I admit, I travel alot and usually better than most. I learned years ago from my friends in TV that if you have to be "on" after landing that going more than 4 hours is draining, and when taking an overnight flight, it has to be business class or better.
Long gone are my days of being the "college" student who scraped together money to go to Europe, so instead of flying coach on someone else's dime, I'll spend my own and go Business Class or better when it comes to flying from the left coast across the water. This is not "news" to many of you, and shouldn't be as my exploits have been chronicled by many news outlets over a year ago when a story about the lay flat beds on airplanes went world wide.
So what's the experience like? For starters there's almost never a line at check in.
Second you get to go to the airline's private lounge. In my case it's almost always Virgin Atlantic or OpenSkies/L'Avion if I'm heading to Europe. The private lounge almost always has solid broadband, for free.
Next once you get situated, you have a comfortable chair, cool, hip music, especially in the Virgin Clubhouses, and of course the open bar. I tend to not drink too much in the air, other than water, but the opportunity to get a well made cocktail, relax in a comfortable environment and be able to actually not have to hear the crying of babies, and best of all, the ability to answer a ringing mobile phone and actually hear the other party as opposed to all the terminal noise.
Here at the Virgin Clubhouse they offer a really neat drink called the Vesper. This is something I have been looking for since I had a trip to Jamaica some 11 years ago, as the Vesper Martini is really the "James Bond" Martini named after the double agent Vesper Lynd. It's a blend of three parts Gin, one part Vodka and 1/2 part of French Aperitif wine. It's served stirred, not shaken and is oh so smooth with a lemon twist in a chilled Martini glass.
Up in the air the Virgin flight attendant are perhaps the best I've come across. They are so "friendly" I almost feel I'm being seduced in the skies. While the in-flight massage, facial or manicure was discontinued earlier this year, the caring nature of their folks makes the flight seem to fly by.
On my return I love the Heathrow Virgin Clubhouse so much I even get there early. Want a haircut? No problem. Need a manicure? Sign up. Want some Sushi? Enjoy a burger with really good cheese? Order in. The way they treat you, and the overall experience is nothing but civilized, relaxing and enjoyable.
With a nine hour flight ahead, I'm happy to be relaxing, surfing, and posting.
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