This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin
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I'd stayed the night at the Premier Inn on Bath road. Booked a advance purchase room there for £40 a few months ago. The Premier Inn is a nice hotel and well worth the money I'd paid. You get 30mins free WiFi and even after that its only £3 for another 24hrs. I'd pretty much hammered the WiFi whilst I was there upgrading both my iPhone4 and my iPad2 to iOS6
(once you upgrade your iPhone to iOS6, anyone on either T-Mobile or Orange will now just see EE as your network, just need the promised visual voicemail now, which is coming in the new year to all iPhones on EE/T-Mob/Orange )Anyway back to the TR......had set my alarm(s) for 06:00 and was soon on the hopper bus back to LHR. Once dropped off at T3, I made my way to the VS PE check-in (I'd recently dropped from AU down to AG), even so at that time of the morning, I didn't have to wait and a VS agent checked me in is the usual polite and professional way I'd previously experienced at LHR with VS. No CH access but I'd booked the No1 lounge so made my way there, easy to find too. It's a very nice lounge which actually gives you better views of the airfield than the VS CH does. There are paid treatments available too, no hair cutting available though.
After relaxing in the no1 lounge for a couple of hours, it was time to head down to gate 16 where G-VNYC was waiting for me (I'd specifically chosen Chicago as this was one of the routes VS where operating the new A333 on). By the time I'd reached the gate, boarding had commenced and in no time I was welcomed onboard. I was originally in seat 19C so settled in there. The first thing I noticed was the larger Jam IFE screen and touch screen controller and couldn't wait to start playing with it!!! Once everyone had boarded, the bulkhead row 18 in front of me was still unoccupied, so after asking the crew if i could sit there I moved forward. Row 18 is a great row as it feels very private, although you are sat directly next to the galley which could be an issue on night flights. You are also sat behind a washroom but that didn't cause any issues for me. You also get 2 windows in row 18. Boy, those engines are big, anyone know which RR Trent engines are used on the A333's? I was going to ask but forgot.
The usual per-flight PE drinks where served and the PE crew introduced themselves to everyone. We pushed back a few minutes before 11:00 and where airborne around 11:25. Before long the seat belt was turned off and the crew where released. Jam was soon turned on along with AeroMobile (which only actually works if you are on O2 or Vodafone). With Jam there are no longer any Empower sockets, just ordinary power sockets. In the bulk head rows, the screen is between your seats as with V:Port and the touch-screen controller in on one side of your arm rest with USB and other input sockets on the other side. On all the other PE seats everything is under the screen in front of you.
One thing I also noticed after reading the safety card is that apparently all seats (excluding bulk head rows) now appear to have airbags built into the seat in front? See I do read the safety card when asked to!!!
Jam is fantastic and very easy to use. As this was my first time with Jam, I pretty much played with everything on it. As previously noted in other TR's, an iPhone is not recognised when plugged into one of the USB sockets, although it does charge it. You need one of those special cables (which I'm not buying as I have an iPhone5 on its way so would then also need an adapter what with the IP5 having a smaller sync socket)
Whilst watching the IFE, you can also bring up the flight map/stats on the touch screen controller which is always useful. These touch screen controllers are only in Premium or Upper, economy gets a standard IFE controller.
Drinks where soon served after take off and dinner followed soon after. I have to say, that was one of the best PE meals I've had in a long time. I went for the lasagna which was excellent
The new PE meal service is very well presented (much better than before) and is actually now not far away from how J meals are served 
The meal tray I had would easily pass as a J meal on other airlines. The hot drinks are stilled served in paper cups though which is the only let-down as far as I'm concerned.The flight passed pretty quickly after watching a few films. Afternoon tea was served about 90 mins before landing which again was good, maybe just could do with a couple more sandwiches as you only get 2 small ones.
Before long, the cabin was been secured as we approached ORD. We landed just after 14:00 and after the long walk to immigration was met by just 2 visitor desks in use and I was processed by one of the most miserable agents I'd seen in a long time. He snapped at me when he'd apparently asked me to scan my fingers but I'd thought he said my thumb, although he did apologise after he had processed me.....welcome to the USA!!!
I got pulled for secondary screening, which I thought I'd seen to back of, but apparently not. That didn't take too long though and after a quick search of my luggage I was on my way.
All in all an excellent flight from VS, just waiting for the bonus miles and TP's to credit now
Regards
James Mitchell
James Mitchell
