First Trip to Hong Kong aboard VA J class

[TomVexille]

Don’t tell him ‘cos I snavelled his seat.

Again?

 

[Melburnian1]

clipped_wings, excellent writing style including some genuinely funny parts. I loved your observation re the high level of retail competition in Asia. Must be very accurate.

Next time, you might consider travelling on the airport rail line instead of a taxi. Smoother, and as with many places in the world that have such a line, easy changes to the Hong Kong metro (underground) trains.

 

[ellen10]

Loved reading your fun and witty trip report.
Thanks for taking the time to share.

 

[Tassieoptom]

I love gardening. So it was without surprise that I gravitated towards anything green that caught my eye. Kowloon had some beautiful examples of symmetry with it's municipal plantings and I only wish I had the vision of a professional photographer, as my awkward attempts to capture this are not enough to articulate how beautiful it actually was.

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I have been trying to convince MrsTassieoptom that a quick trip to Hong Kong would include amazing gardens, now i can try again to convince her with your wonderful proof. Many thanks

 

[trentusjuventus]

Thanks for such a great and detailed report! VA The Business is now yet another goal to aim for!

And it's always so great reading about people's first visit to and impressions of HK, takes me back to the fond memories of my first visit to that wonderful city.

 

[Linnet]

Our final sector was MEL-SYD courtesy of VA833 on a B738. Such a short flight, but we were looking forward to the journey home and didn't feel obliged to panic too much as we had a couple hours to kill in the Virgin Lounge. We had a few coffees, a nice chat then proceeded to Security for screening. I only had one small cabin bag, as did Mr Clipped, but as we were lifting the bags onto the conveyor belt for X-ray, some random female pushed past us and said "Excuse me, can you move please? I need to get through". She dumped her handbag onto the belt before me and sauntered through the X-ray. Husband and I just looked at each other and said "huh?"

Anyway, I moved through the X-ray and found her on the other side. Her bag was being questioned and mine had already been cleared. She was arguing with the staff. So I said "Excuse me, can you move please? I need to get through".

We wandered down to the gate. The B*tch who didn't know she was a B*tch arrived and promptly stood first in line, long before they called anyone. When boarding began, she thrust her pass into the hands of staff and tippity tapped her black leather pumps down through the aerobridge. I found her seated in row 7 and as I took my 2A seat, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Such an angry person - and all that negative energy. The good thing was, I have learnt that this type of behaviour doesn't endear you to anyone, so don't throw it around if you're having a bad day. Deal with it privately and show some decorum to people around you.

On a positive note, we had a great flight home and our cabin host, Rob was simply the cherry on the cake of our day. He was a gorgeous ambassador for the Virgin brand and the delightful way he engaged with all passengers was exemplary. His plating skills were pretty good too. He made some basic smoked salmon a culinary masterpiece:


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So here we are. The final chapter in our fabulous getaway. Touchdown at Sydney was right on time and we rolled to a gentle stop for disembarking with a lump in our throats. It was the end of a brief but beautiful holiday with my amazing husband, who, despite his infant antics - is my perfect travel buddy and the reason I laugh till I cry.

The last few days have been a blur, but it's been quite cathartic for me to put pen to paper here. Details of each moment have made themselves available to me with more clarity than if I'd simply chatted to you all over dinner.

If anyone has had the fortitude to read this far, thank you. I leave you all now with a promise to keep flying and although my mission is to aim for those gorgeous J class suites, it really doesn't matter. Soaring in any class to another adventure is the most wonderful thing and I hope our upcoming USA road trip will entertain you as much as it will us.

I actually found a half decent photo of me from the first flight, so my self esteem has been restored.

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This is Clipped Wings reporting for, well......me.

Over and Out.

Loved your reporting, Clipped Wings ... and am already looking forward to your next trip!!!

 

[jsm2090]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write an entertaining and informative review Clipped Wings! Makes me super excited for an upcoming trip in J!!

 

[Must...Fly!]

Wonderful report. I am heading to HKG soon for the first time in a long time (last time I was there, I couldn't speak!) and very much looking forward to it. Even more so having read this

 

[clipped_wings]

Out of interest, who do you most identify with: The Goodies, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Seinfeld, The Goons, other.

For every name you mentioned above, I have a special memory of an hysterical sketch, so maybe it would be an amalgam of them all. I do love Billy Connolly, for his observational humour. But I think he was probably influenced by many of the above. He's still the only personality I know who laughs at his own jokes, before he gets to the (pause for a giggle)....punchline.

 

[prf31]

Great report and +1 for the VA business class product. My wife and I just got back from BNE-HKG (via MEL on the way over). Flew VA over and QF back. VA cabin, food and service hands down beat QF in our opinion.

 

[toottifruitti]

Oh, almost forgot.

Did I get the Salt&Pepper shakers. Well, it would have been rude to ask for them, just because I wanted them so bad....


Who am I kidding. Of course I asked for them. They are my new favourite toy. So much easier than getting a stupid waving cat.

Hahaha

 

[toottifruitti]

Thank you for such a great TR @clipped_wings. I look forward to your TR on the USA trip.
Our family travelled to Hong Kong via Singapore Christmas with Singapore Air in J class and didn't enjoy it one bit. All our Asian trips have always been with SQ and they have been so professional but this time they really dropped the ball. Hard to get any attention by staff. Had to ask them to feed my son his breakfast, hubby went without completely. No amenities kits only a pair of $2 slip ons.
Our family has travelled to the USA with Virgin Australia both in Economy and in Business and in both classes attention to passengers were fantastic. I can't wait till they have BNE-HKG flights.

 

[Jonesaus]

great report, thanks for putting in the effort. i am hoping for a J points upgrade for my upcoming planned HKG trip for our honeymoon in October, definitely looks worth it

 

[clipped_wings]

FWIW, points and SC came in a few days after the last flight. Noting that all flights were revenue Business Saver fares and with family pooling, Covermore insurance and IHG contributions, SG husband managed to reap a bonanza of over 49,000 points and 640 SC.

Not bad. He's knocking on WP's door........

 

[RooFlyer]

A very belated thank you for a very entertaining TR. I missed it first up as I was on a trip of my own, but am just updating the TR index. ... What type of aircraft was the journey up to HKG?

 

[clipped_wings]

A very belated thank you for a very entertaining TR. I missed it first up as I was on a trip of my own, but am just updating the TR index. ... What type of aircraft was the journey up to HKG?

Welcome home, I've been following your trip as well - excellent reading Roo!

We flew out of Melbourne and back again courtesy of the A330. Enjoyed the first sector SYD-MEL on one as well, but the remaining domestic flights were 737's.

It will be interesting to see how the new Sydney-HKG route works, are they drawing the last 2 A330's from the Perth-Sydney transcon flights?

 

[Straubs]

Great Trip Report - lots of laughter from me. Can't wait to read another from you!

 

[craven morehead]

What a fantastic read !! Well done and thanks for sharing your HK adventure