This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Time again for our annual trip to WDW. Virgin again this year having used them in 2007 and 2008 now they fly direct out of Glasgow switching from Continental.
In 2007 our plane was the last flight out of Glasgow as we took off at the exact moment the car with terrorists hit the front of the terminal. That flight there was a number of crew missing unable to make it to Manchester due to flooding, and one member of CC was on the flight not sure if her house would have been flooded when she got back! We were told that it might take a bit longer to serve meals and drinks but certainly didnt seem that way! Last year going out we scored 25ABC having been offered exit seats on both legs in 2007.
Both previous trips had been in Y but this year as a surprise for mum and sister I had upgraded our seats home to PE. However a muckup at Virgin meant we were in S in both directions!!! It seemed there was to be good fortune for all, as our friends at check-in asked for window seats, only to be given 25ABC free!
Check-in
Check-in opened around 10ish, although known it to be earlier and we were over for 9:15. Once in the queue a woman came round to tag cabin baggage and deemed mine heavy, and told mother and sister they were borderline and not to put anything else in. It was certainly not at the 6kg limit. After decanting some of my stuff she said what I had in my cabin baggage I shud keep there as was valuable (portable dvd, a vaio umpc, camcorder). [:(!] She left and what was taken out put back in before departure lounge and on the plane. My argument would be that having 4 cases underweight, when we could have 6, that the allowance we are not using could cover our cabin baggage. Also, 6kg, is a paltry amount compared to the 16kg allowed in Y on CO. [V] The bag I dont think was much more than 6kg and easily fitted in the size guide frame.
Following this we had a family who were clearly testing the patience of the check-in girl going by her face. Couldnt make out what they were moaning at but it certainly took some time. Problems with baggage was one issue. Then our check in was hindered when a boarding pass wouldnt print, so the upshot of this was that our friends and a few others in Y were checked in a lot quicker than us.
Seats
I checked online on the Thursday to see we had been given seats 81hk and 82h. Not sure what to expect from previous trip reports and seat ratings, the seats were certainly showing that they had been well used, couple patch up jobs on the arm rests, but were very comfy I thought and being in 81k there was enough room for a party in front - and im 6'2!![8D]
Not one for reclining unless i have to, i didnt really test out the seat with full recline until the guy behind had gone for a walk but was rather impressed. Felt that the legrest could have come up a few more degrees though to match the degree of recline.
Food and Drink
We were on no time before pre-flight drinks were offered. The bar service offered nice and quick after take off and although no pretzels with cutbacks that was no problem as I had brought my own stash of the good ol Penn State Worcester Sauce ones!
The food was excellent, certainly topping the previous leaders of Continentals Y offering and breakfast in Icelandair Y from a good few years ago.
I opted for the Chicken Korma with Steamed Rice and Vegtable Jalfrezi, and thought it to be as good as any curry Ive had from Markies! [y] Sampled sisters Braised Beef Bourguigon and that was pretty much just as good.
Went for the Baileys when offered and that helped us have a short sleep.
No fruit was offered to us, well not downstairs certainly, didnt go upstairs but suspect the bowl was probably up there. There was a tasty three cheese and coleslaw sandwich offered before landing with some getting a ham and tomato choice instead.
IFE
Nova for us again, and an ok film choice certainly, but was always going to opt for the portable DVD player and Zune to keep me entertained leaving the Skymap running on the TV. But, it worked with no resets needed in the mini PE cabin so all good on that front.
Flight
G-VROY Pretty Woman' was going to be taking the 453 passengers and 15 crew from Glasgow to Orlando today in an unheard-of 7hr49mins!!! [:0] Well unheard-of in our 15 years of flying to Orlando out of Glasgow. Would expect that time coming home but not going, looking at airnavlive on friday it seemed that VS071 did a similar time despite leaving 1hr30late.
The flight left Glasgow flying into smoke from a rather large fire next to the airport and being on the right side of the aircraft we got a cracking view. Until about two hours before, planes were landing at one end and taking off at the other end of the runway to avoid the smoke. Once over the Atlantic it wasnt long before reaching the waypoint markers of Sydney, Corner Brook, Goose Bay etc and I was expecting the plane to turn south but instead continued inland over Montreal, and then south flying between Washington and Pittsburgh. We have never been this far inland before for a MCO flight and then south eventually come down the coast of Florida and turned in, flying over a Globespan 763, which I think is the one that left Glasgow just before us.
Once Sir Sean Connery announced the crew to take their seats we arrived a good half hour or so early into Orlando.
Crew.
Quick mention here for the attentive service that we recieved from the two CC in our mini cabin. Had read reports where service hadn't been as good downstairs but we were looked after very well. Would say I preferred being at exit and galley seats as the CC a bit more chatty there. FSM only made a couple fleeting appearences in the downstairs PE cabin, just checking with the two CC that everything was ok.
Immigration and baggage reclaim
Off the plane quick, and into an empty immigration hall, just a few minutes later however behind the 400 plus of our plane was a BA and a LH flight! Amazed that although there wasnt many in front of us at the desks, a good percentage of those who were got sent back to fill in forms correctly. No mention of ESTA at immigration and our one took no time.
Mercifully priority baggage collection was working and one bag came followed shortly after by the rest. We had now gone from seatbelt off to bags collected in just under half an hour. We waited for our friends in Y but unfortunately there were issues getting their bags. Some Y bags came on the Premium belt and so families split between both belts, and then more supervisors came and few more frantic calls on the radio and all the Y bags started coming again. Was another half hour before we managed to leave with our friends, and many were still left.
Overall certainly was an enjoyable trip. Was not sure what to expect with PE having trawled thru previous trip reports and looking at seat ratings howver was very pleased with what we had. Good service and food, the only thing that would have topped it would have been if we were in the new PE seats.
