V-Flyer

Evening all, I am new to this site and thought i would let everyone know that I am about to go on a trip with work to America, this would be the norm for a lot of people on here, however I have never travelled on my own, neither have i ever been to America and this is the first time i would have ever stepped on a Jumbo. I am excited but nervous as im leaving my wife and young daughter for the first time.

Any travel advise / best seat would be appreciated. My flight number is VS027.

Cheers
Dan

Welcome to V-Flyer, Dan

You don't mention what travel class you are travelling in, which will help in seat advice.

I never used to go away then one day I decided to just book a trip to NYC and now I'm going away on my own all the time.

My travel advise is to know how to get from the airport to the hotel. Research the options before so you know what you're going to do when you land and may be a bit tired. Or just take a taxi )

I'm travelling in economy.

Welcome to v-flyer Dan.

I fly quite often on my own and am flying out to Orlando myself in November for a week in disneyworld.
Economy to MCO I would either choose a seat on the upper deck or as far forward on the main deck as possible.
Immigration is not usually too bad for the VS27 but can be a long wait if you are at the back of the bus.

As you are on your own I would personally go for an isle seat as then you are not penned in by others and are free to move about when you want.

Enjoy your flight and Florida.
There are a few of us who travel to Orlando quite frequently so any questions just ask.

Maybe worth looking at booking an exit row seat, did this back in 2010 when I flew vs27 in economy, well worth it in my opinion, masses more space for a little extra outlay

Welcome Dan

How are you getting from the airport once you land? As already mentioned is always a good idea to get the transfer sorted before you get there if there's no-one to meet you.

The usual tip for MCO is don't put your luggage back onto the second baggage belt once you land. As you have never been through MCO before, you go through immigration then collect your bags as normal, you are then given the option to put your bags onto a second belt, which takes them from the satellite terminal to the main terminal for you, where you then have to collect them again off a second luggage belt. You can, however, opt to carry your bags yourself (though not using a trolly). It's always quicker to carry you bags yourself to the main terminal arrivals area.

Don't be afraid to ask someone if you struggle with anything once you land. MCO can be a bit daunting because of it's size. All the staff at MCO are a friendly bunch though (even the immigration officers there as I've never met a more cheerful bunch of immigration officers at any US airport y) )

Is the 27 not an A330? No upper deck if it is but certainly try to get as far forward as you can.

If you need to arrange transport from the airport, you could try Mears shuttle services. Not cheap but cheaper than others & fairly reliable.

Dan,

If it's your first time in the USA it might be worth mentioning a few things not directly related to your flight :

- have you got an ESTA ? If not, go and do it *right now*. It's an online application process and a small fee is charged. This is necessary to enter the USA without a visa.

- immigration will check your details. Expect them to ask you about what you are planning to do on your visit, where you work back home, and how much cash you have brought with you. They can be curt and irritable, but just answer their questions and you will be fine. You will hand your customs declaration to a different official who may search your bags. This is rare but it happens.

- the first time I travelled to the US following the new immigration fingerprint checks being introduced, I was taken to once side for "special attention". It scared the blazes out of me at the time, and the folks at immigration were not very friendly about it, but it turned out that my fingerprints were close enough to someone else that they had to do further checks on me. This added an extra 45 minutes or so to the time spent in immigration.

- If you're getting a taxi, you will need to tip the driver 15-20% on top of the charge shown on the meter. Also expect to tip bellhops in hotels, and your server in a restaurant. 18% or 20% is considered appropriate for good service. It's better if the tip folds, ie don't give them coins (unless you are asking them to keep your change).

Enjoy your time in the US. It's a cool place.

Welcome Dan. Don't worry, you're not the first and certainly won't be the last in this situation. It brings a tear to my eye remembering my first solo trip to NY. And no, they are not tears of nostalgia because this was 15 years ago and on a United flight, so consider yourself lucky to be flying VS

I also completely empathise about leaving family for the first time, but ironically I'm now at a point where my dear wife is pretty much pushing me out of the door when I travel as she sees it as an opportunity to eat more healthily and get more sleep (no sniggering at the back please, it's just that our sleep patterns are very different).

Admittedly I've been lucky in that I've always managed to keep my travel to a week or less, so not sure what your plans are or if this is possibly the start of something more regular for you, but my advice is to try not to worry, enjoy the experience, and call home every day... Even if only to make the point that the drinks you went for last night were in fact a 'valuable networking opportunity'!

Good luck and let us know how you get on...

RC