This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
No incentive to arrive early as no CH so arrived at Heathrow at around 5:45 and checked in pretty uneventfully. The person checking tickets looked particularly bored and tired but the actual check-in agent was first class.
With all formalities complete ventured fairly quickly through security and passport control and into the departure lounge. Popped into the IRIS registration office as I was determined not to have a repeat of my last arrival back in the UK in February where the immigration hall was heaving. Then oh-joy the prospect of an hour wandering aimlessly around the departure lounge perusing books and magazines and wondering what sort of person would buy a raffle ticket for a lamborghini.
Gate came up as Gate 3 - a fairly short walk and a chance to eye up one of the redesigned gates - I believe this is one of the A380 gates. Very nice and much less claustrophobic that the standard gates with high floor to ceiling windows. Boarding began pretty much on schedule and we boarded and took our seats. Finally VS17 is a 346 and a relatively new one at that with both Y and W adourned with the newest seats.
The captain came on at 8:10 and announced that having rushed to be ready in time they had made it but that now they were being told to wait so we ended up pushing back about half an hour late. Finally took off at a little after 9pm and climbed off into the West. Service began pretty quickly and I have to say that it was one of the best served flights that I have been on. Poking my head back into Y I realised one of the reasons for this - the first cabin was virtually empty - 100 seats and about 10 passengers, indeed two of the passengers from PE had moved back into Y for a sleep. The rear cabin was a little more crowded but was still only around 50% full. Meanwhile PE had about 4 seats free - one of which was the one next to yours truly.
Really nice to have the v:port control on the seat in front - makes things a lot easier. My one ongoing gripe with the entertainment is that when the seat in front is reclined you cannot watch TV, even if you fully tilt it and increase brightness, unless you recline your own seat - not something you can do if you're eating at the time. Anyway managed to mostly enjoy 'A night at the Museum'. Unfortunately tiredness overtook me (my son had woken me at 6:30 that morning) and I drifted off towards the end. I awoke in time to watch the end of the film later.
Landed pretty much on time and managed to get out pretty fast. Took a cab into town and for the first time ever was charged return tolls - it was stamped across the seat in big letters so it wasn't a driver con but was quite surprised. He also tried to charge me return tolls for the Lincoln tunnel but wasn't falling for that (Lincoln is pay one way).
Overall a good trip. Nice to have the 346 and a great crew but dissapointed to see such a low load. Should regain Au by the summer but by then I'l have had to make 14 flights without CH access - especially painful on the JFK return leg.
Phil FM
