This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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PE check-in was held up by a man who refused to be parted from his carryaboard which the gate agent determined was too heavy. He wasn't having it, taking clothes out, putting them back, arguing, very agitated. Last I saw him he had his foot on the baggage belt, hand on the bag, shaking his head. had it been USA, TSA would have id'd him as suspicious and hauled him away for questioning.
We were checked in by another agent, looked at watches and realized we had lost 30 minutes to the hold up--and quickly discovered we were to lose another 45 to security screening as the line bent all the way past the Whittards on first floor. Most people were very good about taking coats off, plunking laptops in the proferred plastic bags and moving along, but there were simply too many people and too few machines. Partner's camera case was seized for secondary screening but returned as quickly as possible.
Headed straight for Clubhouse (had vouchers) and skittered up the grand staircase, welcomed and checked in, and quickly found a table as we were quite hungry after a 5am start. My first time in the 'new' clubhouse and I quite liked it. Not crowded, people seemed relaxed and enjoying their time. On exploration found several already enjoying the jacuzzi.
The ceiling particularly appealed as it soars and swirls around, making a graceful loop that brings the whole room together. I wasn't as taken with the waterfall (reminded me perhaps too much of the one at DisneyLand) but liked the bar. As the LA flight had just been called there were a lot of uncleared tables about and staff looked rushed. One full English, one signature eggs, coffee and tea (and a trip to the deli for small smoothies) and we felt much better.
Collected Sunday papers and a couple of mags and mooched around a bit until called for haircut (me) and Rhinestone Cowboy (him). I was fortunate enough to have a really excellent haircut (nearly an hour spent on it) from a young man who told me he used to work at a salon where the same would have cost me 80 pounds. He had been on since 7 am, was due for an hour off at 1 and new shift at 4 and enjoyed working at VS as got to travel quite a bit, apparently now staff are able to actually book flights rather than wait for standby.
Haircut over, and feeling quite lightheaded (not of course due to glass of champagne that accompanied me) tried to read in one of the big leather chairs but felt like Alice when she was just small and gave up. Flight hadn't been called but board was flashing so headed to gate 34 just as it opened.
Tinkerbelle (Sweet Dreams in berth next door)! Boarded and headed upstairs to 71. Took quite a while to get fizz and noted that many of those in J seemed delighted, suspected a number of opups but no complaints as we were comfortable, and well sat. Well, that was until the twosome seated behind us agreed to switch with a father and -groan- his small, precocious son. A talker and a seat kicker--for 6.5 long hours....is it me? This was the second westbound VS PE flight in 6 weeks, same seats same nonstop yak yak compounded by the rat a tat of the small feet and the occasional yank, push or shove at my seatback. This was a child who read well--which he did loudly and steadily as he read aloud from his 'journal' from March 2005 to present day.
I decided to do some self-anesthesiology and had another glass of fizz, asked for a chardonnay with my meal (there is no chardonnay in PE anymore--it has changed to a 'house blend' and it's awful). Dinner followed--and I should have passed as the ravioli was heavy and gluelike with the profiterole left untouched as no room left. Tea was on offer only if you could do eye contact with the FA as she hurried down the seats.
Took a walk downstairs, no one at bar so helped myself to bit of fruit and choc and strolled through the packed Y cabin, then back upstairs, fruit juice and water on tray at top of stairs, and settled in for a violent nap, followed by a shaky read. The little boy behind was up to November in his journal reading so there was light at the end of that tunnel. I put in my earplugs and snapped on noise cancelling head set but i could still hear him--and could certainly feel him as he thwacked my seatback. I did ask him to stop but he just looked at me, managed to cease for two entire minutes and then lost his concentration as he read a particularly riveting entry about a visit to the National Academy of Art and its Michelangelos.
The 'new' PE seats have a lot of drawbacks--but the leg lift is brilliant. After having driven in poor weather, hunched over the steering wheel for 3 and a half hours, stood in line after line at LHR and lost a wrestle with the 'big' chair in the lounge, it was blissfully ideal to lean back (I admit wickedly that I had no qualms at putting my chair into full recline) put my legs up and sleep.
Slept through tea (although was offered it when woke--refused) and had clear view as we flew into New England and made a lazy, slow swing up the NH coast then around to South Shore at very low altitude. Captain told us that weather was bitterly cold (12 degrees F) and snow left only one runway open. We were cleared for landing when it seemed we were almost at standstill in the air, and landed easily in the usual hair raising last minute touchdown as the wheels just clear the bay. Left the usual bag of change for the day's charity as we said goodby to FA's and trudged down to arrivals hall. No problem (this time) clearing customs, and took a dubiously shocks-free cab driven by a Jamaican miserable with the cold, who needed street by street directions to get us home. The temperature has stayed frigid, dipping down to zero at night, spring seems very far away--a year predicated by a particularly depressed Punxtatawny Phil.
RR[;)]
Roadrunner
