VS045 LHR-JFK 31 Mar 07 (Econ)
Posted: 02 Apr 2007, 01:45This is a Trip Report from the Economy cabin
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Anyway, due to the possibility of added congestion because of so many people trying to get away over easter, my dad and I decided to leave the house at 9.45am, and our taxi got us from surrey to T3 in around 30 minutes. I was so excited; it was my first visit to NYC, and my first flight on my favourite airline for quite a while. We entered the pandamonium of the main area of T3 before diverting off to zone A, and it quickly hit me how much more organized that part of the terminal is. Sticker-on-passport placing and e-ticket checking was pleasantly done, and we joined the fairly long economy queue (I should be silver by december yay [:D])It took around 45 minutes, and we were quickly off through security which took only 10 mins, if that, and we did not need to do the shoe screening, and so we went off to a late brunch at Chez Gerard yum.
At about 1pm, gate 7 appeared next to our flight no, which was a nice spacious gate next to the Emirates lounge (and from what I've read on here, for the A380s?) Cosmic Girl was waiting, and we got onboard into 31J + K, only the second row of economy, so I was thinking that immigration could be a breeze. ([B)]how foolish I was...). Push back on-time at around 2.00, but we only took off at about 2.35. Drinks were soon distruibuted, along with those disgusting worcester sauce pretzels, but a really friendly cabin crew. I've seen that VS cabin crew seems to really vary between extremes, and mainly it's because I've only flown economy and premium economy, but I have to say that every VS crew I have come across has been superb. After what is a perfectly acceptable, infact a good economy meal which was not described just as 'chicken' alongside 'beef' and 'vegetarian' like sometimes, but with its full acompaniments. I don't drink, and my request for a coke instead of wine was a smile, an immediate disappearance into the galley, and a return with TWO cans of virgin cola [y]. I was pleased to discover a feature on V-port I didn't know was there - live sky news updates, and with an update time of 16.55, and man u 0-1 blackburn, I was deeply worried. However it seemed that the updating was just slow and at the next update at 17.55, it was man u 4-1 blackburn. Now THAT will make me enjoy this holiday a whole lot more! I did see that the panini thing was replaced with a brownie or shortbread, but the brownie was very nice. I just sat watching imap for the last half hour before v-port (which had been extremely slow for the two sides, but immediate for the middle section in starting up) was turned off, hoping to catch a glimpse of that famous skyline. We landed about a half-hour early, and we reached a deserted immigration hall - a wonderful sight. We were quickly called over, and both of our passports were scanned. I had my fingerprints done etc, and all was well. Then my dad had his passport scanned, and everything that had started so well, suddenly went downhill. We were told that there was some sort of problem with his passport and we would need to wait in a room on the left. It was full of people, and I decided to go and get the cases and wait with them in baggage reclaim. It was now 5.00pm. at 6.50pm my dad emerged with an officer, who told him that the immigration officer, who seemed to possibly be a trainee, had made a mistake and that there was no problem. His passport was stamped and we were allowed to go. By this point our taxi had gone, and instead we were offered a supershuttle minibus to take us to the Hilton Times Square via a few others for the other people in the bus. Seeing all the things I've only seen in pictures until now certainly brightened the mood, but the immigration process IMHO was unacceptable. Today, though I have had a wonderful time experiencing the big apple in an open-topped bus in the rain, and the flight was certainly excellent, I'll hope for another like that on my return.