V-Flyer

After another excellent trip to the sunshine state, it was time to start the packing and the planning to fly home. Staying at Disneys Saratoga Springs, it was an easy trip across to book in at Downtown Disney, whoops, Disney Springs, which was deserted.

A little hiccup, when the lady checking me in decided there was no VS74 that day, which started a little panic for me, but eventually found out there was indeed 2 flights to Manchester that day.

Back to Saratoga for the last few hours at the pool (before the usual afternoon storm arrives)

The last day always has its challenges and this one proved to be the same. You depart you room at 11.00am at the latest but of course are free to use their facilities for the rest of the day. With the vicious heat and humidity this trip, that would prove challenging. Of course with a little extra bit of planning, it could have been so much easier.

I hadn't really appreciated the VS74 didn't leave until 7.45pm and if had, would have made sure the car wasn't due back by 5 and booked the room for an extra day. This would have given me somewhere to shelter from the 20 min storm and of course an extra shower before travelling home. Disney's Saratoga is, on average, 13 minutes from Orlando International Airport (which includes stopping at both the toll booths - which had just increased to $1.75 the day before) so you can be pretty lax in leaving it to the last couple of hours before you fly.

Of course, the car was due back by 5 so it was around half 4 when it was finally time to depart.

The drop of to Hertz was again painless, especially finding out that you can now earn miles on pre payed bookings through shops away ! and into a busy terminal with people departing and arriving for the 4th July celebrations.

TSA Pre came in very handy, with very little queuing and of course nothing to take out bags etc and I was soon scouting out the gate for my return flight.

Gate 90, opposite the MCO Club room was a weird gate to be at, don't think I've every flown back from that part of the airport and it maybe should have given a heads up.

Up to the Delta lounge, which is due for a huge refurb shortly. Wonder if there might be the chance for a wee VS section ? and quickly settled into an empty area next to the food.

The soup was delicious, although was hot enough to strip the lining of your mouth and its great to see Delta now having much more than the crackers and plastic cheese they used to have.

A few coffee's after trying to stay off the beer and boarding time was approaching, or so it should have been. My favourite travelling app Tripit then sprung into life !

2 hour delay. New departure time 9.45pm. Ah nuts. 2 hours is just about the worst delay to have, long enough to be uncomfortable but not long enough for some EU compensation -haha

The new boarding time approached with still no sign of anything happening and I thought I'd venture down to the gate - "VS74 ? - Yes - Have another seat, the crews not even arrived yet" so a quick 360 turn and I was back in my corner in the lounge.

Eventually made my way to a very, very empty gate - boarding was done in one go.

So, it turns out, the incoming flight had an issue with the rudder, kinda important fix I'm reckoning, but the crew also had an issue with their bus driver having a heart attack on the way to the airport. When you hear about that issue, all of a sudden, there isn't and there shouldn't be any grumps with delays etc.

They had known about the rudder issue early on and had transfered as many passengers as possible onto the other Manchesterr flight so there was a grand total of 29 on our plane home - in the words of the cabin cew, "it will take off like a homesick angel"

With a grand total of 5 in Upper, leaving 24 to rattle about behind us, service was 1st class, although many didn't eat due to the time. I'd the chicken curry, which was nice, but very spicy and then bedded down for the evening.

Will post the return menu shortly.

The flight, as you imagine, just kinda happened. The most interesting part being the first time I'd woken up thinking I'd a great sleep and finding out we were just above New York but eventually we were soon over Ireland and getting ready for a speedy landing into Manchester and onto a remote stand.

The bus was there in seconds and it was nice to be able to look up at the massive aircraft that had just delivered us safely home.

The electronic gates didnt seem to work for most people but we were soon picking up the bags and starting the long road trip home to the Borders.

Another great couple of flights from VS, great crew, food and apart from the arrivals mess into Orlando and the small delay, no issues. Now for the next one .....

Thanks for reading.

David

Thanks for another good read. So pleased you had , despite a few hiccups, a pleasant flight home. It must feel so strange being on an almost empty big beast !

Thanks for the TR! I can second your experience on piping hot Delta soup after burning my thumb in the ATL skyclub!
Glad all was well in the end though

We always book an extra night at our accommodation if we have a late flight home and we also book an extra day with the car. We can then drop the car off the day before it is due back, at our convenience. This works really well for us. I always check to see if the extra day will cost us a lot more with the car but up until now, the price has been the same.

Wow ! only 29 pax. Thanks for your TR.

29 that's crazy! Assume still full crew operating, interesting too that if the passenger numbers across the two MAN flights were such as you descibe they didn't operationally cancel the VS74 months prior and have one full flight rather than what would have be two half full flights.

FLYERZ wrote:29 that's crazy! Assume still full crew operating, interesting too that if the passenger numbers across the two MAN flights were such as you descibe they didn't operationally cancel the VS74 months prior and have one full flight rather than what would have be two half full flights.

I'm guessing the outbound would be full(er), and yes, full crew - remember, they would be expecting a few more.

David

As promised, the inbound menu applicable to the VS 006, 118, 028, 050, 018, 072, 074, 076 and 162

Starters

Miso corn soup
a moreish soup of creamed sweetcorn and miso soybean paste topped with spring onions

Beetroot and feta salad
a crisp spring salad with picled yellow amd orange carrot ribbons, picled Chioggia beetroot all set off with some creamy feta cheese and balsamic vinegar

Hawaiian salmon poke
say aloha to this delicate salmon appetiser with crunchy wonton chips, avocado, edamame seaweed salad with mango and jalapeno pepper sauce

Mains

Charred steak with chimichurri
charred beef fillet with an argentinian chimichurri sauce. With garlicky yukon potatoes and a rainbow of seasonal vegatables.

Malvani chicken curry
Flavour packed curry from the Malwan area of the Konkan coastline. Like other south indian cuisines coconut is used liberally alongside slow cooked onions in a ricj tomato sauce accompanied by refreshing coconut cumin rice, fenugreek paneer and a fluffy nan bread.

Gnocchi and pesto sauce
delicious spinach stuffed gnocchi serves with a creamy pesto sauce and sauteed japanese shirneji mushrooms for a wonderful warming, earthy and irresistibly tasty vegitarian treat

Togarashi salmon salad
Try this japanese inspired salad of Cha soba noodles, edarname beans, wakame seaweed and fresh spinach, topped with a seven spiced salmon fillet and a sesame dressing

Pudding

Orange and cardamom brownie
warming chocolate and citrus sponge drizzled in a luxuriant vanilla sauce.

Mango and passion fruit panna cotta
light, smooth and sweet, this refreshing panna cotta ticks all the boxes.

David
(spell check went a bit made there )