I would just like to say that I don't "look down" on anybody at any time. The class you fly is not important, what is important is the service you get when flying it. I fly Economy, Club and First and expect service commensurate with the fare. If someone wants to feel antagonistic towards people who pay £9600 for a First fare well, that's fine but perhaps they don't understand the reasons. When I fly First to say Narita, it is because I have a pretty intensive two day schedule before returning to the UK. The value to my company is about 30 times the cost of the fare. I am not particularly interested in nice wine or food. What I am interested in is a simple, efficient and comfortable experience. VS try hard to give it in J with dedicated security and a car service at both ends. Their problem recently is in the air where the service really lets them down. This is why I went back to BA and was subsequently
shocked by the experience as outlined previously. If VS can provide a car and private security for the price they charge, then BA should be able to do the same in a dedicated terminal.
However, they still don't get it. They have just emailed inviting me to visit T5 to review the new First cabin. I'm sure it's going to be beautiful with wood, leather and fine fabrics. Great, now spend £500 per pax per trip for limos, £200k per annum on a dedicated security channel, another couple of hundred K on a dedicated F & J bus service then finally sort out the premium cabin crew and I promise I'll give it another go. Until then, they can go whistle.