service was a bit slow and disorganized. It felt like if there was an A Team and B Team today was the B Team with few faces I recognized. As it was Maundy Thursday the place was packed. I found a desk to work at and sat doing reports and emails till 1400, turned the laptop off and then got into holiday mode. Thankfully by this point the Delta lot had cleared out and I could relax. Sat up stairs on the terrace for a bit (I took two redheads up with me...not sure if thats allowed but no one complained!). Had the afternoon tea, lovely as always. A quick shower and facial and as always time melted away and it was time for boarding.

Now I didn't have a seat and my seat was "At Gate" which was making me very nervous and no one in the CH was able to assign me any of the seats on the bulkhead that were blocked.

I went down to the gate to see G-VNAP sitting looking Glorious in her special livery and was actually the first person in the gate area, double beeped straight through and told that I was upgraded but they still couldnt assign a seat and I had to wait a few minutes as to if I was gonna get 9A, 6K or 8G. 9A was the winner and came on the plane with a massive smile on my face. This weekend just got better!

Champoo is now no longer served in flutes, I was expecting this following a chat with a friend who sis crew. Its not a big deal, but it feels cheaper, but VS say it will be easier for the crews...first world problems.

GVNAP really feels a bit older inside, it hasnt had the very slight touch up some of the other 346's did a few years ago, so the leather is cracking a bit, lots of peoples seats didnt work properly, either IFE, tray table, or bed.

Service was good, not excellent, but most of the cabin were bedding straight down which I found odd for what is a day flight.

I ended up as usual spending most of the flight at the bar talking with the crew and chatting about destinations and where to book next as well as what to do on a two day trip to NY!

Straight in on Gate 20 at JFK, so the closest one to immigration, however I had the dreaded X on my slip from the APC machine, so ended up spending 15 minutes waiting to see someone who basically quizzed me on why I've been to the US 5 times in 4 months but didn't really seem interested and was in my hotel room before midnight.

Overall, a great flight, especially with the upgrade, but the 340 really is showing its age now, and personally, after seeing the new 350 seat, the Upper Class suite, just doesn't feel as special now!

[buns]

Thanks for the great TR!!

Envious not only of the fact you were able to get away on a whim, but that you spent the entire day in the Clubhouse

Congrats on the upgrade!

buns

An entertaining (very last minute booking) Trip report …. thanks for posting and making us suitably envious …. but you posted so fast I'm now feeling very guilty for not getting around to posting my Guadeloupe reports from March (but I have just posted a photo of the Corsair Amenity kit, awaiting moderation in the gallery for amenity kits last updated in 2010 and so could be post-Brexit/post-TheWall etc, so at least I've made a tiny start).

Enjoy your short trip (you'll have spent as much time in the CH at each end as on rest of the trip?) and +1 on the upgrade congrats from Buns

[mitchja]

Thanks for the TR

G-VNAP having IFE issues - surprise surprise. That seems the normal for that A/C. I wonder if there is anything else on G-VNAP VS cannot be bothered to fix?

It was the same when I flew on G-VNAP last July. Broken seats and broken IFE in Premium.

The sooner that A/C goes, the better IMHO

Good news on the Upgrade, my very first UC VS flight was when upgraded from PE to UC on a flight from Hong Kong to Heathrow about 15 years ago, it was in pre-herringbone lay out days.