VS071 GLA-MCO 2 JUL 11 (Premium Economy)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Annual family trip to Florida starts as usual with the trip to the portacabins known as Terminal 2 Glasgow Airport.

Check in relatively easy, even if the agent did not know anything about lounge access for my FC Gold Card. 5 minutes later, after speaking with supervisor, all sorted.

Hot Lips was our aircraft with seats in 78 & 79 A&C in the rear of the bubble. 79C being pretty good, as it has the little side table.

So with 426 pax & 15 crew, we are advised of 7hr 45min flight time, bringing us in 1hr 15mins ahead of schedule, and pretty quick for a west bound trans atlantic.

Pushback from gate 31 at 12.10, and airborne at 12.20, 15 minutes late.

Some light turbulence for the first couple of hours, then smooth all the way across - meal was pretty good, and the ice cream 2 hours before landing VERY good, but the sandwiches a little dodgy - I always stay clear of the egg ones having had an "experience" with them some years ago.

Captain advised that due to us being early, we were coming in behind another VS 747 - cue groans all round as we realised what this would mean at passport control. Although, after touchdown at 15.01 local, Orlando groundcrew did their very best o ease the situation by being unable to get the airbridge connected for 30 minutes.

Despite this, immigration was a complete nightmare, with a BA 777, the VS 747, plus 2 air mexico flights all in at the same time - even though we were pretty quick off the aircraft, still took us over an hour - longest I have ever had at Orlando (but nowhere near lines at EWR for example).

Special thanks to the bubble crew for help with my slightly, if spectacularly, ill son (airsick after too much orange juice!), and to the 2 other pax who appeared with child friendly airsick tablets which calmed things down pretty quick.

Many people moan about the venerable old LGW / MAN / GLA based 747s, but as the return leg shows, we should not complain too much....

Always like to read a GLA TR - the timings for us as well as the saving of a shuttle / hotel stay in LGW make this a great option now ( as well as being able to use your "Full" baggage allowance)

Its just a pity when I have been checking prices, there seems to be a small premium on GLA departures compared to LGW/MAN when its shorter route so there should be a saving re fuel used.

thanks

David

wow 7.45 is quick ! thanks for the TR

Thank you for the TR.

Thanks for the TR, that is a quick flight time!

Really surprised you needed a supervisor to sort the lounge access!

Thanks for your TR, 7.45hrs is absolutely licking it.

cheers

alex

Thanks for the TR. Yes 7.45 is amazingly quick. I had to look at the timetables to see what is normal. Between 9.00 and 9.20 for a LGW-MCO.

The other thing I could not quite get my head round is that GLA is much further north than LGW and yet the journey south west to MCO is 226 N miles shorter. I know the world is round and GLA is to the west, but still Doesn't seem right to me...

Yeah - I was surprised when it was announced, but turned out to be almost bang on the money.

As to routes, LGW - MCO normally fly north west out of LGW and up over Scotland, heading out over the Atlantic around Prestwick area.

Obviously, GLA - MCO flights just head up & over the Atlantic directly, although from memory, we did head further north than usual clipping the south coast of Greenland, and coming in west of Newfoundland.

But the timing was right, and per my other TR, only 2 minutes slower than our return leg.