Trifter

We all know that traveling, while wonderfully exhilarating and fun, is exhausting these days, as well.  If you go on a road trip, you have to drive.  And if you fly, you have to jump through the hoops that the airports and airlines have had to set up since 911, then put up with airline personnel who are notably not happy to be working with you.  If you want to cruise, you have to drive or fly to the port of departure.

It stands to reason that fewer people are traveling right now because more and more people aren’t willing to put up with the hassles.  The law of supply and demand kicks in here and tells us that as less people travel, the more the travel industry has to lower its prices or at least hold frequent fare sales.  So travel deals abound out there.  I recently bought First Class tickets from San Francisco to London for less than half the price that one would expect to pay.  Since the tickets were on Virgin Atlantic, the king of first class service in my humble opinion, I was completely delighted.

I am not related to Richard Branson, Founder and Chariman of the Virgin brand, nor do I own stock in the Mother company, but I travel often and nothing is like traveling on Virgin Atlantic.  This is not an advertisement, but most of us can’t afford to travel “Upper Class” (as First Class is called on Virgin,) so when I do have a chance to see how the “other half” travel, it is a real treat.

First of all, I will begin at the beginning of my journey; at the Upper Class Lounge in San Francisco.  I did not realize the scope of the services available to passengers awaiting their flights when in the Virgin Lounge.  I was rather shocked when I arrived.

The Concierge at the desk welcomed us and invited us to join them for lunch.  Since we had had to arrive at the airport so early for our flight, lunch sounded pretty darn good.  We took a seat beside the window; all private little tables with captain’s chairs.  There was a lunch menu of small and larger plates, cocktails, beer and wine, and the Virgin Lounge’s ”Chef “would be happy to prepare lunch for you, we were told.

I had a scrumptious risotto with asparagus and my husband had a sweet little (yummy) chicken sandwich on foccacio bread.  Both were delicious, and I ordered Chardonnay, and he, Myers Rum with OJ.  I should mention that the bar area was so beautiful, bathed in soft blue light, welcoming anyone who was traveling alone and who chose to sit at the bar.  I am not the world’s greatest photographer but I have included a photo here.  I had to snap them quickly as Virgin’s policy is to protect the passenger’s privacy; photos of any area that might include passengers are strictly verboten.

The Bar in Virgin’s Upper Class Lounge–San Francisco

Photo by Madison Parker

I will add here that ALL of the food and beverages offered in Virgin’s lounge are complementary.  “Say What???” you are probably asking.  In coach on other airlines you can’t even get a nasty little sandwich on board, and the most first class lounges certainly do not serve meals, but a complementary meal before boarding was a complete surprise.  It all gets better as we move through this voyage.

At the lounge, I wrote the following email to my friends and family.  As I travel, I send a travel log back home about the events of each travel day.  So, here is the first email of my London trip; the note is addressed to Sir Richard Branson because, after seeing how his business works, I am a fervent admirer of the “Cute Boy CEO” as I have coined him.

A note to Sir Richard Branson from Madison

Dear Sir Richard,

I’ve always thought you were a cute guy; not so sure about the scruffy thing, but I have to say it works for you.  I am sitting in your Upper Class Lounge as I write this and I have to say that this is quite amazing!  Screw this new American deal about “being of the upper class is bad;” I have now found my new home.

I could be downstairs eating some really weak sushi from last week in San Francisco, but instead, I’ve had several hours of pampering in your lounge.  I think if you’d take a few of the doubters and sit them in your lounge for a bit, they would get the total picture.

Your lounge is quite lovely; the bar seems to be bathed in blue light and I’ve only had one glass of wine.  Very cool.  The people here seem to think I’m “somebody.”  Of course, to my friends and family, I AM somebody, but in the real world, we’re just some folks from California who like trying the better things in life, and THIS is most definitely a cut above.

I’m going to try to take a photo to send to you to let you know that your SF lounge is totally happening!  I do hope we meet up in London because Jeff and I think you’d be a hoot to hang out with.  But, if your schedule is full, I totally get it.  Meanwhile, I’m enjoying your complementary lunch and drinks and the lovely waitress who is sweet and friendly. 

