Flew LHR-AUH-SYD and back again in Y recently - tempted by the VA points bonus as a gold that is not available on SQ, but again the experience was a bit of a mixed bag.

- Not possible to pre-select bulkhead seats (I can do this well in advance in BA for free as a OWS, and on SQ for a reasonable fee). At the airport it was possible to get moved to a bulkhead on checkin for the first sectors from LHR and SYD but not on the ex-AUH sectors, and asking at AUH you feel that VA status matters for nothing with EY staff.

- No fast track security at LHR (but express path going in and out at SYD).

- No recognition as a VA gold from EY cabin crew.

- Lounge at LHR T4 is really good, more like a 1st class lounge than business, food is really good.

- Al Reem lounge awful again (not enough seats, dirty, old food and drinks all over the place, staff hassling other customers for sleeping, not enough tables and not enough power sockets).

- Coming back I tried the Al Dhabi lounge at AUH (you need Proirity Pass or another scheme) - what a difference. Lots of tables with power sockets, better drink and food range, really attentive staff - a proper premium lounge experience. Still the wrong side of the airport for most international departures.

- I agree with ekys' comments regarding boarding chaos at AUH. Due to location of lounge I ended up leaving too early and then spent 15mins in a holding pen of a lounge. Preboarding was announced both times for first, business and families (all in one go) - I boarded then anyway, but there was no announcement for golds (thought it was signed).

- Coming back into LHR on an after midnight departure there was no bar service - drinks had to be requested.

- Temperature on the planes seemed to have been turned down as was not as bad as previously.

One sector SYS-AUH was a VA plane and what a difference. However, the VA planes have no power sockets in Y, not even the front cabin, making the airline less attractive for those of us who need to travel in T and work.

If I fly UK-AUS and need top up my velocity points again, I would book SQ next time. And given EY's recent decision to halve the miles on discount Y fares, I think I will be sticking to SQ or OneWorld on LHR-SYD for the time being.

Oh - and the points/SCs for my outward flight have still not posted, over 1 month after flying.