A flight with the dark side, due to the fact that VS was too expensive compared to BA holidays. Flights both ways from LGW- MCO-LGW in Club World, 14 nights at Disneys Port Orleans Riverside and a full size SUV (Was a Ford Explorer) for £3,000 less than Virgin holidays PE.
Arrived at Gatwick the night before, car to the compound and a nice night at the Premier Inn Gatwick. Next morning up bright and early and over to Club World checkin. very efficient and tickets and Lounge access handed over. Asked if I needed assistance to the lounge (To explain, since last posting I have become disabled, a nasty little thing called Charcot fott, which has made changes to my left foot, with the bones being permanently damaged, means I cannot walk very far and can only wear special shoes which stop any flex in my foot as flexing will shatter the micro fractures in my foot) and this was sorted straight away. onto buggy, through customs and security (still have to get off and do the normal, but in a nice empty part of the security area)into the Club World lounge. Now, yes its not a VS clubhouse (looks bigger) but its very nice. Choice of breakfast foods on a buffet style area, plus help yourself drinks and free wifi/newspapers. more than adequate(Not sure pictures will show, so will add them to the photo area)
Nice relaxing time in there until the man arrived with my jalopy to the gate. Easy journey to the gate and as boarding had started, straight to the aircraft. I had booked seats at the front of the plane (as a disabled person you can pre book your seat straight away with BA at no cost, something VS should look at) two seats at the left hand side for wife and lad, me just behind. now CW seats are different from UC seats, I found them to be slightly less wide but comfortable. I like the length and to be honest, as beds, much more useful than the UC bed, as in the UC bed, my feet end up hanging over the top of the little seat and is most uncomfortable, so I end up having to curl up. With the CW beds, no issue and can lay straight.
Cabin less funky than UC, no mood lighting, and seems a lot bigger than the MCO 747 UC cabin and less well, friendly in its layout and atmosphere. Good to be able to sit and view the cockpit (yes, cockpit door open until near push back) cabin crew friendly in an efficient way, not VS happy girls, and no Mr Akeister or intro by Chief steward. Headphones and blanket on the seat, with the Elmis pack (meh, but better than VS rubbish pack) looks like the days of great packs have gone.
Take off on time, settled down with a JD and Dry ginger, perused the menu. I have to say I don't think that the food these days is any better than VS's offering, where it used to be much better, now on a par (think BA standards have dropped, not VS have got better lol)
IFE fine, played, plenty of choice, plenty of music. I didn't use the supplied headphones as I take my own Bose QC2s.
Landing at MCO, porter waiting outside the plane with a wheelchair wheeled me to a customs line, then went off to get another disabled pax. Short line for disabled (think it was the crew line?) so was up and through before he returned. bags collected and me in the wheelchair wheeled through Food and fish customs and to the area where you drop off the bags again. Now this did annoy me as the only way up to the shuttle is an escalator, or so it looks like, But there is to the left, another corridor which goes to an area where the flight crew wait for their bus and a lift, but the lift needs a key, not available to everyone. however the ground crew insisted on returning the bags to the second drop off saying they were not allowed in this lift. (This, of course meant the stupid long wait at second carousel! an hour) upstairs to the departure arrivals area to catch the shuttle, said goodbye to the porter and a tip given. onto the shuttle, and a long wait for bags to reappear, then to the Avis counter and poick up of the explorer.
A very good flight with BA. will use them again for CW, but the differences between VS and BA are now very tiny (bar vs raid the larder) and I was sad to see BA seemed to be coming down to VS level than being a better choice. Overall, whoever gives me the best price between the two will get my money from now on, as the cabins and overall service are the same.
Oh, I forgot to say. After we landed at MCO, the Captain was very nice and allowed my lad to sit in the pilots seat and wear his cap!
Last edited by AlanA on 31 Jan 2015, 14:24, edited 1 time in total.
