Just Back From ...
Hong Kong with Virgin Atlantic
By Dajana Acevska
‘Five movies already under my belt on the outbound leg, 45 left to go, and just under 9 hours of flying time ... hmm…’
For one who rarely caught more than a few flicks a year before meeting my partner – movie buff extraordinaire – I was surprised by how eager I was to boast the final tally – which incidentally was not quite six … including the above mentioned five.
I’d reached the conclusion of my four-day whirl-wind tour of Hong Kong. Minimum touring (in mileage terms), but maximum whirling, as you don’t have to venture far beyond base to find yourself in a sea of faces, billboards, lights, markets, aromas, buildings, Bentleys, bling-bling shops, and more markets (more on the Hong Kong trip in coming weeks).
So by day four I was looking forward to the promise of 9 hours of solitude in the Upper Class “Suite” on the Virgin Atlantic flight for the Hong Kong to Sydney sector.
The Upper Class Suite proved to be the perfect antidote to a heady morning spent pounding the pavement and flexing unbeknownst haggling prowess with vendors from Stanley Markets to the numerous ‘fixed price missy’ establishments at Causeway Bay, in a last ditch effort to fill any particle of space available in the overhead luggage compartment. ‘I’m allowed how much extra luggage weight in this class?’ Upper Class, I’ve arrived!
Rewind for a sec though … the Upper Class experience starts with an invitation to the Virgin Clubhouse, which in Hong Kong showcases the latest Clubhouse design – just the right blend of sophistication and comfort, where you can choose a pre-flight snack (or three-course meal) from an impressive menu, and I’d have been quite content to park myself there a little longer – at least enough time to have seen the bottom of my champagne cocktail glass – but then the red baby on the tarmac had revved its Rolls Royce engine – there’s one for your next trivia quiz!
Like premium economy (see Simon Hillier's 'Just back from Flying Virgin Premium Economy - 24 Jan, 2005') Upper Class Suite passengers enjoy a welcome glass of Champagne on arrival, but what really blew my hair back was that every seat had aisle access and came complete with an ottoman leg-rest that can double as a seat for a guest (or another storage unit to stow last minute inflight purchases). The seats flip out at the touch of a button to form a fully flat – 180 degrees! – horizontal bed with a proper mattress, doona and pillow. At 56-84 cm width and 202 cm (6’7.5”) in length, it’s the longest bed in any class and more than adequate for all 5’0” of me …
Once reclined in a horizontal fully flat position, I only just managed to prise an eyelid open when the inflight beauty therapist arrived for my head and neck massage appointment (you can also opt for the reflexology or hand treatment), and had so thoroughly zoned out that I must have asked her for a rain-check, as upon waking from my first ever inflight slumber - and whiffing traces of warm savoury breakfast - I found a Virgin VIP coupon balancing on my armrest!
Pity that an announcement had sounded at the same time from the cockpit advising us that we were less than 30 minutes from landing, as looking around at the number of folk who were also snuggled up in their Virgin jimmy-jams, I knew I’d have to make a break for the toilet cubicle right then, or risk parading to the customs desk in the latest Virgin inflight yoga threads …
So I’m thinking, since Sir Richard Branson in his letter to all Upper Class Suite Passengers on board, said that he welcomed feedback and made a point of dealing with all comments and suggestions personally, my recommendation, Sir Richard Branson, would be to increase the flying time on all Virgin Atlantic flights as there are far too many great features on board to possibly get through them all in 9 hours!
