V-Flyer

I wasn't looking forward to this flight - 10+ hours in economy having not flown Y for a long long time. However, I was very pleasantly surprised!

Check in was easy at LGW as we were afforded group check-in, and therefore jumped the queues which zig zagged goodness knows how many times...

Having stayed at the LGW Hilton the night before I then went back to the hotel in order to take the car to Long Stay. This was quick and easy as Parking Express (very close) was used, and a courtesy bus just happened to appear at the right time.

So, back in the terminal and straight to security. The first surprise - we were through in a sprightly 8 minutes [y]

For the next couple of hours I loitered in that clubhouse-less manner buying meaningless and overpriced travel tat. Thankfully this time passed quickly and I was soon meeting back up with colleagues at the gate. Boarding was around 20 minutes behind schedule which wasn't an issue since there was more space to wait at the gate than in 42B where I was assigned!!

Boarding was painless and the air bridge wasn't backed up too badly, and the passage to the back of the 747 was easy since Y passengers had been strictly only allowed to board row by row.

Pillow, amenity kit, and blanket in possesion we pushed back 45 minutes behind schedule. I could have been mistaken, but you get pretty much the same in a Y kit as a J..... [;)]

The drinks service started around an hour out, followed by lunch (Chicken Tikka) which was easily as good as UC food (!). The trays were cleared quickly and at this point the FSM was leading by example, knuckling down collecting trays and rubbish himself! I was impressed!

Around 5 hours out a hot snack was served - I had a curry wrap (was this a BOM flight?). The next few hours passed by with a nap, using the winged seat headrest to full use. I'm 6' and the leg room was adequate, only let down by the IFE box under 41B.

Finally an afternoon tea was served 90 minutes before arrival, and at this point I enjoyed the best cup of tea I've experience so far with Virgin Atlantic - probably through luck. At this point my colleague next to me put pepper in his tea thinking it was a sachet of sugar [:D][:D][:D]

We landed slightly behind schedule and at this point I was ready to get off the plane, if only to get out of the claustraphobic environment as I was reasonably comfortable. However......there wasn't a gate available so we sat there on the tarmac for another 45 minutes. Following de-planing we then discovered a Condor 767 had arrived before us making immigration even slower than it would be coming off the packed Virgin flight.

In summary, my experience of a daytime longhaul Y flight was pretty good. Not one I want to repeat, but not the painful endurance I had expected!

Thanks for the TR, NS.

I love that your report is the other side of the coin from SBG's - he was waiting to get on the plane while you were waiting to get off it :-)

Originally posted by Jon Morgan
Thanks for the TR, NS.

I love that your report is the other side of the coin from SBG's - he was waiting to get on the plane while you were waiting to get off it :-)

This would explain a slightly delayed departure for SBG and further explains our delay in reaching the gate!!

I forgot to mention, one of the passengers waiting to get on as we went through to immigration was a former work aquantance, so we waved through the glass partition [:)] - small world!

NS

Thanks for the TR[y][y]

It is always helpful to have reports on the economy experience, and being able to compare with UC (which you say in certain aspects is just as good as[:0]) provides a good benchmark.

I think you outbound departure (coupled with waiting for the Gate to become free at LAS) provides an 'in & out' picture when put together with the TR from Sbg who was waiting to board your aircraft.

BTW you didn't polish off the port that he was looking forward to, did you[}:)][}:)][}:)]

buns

Thanks for the TR, always good to hear a Y point of view. Glad it wasn't as painful as you thought it might be.

Dominic

Thanks for the positive Y report [y] My next VS Long Haul is in Y and can't say I'm looking forward to it but hopefully if I go with low expectations, like you, will be pleasantly surprised

Thanks for the TR and an encouraging report of standards for those of us who travel at the back.

Originally posted by NS
colleague next to me put pepper in his tea thinking it was a sachet of sugar !

Did that once at an Oxford college with salt rather than pepper. [:$]Where I came from salt was put in a salt cellar, not a bowl

Originally posted by Attitude23
hopefully if I go with low expectations, like you, will be pleasantly surprised

Neil - think 'appropriate' rather than 'low'.[:w]

Paul

Thanks for the TR, NS; after a month away I'd have killed for a curry!!!!

Cheers

Tony

Thanks for the TR, pretty much how I had it last year as well.

Originally posted by sbg
Thanks for the TR, NS; after a month away I'd have killed for a curry!!!!

Cheers

Tony

Try living in this desert with no decent curry houses for 18 years [:(!]

Isn't the Gaylord in Madalay Bay supposed to serve a fairly decent curry?

Tony