This is a Trip Report from the Economy cabin
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Looking forward to flying with Virgin again, having made the Glasgow - Orlando trip with them in 07.08,09 and also coming home from Orlando on Virgin in '11 a day after our US Airways flight was cancelled in Orlando due to weather in Philly. Was really looking forward to being on the refurbed 747s.
90 Days Ago...
Up early for the 90 day seat reservation window to open. Not fancying upstairs, went for what I think are the best non-exit, main deck economy seats on plane - 26ABC. Maybe only a minute or so after window opened and a couple upstairs seats already snapped up. I had toyed with idea of upstairs, but looked a tad cramped perhaps, and a bit shaming walking through the class of people between plebs and patricians to go to the toilet. Getting off would be quick enough from where we were, and with no other international flights due at same time as us, there was no need to be upstairs - to be off first and run, sorry, 'walk smartly' to immigration.
Saturday
Being rather sad, was refreshing the manage my booking page constantly as the check-in window approached and opened. Managed to get the coveted SEQ 1,2,3 - for full bragging rights on here
Was good to see that the seats I had reserved at the 90 day mark, 26ABC, were the ones allocated. Didnt expect to be moved, but had seen reports of it. 
Through later on that day to stay at the recently facelifted Holiday Inn at Glasgow Airport
We didn't get the rooms we had been allocated due to some mix up at check-in, but they were still going to be a view over the airfield instead of the M8 so wasn't fussed. Got a cracking picture of a plane taking off into the sunset a couple years back, and the manager has always been really helpful in sorting out rooms for us to try and get that same shot.
When I flicked on the wi-fi in MCO to do the obligatory 'make-your-friends-jealous-Facebook check-in' I got the most apologetic email from the manager! He checked out our reservation after his 4 days off to see we got what he allocated us and seen there had been a balls up - pretty good service that in checking out our stay and emailing pronto tonto to apologise.
As a Priority Club Platinum Elite reward got offered 500 bonus points or a couple of drinks and snack vouchers. I went for the drinks vouchers. The bit at the bottom with what it included said 'house spirits', and assuming this meant cheap gin/brandy/vodka I was surprised when I asked the girl serving and it actually turned out to mean any and all spirits in the house! Result - especially as there was still a complimentary bottle of Red to finish. Food in the restaurant was the usual great quality.
Sadly, didn't manage to get the sunset shot from our room with a view, but the best pics weren't going to be out the window.
When we had checked in we had noticed there was going to be a few cycling teams staying for the road races that were going on in and around Glasgow. After dinner on the Saturday Mark Cavendish was about. Asked him on behalf of my shy sister if he would be happy to have a photo taken - and he obliged. Under rules of karma I thought I should be rewarded. I was. Next morning I headed out for a donder across to the airport only for my lift to open with Danni King and Laura Trott of Olympic Gold medal fame in it. Once out the lift I asked them if they would mind having a pic taken - and again they obliged.
Sunday.
For the first time since 2004 when we flew with Globespan, we had the delight of checking in at the tattie shed, no, sorry, portacabins, nope wrong again, sorry Terminal 2 which Virgin now use.
It looked better than what I remembered certainly. It wasn't overly busy when we went over at 7, most folk at the check-in desks for Jet2 and Virgin and a few for Thomas Cook.
Couple staff standing at a desk asking what class, had we checked in online etc for putting folk in right queue and had offers of extra legroom or exit seats for us. Not interested in them - im 6'2 and dont need the room and want a seat where I can take pics/vids on take off/landing, and wanted to be off quick-ish. Asked for premium, I knew there was decent availability, and quoted £256 a skull, but would do 3 for £500 - so, so tempted but, already forked out for premium on way home and with St Johnstone going to Europe, thought i'd save money for potentially going away to see them.
Got to bag drop without wait and girl confirmed the API details, bags up and tagged, and away we went.
Back out of the portacabins, sorry, Terminal and up to secuirty where it was fairly busy as to expected then, but not as busy as it would be at that hour on a weekday morning with the London flights. We went far up and got to the point where you face the most important choices in life at such a time - left or right. Went left, and worked out as got to go right down to two of the lanes that weren't that busy.
Once again, my bag with its myriad of cables and chargers got through without being stopped for a look at my rubbish. After that it was through the gauntlet of the duty free perfume and aftershave sprayers and up to frankie and benny's, which was busy, 20minute wait quoted, no rush for us though really.
Decent bacon eggs and toast scoffed down, as from our corner window seat we saw ourselves from last year leaving on the Aer Aeran flight en route to Orlando via Dublin on Aer Lingus. First glance of the Virgin tail above the int'l pier.
When outside the still, prices-from-mars, WH Smiths, the Virgin check-in girls walked past, and it was like the 2009 'Still Red Hot' advert, as they strolled through the white/grey terminal. The red does make them stand out though from the rest!
Dondered along to the lounge, good to see more shops there, and sat for a few mins before heading along to the gate. It does make such a difference not having the long queues into that security area at the top of the ramp now.
Get along to gate 33 to see G-VROM Barbarella awaiting us - which was good - as from a saddo point of view, its one from the LGW/MAN/GLA fleet we've never been on before. It was a surprise too for a family sat just on other side of us, as they had been on a scouting mission the previous Sundays seeing the A330. Said this was the first weekend of the jumbos.