Did I mention that the US airlines are looking really bad along about now? I wish you could give them a few pointers on how to run a business because they certainly need a bit of help

Love and hugs, and I do hope we can do lunch in London,

Madison

After this amazing start to our travel day, the Concierge called our flight and we made our way toward our gate.  We were welcomed onboard by a group of very friendly, happy faces who acted as if they were happy to see us!  Wow, that’s new.

We sipped a glass of champagne while we waited for take off.  I read and Jeff watched a movie and we took off and flew toward London.  It seemed rather soon after that the ladies and gents who greeted us began to serve an actual edible meal.  I had beefsteak with a nice sauce and my husband had the fish, which he assured me was very good.  We were poured our choice of red or white wines, (very nice wines) and the dessert was equally wonderful.

Our seats were in little, private cubbies, each with its own movie/TV/game/music screen and headphones.  Here’s a cool note; after dinner, when you are ready for a rest, the crew comes through the cabin with a “sleep suit” and makes up your “bed” for a bit of a nap.  Since it is an evening flight, this is quite welcome.  The very comfy seat is transformed with the push of a button, into a very flat bed.  Voila!  Nap time.

The First Class Seats that converts to a flat bed.

Photos courtesy of Virgin’s Website

We both slept quite well and awakened just as breakfast was served.  We are not early morning breakfast eaters, but a bagel and cream cheese, coffee and juice was in order and very nice.  I almost hated to get off the plane! 

Once at London Heathrow Airport, one of the most insane airports in the world, we found our little connector flight to Scotland via British Midland Airways and soon realized the sweet dream was over.  On this flight, we flew the short distance in coach and nothing, not even a drink of water, was complementary!  Talk about culture shock!

We had a lovely visit in Edinburgh and then back to London where my husband flew home and I was off to Paris to meet a friend for two weeks.  I took the Chunnel train which was very nice and quick; so quick that I somehow missed the under the Channel crossing.

Cut to two weeks ahead and my return trip to the States:

I will make my explanation of the morning short because it is nothing new to you; you know those horrible travel mornings when nothing short of a Valium will improve one’s mood.

Remember that I am in Paris and must get back to London for my return flight home.  I was booked on a short British Airways flight from Paris to Heathrow and, for some reason, the price was right so I booked it in Business Class.  (Another deal; I’m telling you, the travel deals are out there!)

One small problem, it seems, as I approach the ticket counter.  My seat has been given to another passenger.  The flight, I am told, was overbooked, so they gave my seat to another passenger who arrived before me.  Wanna bet?  Here’s my take; a businessman/frequent traveler wanted to upgrade and he was accommodated and I was sent to Coach Class! 

At this point I am one unhappy little blond Italian with a temper the size of Texas, which I am trying to control.  The lovely Senior Ticket Woman tells me, “If you want to get to London this morning, you have to go Coach.”  This French bitchy attitude does nothing to improve my mood.  But, I have a connection to make and what can I do but take the boarding pass and tromp toward the security check.

Now that I’ve been held up at the ticket counter for twenty minutes while the ticket people decide who is going to give me the bad news, I am quite late to Security Check.  When I arrive at Security there is a huge line.  I mean really long, long line, and two screening booths are open.  My flight leaves in twenty minutes; I am a bit stressed.

The line is moving VERY, VERY slowly, thanks mostly to a woman with a Hitler complex channeling us through the maze.  When I tell her that my flight is leaving soon and I have an overseas connector, she shrugs her shoulders.  Lovely little French b__ch.  I think that CDG goes out of its way to hire French women with attitude problems.  Sorry, it’s just my take on the place.

I am not a “stand there and let things just happen,” sort of girl.  I am a “take charge” in a bad situation woman.  So, I ask (loudly) to the rest of the long line, “is anyone else is on the 11:35 flight to London?”  Turns out almost everyone in line is on the flight.  So, I say to them, “Good, don’t let them leave without us!”  Everyone laughs, they guy behind me and I relax a bit, and finally the wench at the head of security opens another Security pass-through.

I made the flight and, when I landed, I was told to go to the BA desk to collect my money that BA owes me for flying Coach when I paid for Business Class. (BA, Ha!  That laugh’s on them!!) I would have had to trudge to another complete area of the terminal and find a BA desk.  I am so not in the mood to do that, and, a Virgin Lounge awaits me.  I have been told that this Heathrow Lounge is like nothing I’ve likely ever seen, and that is an understatement.

