This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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We had stayed overnight at our reception venue in Crewe, Cheshire, so had around a 3 hr journey to Heathrow on Bank Holiday Monday, for our 6pm flight.
We left at around 11am, and actually got to Heathrow at 1.30pm, well ahead of schedule. We used the BAA CPS service, so we just drove straight up to T3 and handed the car keys over, which was very easy.
Only 2 weeks after the security scares, we were ready for long queues, but having done OLCI, there was no-one at the fast bag drop desk, so we walked straight up. We were temporarily delayed while someone from another flight who had been turned back at security for having too much hand luggage came to check it in at our desk as he was in a rush. No problem for us with 4 hours to kill!
We decided to ask about the possibility of an upgrade as we were on honeymoon - having read this site I wasn't hopeful, especially because I knew Y was wide open, and the agent confirmed my thoughts, saying we would only get an upgrade for 269, which we decided against. So we stuck with our OLCI seats of 36 H&K.
Off to security, which was also empty. This was bank holiday Monday so I guess not too many people were travelling outbound from the UK. Spent much of the next 3 hours or so mulling around T3, lunch in O'Neills and reading books, before the flight was called around 5pm.
Security checks at the gate were swift, and we boarded G-VOGE around 5.20, and settled into our Y seats. I must say these are incredibly uncomfortable - I've travelled on a lot of different airlines, and I don't remember a seat quite as uncomfortable. The leg room was no problem (and I am over 6 foot), but the thought of sitting in that seat for 7 hours didn't appeal - I don't know how people do it to SYD and other really long flights. I'm glad they're changing them as it would put me off travelling Virgin in Y otherwise.
About 15 mins after we boarded, an American family got on the plane, 2 girls around 20 years old, 2 younger children around 10 years old, and the parents. The parents were sat in the exit row seats around 6 rows in front on the other side of the plane, but the youngest children were behind us, and the other two (who were the worst behaved of them all) in the centre block next to us. We were already being pushed in the back by the kids behind us opening and closing their tables (I hate this!).
As the plane was less than half full, I went and explained to the cabin crew that it was our honeymoon, and please could we move to somewhere else in Y that wasn't surrounded by the family from hell. She said yes, no problem, but not until after take off due to balance requirements, which was fair enough. About 10 mins later another member of cabin crew came and said that as it was our honeymoon, we could move to PE after take off.[^] Not sure what did it, whether it was check-in or the cabin crew, but we had an upgrade! I think it was largely because we weren't on a classic honeymoon route - it would be much more unlikely on a Caribbean flight.
I was very surprised, but obviously pleased, and soon after take off, sure enough we were moved to PE, and given a glass of champagne each.
What a nice change to fly in comfort. I'll certainly be considering PE again in future (can't really justify upper unless I get enough miles to do it that way). We were in the last row on the H\K side of the plane, just in front of the PE washroom. No-one from Y used it, and PE was very empty, so it wasn't a problem being there.
The whole flight was excellent. Watched a couple of films on V:port, had a beef stew for dinner, and a couple more drinks, and a bit of a sleep. I have to say the cabin crew were excellent - they came round with water every hour roughly, which was important given the drinks ban.
Before we knew it, we were on our way into JFK, where we landed smoothly, and taxied for what seemed like an eternity before rolling up to a gate right at the end of the B pier. A long way to an empty security hall, picked our bags up and into a taxi for the ride to Manhattan, where we were to spend four nights before our onward flight.
All in all a great start to our honeymoon. I'll be posting TRs for our Air Tahit Nui and Air Tahiti flights as well over the next few days, and I'll try and fit in a bit about the holiday itself as it was incredible.
