This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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Sunday. So free taxi (My parents in law) arrives at our door at 4:15pm. Leaving shortly there after on uneventful trip along M4, M25 and M23 to arrive at Gatwick at about 5:45pm. Trundled off from short term car park straight to Virgin desk for twilight check in.
Fun begins.
There was a queue of about 4 or 5 parties in front of economy check in desks and 3 agents checking in. There where no queue at PE or UC check in but there was also no one at any of the desks. We tentatively approached PE desk .. and where promptly offer help by the Securicor lady sitting near by. To be fair this probably due to the our puzzled expressions rather than any transgression of security rules
Securicor lady points to Economy queue and asks us to join it.
Plaintive cry from wife but thats economy has no effect and it is explained to us very politely that everyone was using the same queue. So we answered the security questions and disappointedly joined the short queue
I this point there was great amusement on my wife's part as the man about to join the queue behind us was wearing the same t shirt as me. It is really difficult to explain that this faux pas of the female world really doesnt have quite the same effect on us blokes. Have you not seen the football shirts (Never wear one my self) It is reassuring to know that your not the only male to buy a 4 pink shirt from Primark.
Check in was quick and efficient although there was no apology for the lack of dedicated PE check in but we got our reserved seats.
Now all my grumbles about lack of PE check in makes me sound awful doesnt it. Please dont get me wrong we werent really inconvenienced, I have had to wait longer at a PE check in. But I am disappointed that Virgin failed to offer a good quality of customer service. There could easily operated a UC or PE desk and if no UC or PE pax came forward they could pull people from the economy queue.
Last time we did twilight check in the agent insisted on moving from economy desk to PE desk to serve us although we where the only ones there.
Now free of most our luggage we booked into the Hilton. We got the smallest 100 room I have had with even smaller wardrobe ( yes I know the wardrobe is bound to be smaller than room but proportionally it was tiny). I know its a airport hotel and really we didnt mind, we were paying for the convenience of a 5min walk to terminal. The room was clean if the decor a little grim.
Took ourselves and parents in law to eat at Frankie And Bennies in terminal( OK so taxi wasnt that free) and back in room by 9:00pm
Monday. Up at 6:30am in terminal by 7:30 and then directly through security which only took about 10mins.
However a quick look at departure screen showed flight delayed to 10:00. So a wander around Duty free shops and a leisurely breakfast in Est Est Est and more wandering filled the time. We where at gate by 8:50. I am greatly disappointed by the replacement of the shuttle by various travellators.
See Tubular Belle sitting at gate. Yes we are at LGW but we knew the a/c had been changed to a LHR 747 many months previous. We lost our first choice of seat but had the prospect of V:Port to look forward to.
Boredom sets in .. we have to wait even longer and they dont start boarding until about 9:35. Small children etc first then PE & UC.. on board by 9:40.
Comfortably seated in 73 A & C with champagne in hand shortly there after ( Dare I complain my champers a little on the warm side) Remain comfortably seated for another half hour.then announcement from up front. Along the lines of Sorry for delay plane was late taking off from Orlando due to thunderstorm.sure you are aware of difficulties a certain airline is having with caterers. We use them tooUC food is not yet on board but is 5 min away .I (captain) have decided to wait.
Push back at 10:20. Take off 10:36
Drinks came round just before 11pm and V:port ran previews shortly after take off but was switched on properly about 11:05. I was please to see headphone different from last flight. We got black folding over head type with reasonably sized pads which where comfortable unlike those clear plastic over ear types we had last lime.
Lunch at 11:45. Choice of Chicken and Penne paste ( Wifes choice) , beef casserole ( my choice) or Veg risotto. By all reports meals were edible and we got water in a bottle not one of those silly cups with peel of tops.
Watch Hitchhikers Guide To Galaxy after lunch played a bit of Tetris then decide music and a nap would be a good idea. V:port not playing ball. Couldnt get a squeak of music..Then 3:50 reboot announced.still not working.doze a bit.4:40 reboot announced ..still not working . Be patient Duncan they said it may take a little time to get going ..still not working now bored.. play game on PDA..ah! food
Cream Cheese & Rocket or Chicken Caesar sandwiches. Wife doesnt eat cheese so I get two.
We also got Ben and Jerrys at some point
Finally 5:20 V:Port on and working. Watched part of a film cant remember what but IFE switched of for landing before it finished.
Now in all the excitement I didnt make a note of the time we landed but after all the delays at start I think we where only 10min late landing 1:40pm local time.
In the good bye speech FSM apologizes for shortage of immigration cards. What immigration card? I hadnt seen any being handed out. Is it to much to ask if you dont have enough. UC and PE first please?No sorry! forget I said that Im sounding dreadful again.
10mins to fill out forms which where handed to us by a VA agent and I am grateful to my mother for having me born on the 10 October as I filled in the date the British way but the form was in American.
15min wait at passport control. Bags arrive on carrousel as we do and then straight through customs and out in to departures hall. See Sandals desk straight ahead we are expected and hats of to VH we also get a welcome pack. A VH rep we see a VH rep and she says hello. First time in 3 holidays we have seen a rep despite searching for one at Disney World.
Wait for other hotel guests to arrived before being led of to bus and 20min drive to hotel.
We later learnt from another couple at hotel that Economy was full and that they had not been seated together. They had also been told economy was overbooked and 30 pax had not made it onto plane. I think PE was full but their appeared to be space in UC.
Return TR to follow
