VS201 HKG-LHR 19 OCT 10 (Economy)
Posted: 24 Oct 2010, 16:40This is a Trip Report from the Economy cabin
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HKG/VS201/LHR/BD123/DUB
VS 201
Hong Kong International (HKG) - London-Heathrow (LHR) T3
Aircraft: Airbus A340-600
REG: G-VRED "Scarlet Lady"
Seat: 43C
Gate: 36
STD: 23:25
ATD: 23:41
STA: 05:25
ATA: 05:17
The morning of 19 OCT 2010, I went to a nearby Internet bar downstairs of my Hong Kong apartment and checked myself and my parents in for VS201. The availability of seats still not snatched up was somewhat astounding.
Later that day, I helped my dad to bring a package for shipping at the Tai Po Post Office, which allowed me to use the free government wi-fi to download the PDF boarding passes straight onto my phone (for assurances, lol).
As usual with my parents, it was the usual frantic packing of suitcases and buying what westerners would have regarded as freakish food items.
The day went in slow mo, with my parents and I, neither wanting to leave Hong Kong for it's our second home, we arranged a get together with my dad's brother and his wife and had our last dinner at the local "cha chaan teng" and spoke of the good fun times we had, like my grandmother and her vomiting when travelling in buses and going to the spa resort in Heyuan, Guangdong in China just across the border of Hong Kong.
However, when we left and got the luggages from the apartment, all my aunties and uncles greeted us at the main entrance of the Apt to much fanfare, and they were helping us get to the bus stop for bus route E41 that takes us from Tai Po to Hong Kong International Airport.
It was a sad moment, with native Hong Kong people getting on with their lives, the neon lights displaying their shops, the sheer amount of people talking all at once, the inexpensive but high in flavour food on offer, the polite manners of shop clerks, it was electrifying and fantastic and it saddens me to leave all that to come back to a place that is boring, quiet and ever so depressing.
My grandmother's sister-in-law also lives nearby and she was waving at us goodbye from her window and I swear, I wanted to cry and tell my parents, "No! I'm not going back to that hell hole, I am staying here where I belong!" But my sense of responsibility decided to assert itself and I realised I can't just stay... yet. So, I put on my charming smile and waved at her goodbye, the smile that made her weak and girly whenever she saw it. Heading towards to the bus stop, I felt how alone I was in the UK and that my family is in Hong Kong and I feel more at home there than I ever do here in the UK.
We waited for 5 minutes as there's an E41 bus every 9 minutes; we talked about crap lol but I stated I will try to head back to HK, maybe with my little brother next year, which they appreciated very much. The bus arrived, we headed on, my relatives stood outside waving goodbye and my parents and I waved like crazy from the inside. An aunt sensed I was sad and through the window signalled me to smile which I did for her and she smiled back and off the bus went.
Sat there with my dad, the feeling of family comfort and unity was fading fast and by the time we arrived at the airport, it felt like we were British again, mere visitors to this country. That family unity that comforted us, comforted me, that stated I was not alone, that I have family that loves me was gone. But I tried not to let that get to me, grabbing 2 carts, easily filled it with 3x exactly 23kg bags and 3 5-6kg hand luggages, we headed to Aisle E and went to a very empty check in desks.
I lined up at Bag Drop counter and went to a lovely agent and handed her our passports. It did take her a while to complete the whole process, so to help her, I said I got seats 41A, C and 42C; final destination was DUB via flight BD123. In the end she was able to get our HKG-LHR and LHR-DUB boarding passes, weighed our hand luggages, stuck those cabin bag tags. I thanked her and we headed to the gates.
Security was light, my bag had to be re-examined and it was due to a folding nail clipper that I got in Las Vegas a few years back but the cute guy didn't understand how to open it so stated it was fine. At least they detected it unlike UK & ROI airports, they didn't know I had such an item in my bag.
We cleared through immigration with the E-channels and our Hong Kong ID Cards and officially, we have left HK.
We navigated through stairs and escalators and shuttle-train and in less than 5 minutes, we were at Gate 36 and we waited. I walked around and saw KL890 opposite us, next to us was AF185 and on the other side, 2 Emirates aircrafts on stand. After an hour or so of waiting, boarding was called and we made our way down.
Everyone all settled in and was looking around for the load in Economy Class was light, it was 60% filled and there were many seats available. They made an announcement that one could upgrade to Premium Economy for £30, my dad just dismissed the idea and myself? Well, I was happy to stay in Economy, I'm not fussed.
Good thing I didn't waste money because, there was an announcement stating one can relocate if people wished and my mum bolted, left 41A and straight to 44E and well, she managed to have 4 seats to herself, which allowed her to sleep very well. I relocated from 42C to 43C. So my dad had 41C, a girl had 42A and I sat at 43C.
