This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
http://www.v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14921
and some (500+) pictures found here:
http://public.fotki.com/220883/
Yes so after just under two weeks seeing my brother it was time to come home, and to be honest I loved Japan but ol blighty was calling! I had a fair bit of unused spending money so i thought if reasonable id upgrade to PE. While standing in the check-in que a VS guy was coming down the line with a board advertising a special offer of an upgrade for about 200 and up my hand went so I came home in Premium! My first trip in PE to, having done WT+ on BA allready.
I was escorted to the ticket desk to pay and then onto the DIY check-in desk saving probably 30mins wait time! I was given the option of window or isle so i chose the isle and was seated in 18K.
As boarding was probably 2hrs away i decided to go through security to the gate and admire Sleeping Beuty which was to take me home. Not atlot to do airside at Narita so read a paper and waited!
When boarding commenced it began with UC and PE first which pleased me alot (sorry simple things!) and off i went, my seat was easy to find being the first row of PE and I settled in (after passing the tempting UC bar!), very very nice seats i definatly decided this was the way to travel (as i cant afford UC!). Drinks were offered but i only wanted a water and soon after the Y passengers started to board. Flight time wa s11hr 45min and we departed on time and after a more sprightly take off we were on our way.
About 20mins in the IFE was started and i had one of the fold out monitors being on a bulkhead seat, it wasnt a problem really and with the blinds down i began to watch The Da Vinci Code and The Chronicals of Narnia (unfortunatly IMap wasnt working throughout the flight!). During this we had the first meal, i had a beef stroganof which was very tasty! After the first meal the cabin lights were dimmed and I tried to catch some z's, i managed to get maybe an hour before i gave up and decided to watch every episode of Little Britain then Scrubs (i love that show!).
Just before the second meal ice cream was served and i had vanilla again a nice touch and very nice, for the second meal i had a chicken and potato meal cant remember the posh name but again is was really nice!
Just a note about the seat and view, it was really comfortable and i enjoyed having 2 windows to myself (3 when reclined!) and the view out the window was straight down the leading edge of the starboard wing, glad to see two shining RR engines there! The only downside of PE i found was with the curtains across it can be hard to go for a walk (yes i know i could have gone through the curtains but i couldnt dare to!) The on the flipside because it was a smaller cabin the service was more personal and you just felt that little bit more special!
Anyway i digress! Throughout the whole flight i got it in my head we departed NRT at 3pm not sure why, as when I felt the aircraft slow and begin to dive i was extreemly supprised, the captain made the announcement we would be landing in an hour i thought 'blimey that went quick' I then realised no we didnt leave at 3pm we left at 10.50am!
Anyway the cabin was prepared and i watched our decent feeling good to be back in the UK! Following a perfect landing (ive found no aircraft touches down better than an A330/340!) We headed off to the gate only to find an Egyptair flight on our stand, we waited for 20mins before it appeared someone was being offloaded and we ended up arriving at one of the new A380 gates next to an MH B747 and another VS A346.
All in all a very enjoyable trip with the bonus of flying in PE, not quite the ambition of boarding a plane and turning left!
ANyway hope you guys enjoyed the trip report, ill have another in just under 3 weeks when i fly MAN-JFK return with Delta (hope non VS trip reports are ok!)
Thanks again for reading!
Mark
