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#252835 by ofarvoo
20 Jan 2008, 16:28
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Now I was quite surprised when an hour before I was due to see my limo car to the airport, it was actually waiting on my drive, now that is service. It was freezing out side, and having had the same driver on 3 occasions now ( really nice chap) offered him a brew and a read of paper...no point sitting in the cold. Turns out the driver lives about 10 minutes from me, so bonus points to him for wanting to be there ready and waiting...V impressed.

So journey to the airport pretty uneventful, but the drive thru check in phoned me to check that the seat assignment was still ok. Reason being they were having to reload the seat map information on the computer as an aircraft change was necessary, which as it turns out was a bonus, more on that later !

Drive through check in at Gatwick was extremely speedy for me, but we were the only car there, until three more turned up waiting. As they only put one member on there, some chap was started to get a little annoyed, seriously you have a comfy warm car to sit in, so chill out !! Mr B on the drive through was a helpful and cheery as ever, and explained that there was a 30 minute delay on the flight. Now more on this. I asked whether it was a late incoming flight, which Mr B said well.... sort of ????????, what's sort of , he then explained that standard line is late incoming, but to me, it was plane is late leaving the deep clean !!!

Lounge is good as ever, and it looks as if the new V-Holidays lounge is shaping up pretty nice as well, plenty of building work going on there. Oh and the next time anyone is in the lounge look at the comments book, and flick a few pages back :-)) all will become clear

Boarding called and around 15 minutes later than normal, so no big drama, and today we were on gate 19. Now anyone that knows this area, it does not have a priority board entrance, and when the flight is totally full, ends up looking like a somme gat detention camp. To my surprise the flight actually was pretty empty, as boarding the actual plane was only just been announced, so skipped to the front an on to english rose.

stepping on board, you so could tell the plane had had a deep clean, it was an interesting aroma, but none the less all the new carpet in eco and upper was cool. Seat condition was excellent, and for once IT WAS CLEAN!!!!!!!, but it must be impossible to get those ink marks off the leather

Now in an unusual twist here, when the pre flight drinks were coming out, the two senior crew both came to each seat together to introduce themselves, as bothwere serving me today. Pretty nice touch and something I think should be done again. Crew make up was interesting, 3 FSM, 2 CSS and most others seniors, some crew working down.

Push back and on the way to the runway, I spot this boeing 777 of BA....... now I was secretly hoping that was not the BA to MCO, as that landing in front of us, would mean customs hell at MCO. It turns out that it was as I found out as we were taxing to stand at MCO, it was just parking.....DOH! So I negioated on the flight a quick exit to 2 doors to escape

In flight pretty uneventful, considering my last post here, food was excellent, drink all good, and the crew were great.

Flight time was very long 9 hrs 32 mins, and a routing that was direct, straight out over cornwall, and across the water over bermuda and down. So I made use of the bed very well and slept most of the flight. Didn't even bother with the IFE on board as it is not as good as v-port.

All in all bed comfy , food crew, smiley helpful crew, really nice flight

M
#432233 by slinky09
20 Jan 2008, 19:49
Thansk for the TR and glad you enjoyed the flight - hope the travel was good too!

So, VS Holidays is building a seperate lounge at LGW to the Club House? I think this an excellent idea.
#432269 by willd
21 Jan 2008, 09:21
Thanks for the TR. After a couple of threads on a/c cleaning it is nice to see that they do get deep cleans every now and again. I wonder how often this process takes place, am guessing they cant do it during the summer season at LGW.

Originally posted by ofarvoo

Push back and on the way to the runway, I spot this boeing 777 of BA....... now I was secretly hoping that was not the BA to MCO, as that landing in front of us, would mean customs hell at MCO. It turns out that it was as I found out as we were taxing to stand at MCO, it was just parking.....DOH! So I negioated on the flight a quick exit to 2 doors to escape



I am surprised by that, the 744 flies faster, IIRC, so would have thought you would have overtaken them! Very interesting.
#432271 by Darren Wheeler
21 Jan 2008, 10:01
Nice TR. At least we know they do actually get deep cleans.

Originally posted by ofarvoo
Oh and the next time anyone is in the lounge look at the comments book, and flick a few pages back :-)) all will become clear



Oh come on... Spill the beans to the rest of us.


I am surprised by that, the 744 flies faster, IIRC, so would have thought you would have overtaken them! Very interesting.


Perhaps the BA flight just wouldn't pull over despite the VS pilot flashing him?[:p]
#432289 by stars
21 Jan 2008, 11:36
Originally posted by ofarvoo
Oh and the next time anyone is in the lounge look at the comments book, and flick a few pages back :-)) all will become clear



Oh, now I am all curious and I rarely have occasion to fly out of LGW (have only ever done so 1 time).
#432296 by DMetters-Bone
21 Jan 2008, 12:10
Good to read that a LGW flight went well and crew and food were good [y]

DMB
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