Gatwick getting back to normal
May 28, 2002, 9:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: VS/BA/CX/EK
Posts: 885
Gatwick getting back to normal
As previewed by RichardMannion, the Virgin Touch Salon is apparently up and running. According to the email I received from the salon:
"The Virgin Touch service has now re-opened at LGW this is now a "walk in"
appointment system only and we are not able to take pre-bookings."
Time to reschedule the limo for half an hour earlier methinks, particularly given that the flights to Antigua, Barbados, Miami, Orlando and the CO codeshare to Newark all leave in the same 30 minute slot!
I'm flying out to Antigua on Friday so hopefully they will have restarted the drive-thru check-in and might even be able to stretch to some hot food...
BC
"The Virgin Touch service has now re-opened at LGW this is now a "walk in"
appointment system only and we are not able to take pre-bookings."
Time to reschedule the limo for half an hour earlier methinks, particularly given that the flights to Antigua, Barbados, Miami, Orlando and the CO codeshare to Newark all leave in the same 30 minute slot!
I'm flying out to Antigua on Friday so hopefully they will have restarted the drive-thru check-in and might even be able to stretch to some hot food...
BC
May 28, 2002, 9:52 am
#2
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 34
amazing that it was closed in the first place. someone forgot to tell richard the plan to close the lgw clubhouse facilities. lets just say he wasn't too happy when he found out when he was at the lgw facility, several disgruntled frequent flyers made it known that they were not impressed.
hence the turnaround in services.
thomas
hence the turnaround in services.
thomas
May 28, 2002, 9:59 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: VS/BA/CX/EK
Posts: 885
To be honest I kinda understand some of the rationale in at least having a different level of service from LHR at LGW: most of the travellers are on leisure not business, and less likely to need things like arrivals facilities, although given that I arrive back from Antigua next Thurs at 6:30am and go straight into work I can perhaps see some use for them!
A bigger deal for me is the lack of beauty therapist and bar on the plane, and the absence of the J2000 seats. I think all the Caribbean flights now use the Alitalia 744's -- when we did Antigua a couple of months ago this was certainly the case. It just doesn't feel like "real" Upper Class.
Week after next I'm doing VS601/602 to JNB from LHR, so it will be interesting to compare. (Last time I did UC from LHR was Oct last year.)
BC
A bigger deal for me is the lack of beauty therapist and bar on the plane, and the absence of the J2000 seats. I think all the Caribbean flights now use the Alitalia 744's -- when we did Antigua a couple of months ago this was certainly the case. It just doesn't feel like "real" Upper Class.
Week after next I'm doing VS601/602 to JNB from LHR, so it will be interesting to compare. (Last time I did UC from LHR was Oct last year.)
BC
May 28, 2002, 12:10 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: London, UK
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Posts: 885
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by dnw:
Its about time VS adjusted LGW J prices to reflect the fact that they are "tourist" services.</font>
Its about time VS adjusted LGW J prices to reflect the fact that they are "tourist" services.</font>
BC
May 28, 2002, 12:36 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,399
Yup, but 4200 to go see Mickey and sit in a cabin full of upgrades is a bit steep... 
BA are no better ex-LGW (in terms of downgraded services but still high fares) but it would be nice to see VS take the lead in this area for once.
dnw
BA are no better ex-LGW (in terms of downgraded services but still high fares) but it would be nice to see VS take the lead in this area for once.
dnw
May 28, 2002, 1:40 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 34
i agree, 4200 is expensive for something that is classed as a leisure route. no bar, no onboard beautician and smaller clubhouse.
jnb and cpt are cheap in j for the length of flight involved. as for the las route, vs can pretty much charge what they like as they have the monopoly on the route for direct flights.
interestingly, ba have dropped the first class service to mco from the first week in june.
thomas
as for the cabin upgrades on the mco route, thats another big problem. its not unusual to see the whole of zone b on the 744s been used by w passengers. i know of one person that had a j ticket for the mco route, and had to move to zone a for the upper service and he was not happy that he had lost his seat to a w passenger (remember the config in zone b is 2-2-2 and zone a is 2-2). i for one prefer the zone b config, as the 2 seats in the middle are great for not having to climb over the person next to you.
jnb and cpt are cheap in j for the length of flight involved. as for the las route, vs can pretty much charge what they like as they have the monopoly on the route for direct flights.
interestingly, ba have dropped the first class service to mco from the first week in june.
thomas
as for the cabin upgrades on the mco route, thats another big problem. its not unusual to see the whole of zone b on the 744s been used by w passengers. i know of one person that had a j ticket for the mco route, and had to move to zone a for the upper service and he was not happy that he had lost his seat to a w passenger (remember the config in zone b is 2-2-2 and zone a is 2-2). i for one prefer the zone b config, as the 2 seats in the middle are great for not having to climb over the person next to you.
