VS53/54 Upper Menus/Crewing

Hi all,

I posted something about this in a different thread - but there was a fair amount of drift in the thread, so maybe wasn't seen.

I'm flying out to BOS on the VS53 in a couple of weeks, out on Thursday, and back on Sunday on the VS54.

Has anyone got any idea what's on the menus for these flights?

I'm especially interested in the service on the VS54. Will we get offered breakfast first, with it being an early departure?

I need to know whether I should try and get breakfast at Logan, as my hotel won't be serving breakfast at the time I need to leave.

Also, will the crew back on the Sunday be the same as the outbound crew from Thursday night?

Cheers,
Mike

[HighFlyer]

Are you flying Upper? If so, see here: http://www.virginflyer.com/forum/topic. ... per%2Cmenu

Mcuth recently did UC and wrote what what featured in the Feedom menu.

Otherwise, i believe we are still on the Chicken with pasta, Beef Pie in the sky or Vegetable Curry for outbound, Thai Chicken, Beef with mashed potato or Pasta in a Tomato and Olive sauce inbound.

As for eating beforehand, depends how hungry you get, the meal service will be at least an hour or so into the flight and i would be starving by then so i would need something beforehand.

I cant answer the crew question but im sure someone here will be able to

VS54: there was a buffet cold breakfast provided in the NW lounge and there only seemed to be VS passengers therein so there was enough to go round. We then were offered another breakfast on board in UC followed by a main meal. I did not understand the logic behind the lounge breakfast - one is hardly likely to sleep back across the pond, in UC, on a day flight. The day flight back was really enjoyable.
cheers
GO

[HighFlyer]

quote:I did not understand the logic behind the lounge breakfast

Hehe ... You havent travelled with me!

Im usually little miss glutton face when i travel. If im not going to the Clubhouse on a LGW flight, ill be headed to Pizza Express before the flight for a bite, then eat my main inflight meal

And you get people like my other half who will eat the stuff purely because its free!!

Hi Mike

Just FYI, I'm not quite sure if that menu applies to the VS53/54 - on mine was printed VS008/20 and Bazz's have VS007/19/23/24 & VS044 (dunno if Bazz's menus are the same as mine....)

Cheers

Michael

quote:Originally posted by Goldenoldie
VS54: there was a buffet cold breakfast provided in the NW lounge and there only seemed to be VS passengers therein so there was enough to go round. We then were offered another breakfast on board in UC followed by a main meal. I did not understand the logic behind the lounge breakfast - one is hardly likely to sleep back across the pond, in UC, on a day flight. The day flight back was really enjoyable.

Just what I wanted to hear - twice over!

Can't possibly spend the whole day at the bar without something to line my stomach...

Mike

Mike, Just to answer your crew question.

You will not get the same crew on your return flight. Boston is only a one night stopover for crew.

Matt

quote:Originally posted by Matt
You will not get the same crew on your return flight. Boston is only a one night stopover for crew.

Yeah, I thought this was the case for the daily VS11/12 (day out, redeye back), but the VS53/54 only runs every other day, and is an evening flight out and day flight back.

The VS53 doesn't get in until about 23.00 local time in BOS, and the VS54 departs at 08.00 next day. That doesn't seem like an especially long break for the crew, especially if you include bussing to/from the hotel and pre-flighting the aircraft next morning!

Mike

In most cases Mike, if in the situation you have mentioned, the crew would be re-positioned for the flight the next day, kind of in the same way the aircraft are re-positioned.

(Sorry, I haven't got a clue what I'm talking about, but niece is ex Virgin crew)

Matt

[HighFlyer]

Matt, do you know the stop-over durations of a lot of the flights?

Not meaning to steal this thread, but i would be realy interested to know. I was surprised that BOS was only a one day, most airlines (BA included) seem to have stop overs of ridiculous length. I know someone working for BA that loves the SYD route as they can get 12 nights stop-overs - seems crazy to me! [:p]

[Bazz]

quote:Originally posted by mcuth
Hi Mike

Just FYI, I'm not quite sure if that menu applies to the VS53/54 - on mine was printed VS008/20 and Bazz's have VS007/19/23/24 & VS044 (dunno if Bazz's menus are the same as mine....)

Cheers

Michael

Nah, Michael, mine were from the previous three month period.

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
I know someone working for BA that loves the SYD route as they can get 12 nights stop-overs - seems crazy to me! [:p]

That would make sense to me... because they fly via Bangkok or Singapore (and change crews). I would guess that maybe they stop over a few days in BKK/SIN, they a few more days in SYD, then a few more days in BKK/SIN on the way back... could soon add up to 10 or 2 days... Sounds like hard work (with all of those time zones) to me.

Boo

[HighFlyer]

Oh ok, that makes sense, i thought the same crew stayed on for the whole flight and had 12 nights in SYD. As they have crew rest areas i presumed that the day crew just went there after working, but given that they can only work so many hours i guess that it may not be possible/suitable

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
Oh ok, that makes sense, i thought the same crew stayed on for the whole flight and had 12 nights in SYD. As they have crew rest areas i presumed that the day crew just went there after working, but given that they can only work so many hours i guess that it may not be possible/suitable

No, they definitely change the entire crew at BKK/SIN. With a combined flight time of over 20 hours, it makes sense - even with crew rest areas, they wouldn't get much rest...

Still, would imagine that it is a fun route to work on...

[HighFlyer]

Yes definately, beats my office job at any rate

I wouldnt mind doing Cabim Crew but the initial pay is quite low, lower than i thought it would be, which is quite a shame. Ill have to make do with my few trips each year instead [:(]

[Bazz]

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
Oh ok, that makes sense, i thought the same crew stayed on for the whole flight and had 12 nights in SYD.

Wow, Highflyer a 12 night layover in SYD, VS would run out of Job Application forms

Originally crew were arriving into boston then the next day taking a domestic carrier to IAD then having a night in IAD before heading back to London on the day IAD flight and the same goes for the evening IAD flight.

Crew fly to IAD overnight fly to BOS next day then over night and then take BOS day flight back.

Now crew will just stay in BOS or IAD for duration of trip ie for 3 or 4 nights as its cheaper than taking a domestic flight!

So you prob will have same crew

quote:Originally posted by declansmith
Now crew will just stay in BOS or IAD for duration of trip ie for 3 or 4 nights as its cheaper than taking a domestic flight!

Hardly surprising as deadheading on other carriers can't be cheap! BOS is also a nice city to spend a few days in, if you don't mind all the construction work! (Wish I could say the same about DC.)

Having been on the VS53 a few weeks ago, by the time I made it to my hotel (about 12.30am Boston time), I just collapsed into bed, so it's really only a 2 day stopover!

Thanks Declan...

Mike