This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
I'd been staying at the Holiday Inn & Suites Harbourside in a huge twin level, harbor facing suite. Fully fitted kitchen with utensils including a dishwasher, dining area, sitting/lounge area and balcony on the lower level with a bedroom, walk in wardrobe and bathroom with jacuzzi on the loft upper level. It's probably one of the biggest suites I've ever stayed in with a large amount of storage area on both levels. It also wasn't silly money either and only 5mins walk to the beach. The hotel has all the usual facilities, pool etc with great service from all the staff. The WiFi is also free throughout the hotel and in all the rooms/suites. Definitely somewhere I'd go back to stay and a hotel I can recommend
Anyway, back to the TR.....I'd checked in online the night before and managed to bag seq. 1
I'd booked my Alamo car-hire 12:00 to 12:00 so left the following morning around 09:30 as I wasn't sure how long a leeway you get for returning cars.I was navigating using my fantastic £2.99 CoPilot US SatNav iPhone app, one of the best purchases I've made and well worth the money. It doesn't need a data connection so is perfect for holiday driving navigation. The only minor thing with it, is that it's a large download (~1.6Gb) and it does get updated on a regular basis (there's been 2 full updates in the last week alone!!) There's also an in-app map mini update function too so just make sure you are fully up-to-date before you leave the UK.
I arrived back at MCO just before 12:00, found the Alamo car drop-off area very easily, dropped off the car and headed across into the A side of the terminal. VS check-in doesn't open at MCO until 13:00 so I grabbed some dinner whilst waiting.
VS Upper check-in was very efficient and professional and in no time at all I was heading though security. This was pretty easy with minimal lines and fuss. I was through in under 5 minutes and heading towards the satellite terminal and the Delta Crown Room lounge. Having been to Florida several times before, this was actually my first time departing from MCO as I'd always left via MIA previously.
The Delta lounge was heaving and it took me a few circuits to find a seat, you just had to basically watch for other pax leaving and make a run for it to grab a seat! For those that don't know there's manned bar and very minimal snacks in the lounge, in fact many pax where actually eating their own bought fast food take-aways!!
Whilst it's not a Clubhouse, it's still a pleasant place to wait for a flight.
Today, VS where only operating the VS76 to MAN and one LGW flight (VS16).
Our flight was called around 19:00 and a VS uniformed representative was collecting pax as they left the lounge. We where all escorted from the lounge to the gate, our boarding cards checked and collected on the way there, so by the time we reached gate 83, J and AU pax where able to walk straight onto the A/C without even stopping at the gate area. All other pax where still sat waiting to board away from the gate area. I was very impressed with this set-up
Well done VS 
I was first to board and think I caught a couple of the crew off-guard as they where still munching away on their dinner in the forward galley. They where very very apologetic about this but hey, it really doesn't bother me seeing crew eating food
The A/C was G-VAST so I got to see the new Livery which does look fantastic and also meant I had Odyssey for the IFE. At least Odyssey worked the entire flight unlike V:Port on the way out.
My coat was put in the wardrobe and the usual pre-flight drinks where offered. Dinner/drinks and duty free orders where also taken and sleep suites where handed out. Breakfast order cards where also collected. The last pax to arrive in J where sat in rows 6 and 7 so didn't have much storage space left to use, although the crew where happy to place bags in wardrobes during the flight. Many people forget there's no over-head storage for the front 2 rows in the nose section on the 744's
In no time at all, all the pax where on-board (333 on todays flight). J was full. The door was closed and we where pushing back a few minutes early. It turned out the flight crew wanted to get away as a storm front was coming down from the New York area. The first 90 minutes or so of the flight was quite bumpy which was caused by the said storm front we where trying to get away from. More than just the usual turbulence as I had to put my hand over my drink to stop it spilling. It was also at the same time dinner was served.
For started I had the Grilled chicken take-out style salad with tandoori Caesar dressing which wasn't at all what I expected. It's actually served in a cardboard tub with lettuce and pieces of chicken on top with chop-sticks. The tandoori dressing is in a separate pot. Very nice though
For the main course I had the Wild Alaskan whitefish and langoustine lobster with sherry cream sauce and spinach fettuccini. By this time the turbulence was getting quite bad and I just cannot eat when it's bumpy like that so unfortunately left most of it. What little I did have though was very tasty. The crew did offer to keep it warm for me but I just couldn't face it.
During the turbulence the crew where even asked to sit down at one point which is never a good sign. I still remember the VS61 flight I was on back in 2005 coming back from NAS when we hit C.A.T. 30 minutes or so after taking off and dropped several thousand feet in a matter of seconds. Not something I'd like to experience again in a hurry. Bizarrely enough it was the same aircraft.
Finished with a mug of hot-chocolate with cheese and biscuits. The turbulence had subsided by then and I feeling a lot better. I very rarely feel ill on flights but for some reason this time I was not feeling great at all.
Time for bed so I changed into a sleep suite, converted my suite and made my bad. Within a few minutes I must have fallen asleep as next thing I knew, I woke up to pax around eating breakfast.
I'd ordered fresh fruit and a bacon sandwich was was very nice. Freshened up and before long the cabin was been secured for our arrival into LGW.
We landed a couple of minutes early and where soon at the gate. Arriving at LGW is a complete breeze compared to LHR. I used the one IRIS booth and within a matter a minutes of reaching the baggage carousel, the bags where already coming off.
Total time from leaving the VS aircraft to reaching the North terminal for my BA domestic flight was under 25 minutes
Once again another fantastic flight with the crew and the MCO ground staff all being a credit to VS
Regards
James Mitchell
James Mitchell
Seems to be at odds with offering a prestige service