May 29, 2002, 4:22 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: anywhere but here
Programs: LH au VS au BMI au
Posts: 2,375
which is why when flying to or from MCO I always buy a K fare. Even a Red memeber is going to get an upgrade (I saw it happen) All the golds, silvers and then as everyone else was on IT tickets, they upgraded people with a Frequent Flyer number
Jun 8, 2002, 3:52 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: VS/BA/CX/EK
Posts: 885
Got back from Antigua a couple of days ago - the Gatwick lounge is improving but seems to be getting packed out. Part of this was to do with a delayed Orlando flight where most of the passengers seem to have been offered lounge access, and the rest might be due to the Frequent Virgin Holiday Club whose members get lounge access after three Virgin holidays. Perhaps because of this the Touch Salon had a long queue of hopefuls and my partner didn't get her manicure even though we were in the lounge 2.5hrs before the flight.
Incidentally, Virgin managed to screw up the car transfers on the way back - got 20K miles as compensation.
BC
Incidentally, Virgin managed to screw up the car transfers on the way back - got 20K miles as compensation.
BC
Jun 8, 2002, 10:31 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,140
"Frequent Virgins" (Virgin Holidays) get free access to the Virgin Clubhouse after booking 3 holidays through Virgin? No matter what class they travel?
Is this really true? I thought that Virgin was trying to make clubhouses more exclusive (i.e. stopping Amex Platinums from using them): if this is true, the clubhouse will become a madhouse...
Boo
Is this really true? I thought that Virgin was trying to make clubhouses more exclusive (i.e. stopping Amex Platinums from using them): if this is true, the clubhouse will become a madhouse...
Boo
Jun 8, 2002, 11:04 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis
Posts: 18,057
Hi,
I too thought that "Frequent Virgins" got access to a "Business Class " lounge ( like the Servisair lounge) and NOT the clubhouse...
just a moment...
In the Virgin Holiday brochure it states "access to a lounge at Gatiwck and Manchester (sorry there is a charge for both)" from which I assume it is like servisair.
Regards
TBS
( 8 days to go before VS PE to LAS!!:
)
Edited to add: Thanks Boo Boo Too. Staying at the Mandalay Bay ($89 per night) for one week, down to Scottsdale for a few days, then back to the Luxor for a few more days.
[This message has been edited by The _Banking_Scot (edited 06-08-2002).]
I too thought that "Frequent Virgins" got access to a "Business Class " lounge ( like the Servisair lounge) and NOT the clubhouse...
just a moment...
In the Virgin Holiday brochure it states "access to a lounge at Gatiwck and Manchester (sorry there is a charge for both)" from which I assume it is like servisair.
Regards
TBS
( 8 days to go before VS PE to LAS!!:
)Edited to add: Thanks Boo Boo Too. Staying at the Mandalay Bay ($89 per night) for one week, down to Scottsdale for a few days, then back to the Luxor for a few more days.
[This message has been edited by The _Banking_Scot (edited 06-08-2002).]
Jun 9, 2002, 7:33 am
#13
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 34
frequent virgin holiday members should not be in the clubhouse, the lounge that they should use is the servisair lounge. just because the flight was delayed should not mean y or w passengers should be entitled to use the lounge.
if it was me i would not be happy in the slightest with virgin if i had paid for a j ticket and then found the lounge in that state.
one does really have to question whether virgin are up to dealing with business class passengers, imho not anymore.
if it was me i would not be happy in the slightest with virgin if i had paid for a j ticket and then found the lounge in that state.
one does really have to question whether virgin are up to dealing with business class passengers, imho not anymore.