This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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Some hours before deciding that an early morning rum based concoction was just the ticket, the day had started much as any family trip involving MrsPJH, The Favoured One and The Less Favoured One. Me being grouchy and counting and recounting family members, tickets, passports and cases and the rest of the family wondering why they have to get up so early (being as they were as yet unaware of my Club House related secret plans and clever tricks). Muttering something about the M25 being unpredictable at 6 am on a holiday Saturday I managed to shepherd them into the car where they all promptly fell asleep leaving me to navigate the largely traffic free A1 and M25 in total silence. Only when nearing the long stay car park did they stir, with Mrs PJH commenting to the effect that I must have been driving quite fast to get us there so quickly. Guilty, I'm afraid.
Parked up easily (thanks to Mark for the link to an excellent deal) and waited about 5 minutes for a bus in one of the fine, clean, water tight shelters provided by the car park operators to shield the travelling public. I'm sure the cascade of water inside the shelter was intended as a 'feature'. In the same shelter was a VS crew member waiting on her crew bus; ah, the glamour of international jet setting.
Terminal 3 seems to have lost the 'bunker' ambience that it had the last time we were there a couple of years ago. To be honest I felt a bit lost, as there didn't seem to be any pre screening (or we just ignored it). So we headed straight for the PE check in. This went efficiently, the only hiccup being the fact I was registered as a female.
Very short wait at security, enlivened only by outbreak of whinging by several self important young folk who didn't like having to remove their footwear.
It was then I could play the 'follow me, I have arranged something special' card. Having no idea where the CH actually is rather dampens the impact, and we spend some time blundering about with the family several (safe) steps behind wondering at what point they are going to have to tackle me to the ground and call for help. So eventually I have to confess the treat and engage their assistance in lounge spotting.
After a short interval, we find the staircase. I'm a little reminded of the steps ascended by David Niven in 'A Matter Of Life and Death'. Then the heart in mouth bit; would our names be on a list (as promised) or would I look a complete numpty ?
Well, there we were last of 5 parties on the list. After a warm welcome, MrsPJH and LFO were advised to go and see what treatments are available whilst yours truly was whisked off to pay the fee.
Then it was 'kids in the sweetshop' time. Aided and abetted by the constant attention. Coffee? Breakfast ? 'take this reserved table'. Champagne? More coffee. Treatments. Mojito. Email, and generally wander about like Cletus The Slack Jawed Yokel.
As things began to get a little fuzzy, I thought it a wise move to find and complete some green visa waiver cards. At the same time I take the opportunity to ask about miles upgrade. As I'm on the lowest of the low PE ticket, I'm advised it may (a) not be possible or (b) cost. Somewhere the champagne devil stirs, I ask how much and they phone to ask. As they do so, I notice the loading sheet for the flight. 7 in UC, 18 in PE. A figure is written down by the staff member on the phone; 1,500 each + miles. I must be giving off a startled vibe, as they are saying 'no, the passenger doesn't want to go ahead' before I can politely decline the offer.
We spend the remaining time in the CH people watching. Apart from a couple of Americans who are turned out as if for an afternoon at the country club, most people look....normal...and no different in dress or demeanour to those I see on my Edinburgh commute from Stansted. We wonder whether the true frequent flyers are those who we see come in, grab a coffee and a pastry and then disappear again. No Zelebs in evidence.
Then our inexperience shows. VS39 is shown on as boarding, so before any announcement we set off to the gate. BAA seem to have organised it so that the stream of passengers for three soon to depart flights are sent down a corridor where there's also a stream of disembarking passengers; and the two streams cross, with the disembarking passengers being given priority. A number of hissed 'I told you we should have been earlier!' conversations amongst people who are clearly very worried about catching their flights. As a number of VS crew are also caught in the queue they attempt to reassure people that the flights won't go without them.
Of course, when we get to the gate, boarding hasn't started. Oh we are such rubes, but another mojito wouldn't have been a good idea. It isn't too long though before priority boarding is called and enforced but no separate queue set up.
Aircraft is G-VATL, so joy of joys, V-Port. Sparkling wine to hand, we then spend the next few minutes discussing what we shall be watching. A message is relayed about the light load, and we're told to feel free to change seat - within designated 'cabin area' - once airborne. Only the leftmost pair of bulkhead seats is occupied.
Push back on time, and we settled in for what turned out to be a faultless flight. Even the theft of the bulkhead seats in front of us by a couple playing the 'we're so old and doddery' card (so how did you get there in a nano second from the other side of the aircraft then ?) didn't detract.
Excellent service was the order of the day. Perhaps we benefitted from the almost non existent UC load, perhaps the FSM who was very in evidence was hands on, but rarely was a crew member absent from the cabin. One in particular was a delight, taking time to ask each passenger what they were going to be doing in Chicago. Someone also took time to flash up some on screen messages about views to be had, including one of Dublin and one of an ice sheet breaking up.
V:Port worked fine, apart from my unit falling over with a C0e6 error when I hit the back key on the Sky Map. Pressed a few buttons, including, by accident, the call bell. Whoosh. 'Problem sir? Will reset it. May take 20 minutes. 15 minutes later I'm dozing and 'Has it sorted?'. 'Flash of Genius' (about Robert Kearns who invented the intermittent windcreen wiper), 'Generation Kill' (from the makers of 'The Wire') and 'How to Lose Friends and Alienate people' (which managed the miracle of making the Toby Young character seem almost sympathetic). All the others offerings I wanted to watch are on my LoveFilm list and I'd rather see them on DVD.
Food offerings were beef / prawns / veg pasta. Opted for beef and not bad. Even offspring ate with relish, and notorious aircraft food hater The Favoured One remarked that someone had the veg pasta and it looked good. Brandy / baileys / fruit. Water and juice runs (several). Orange and mango ice cream. Sandwich, coffee and fruity bar.
The only downsides to the flight were seat 19 wasn't that great for views, as the window is too far in front, and the interior of the aircraft seemed to creak quite badly when flying anything other than straight and level.
We landed in Chicago on schedule, and as there were so few in UC we were off quickly. As we passed the crew and the FSM saying goodbye, we thanked them for the excellent flight we'd had. I'll drop a note to that effect to VS; I can't put my finger on any magic touches, but it was just as it should be, and I don't think there's any harm in reinforcing that with a quick thank you.
All in all, a memorable day and a flight we'll look back on as part of, rather than a prelude to, the trip proper.
We can get better, because we're not dead yet
Thank you
