This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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90 days ago
For similar reasons in my outbound TR, didn't fancy upstairs PE with all the plebs and riff-raff sorts (sorts like us on the outbound for those of you who havent read my outbound TR and thinking im some incorrigible snob) sauntering through to the toilet past us and thought it might be a bit noisy. So, opted for downstairs, 18a and 19ac. Back two seats, opposite side from toilets (unlike our flight home last year - thank god no one had the Florida Flux!) so we could put seats back guilt free, and mum in front could have hers back from start till finish too, stretch out and get a better sleep.
Saturday
Checked in online to make sure we got our seats - and we had. I thought it might be the case as seat selection for PE stopped a bit in advance but wanted to make sure.
Sunday
Made the most of the Downtown Disney check-in. For $10 a skull, its worth it for time saved at the airport. We got taxi down for 8, but it must be A330s or a flight less today as no one there, as there is normally loads of folk first thing. The only people there after us were two other Scots families for the VS72.
They weren't long in setting up and we would be first ones through.
For those who haven't used the Downtown Disney check-in: Girl sitting at a table takes the money and checks the e-ticket - then sends you off to weigh the bags - all under much to the delight of the girl next to the scales. I bet they get some grief! Knew the bags were under anyway with the baggage scales we've got. Once we had weighed the bags - over to the desk and two minutes for the guy to scan the passports and print the boarding passes. After you've had them tagged there are 3 lorries waiting to take them off to the airport.
A somewhat disappointing SEQ 23,24,25. Not sure how it works if its when you do online check-in or issue your boarding passes. I checked in about an hour after window opened, but never had boarding passes 'issued' by email - still, we did get 1,2,3 on the way out so can't complain too much.
After that it was back through a deserted Downtown Disney and back to the hotel to watch Andy Murray win Wimbledon - a remarkable achievement...that he managed to do so with about 3 minutes before our Magical Express left for MCO.
The queues at Security for our gates (safe to say the same for all 4 airsides) in Orlando moved at the usual pace for there - By which I mean the only thing in Christendom which is slower than tectonic plates scraping against one another and Dylan from the Magic Roundabout on a Monday morning.
To be fair, there were some TSA staff moving things along or attempting to - including moving folk like me into the employees queue. Whilst we snaked our way around, one American guy in the queue seen my top and said how good day for Scotland it was - this only an hour or so after Murray had won. My line had the body scanner, and when asked if anything in my pockets, assuming the guy meant phone / keys / coins etc so said no. Goes through yellow squares pop up over pockets where had napkins. Guy on other side wasnt too chuffed dont think. Empty pockets, back through, same yellow squares. 'Are your pockets empty' he said slightly exasperated - yes. Has a look at them, pat down, and then right no idea why its coming up, asks female colleague - no idea - must be the covers/flaps of the pockets. Says im fine to go. Having now taken a good half hour - was glad the bag got through fine to save any more time.
Monorail out and down to gate 81 where 'Hot Lips', which brought us home in '11, was waiting. Went for usual last meal at Burger King and couple bottles bought at the duty free.
G-VLIP 'Hot Lips' and a quiet part of this airside. While we waited to leave a couple VS A330s came in along with a BA777.
Boarding got underway pretty smartly and after the invalids, infants and the rich got on, it was our turn at 15.40.
Small queue on the airbridge, but soon on, left turn and into our seats where our amenity kits and bottle of water were waiting. Took some stuff out and got the bag up and settled into really comfy purple leather seat. Once a good few were on the girl came round with the champers 10 mins after we were on.
Take off at 16:33 was to the south, and thankfully we turned to the left to head back north. There were a couple times when caught the Virgin 747 flying above our hotel and EPCOT - and really didn't fancy flying home over Disney - doesnt get much more depressing. Wouldve made good picture opportunity right enough if we flew overhead. I got some pics at full zoom where you can make out Downtown Disney/EPCOT/MK but not at the resolution once uploaded here. We did get a good view of MCO however. Flight time was quoted at 7hrs 35mins.
Shortly after take-off the seat was reclined fully, and it went back further than i thought, and now in full on sit back and relax and enjoy mode watching an episode of Michael Palin's Brazil. Having the wall beside me and two windows, seemed to make it like there was more room than actually is.
At 4.40 they came round with hot towels for us - well, hot facecloths. Always used to like getting the hot towel on a flight but one thing that seems to have stopped over the last few years. Shortly after they came round with our menus and then the first drinks run. Nice to get your drink in a proper glass, but would be good if you got some snack like pretzels with it.
The routing home was pretty much to the outbound route, and coming up over Carolinas, Virginia and passing here over the Chesapeake Bay, Langley AFB and Atlantic City
A short time later, Keeping an eye on the window and an eye on skymap soon came up towards New York and Long Island. Helped by the angle / colour of the sun I got some shots where you can clearly make out the Manhattan skyline, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The Brooklyn Bridge and top of Empire State Building. Pretty chuffed as sure the folk on other side of plane on the outbound flight wouldve seen it if it was clear.
These were taken as they were coming round with the tea and the girl bringing ours seems quite impressed - a friendly crew once again for the ones we had in PE, often through the cabin seeing everything was ok.
Meal time at back of 5 and they ran out of beef just in front of us, which was to be expected that Mum got the last of it when we were back row. There may have been more upstairs but as the chicken was fine for me - fancied that most anyway - wasnt going to bother. It was very good anyway. The prawns were tasty, and the lettuce wasnt dry which was good. The treacle cake was pretty tasty too! Nice touch having Wilbur and Orville now wearing their black jackets when dispensing the salt and pepper.
It clouded over as we approached Boston, where there was the usual turbulence, but it was pretty light.
The crew then came round about half 7 with our after-dinner drink choice of baileys or brandy - went for baileys. Then there was the supper drinks run. As all on here will know, but for those reading this as a tool for planning their flights, its a case of 'Now, it's getting near bed time, and we want you to sleep and not be up all night running to the toilet, so no coffee for you - just tea or hot chocolate'. There were two orange juice and water runs as well at half 8 and 10.
Soon after the tea and hot chocolate run they came and said to shut the blinds, and switched off the lights. I had hoped they would keep the purple side cabin lights on, but sadly not.
...but always one for looking out the window, didn't want to miss the sunset, nor sunrise. Managed to get pictures of both, and even spot some Noctilucent Clouds which was good. As we came over Greenland and Iceland there was an interesting look to one cloud, looked like a volcano going off the small patch of red in all the grey cloud.
Sunrise
About an hour and a half before landing breakfast was served choice of some vegetarian nonsense or english breakfast scrambled egg, bacon, tomato and sausage - which again was pretty nice, especially the tomato - so sweet.
With all that cleared away we started our descent and crew came round with sweets for us to have. Some lovely views as we came in over the west coast and in to Glasgow...
Soon through that low cloud and on the ground landing 05.14. We also saw the Thomson 787 on stand as it would make the first revenue flight out of Glasgow later that day.
So, there we were for another year. Hopefully the prices will come donw from what they are at just now to something close to what we paid for this year. Really enjoyed the flights once again, excellent service from really attentive crew, would say more so than the crew when we flew PE back in 09. The food, which I know some class as economy meal on china, I would say, was better than the economy fair. The purple leather seat is comfy, and the new Vera system just makes the flight go in no time - especially this one - when we left Orlando at half 4 and arrived into Glasghow at ten past midnight Orlando time, almost felt like a day flight as you weren't that tired.
I hope youve enjoyed this TR, and if you want to see it with the pictures in this, and some more, in full size high-res you can do so here: http://www.egpfforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3692
