June 21
A few weeks back I took a look at Virgin Atlantic’s UK website and found that Upper Class (Virgin’s Business Class) fares to Havana, Cuba and Kingston, Jamaica were on sale from London Gatwick. Not exactly Virgin’s most desirable destinations, but like I’ve said, I’m not much for sightseeing. Also working in my favor, the sale fares were available in both directions: Kingston to Gatwick and vice-versa. I don’t even know (or care) if Americans are allowed in Cuba, so I chose the Gatwick route.
Virgin’s website would not allow me to book online so I called their reservations desk. After a 20 minute wait on hold, I was connected to a very pleasant and helpful agent who not only booked my flight, but said she would make a note in my reservation to have someone show me around the Clubhouse in Gatwick in order for me to “get the most for my money”
Check in at Kingston was comical. Three hours before the flight, a large queue formed at the check in counters and gate agents showed up shortly thereafter. The only agent that was missing was was the one that was supposed to be working the Upper Class desk. As I waited and stared into space, economy passengers began being checked in by the oblivious agents. After a 5 or 10 minute wait a gal hustled up to the upper class desk and apologized for being late. I accepted her apology and suggested the other desk agents should have noticed me. After she checked me in, she asked if I was aware that the configuration was different.
I asked: “Different than what?”
After staring at he computer and not answering me I said: “What type of plane is it?”
She said something to the effect of oh jeez, don’t ask me those tough questions.
Then she said: “737 maybe?” (Virgin has no 737′s nor would a 737 make it to LGW)
I told her not to worry, I would figure it out. I proceeded to make my way through security to the lounge. I was surprised by her lack of knowledge because she appeared to be an actual Virgin employee as opposed to just one of the hired hands that most airlines use when they have 1 flight per day from an airport.
Boarding was more frustrating and less entertaining than check-in. Like the past experiences I have had in Jamaica, nothing is planned on this island, things just happen. It’s UNorganized chaos. Passengers need to show their boarding pass in order to take the escalator to the gates located on the lower level. The challenge was that security was not sure in what order passengers should be allowed to the lower level in order to make the long walk to the gate. This made for much confusion.
In the boarding hall, there was a secondary security inspection, but the security personnel did not speak, they just stared at me. I asked them several times what they wanted to inspect and/or what they wanted me to do.
When I finally made it to the boarding area, there was a long line where someone was checking boarding passes. I asked if there was a business class boarding line and was told that there was but the signage had been removed because they did not “see” and business class passengers. Travel aggravation at it’s best! More to come from the flight…
norman manley international airport (KIN)
random
the other flight to london gatwick
our 747 pulling up to the gate; BA and Virgin alternate between a gate and a stand
