This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Having gold status with Priority Club, I opted for the Crowne Plaza hotel this time. Decided to have a change from my usual Hilton stay there. I'd booked a refundable standard room online a few months before for about £70, but in late November, I received a special offer email from Priority Club. Looking at the website, they where offering a prepaid deal on a deluxe room at the Crowne Plaza for only £45 so I grabbed that offer, cancelling my standard rate room
A few days before I arrived, I happened to log into my Priority Club account and noticed IHG had already upgraded the deluxe room to a Club room with all the usual lounge access etc. All in all, it really was a bargain at just £45 
The hotel is good and is certainly on a par with the Hilton. I'd have no hesitation in staying there again or recommending it others. IHG now also offers free WiFi access for all Priority Club Gold, Platinum or Ambassador members.Up at around 07:00 the following morning, a short queue for the mini-bus but didn’t have long to wait. T3 at MAN is within walking distance, though T1 and T2 are a bit far to walk. VS check-in was in full swing and I didn’t have long to wait to be checked in by one of the two Upper Class check-in agents. I was handed a nice priority VS folder with the lounge pass in. I’d already checked in online and had my PassBook boarding pass. SEQ1 as well
As previously mentioned these are now labeled as Priority where applicable. I’m a Flying Club Gold member again, thanks to the bonus TP promo last year.After a quick stop at Travelex to collect my pre-ordered currency, I made my way up to security. There is a priority line at MAN T2 security, though TBH, security was very quiet and all lanes where open with no waiting at any of them. As I was on a VH booking, I’d already booked the v:room and didn’t go near the Escape lounge. Warmly welcomed as I arrived and it’s nice to see many of the same staff still working in there since I was invited to the lounge opening a couple of years ago
Plenty of breakfast food to choose from, both hot and cold. The v:room was much busier than my previous visit last December; though there where still plenty of spare seats.I paid a few visits to the airside smoking ‘cage’ there is in T2 (there’s one in T1 as well). It a bit of a trek from the main departure area but it is signposted next to gate 300 (the remote stand bus gates downstairs)
2 VS aircraft already parked on stand, my VS75 and the VS73. Boarding was called around 10:25 and it was just a short walk to gate 210, which is just across from where the v:room is. There was no visible priority boarding in place and there was a random explosives swab check-in use at the gate. I didn’t get selected for that.
Welcomed on board and directed to my seat on the upper deck in Premium Economy (24H, the back row of PE). The economy and Premium cabins on the upper deck soon filled up and the crew came round with the usual pre-flight drinks. During this time the Premium/Economy CSS came and had a quiet word with me asking which main meal I would like and she would make sure that, as a Flying Club AU member, I received my first choice
The departure time of 11:15 came and went and it was clear something was not right, as there were several engineers and ground staff visiting the flight deck. The captain came on and announced that the ground staff where having difficulty re-fueling the aircraft and he would keep us updated. About 30 minutes later, he came on again and explained that there was a problem with one of the fuel jettison values as it was stuck closed which meant they couldn’t pump in the fuel. I’m no engineer but I guess these valves do need to be open to vent the fuel tanks as they are being filled. The engineers where going to take this valve off and see if they could repair it. Another hour or so passed and the captain came on again to inform us that the valve could not be repaired so a new one would have to be flown up from LHR. The crew came round with a drinks service (no alcohol though as that was still locked off until we where airborne). The crew did also come round asking if anyone wanted to purchase snacks from duty free. The IFE was also switched on as well. Another hour passed with the captain keeping us informed of the delay and to inform us that as they would likely run out of hours, they where swapping with the VS73 flight deck crew. The decision was also made to start serving the main meal, again though with no alcohol. The meal orders where taken in the Premium cabin. It was the usual chicken, beef or pasta dressed up a bit like it always is. Though for those interested the choices where:
Braised beef stew in a red wine sauce with dauphinoise potatoes, silverskin onions, carrots and savoy cabbage.
Chicken in tarragon cream sauce with carrot, swede and potato mash, green beans and broccoli
Mushroom and pea risotto with Italian cheese
A choice of oven-baked bread rolls
Desert was Apple and caramel cake
As part of the Premium Economy service (and I guess economy too?) you can now also purchase a quarter bottle of Lanson Black Label Champagne. £12 a bottle or £20 for 2.
Quite a surreal experience eating your main meal whilst watching a film on board an aircraft whilst still been on the ground. It was pointed out that pax would not be allowed off the aircraft. If they did get off, they would not be allowed back on. Apparently, extra snacks where to be loaded onto the flight for once we where actually airborne.
