Today I’m trying Delta’s business class product Delta One on a flight from London
to New York.
The flight departed from Heathrow’s terminal 3, where Delta shares check-in zone A with
partner Virgin Atlantic.
There were dedicated check-in desks for Virgin Upper Class and Delta One.
Or at least that is what all the signage said.
When I got to the check-in counter, I was told I was at the wrong desk and should have
gone to the Sky Priority desks instead.
I pointed to the signage and said that I had been directed to this desk by a member of
staff.
In a fairly aggressive tone, I was then told I wasn’t listening to what they were telling
me!
It was a very poor check-in experience, and I subsequently filed a complaint with the
airline.
From check-in a lift took me up to the Virgin Upper Class Wing where there is a private
security lane.
It’s was then off through duty free and the departure lounge to find the Virgin Clubhouse.
Delta One passengers are invited to use this business lounge.
There was a bit of a queue at security whilst passengers removed liquids from the baggage
and put them into clear plastic bags.
The
Virgin Clubhouse was busy, but it wasn’t too difficult to find a quiet corner.
A range of hot breakfast dishes were available to order, alongside hot and cold drinks.
I had the Clubhouse breakfast, which was a perfect snack size ahead of the flight.
From the lounge it was a good five-minute walk to the gate on the remote pier.
Arriving at the gate, my documents were checked, and I was invited to board the aircraft straightaway.
The flight was on a Boeing 767-400ER aircraft, registration N842MH.
It was 21 years old.
Delta One seating was in the front cabin of the aircraft, with 34 suites in a staggered
1-2-1 configuration.
I was in seat 6A.
The seat had a width of 21” and reclined to form a 77” bed.
Beside the seat was a fixed counter with headphones hanging from a hook next to a bottle of water.
In front were the seat controls, and a power socket and two USB ports.
The controller for the entertainment system was under the armrest.
Sparkling wine or juice were offered pre-departure.
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An amenity kit was provided.
It included eye mask and ear plugs, toothbrush and toothpaste, lip balm and hand cream, and
a pen.
Slippers were also provided.
The aircraft pushed back from the gate more or less on time, as the safety video played.
We had a relatively short taxi to the south runway 27 Left.
The flight time to New York JFK was estimated to be 7 hours 15 minutes, meaning we would
arrive 45 minutes ahead of schedule.
Soon after takeoff a fresh towelette was served.
I settled down to check out the entertainment system.
Pre departure we were informed the wifi networks was broken and wouldn’t be available on
today’s flight.
Good quality headphones were provided, which were comfortable to wear.
The system had a substantial range of movies from the latest releases through to classic
films.
Unfortunately, there was an issue with the system, which needed to be fully rebooted.
But after about ten minutes it was up and running again.
I watched the classic 1933 movie 42nd Street.
The service started about twenty minutes after takeoff.
Tablecloths were laid out as drinks were served.
I opted for a gin and tonic, and was handed two miniature bottles of Bombay Sapphire.
This came with a small bowl of cheese, dried fruits
and nuts.
The meal started with a butternut squash soup and a curried carrot and courgette salad.
On the wine front I opted for red where there was a choice of a Bordeaux or a Rioja.
There was a chose of three main courses.
I opted for the Chicken Tikka Masala.
The food was good.
Although the curry could have been a little spicier.
With the food tray cleared away, the dessert trolley then came around.
I opted for the ice cream sundae, which had a range of toppings on offer.
The ice cream rounded off a nice meal service.
The crew were very attentive during the meal service, checking everything was ok each time
they walked by.
There were two bathrooms, one at the front and one at the rear of the cabin.
They were compact but didn’t show much sign of wear.
The rear bathroom had a baby changing mat.
At the rear of the cabin a small snack basket
was available throughout the flight.
I put the seat into bed mode.
A pillow and blanket were provided.
The
fixed counter meant it was difficult to manoeuvre into the reclined bed, which was a little
tight.
The blanket was nice and soft.
I dosed for a few hours and missed the mid-flight cookie.
But ahead of landing a second meal was served.
There was a choice of afternoon tea or a ploughman’s plate.
I chose the ploughman’s which came with a side of fresh fruit and a slice of bread.
It was a tasty snack.
Soon it was time for the descent.
There was some turbulence.
We came into land on runway 31 Left and taxied to terminal 4.
Overall, the flight was very good.
Putting the bad check-in experience to one side, the Virgin Clubhouse was a great lounge.
Onboard the food was tasty and of a high standard, and the cabin crew provided a friendly and
attentive service.
The seat was comfortable but a little tight when in bed mode.
Soon we were deplaning and heading to immigration.
Baggage appeared within 10 minutes.
My case was the third off the belt.
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