VS016 MCO-LGW 26 May 09 (PE)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Luckily I made a point of checking the status of flight 16 before heading out to MCO and discovered a new departure time of 22.15 which is nearly a three hour delay. I'd checked-in online the night before and all was on-time at that point. I wasn't that bothered as it just gave me another three hours of pool and packing time on what was the best weather we'd had for the whole trip (wettest May since 1976!) Minutes after checking I was sent a text from Virgin letting me know about the delay. This was a nice surprise as they've never done this on any of my other delayed flights and I wasn't even aware they bothered with this service.

We Bag-Dropped at the Premium check-in at 20:30 and were surprised to see we were the only people checking in at any of the Virgin desks - all empty - seems we were lucky to get the texts from Virgin as most people we're half way through a five hour airport wait before boarding. It's no wonder there were some frayed tempers around the gates.

Boarding was quick and easy with the priority lines working well. I was pleased to secure seats 80 upstairs for the night flight home when I booked this flight last year - after reading good reports about the positions on here. We usually try to book upstairs but usually go for something nearer the front. Unfortunately, they didn't live up to expectations for two main reasons. Firstly, being at the back invariably means your first choice of meal will have already run out. Secondly, the noise from the rear galley precludes any chance of catching sleep for an hour either side of each meal service.

I don't know if it was just the bad position of our seats, or the fact that nerves were frayed after a long delay, but this cabin crew did seem unusually noisy. The Cabin Chief made a big point of telling as all what a great crew we had on board and ran around the whole plane checking every door personally just as we were about to turn onto the runway. Is this normal procedure now? It can be quite a shock to passengers at such a late stage of departure and when performed with such vigour. The meal preparations began almost as soon as we'd reached cruise which I was personally grateful for as I'd hoped to get some rest for the remainder of the flight. Unfortunately, all the good meals had gone so we were left with a Cajun chicken dish with a mushy sweet potato. I can honestly say this was the worst food I've ever tasted on Virgin and quite a disappointment when hungry. Neither my wife or I could eat more than half. Luckily, the chocolate sponge on raspberry took some of the bad taste away. The cabin crew seemed in quite a rush to pack all of this away and the constant noise of slamming, packing and shouting (at each other) seemed to go on for quite a while, (and continued the length of the staircase as well.) Eventually, things calmed down and people started to drift off to a welcome sleep... After quite some time, long enough for most of the cabin to get into that lovely deep sleep where you can actually forget you're all cramped on a plane, one of the cabin crew (I'll not repeat their name) decided it was a good time to move down the plane getting everyone who'd not thought to close their window blind to close it now. If they were asleep he'd stretch over two seats and slam it shut himself. By the time this joker had finished nobody on the top deck was left asleep. Obviously, although the loud voices from the galley were probably not that bad, the fact that we all had to listen to them for the next couple of hours made things worse. Luckily it wasn't that long before we could all listen to the preparations for the maccydee type muffins and luke warm tea.

Just before landing the flight crew told us our 3 hour delay was caused by the plane being held up in Havana on it's way to Gatwick the night before? The Cabin Chief came on again to tell us what a great hard working cabin crew we'd had ??? However, the best thing about this flight was the flight time - 7 hours 25 minutes. I don't think I've ever done MCO-LGW that quick before.

Top marks for speed but I'm never going for row 80 again.`

Sorry you had such a bad time in row 80. I am one of those who always chooses this row and I have never had a problem with noise from the galley on a night flight on the Upper Deck. However I have had to get up and complain nicely when sitting in row 12 in UC once becuase the CC were so noisy and they did apologise and quieten down. I think sometimes they just forget that just because they have to stay awake the passengers don't!! I get disturbed more when someone pulls on the back of my seat to get up.

I agree with you that the food is getting worse in PE too.

Sunshine[8D]

[buns]

Thanks for the TR[y][y]

Row 80 has its benefits on the outbound (first off and through Immigration), but Mrs Buns shares your view that there is little chance of decent sleep if you are in the aisle seat.

Perhaps the Cabin Chief could have used one of his announcements to ask for pax to close their blinds[:w][:w]

buns

Shame about the meal choices - like you I've always shied away from the back because of meal options (or lack!). On my recent flights the crew were all sat down and strapped in way earlier than the two runway dongs on the PA. Same when landing in LAS - all strapped in a full 20 mins before landing. I'm guessing they forgot to arm the doors as this is normally done before/during pushback.

When a flight time changed for me in March I got a text, an email, and phonecall! I'm guessing that booking direct with VS and setting up your API and FF info gives them all the info and opportunity they need to get in touch.

Thanks for the TR, sounds like a restless flight for all upper deck pax!

DMB

Sounds like you had a hyperactive FSM and too chatty CC. Shame it upset the rest on your flight.

Funny thing was, the announcement for cabin doors to automatic and cross-checked had already been made as we pushed back. It was unusual to see someone running around the aircraft, up and down stars at such a late stage. The rest of the cabin crew had already buckled in?

Before we landed I'd already decided to give some other airlines a try for my next few trips to Orlando, (I do about 4 per year). The LGW/MAN fleet really need those old PE seats upgraded and the service doesn't seem as good as it once was. I might be imagining it but there definitely seems to be an unfortunate cabin attitude towards the Florida Chavs. (Not from all - but some!)

Thanks for the TR!

Shame about the food and lack of sleep.[|)]

I think that I must have been on a different flight. My wife & I were also on this aircraft upstairs in our favourite place 'the bubble'[^] 2 cabin crew very attentive, smiling throughout the flight & nothing was ever too much trouble!
Having flown back before from MCO in row 80, agree, never again on a night flight as you do expereience some noise from the galley area.

On speaking to the cabin crew they were anxious to serve the meals asap as they realised that due to the late departure most passengers would want to try & get some sleep.

Noise from the galley? what noise is all I can say as passengers around us were soon asleep.

We knew about the late depatrture when we checked in at DTD at 8-35, plus received both a text message & e-mail from VA advising us of the delay. Don't think they could have done any more.

As a flight one of the best we have exprienced with VA. As they say
'one man's meat is another man's poison' & I am not referring to the the meals (LOL) [:D]

It seems that we are once again reading lots of TR's about the PE seats need upgrading on the ex LGW/MAN routes. My question would be why? Taking the LHR seat out of the equation, the PE seat is miles ahead of anything that BA offer ex LGW. THe point is, during these times, VS need to be thrifty with their finances and are not about to start ripping out PE seats. As I posted a couple of days ago, it will take a huge advance by BA in its WT+ offering for VS to even begin to think about changing the PE seat at the moment. It just does not make any economic sense. Lets not forget that the seat is a very good offering.

As for the delay, it could well have been due to a late inbound from the day before so to speak. The LGW is small and very tightly utilisied meaning any delay can have a knock on effect. Sometime last year my parents had a 6-7 hour delay, which one of our regular crew contributors on VF crewed and had nothing but praise for the way VS handled the situation. Of course half the problem with MCO routes, is that some of the passengers can be tough to contact, hence why it always pays to have the number of VS arrivals or of your departing airport.