This is a Trip Report from the Economy cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Still, never mind. Made good time up the M6 and got to the airport about 2 hrs before departure. Time for breakfast and a quick tour round the duty free shop before settling at the gate with newspaper and MP3 player. Boarding was slick and professional with no unsightly scrum at the priority boarding line, and we were quickly on board G-VROS English Rose (so not even Odyssey IFE [n]). Boarding was so good that we were ready to roll about 10 mins before ETD, UNTIL, on the call for doors to automatic or manual I never get them the right way round we hit the snag [:#]. One of the doors on the upper deck would not perform as directed and so, to cut a long and very tedious story short, the airbridge had to be reconnected to allow engineers on board to fix the problem. They did fix it 1_ hours later and we eventually got underway. Give him his due, the captain kept us informed every ten minutes or so and credit to the crew for the juice and water runs during our enforced stay at MAN [^].
The flight itself was totally uneventful and lunch was the usual chicken/beef/veggie option. The braised beef was rather tasty and even the present Mrs Treelo said her chicken something was OK. Watched Pursuit of Happyness and Dreamgirls on Nova and even managed an hours doze.
Following the door problem, we got in to MCO 1 hr late, made our way into a crowded immigration hall and, after what seemed like hours, made it to baggage reclaim. We then spent 50 minutes in the Dollar rental queue [|)], but all the frustrating waiting vanished as we sat on the pool deck about 40 mins later drinking in the rays of the beautiful Florida sunshine (and the first ice-cold G&T [y] [:o)])
The flight back was also uneventful. PE this time aboard G-VLIP Hot Lips (Nova again). Hot Lips wasnt looking too bad with new (or refurbished) seat covers but some of the plastic trim was a bit worse for wear. Attentive cabin crew offered drinks on arrival at 79A and C (my favourite PE upstairs) and we settled in. Take off was on time with a shortish crossing predicted. No menu cards on board (crew apologised) but new PE amenity kit and blankets (both purple) and fruit bowl in evidence. Mrs Treelo had shrimp and scallops with rice and I chose the chicken (something) with squash and mash. However, on taking off the foil, the meal WARNING for those of you with a delicate stomach, LOOK AWAY NOW resembled something the cat coughed up [:$]. It was immediately whipped away by the CC and was replaced by a wonderful vegetable ravioli. The rest of the meal, raspberry marble cake and coulis and Babybel Blond cheese and crackers was equally as tasty.
Following the Brandy and Baileys round, we tried the Sailor 99-recommended Melatonin sleep cure. Mrs T managed a couple of fitful hours, but as I find it very difficult to sleep on aircraft it came as no surprise to me that I just could not cross the bridge to the land of Nod. But hey, if it works for you. Anyway I watched a really good doculogue ish type film by Emilio Estevez entitled Bobby, about the events leading up to the Bobby Kennedy shooting. Watch it if you can.
Manchester loomed some 40 mins early, luggage came off fairly quickly and we were out of the airport and homeward bound. Left MCO in 330C sun and got to MAN in 80c rain. Still it was worth it [:D].
Thanks,
John.
John.
