Check in at Gatwick was a little slow, with only two counters open for the 250+ economy passengers on the flight, however it otherwise went fine. Security was very quick and efficient, we spent less time queueing than we usually do at Southampton! Boarding started about 25mins before departure and being at the front of economy we were among the last to get on. One thing Norwegian do need to do is start boarding the aircraft earlier, at least 45mins before. We ended up departing about 30 mins late, although the pilot made up the time and we landed on time.
On board the seats were a little narrow but very comfortable and well shaped, and legroom was comparable to BA and Virgin, the ife had a very good choice of films/tv shows and a clever google earth based moving map. The pre-ordered meals were rather small and best described as 'edible' (although no worse the most other carriers economy food). The main meal was chicken breast or white fish in a tomato based sauce with layered potatoes & veg with a mini pasta salad 'starter' and a nice chocolate mousse for dessert.
The cabin crew all seemed to be from New York, and were fairly friendly but they did seem a little inexperienced, compared with those on BA/VS. Cups of water were available to anyone for free regardless of if they had pre-paid meals. The buy on board snacks were quite expensive and of ok quality, but I would recommend taking some food of your own on to fill the gap between the meal services.
The 787 was a nice aircraft to fly on, a good deal quieter than the 747 even at the very back and the large dimmable windows and more comfortable air pressure do improve the experience noticeably. Both flights were basically full, but the cabin still felt airy and spacious. The crew locked the windows to the middle setting for most of the flight, though you could still see out clearly and make the window darker if you wished.
Arrival in LAX at ~19:00 local meant it was fairly busy, although immigration queues moved far quicker than those at MCO/MIA thanks to lots more desks. After the usual interview/interrogation finger/thumb prints/picture we were allowed in, and were finally able to start what would be a fantastic 2 week holiday staying in Dana Point!