Take off was smooth, we used runway 25R, swung round to the right and headed north pass Sha Tin and Tai Po and onwards. Gazing out the window from my aisle seat was amazing, to have such free space. Despite the fact that it was in front of the lavatories, it wasn't a bother and I got to recline my seat without having to irritate somebody. I'm a considerate passenger, I hate reclining my seat as I don't want to bother someone behind me; shame people sitting in front me are not that considerate.
But with this many free seats, my dad could recline and not bother the girl and the girl could recline and not bother me.
Before long, meal service begun, there were 3 choices, I took Chicken in mash with tomato sauce. Gotta say the Chinese flight attendants are the best, so kind, so well-mannered and so thoughtful. The English ones were good too on this flight, but I'm biased for I am Chinese in ethnicity afterall.
Spoke to her in Cantonese and it made my trip "home" not that depressing, the one serving the drinks was English but she was full of smiles and I just wanted to give her a hug, she was so gracious.
I'm not going to lie at this point, mid-flight I feasted, loads of cookies, loads of tea and even asked for an extra dessert from the dinner service. The Chinese flight attendant opened a cart and I saw trays that were not used up during dinner service, full of salad, water and desserts, she said that I was welcome to eat them if I wanted more and I was like, "OMG, this flight is... heaven!"
I would have got more desserts but thought, don't want to appear like a total pig. Eventually throughout the 12h55m flight, I consumed snack-wise 10 cookies, 6 bags of pretzels, 7 cups of tea and 1 dessert (pastry with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce-thing).
Afterwards, I watched an episode of Glee and drifted off to sleep horizontally for a change with Glee albums playing in my headphones.
About 4 hours before landing, I woke up and freshened up and saw my dad was awake staring at the moving map like a zombie, lol. I asked him if he wanted tea and he replied in a monotone voice, "Yes".
I was hoping some tea will wake him up. I went to the back and arranged for 2 teas and cookies and pretzels. I asked the Chinese flight attendant when she returns back to Hong Kong, she stated that she will be returning to HK on Thursday, so a day of sightseeing in London or visiting family in UK isn't that bad imo.
She helped me with my teas and snacks and again, once settled in my niche cocoon, I feasted. Meanwhile my mum was snoring away in her row 44 which I dare not approach.
I watched Kim Possible, Death At A Funeral and a bit of It's Complicated (would have completed it for if IFE wasn't turned off prior to landing, lol).
Breakfast was served and I got the English Breakfast and it was very nice though, it appears the muffin is back.
Let me tell you about the muffin. 6 years ago, most airlines were serving this mysterious blue encrusted thing in all the meals, in place of at the time cheese and crackers. The latter shall remain in premium services while in Economy, muffin was offered instead then I suspected wasn't liked by everyone, it went away like the Dodo.
Years ago, I complained to British Airways and to Virgin Atlantic about it, because for 2 years straight, I saw this thing. It doesn't go off for weeks and it's hard as hell. It's like a very bad, dry dinner roll.
So, there it was, this muffin, smaller than before mind you but it looked the same and tasted the same. Even took a pic.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/ ... 7453_n.jpg
I took a bite and it was the same as before, hard and dry. Even with tea, it didn't go well. I saw later that the girl sitting in front, didn't even bother to eat hers, she just placed it in the seat pocket. Why the seat pocket? No idea.
Soon, we were in for landing, a flight attendant offered sweets and we landed via runway 27L. It was smooth.
All in all, what can I say? It was an awesome flight. If every flight was like this one, hands down, VS could easily beat EK. The flight attendants were amazing, so courteous, answered all the call buttons in my vicinity, someone was always walking around the cabin checking up on people and offering water.
This was the best flight I ever had, EVER. Sure the muffin thing must go but that's not the fault of the flight attendants but hopefully a wee catering error, but other food was delicious, loved the Chicken in mash with tomato sauce, the chicken was moist, wasn't dry, the dessert wasn't overly sweet which makes it perfect with the sauce, the English Breakfast was good too, the scrambled egg wasn't heated to the point that water was coming out of it, it was perfect.
The Chinese flight attendant was willing to help me carry my teas and snacks back to my seat, none this- "You ordered it, I've done my part, you can carry it yourself, while I can sit back down and read my People/OK magazine-attitude".
Honestly, I have yet to see this willingness to assist in BA Economy class service; so I can't say this enough, VS was amazing that night and I hope this type of service continues and is delivered across the board.
Cos that night, VS got it and damn, they got it going for them. Kudos Virgin Atlantic, kudos.
