VS075 MAN-MCO 17 Mar 06 (PE)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

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We checked-in online 24 hours before we flew and got the seats we'd reserved - 80H&K. We intended asking if the exit row seats were available anyway when we got to the airport as they have even more leg-room. We stayed overnight in the airport Travelodge which was OK - no different to the Hilton as far as we were concerned as we only need a bed & a bathroom. After a good night's sleep we drove over to the airport, parked up and went to the check-in desk to enquire about the exit row seats which had already gone - no problem. We checked in our luggage and went for breakfast before going through security. What a shambles - they only had one door open and the queue was snaking through the lounge area in 4 lines. Then someone opened another door and all the people who had just joined the end of the queue made a dash for it causing pandemonium! We eventually got through and boarded Hotlips (I think) and took off an hour late. Seats 80 H&K were just right for us - snug, private & just enough leg room for my husband in the window seat. The aisle seat was a bit restricted for leg-room but that was OK for me and the seats reclined as much as any other seat I've had on other aircraft. When we saw the exit seats we were glad that we didn't get them! The flight was pretty uneventful - I had a nap and read my book in between the many rounds of food & drink. The food has improved since my last flight with Virgin although they still serve that horrible yoghurt ice cream covered with chocolate flavoured stuff. Just a small niggle in an otherwise good flight. We were off the aircraft first, through immigration, security, double bag pick-up, transportation etc. really quickly. I sorted the rental car while hubby got the luggage and we were on our way to the villa within an hour.
On our return, 3 weeks later, we again went to check-in online 24 hours before the flight but found that our seats (80 H&K) had been taken and we'd been given exit row seats 75 A&C. Oh well. On the day of the flight, we went to DTD to check-in our luggage, A guy came to us in the PE queue and checked our passports and put the stickers on the luggage. He said we'd be seen by the next free check-in agent. After a few minutes, a clerk became free and we expected her to ask us over to check-in, but before she could, a family in the economy queue, marched up to the desk and the girl looked at them, looked at me as if to ask if it was OK to see to them. I just looked blank and she said something to the other family who returned to the queue. She invited us over and we checked-in. I asked whether it was common to have seats changed to exit row seats when checking in online and she said it was. (I had been a bit worried, that anyone checking in before us might have requested the exit row seats and we would have been left with goodness knows what seats.) She did say that if Virgin had allocated the exit row seats, then it was unlikely that they would then lat someone else have them. I knew that they could change the seats, I just wasn't prepared for them to allocate exit row seats online!!
Anyway, after a pleasant day we eventually got to the airport and after losing our way to the Dollar car return place, we eventually found it and went straight through to departures. I noticed lots of people taking off their shoes & belts while waiting in the queue in security but we didn't & nobody asked us to. We boarded (Jersey Girl I think)one hour late and the exit rows had loads of leg room but very little else going for them I'm afraid. The guy across the aisle from me complained to one of the cabin crew when she came round with the drinks as he really didn't want to be in the exit row!! She was very good and got someone to swap with him from further up front - so he was lucky and the guy who swapped got a bottle of Moet. I managed to get some sleep after they dimmed the cabin lights and after what seemed like quite a shirt time, we had breakfast? and landed a few minutes late. We were astounded when we got our luggage really quickly again and were on our way home. Last twice at Manchester we've waited over one hour for our luggage (My Travel) so this was a feather in the cap for Virgin. I will definitely go Virgin again, I just wish their prices were a bit more sensible.

Katie

Well done Katie on an excellent trip report!! Its always goodo to get the views of those of us who do not fly Virgin that regularly!!!

I dont think you can actually reserve exit seats online as the airline needs to physically see that you are able to open the doors and the like in the event of an emergency!!!

I have to agree about the exit row seats upstairs in PE - I don't like them. No bin next to you, no window and the TV's fold up from the seat at an awkward angle. I have more than enough legroom in my favourite 79 A&C and you get an extra wee table on the side of 79C too!

Thanks for the TR.

John

Yeah 79 A&C for me too!!!

Mark - I didn't reserve the exit seats, VA had allocated them to me even though I had requested seats 80 H&K way back in December. They had changed them when I went to check-in online and put us down for the exit row seats whether we were fit and able or not. I found it a bit strange.
John - those are the very things we didn't like about the exit seats + 75c wouldn't recline very much.

Katie