We watched the later VS73 flight next to us push back and depart. Another hour or so later the now new captain came on keeping up informed of the progress. The new valve had arrived and was currently been bench tested before it could be installed.
Finally at around 15:30, it was announced that refueling had recommenced so it wouldn’t be much longer now. A few minutes later the ground crew where asked to leave the aircraft and the door was finally closed for our departure
The original flight time was 9hrs but they had loaded a bit of extra fuel to we could fly slightly higher shaving some time off our flight. It wasn’t until we where just about to push back that the captain actually told us how much time it would actually shave off the flight time….a whole 15mins lol making the flight time now a speedy 8hrs 45mins!!
Finally we pushed back and after a short taxi to the runway, we rotated at 15:44, almost 4.5hrs behind schedule. The IFE was switched off for some reason as we taxied, though was left on at the other end right up to the gate.
We had 2 flight deck crew, 15 cabin crew and 423 pax on today’s flight so pretty much full.
The cabin service soon started (again) starting with a full bar service this time. The IFE was switched on again. Other than that, the flight itself was pretty uneventful. AeroMobile was turned on, but data was very very slow, I’m guessing down to many pax using it at the same time. Calls and texts where working but data (only cellular Edge speeds) was often unusable. As I mentioned in my last TR, as the AeroMobile satellite uplink is based in Norway, you only get charged at EU roaming rates (depending on your network). Do remember that the system is turned off once you reach US airspace though.
Ice creams where offered mid-flight along with crisps and chocolate bars with the usual drinks runs. The afternoon tea service was served earlier than normal around 3 hours before we arrived. No issues with VERA Touch during the flight.
About an hour before landing the crew came round with an apology letter and a ‘sorry for the disruption’ VS leaflet. The offer was an extra 4000 miles on top of the standard disruption miles offer (which is based on the cabin your are travelling in) for arrival delays of more than 4hrs. So in total for me it would mean 7750 miles for Premium. Whilst EU 261/2004 is mentioned in the small print in the leaflet, there’s no mention of any financial compensation, which I’m fairly sure I’m entitled to.
We touched down at MCO at around 19:45 but had a short wait for a gate to become clear. In total, we had all spent over 14hours on the aircraft today. Immigration was clear at this time with no other flights waiting in front of us. For the first time ever, I was asked to show proof of my hotel reservation. Never had that before, but other than that the officer was polite and friendly.
The premium bags where soon arriving and about 20 minutes after landing I was in the car rental garage picking my hire car. I’d already done the Alamo online check-in so you can go straight to the garage and pick your car with no need to visit to car hire desks. With my CoPilot Satnav app fired up on my iPhone, I was ready for the ~90min drive to Indian Rocks beach. Whilst this is an easy route and I have done this drive before, never in the dark.
Finally arrived at the Holiday Inn Harbourside (stayed there before) around 23:30. That’s when the next set of fun started. They had no record of my Virgin Holidays booking and they where also full tonight so where unable to accommodate me. They would only be able to offer me a room from tomorrow so I could come the following day. The manager made a note of everything and he did his very best and managed to get me the very last room in the nearby Holiday Inn Clearwater which is about 6 miles down the road, but as you can imagine, I was a little miffed by this point. Dragged all my luggage back to the car and off I went to the new hotel. The Holiday Inn would pay for the room for me, but even so it wasn’t the room or the hotel I’d booked.
The manager at the new Holiday Inn was also very accommodating and sorted everything out for me. Finally by around midnight I jumped in a much-needed shower. Once refreshed I contacted VH via Facebook and went to bed!
The following morning, VH had contacted me via Facebook and the local VH duty manager was on the case. Checked out of the second Holiday Inn around 11:00 and just as I arrived at the Holiday Inn Harbourside (again) the VH duty manager was actually on the phone talking to the receptionist. Everything was sorted and the villa room I had booked was available so I was checked-in. The Holiday Inn even upgraded me to a harbor view villa for the inconvenience which was nice of them as after all none of this was their fault
All in all, not the best trips. I will certainly be seeking compensation from VH for the first nights accommodation and from VS for the delay.
Credit to the VS crew though as they did their very best in the situation. Looking at the VS flight status, the VS76 return flight was the VS flight impacted by our late arrival.
Regards
James Mitchell
James Mitchell
just have to keep everything crossed it's a quick flight and ahead of schedule 