Once on, see the folk in 25 and 27 were on just ahead of us, and so the overhead locker space was pretty much full above our seat. So we put our bags in adjacent bin. Next thing mum is taking hers out to try fit it in 'our one'. For why? Some guy in 28C said 'dont think you should be putting yours in there, thats for ours'. He was soon told by her if no room in our one - partly as 25 dont have one due to equipment storage - then only thing to do is put it in nearest overhead bin. If only I knew he had said that before I was sat back at the window
. His seats were selected later same day as mine were - maybe not happy at that I got 26!The 432 pax, flight crew and 15 cabin crew taxied out at 10.28 and taking off at 10.40 slightly behind. Flight time today quoted at 8hrs 12mins - not bad at all. Still doesn't beat the 7hrs49mins back in 2009 and that was when we came inland over Montreal and down over the Appalachians!
Really taken with the new IFE system. Used similar versions of the Panasonic system so knew what to expect, but the other features added like the news updates, chat facility - some interesting posibilities with this - and the ability to plug in your own device - its a smart system! It was good as well to benefit from the gate-to-gate use of it.
Another bonus was the Glasgow, largely female crew, and younger than those on US Airways shall we say . Really friendly as you'd expect. There wasn't the 'Virgin Atlantic have some of the friendliest, experienced, professional and dedicated cabin crew in the business, but unfortunately, they couldn't make the flight today, but i'm sure who you have got will be fine', Pilot/FO announcement, a lot of folk are getting going by trip reports I've read.
There was though an Announcement at start of flight that juice and water would be available at the galley which was a hint they might not do mid-flight drinks run. I know there are a lot of people who read these TRs who aren't members here, so have added some photos in.
This would be the first time experiencing the tarted -up, sorry 'refreshed' economy experience. I went for the fruit cocktail without vodka - pretty nice actually. The first drinks and pretzels run came through at 11:05. Real pity that Penn State pretzels dont make the mini-packets in Woucester Sauce flavour any more.
One hour later lunch was served and I was quite pleased to see it was still the Chicken Korma or Bangers and Mash choice - I went for the Korma, and mum and sister the bangers and mash, which, going by how it was wolfed down by two people who arent the biggest plane food fans, must have meant it was good.
At 1pm they came through with the Lemon Gü Pot. I stopped short, just, of licking it clean.
Half way through the flight at 3.50pm, we got that favourite from years ago when you first flew long haul - the choc ice with the movie! Some have said these are a bit hit or miss, but I quite liked it.
The other mid-flight snack, a Boots lemon drizzle cake - best of gear!
A couple hours before landing at 5pm came the perhaps surprisingly tasty 'high-tea' in a box consisting of cheese and pickle sandwiches - good amount on both and not dry either, and a banoffee cupcake
Photo wise, we were probably on the wrong side, as we would've got the sizeable Goose Bay AFB, and if it was clear, New York. It was solid cloud from not far out of Glasgow right across the Atlantic, and quite a bit over north east coast
Coming to one of my favourite bits when crossing the Atlantic as you come over Newfoundland&Labrador / Nova Scotia seeing the usual waypoint markers of the Corner Brooks, Sept-Illes, St Johns etc as you know how long you've got left to run.
Soon over Boston, Providence and Pawtucket.
However despite missing out seeing Goose Bay and NYC, I got lucky in seeing something which you'd think would happen more often as you come over Newfoundland and north east America - ending up along side - and in this case overtaking - another plane. We've had that on night flights before but not during the day - certainly not this close - maybe our luck being on the wrong side before. Even better this was something slightly unexpected from the carriers you'd maybe expect up there - a First Choice 767 G-OOBK cruising along at 516mph at 36,025 on TOM182 MAN-CUN. Bet they got a few good shots of us as we went past at 38,000 at 556mph in our shiney red paint. This was just a little south of Boston.
Then we were down over Virginia and the Carolinas.
Time for some shots of smart looking clouds and the obligatory wing shots before we started the approach into Orlando.
We began the descent at 18.20 (13.20l) after those couple big right then left turns we were lined up on 17L and a remarkably smooth landing - hardly felt it landing at 18.50 (13.50L).
We arrived when it was raining, which is to be expected for Florida at that time of afternoon. It didnt look too bad, clouds werent dark. However we got held just before the gate as all the ramp workers took cover from the lightning believed to be in the area. We were sat maybe 15 mins before getting on to the gate. Interesting there was no clapping for the landing, but there was for the announcement we can park at the gate! Not bad considering I've Seen us an extra hour in the air one time and an extra hour on the ground before after arriving there due to that same reason.
Once all the Upper and front PE pax got off, those upstairs joined them. I never knew the upstairs could hold so many - even with the economy rows now since the refit - there seemed to be dozens.
Anyway, off and into an empty immigration hall. There were 12 desks open, including US citizen ones, and couple staff directing folk. Took maybe 10 mins in the queue, and 3 at the desk.
The bags came off after maybe 15 minutes or so which is pretty decent considering how many on our pleb belt there would be, and then to customs desk, and away up to the monorail. Decided to take case up the empty stairs instead of the packed escalator, look behind only to see my mum humphing one up - anything you can do I can do i suppose. From there, it was off to get the Magical Express
Really enjoyed the flights today. From reading reviews on here and a couple others sites, who had said they thought Virgin had been slipping. On basis of this flight, not sure I agree. From the re-fit, to tarted up economy offering, while some things have gone from economy, still thought it was a pretty good service.
