This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
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Cabin Crew
So, once again, back to Orlando and once again prices were Virgin were really reasonable when we booked. The original price had us flying out in Y and back in PE - as it was cheaper than Y by about £70 quid or so pp. The price to upgrade to PE was only £80 pp - and so we did - cant pass up that price.
Day before did online check-in and managed to get the coveted SEQ 1,2,3. Later that day through to Glasgow and to the Holiday Inn just over from the airport. On check-in got the usual Platinum Elite member offer of 500 points or drink and snack vouchers - drink and snack vouchers were only winner there. Enjoyed a rather nice steak and then back down to the bar later to make the most of the drinks vouchers - and looked like some of our crew the following day were also there. Had a donder over to the airport that evening - pretty quiet - and got a look at when check-in would open.
Following morning, few more movements to see and then we were over early for check-in opening at 6.05 and good to be back in the main terminal. Friendly G4S security guy doing tagging of the cabin bags, thrown slightly that I still had mine from last year. Certainly had more personality/humour to him than the typical ICTS employee. We were asked what class we were in and if we had done online check-in by VS rep and put into the general bag drop queue. She then came round offering upgrades - only two seats in UC - said to mum and sister they could go for it - but didnt want to leave poor me behind. Called forward to the desk at 6.14 Girl did the check-in pretty quick, helped, that unlike folk either side, we had done API online.
Got through duty free without being sprayed too much and missed out on the free nip of whisky though
Up to Frankie and Bennies at 6.35, and was busy as you would expect, but not as bad as I thought it might be, but it was roasting. Didnt get a window seat but instead got one next to the double fire doors they had open - we were glad to have been put there. Checking FR24 was tracking the inbound VS72 process, and as luck would have it, the corner table left just before it arrived.
Boarding commenced at 9.10 and we were only fairly quick
Girl was soon round with the pre-flight drinks at 9.20, anything that helps pass the time, and they were back round at 9.25 with the offer of a Daily Record or The Independant. Doors closed announcement at 9.58 and we were told today that there were 386 passenegers on board, 15 crew, who, were not just highly trained and experienced individuals, but "stunningly beautiful". Two flight crew, with female F/O. Pushed back at 10.10 and then out to 23. Sadly, an inbound KLM meant no rolling take-off.
There was a left turn after take-off taking us down over Saltcoats, Ayr and Prestwick before turning over the Atlantic. Rare sighting of the Delta 'Habitat for Humanity' 767 and a Turkish A330
During the welcome announcement, we were told that crew reserved the right to refuse to serve anyone alcohol they suspected was "blootered, trousered, aff their face or any other term for drunk" - clearly a Glasgow flight. Half past 10 and we were given our menus, and once that was done, just before 10.40 we were given hot towels. Drinks service started at 10.50, getting to us in the back row at 11.10. Went for a Dewars and Coke as of course, no SoCo or JD.
Meal service started at 11.38 and it got to us at 12.00. I went for the chicken and it perhaps didn't look stunning on peeling back the wrapper, but certainly tasted really nice. The mandarin quark mousse was sublime. We got our stuff cleared away 12.45/50ish and then five minutes later they were round with the brandy and baileys - well, it wasn't baileys but something which was pretty much the same - can't remember the name now.
Went to use the IFE shortly after take-off and no volume on either 19AC. We said to one of the CC and she was really helpful. She said she would do a re-set for us, and said if it didnt work, we had a couple options of getting a portable DVD player, or, we could move upstairs as two free PE seats. A reset didnt work. Once drinks and lunch were over, we said to another CC who said she would get the original member of CC, who had been dealing with us to help us. She had been dealing with the people in 19 D-G where the kids in FG had no volume. They were less amicable than us and soon had an FSM with them asking what compo they would get, not Flying Club members so would be offered a form.
I was fine, had my portable DVD player with me anyway, and spent the first hour or two finally listening to the BBC Sportsound and Off The Ball Scottish Cup Final podcasts reliving that memorable day as St Johnstone fan. My sister went for the portable DVD and Frozen from the list of movies they had. At 2.20 the original CC and FSM came and said they were going to do the Creme de la Creme of resets and with the CSS, they reset the entire AC block. This had the desired effect and sound restored! We overheard them saying to folk on other side they arent meant to do that kind of reset so far into the flight. While my sister gave her DVD player back to the CSS after returning him the thumbs up on it working, the folk on the other side only gave it back just before landing.
Cloud right the way over the Atlantic and over Newfoundland, only beginning to break up as we got nearer New England. We were slightly further inland than last time, so weren't quite on top of Boston as last year and a bit nearer New York. Managed to get shots of both - helped no one at 26 HJK - and also when we went to see friends of ours (who , had booked just after us not knowing we were on the flight) upstairs in PE.
It clouded over again above Virginia and the Carolinas so attention turned to food after a drinks run of juice or water...Having seen tubs of Hagen-Daz taken through to Upper, smiles were brought back when they produced Fabs for us at 2.20. A really quite nice afternoon tea was served at 4.45 consisting of a couple cheese and tomato finger sandwiches, crisps, a piece of millionaire shortbread and some mints.
Not long after that and we were approaching Florida. We made what seemed a short final by the turn in and seemed a slightly different route in from the north didnt reconise things quite the same, normally dont come over University of Central Florida - soon became clear as we landed on 17R instead of 17L at 1.38L . Down with a bit of a thud and short taxi to the terminal.
We were off first on the airbridge at 1.48 with a 'We're here' photo opportunity ...
...and into a nice empty immigration hall at 1.52. I forgot to look and see how many desks were open, I want to say 8/10 perhaps. Self service machines were put into use once the numbers began to build. We were taken to a desk at 1.55 and were done two minutes later. The curse of being through immigration so quick is the wait for the bags, which, wasn't helped when they came out on the wrong belt. When they werent off the first two lots, dispatched mum to other belt to see if they were there. Turns out they were. Looks as tho the girl in Glasgow never put PE tags on
- mind you - at 6.05 in the morning I too was forgetful not to make sure she did. So that was nearly 15 mins lost, the bags coming out at 2.15, but some PE bags were on the belt as soon as we were through Immigration. In the mean time, there was the chance to see some local wildlife...
We were on the monorail to the terminal at 2.19, taking our bags with us, while a lot seemed to be placing them on the belt to pick them up in the main terminal, couldnt be bothered with that as you have some wait. From there it was down to the Magical Express desk, and we were at the front of the queue for our bus at 2.34 and we left just before 3pm and as we did, got a view of our plane along with another VS 747 and TCX A330 on stand.
Through the sign at 3.24...
And having dropped off folk at the hotel next to ours, we were back 'home' at 3.35 where we were told we had been given an upgraded room which was pretty good, especially after all the years coming here. Benefit of an early flight also meant being there at a decent enough time we could get one of the boats in these photos to Downtown Disney for a bite to eat and a wander around.
So again, another really enjoyable trip with Virgin. Perhaps as we don't fly as much we've not really seen the standards drop as much as others claim they have, but we really couldn't fault the flights over the years from Glasgow - always been great service on board. The crew were excellent when it came to trying to fix the IFE issue, and genuinely apologetic and attentive throughout the flight.
Last edited by VS071GLAMCO on 08 Sep 2014, 19:15, edited 1 time in total.
