This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Ash clouds again approaching the UK – would we have more cancellations? This was the news the day before our flight.
Met. Office forecasts showed MAN right on the edge of the no-fly zone for our return but also for the outward flight – would we have an aircraft to go back on? So the first hurdle was would the 75 depart?
After showing Boarding for almost two hours the 75 flight finally became active – so time to lock up the apartment and drive the three hours to Orlando.
DTD drop off was quick and easy with just 5 minutes to spare. The weighing machine for hold luggage is working again but cabin bags were never mentioned. Some last minute shopping then drop off the car. Hertz on-site instant return took all of 3 minutes despite the car being almost unrecognisable under a covering of insects: US27 was bug alley again!
One useful tip – there is no advantage booking Hertz for a month now so if you book 4 separate weeks, you get the car valet each week, move up toward 5* or Presidents and 1100 miles for each booking
Up to the MCO clubhouse (McCoys) for a couple of Trios and see that the VS aircraft were on stand and waiting; relax and wait for the hour before flight to go down to security. The lift down from the Hyatt exits right by the (unmarked) entrance to the MCO “fasttrack” (supposedly experienced pax. only) so were straight through after a couple of crew.
To the Delta lounge for a final drink to find potential disaster – ASH! – MAN closed, uncertain whether the flight would go or not.
We joined a group of other pax. , mixed BA & VS travelling to LGW, who had been in MCO for a conference – at least we had regular reports as individuals went down to the desks for updates. The lounge staff were giving info. as they received it but it was clear that there were no flight clearances.
Eventually news came for the BA pax. – flight cancelled – told to report back to check in the following afternoon. Some were desperately scrambling to find alternative flights to anywhere in Europe but with quotes like AF for £4,000 for a single one way via Paris there was little success. VS still uncertain – they were having a meeting....
So we all huddled over Pete’s Flight Status page. VS76 was not even showing, the LGW flights just showing Scheduled times (already past).
Suddenly VS76 appears with a departure time – and even better the LGW flights also get new departure times – BA pax. look ready to riot! Then the announcement comes – Virgin boarding in 5 minutes – go immediately to the gates!
The repartee between remaining BA & VS pax. is unprintable but suffice to say that VS will be getting more customers in future.
Quickly into VROS (she was clean!) with a welcome and introduction from the FSM but no use of names – everyone seemed on a high and it looked set for a party with much comment about the BA cancellation. Into our sleepsuits expecting a quick departure but then the MCO weather takes a hand – the thunder starts with the inevitable disappearance of the ground crew.
Flight crew then make the announcement that we hope to take off when the storm clears – but we don’t know where we are going! MAN is still closed but we are loading up with plenty of fuel so we can either fly around in circles waiting for somewhere to open or we will have plenty to divert. We are then treated to an amazing spectacle of most of the rest of the cabin putting on their sleep-suits – OVER their clothes!
When the storm clears we complete the final top off with fuel then depart, following the LGW flight on the magical mystery tour!
Cabin Crew were quick and efficient dealing out the meal – although full meal choice was not available – perhaps one problem being last in line when on a G!
I then get to try out my new toy. We often criticise the UCS as being too hard for a comfortable night’s sleep. My thanks to Northernhenry for suggesting Therm-A-Rest in an earlier thread.
For less than $100 you can make the UCS a comfortable bed!
It weighs 680g and neatly fits inside an UC shoe bag.
Unfold it over your suite, undo the valve then go for a drink at the bar. 10 minutes later it has sprung apart to self-inflate. If you wish it firmer only one breath is needed but lock down the valve and you have an extra 4cm of warm mattress – what a difference that can make!
I had got the large version but the regular would have been quite enough. The small, weighing only 480g, may be enough for many.
In the morning it is just a matter of opening the valve, folding it over then sitting on it for a few minutes to deflate. Close the valve then stuff back into a shoe bag.
Just over an hour before we were due to land we still did not know where we were going – flightpath looked like CDG or AMS then suddenly a left turn – heading straight to MAN – now open!
Straight off the flight and down to Immigration only just over 1 hour later than sched.. The old IRIS machine on the right seemed closed and we were directed across to the left. Disaster! They have new machines! There were only 8 in front of us so thought it would be quick – it took almost 20 minutes! The machine is supposed to read the chip in your passport (if it has picture of a camera on the front) and then scan your face while you watch a screen with some bouncy balls – there are little or no instructions visible and extremely ineffectual assistance. Only two machines operational.
Problems both in scanning the passport and in scanning the face – one guy took 6 attempts each of about 2 minutes. It would have been far quicker to go through the normal channel.
Luggage was waiting on the belt and MAN valet parking had the car immediately over the road – we were loaded and away before the crew bus arrived – FSM most displeased at everyone having to wait on the curb! I guess word had not got through that we were landing at MAN.
The question remains – why was VS willing & able to fly when BA cancelled? Same time – same route. No risk as plenty of diversion airports open.
It certainly annoyed their customers intensely.
Perhaps I need to get some new luggage tags from Pete:
steve has bigger balls than willy
- and I had to snap a pic.! 
