VS016 MCO-LGW 22 MAY 11 (Premium Economy)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

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another trip back across t'pond. Abject failure at OLCI only getting seq 2 -ending a run of 3 succesive 1's.

having had far too much sun on the Friday I was feeling the effcets of sunstroke. To be honest on the Saturday I was close to cancelling but by Sunday felt a bit better. However this was to precipitate a completely new phenomenon. A DRY flight. with a stinking headache and still some dehydration I resolved to stick to water...............

my usual 2 and a half hour drive up , very uneventful and parked in the main CP at MCO. wandered straight thru an empty security as I was on hand baggage only and arrived at the gate with a little over 80 mins to departure. (no interaction with GS so no mark given)

Boarding started about 6.30 and PE in the bubble was quickly full. the first test....I declined fizzy nearly champagne and stuck with water

announced that all 300 + pax were onboard and we pulled back 5 mins before schedule.


My seat was a disgrace ,one hinge on the armrest was completely broken so it flapped around . it was also pretty gunky. My neighbours head rest just fell off and on a trip to the loos I noticed that an obvioulsy broken blind had been replaced by - a pink hi vis vest held on by black and yellow warning tape !!! GVAST is in dire need of a refit as it currently resembles a clapped out skoda.

Food run came round -beef choice available and ok. Again with stiff upper lip ,wine declined in lieu of more water. even more galling when I had to sit and watch not one but two top up runs

a quick clear up and then BAILEYS ..oh no I forgot , more water.

the film choice was pretty close to useless I think i had already seen the only one decent offering,in any event the screen was so scratchy I didnt bother and settled down to some music on my MP3. Promptly to discover a benefit of being sober I & for a good part of the flight and woke up feelig ok and not dog rough . Maybe there is something to be said for this teetotal lark.

lights on an hour out and a quick brekkie which was very dry and not particularly nice. landed ahead of schedule and deplaned by 8.20

Immigration was empty and with no bag to collect I had used the shuttle to the North terminal and was in the Sofitel well before 9.
this was the first time I had used this loungeand for an arrival one it is brilliant. very clean light and modern the conceirge was extremely polite and helpful and I was soon enjoying a great shower. The cabanas are very spacious and clean with toiletries available and also a pressing service.
The only downside is not cooked brekkie but I made do with a decent cappucino and some croissant while I awaited my son and a drive to work.
this i managed to last out all day so the lack of alcohol obviously had a positive effect .all in all definitely very highly recommended as a lounge.

in fact due to not feeling 100% for a good few days I have now been dry for a whole week
the benefits have been much better sleep plus I have lost a few pounds . I am seriously considering giving it a proper go....please someone talk me out of it !!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the TR

Big respect for not drinking on the flight;

Had a bout of Sunstroke in St Lucia a few years ago - really horrible - kinda like flu if I remember. Mad dogs and Englishmen etc...

Remember, the LHR fleet is in much better condition....MIA next time??

Thanks for the TR, well done for sticking with water!

Glad the refit is coming soon, sounds awful!

Craig - we have been advised not to use MIA by our immigration lawyer, too many horror stories (bear in mind I am on a work visa) . Apparently someone has just died from bacterial meningitis in the detention centre there !! charming.you are right about if being flu like, one minute my skin was boiling hot yet I was shivering,the next it was cold yet i was sweating like the proverbial.

i do have to say the no booze bit has left me feeling better. will see what sundays return is like.

Poor you. I had heatstroke earlier this year and it was awful....instead of laying on a lounger I tried exercising on a hot morning....not a good idea

Well done on the dry flight....I have to do that everytime I fly into MCO as I have to drive. It isn't easy

After reading your TR perhaps it wasn't so bad on the new A330 this week and perhaps I was just being nostalgic for the bubble and had forgotten the reality

Hope your flight back is better.

Sunshine

Glad you arrived back safe and sound.

Not sure I could manage a dry flight though even if ill !

Well done on the dry flight....I have to do that everytime I fly into MCO as I have to drive. It isn't easy

given a certain event perhaps all your flights should be dry !

Thanks for the TR and congrats on staying dry.
If I feel a little poorly on a flight I usually have a "medicinal" bloody mary to perk me up a bit. I have been told by a few CC that it is good for me - and I'm not prepared to argue with that sound logic

[honey lamb]

Thanks for the TR and congrats on staying dry.
If I feel a little poorly on a flight I usually have a "medicinal" bloody mary to perk me up a bit. I have been told by a few CC that it is good for me - and I'm not prepared to argue with that sound logic

And I enjoy a medicinal G&T. T10 has extremely powerful restorative properties but in its absence a Bombay Sapphire will suffice but a Cork Dry Gin is pure gut rot and will only make matters worse. Fortunately VS has not descended to such cost-cutting measures

...... yet

And the quninine in the tonic has medicinal properties as well as lots of vit C in the lime wedge!

[honey lamb]

And the quninine in the tonic has medicinal properties as well as lots of vit C in the lime wedge!

Quite! The story I was told which may well have been an urban myth but I like it is that tonic water with quinine was developed in India as an anti-malarial but was found also to be a depressant - hence the label "Indian Tonic Water". Gin was allegedly then developed to counter balance that.

I always knew that India was a very sophisticated society

I read that the gin was added to take away the bitter taste of the quinnine in the tonic water.

But I think gin has been around for a lot longer than the tonic !

[honey lamb]

I read that the gin was added to take away the bitter taste of the quinnine in the tonic water.

But I think gin has been around for a lot longer than the tonic !

Does it really matter ?

given a certain event perhaps all your flights should be dry !

Very funny TontyBear.........

Sunshine

I read that the gin was added to take away the bitter taste of the quinnine in the tonic water.

But I think gin has been around for a lot longer than the tonic !

Does it really matter ?

Not after the 3rd one no !

Thank you for the TR.