VS040 ORD-LHR 5 JUN 12 (Economy)

This is a Trip Report from the Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

After a brilliant 6 days in and around the Windy City it was time to venture back to Jubilee Britain! I would completely recommend this wonderfully diverse city to everyone and anyone!! If anyone is going and wants some tips then PM me and I will be delighted to share

Chicago Skyline.JPG (24.53 KiB) Viewed 1230 times

Completed online check in with a measly seq 24/25 (didn't care as secured seq 1&2 outbound ). Also noted that GVNAP was on the outbound, atleast it wasn't Miss Kitty with the seat and trim damaged (see outbound TR )

Arrived at O'Hare around 4.15 ish and was guided into the bag drop where we waited for around 15 mins. The agent taking care of us was brilliant. Not only was she pleasant, polite and friendly but she didn't weigh our hand luggage nor did she make a fuss when our bags weighed in a couple of kilos heavier than they should've (must get new scales!!)

Once through security, where the priority line looked unmanageable, we found out all that ORD had to offer - very little . Apart from some makeshift bars (charging huge prices), a couple of duty free shops and a news agents there was nothing !
Boarding seemed a new process to the staff as it was upper followed by, well, everyone left!! I think there must have been a problem somewhere as boarding commenced late , therefore affecting our on time status. Got on board to temperatures higher than Arizona as the engine powering the on board a/c was down - something that is familiar to this forum!

Pilot comes on and acknowledges the problem and informs us of a flight time of 7hrs & 40 mins which is only 7 mins less than our outbound dash
Captain updates saying that we are on the ground still due to maintenance to APU but that's done and now refuelling for 15 mins.....looks like a late arrival.
CC came around with menus and my guess is that they didn't have enough as he was asking everyone possible to share.

Menu.JPG (20.1 KiB) Viewed 1230 times

20 mins and still waiting and Mrs P is getting annoyed as the CC has just asked us to lift the blinds even though the sun is shining directly into the hot cabin, apparently this is for safety reasons so they can see the wing whilst refuelling. Now Mrs P, being a seasoned traveller, knows that when refuelling the seat belt sign should be off for safety reasons...I had to hold her back !!!
30 mins and the paperwork was allegedly being signed off.
45 mins nothing happening, no further announcements aircraft still roasting....makes you wonder if it is something more serious???
282 Pax, 12 crew & 2 pilots onboard ready for take off finally :-)
After a further 10 min wait and 10 minute taxi we were airborne
50 minutes into the flight the CC started to serve the special meals and whilst doing so one of the CC caught their shirt on the door handle and dropped the meal on me Thankfully they are sealed and no damage done!
Our meal was being offered and we both chose the pasta. The CC serving us asked if we could have something else as he only had 2 left for the rest of the cabin. Chicken korma it is then. Caesar salad was ok as I drenched it in dressing, korma was bland but just edible, bread was rubbery and the tiramisu was good. Not the worst I've had in Y but certainly a close call!

Dinner.JPG (35.64 KiB) Viewed 1230 times

Time for some Zzzzzzz

So it seems that is where my TR loses its worth as I woke up when the seatbelt sign pinged on!

I can say that the landing was smooth, deplaning was quick and the bags ready within 15 minutes. So car ready from Meteor immediately after a stroll to back to T3 departures and then we are in the car and on way to Petmadness Towers!

So, in summary, frustrating start to the flight, food average if not a little worse and a decent sleep!

Mark

You (and Mrs P) do appear to have a propensity to have things dropped on you !

Hope you have a great visit to Chicago. it really does have a lot to offer - what did you get up to?

And yes blinds have to be open whilst on the ground

You (and Mrs P) do appear to have a propensity to have things dropped on you !

Hope you have a great visit to Chicago. it really does have a lot to offer - what did you get up to?

Had a great time and visited the Willis Tower viewing platform, Hancock Tower Signature Lounge, Navy Pier, White Sox baseball game, Water Tower Place, Soldierfield, Millenium Park, The Bean, Grant Park, Licoln Park and lots lots more
We also hired a car and went out into New Buffalo in Michigan (found an awesome restaurant/bar called Stray Dog - look it up!), Indiana Dunes State Paark and National Lakeshore, Kenosha Town and Pleasant Prairie where the Jelly Belly Bean Factory in Wisconsin
Busy and brilliant time in a fantastic city and surrounding area

Thanks for the TR. We would love to go back to Chicago - in fact both our offsrping insisted on returning to the city on their US road trips, so a family favourite.

What is it with the blinds? Up when we'd like them to be down, down when we'd like them to be up - bit of a bride's nightie as my dad used to say When we flew VX they stayed down from embarking to disembarking....

I'm very jealous of your ability to sleep on a long haul flight.
Paul

[buns]

Thanks for the TR

You did not mention where you were sitting - the lack of menus and menu choices would be a serious issue if you were at the front of economy

buns

Excellent trip report. UK airports get a bad press from arriving passengers but the offerings for departing passengers are bloody good compared to US airports.

Another enjoyable TR -- thank you. It can be awful when you get on a plane whose aircon hasn't been running -- I recall this at Gatwick once in the summer, and the heat was really quite something.

Thanks for the TR

You did not mention where you were sitting - the lack of menus and menu choices would be a serious issue if you were at the front of economy

buns

We were sat about half way through economy in 43a & c (pretty good seats btw) and I heard the CC ask pax a few rows in front of us about their meal choices also! Wrt the menus they started handing these out fom the rear of the Y cabin!

Thanks for the TR. We would love to go back to Chicago - in fact both our offsrping insisted on returning to the city on their US road trips, so a family favourite.

What is it with the blinds? Up when we'd like them to be down, down when we'd like them to be up - bit of a bride's nightie as my dad used to say When we flew VX they stayed down from embarking to disembarking....

I'm very jealous of your ability to sleep on a long haul flight.
Paul

Great quote Paul...my Dad says something similar as well!! As for the sleeping...I have a strategy that helps after years of not being able to sleep, I have a few drinks before the flight, then the meal & wine and then blindfold on nd goodnight