As I enter, the Concierge greets me and asks me if I’ve ever been to their Clubhouse Lounge before.  “No,” I tell her, “not the London Lounge,” I say, as if I’ve done all of their others.  She then says she will show me around.  She points out the seating areas of which there are many, most with computer power ports, all looking comfy and inviting.  She shows me the breakfast/deli bar and tells me that I should help myself to the various Danish and that the servers will help with my choice of breads, deli meats or smoked salmon, fruit, cereals…. you get the picture.

There is a bar to suit my alcohol needs, whatever I would like, from cocktails to champagne.  Servers will take my breakfast order should I care for a hot breakfast of eggs Benedict, other egg and omelets dishes, or whatever I would like.  I think I’ve died and gone to travel heaven.

The Beauty Salon–Part of the Spa in Virgin’s London Upper Class ClubhousePhoto By Madison Parker

I order a glass of very nice champagne, (I’m a California wine-country girl, thus wines, champagnes included, are something I do know a bit about!)  Since I’m not an early morning foodie, I chose the breakfast/deli bar.  Okay, maybe I COULD eat a little something.

The very nice server cut me a slice of wonderful, crusty French bread, added a scoop of cream cheese and a few slices of smoked salmon.

I plugged in my computer after my “snack” so that I could write a bit, and having done so, I wandered about the lounge.  The Ladies Room stalls are bigger than most hotel bathrooms and were clean as a whistle.  I have been told I can have any spa treatment from the spa complementarily, but since I have to work, I just take a quick visit; amazing.  (Yes, there is a complete, beautifully done spa in the Virgin Clubhouse!)

The entrance to the spa has a wall that is a waterfall.  The soft sound of trickling water and the calming music and comfortable seating for creates a tranquil, quiet environment, spa treatment or not. 

Hold onto your hat, Harry; there is a beauty salon where they offer you anything you wish in the way of a hair trim, hair cut, shampoo & blow dry; I swear to you, there is a complete salon; you can’t make this stuff up; it’s all for real and I have a photo of the salon taken quickly before I am threatened with confiscation of my camera.  Of course, I am told that I can take photos as long as a staff member accompanies me so that they can assure that no passengers are IN the photos.  Check.  I have your message and respect the privacy rights of those who may BE here and shouldn’t BE…. or something like that or maybe celebrities are being protected from annoying paparazzi?

The Concierge called my flight, and I left toward my departure gate, kicking and screaming that I didn’t want to go ANYWHERE.  In fact, I wanted to live in that lounge permanently.

The flight home is a wonderful and comfortable as the flight from the States to London.  The food was good, the wines were very nice, the seat/bed was so comfy that I fell asleep by the time we took off and nearly missed lunch!  Yep, time to eat again.  Not to worry, I was assured by the very pretty and sweet Flight Attendant. You can sleep through a meal and they will simply serve you whenever you like.  I continue to be amazed at how accommodating this airline really is. 

So, my journey is nearly over.  I have seen the good, the ugly and the glorious sides of the airline industry on this one trip.  I could write an entire book about airline horror stories that I have experienced on previous journeys, including such mediocre First Class service on one US airline that I swore never again to spend our hard-earned on another first class ticket.  I am very glad I broke my own rule to give Virgin a try.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to get online and check out the flight deals being offered right now.  If you are not so jaded by airline trips past, there are real bargains to be had.  Remember tht ticket for my Upper Class adventure was purchased on the web at a great, great discount.  The only thing that I did not receive that other Upper Class Passengers are offered was a complementary chauffeur driven ride to the airport.  And if you want to experience true travel elegance, give Virgin’s Upper Class a shot.  Let me know, if you’d like,  and I’ll ring up ole Sir Richard and inform him that you will be arriving at his ticket counter soon!

One more important comment to make about the way that Virgin Airlines works; as you book your ticket online, you are asked if you would like to do something to reverse the “carbon footprint” of your upcoming flight.  I thought that this was quite creative for a corporation.  

Also, all joking aside, Sir Richard appeals to his Upper Class Passengers to contribute to his foundation to help stop world hunger. The man is serious about sociological problems and global environmental issues, thus he puts his company and his voice behind those issues.  For that alone, I think that Sir Richard is quite a guy!

Photo Courtesy of:  (http://www.techshownetwork.com) Taken by  “Jochen Siegle/TechShowNetwork