1st Upper Class Review.
 

So a few weeks ago we took our first upper class return LHR > MIA, MCO > LGW

As someone who usually flies BA CW and F I was really looking forward to it.

Arrival at LHR. Shambles. Took nearly 15 minutes to get through the barrier as they wouldn't let another car in as the person he was picking up flight had been cancelled or something. Rather than let him through the first barrier where he could then exit again before the second barrier they were telling him to reverse out. Despite there being a queue of half a dozen cars behind him. I had to talk sense to them in the end!

Meet and greet was pleasant, although I though this area was very tired. We checked in quickly and headed for the dedicated fast track. Which was not so FAST!!! (photo attached) Took about 30 minutes to get through. The normal fast track the other side of the wall which you don't see until your through security had one person in the queue.

Lounge. Really nice experience here. Service and food were great. The breakfast was on par if not better than the one I had two weeks later in the Concorde Lounge at T5

Flight. I have to say, I don't particularly like the seats. There's just not enough options to recline and it's either bed or seat, there's nothing in between. The crew were fantastic. Polite, chatty and I really enjoyed the bar, but the service was poor. A bit of a shambles, Didn't get one of our first main choices and was told we'd get miles but those are still to materialise and afternoon tea / lunch was a shambles. It was almost like we were expected to know what was on offer. I got asked if I'd like a sandwich. Yes I replied. To then see others getting burgers. SO I asked why I wasn't offered a burger, Oh, did you get a menu. NO! Would you like one? Yes please. The same happened with the scones. No offer of them, had to ask!

Return from MCO. We were very lucky. The MAN flight had been cancelled the day before and then again on the day we were flying and the later 7pm flight had been delayed to 1:50am (I was landing in LGW transfering to LHR and jumping on a BA F Flight back to JFK. Don't ask!) I forgot to mention here that when we arrived at MCO there was no dedicated Upper Class check in open. I asked where it was and they pointed me to a line of 50 people trying to re-book the cancelled flights. After I complained they then opened a dedicated check in, but it wasn't ideal.

Again, crew and flight were very good. However I did have to complain about the temperature in the cabin, it got to over 30 deg at one point and they did eventually turn it down, but not until I had the onset of a migraine. Again the crew were lovely, but the service was a shambles. Filled out the breakfast card. Didn't get a thing.

Although it was OK, I wouldn't be rushing back to fly Upper Class. I definitely wouldn't pay full price for it.

And within 6 hours of landing at LGW I was on a BA F. The difference in service was very noticeable.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0cf8b79d76.jpg

Glad to see that I'm not alone in disliking the absence of a comfortable variation between bed and seat. However, despite that caveat, I think the VS UC seat benefits over BA CW with its superior width and non-floppy footrest; but it is a trial for an entire TATL.

Yes, I have to agree on the width.

I don't think the seat is amazing, but I find it more comfortable at least in a sitting position. It was the crew that made me switch. VS crews are in my experience consistently good if not excellent and that makes a flight a whole lot more pleasant. I've had far too many CW flights with BA where the crew have treated me like a nuisance or a bother, and where they vanish after the meal service not to be seen again until landing.That said, I have also had some amazing BA crews, but because of the inconsistency they really just go to highlight the poor ones.,