This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Did OLCI the evening before and got double-digit SEQ numbers as we did OLCI when we returned from dinner. Off to DTD this morning to drop the bags – the place was deserted so were done in no time. We were then off to Universal for the usual final day routine of lunch at Mythos and a few rides, then off to MCO mid afternoon.
At MCO now. Dropped an extra bag at the Upper Class desk which was busy as two parties were being dealt with and they seemed to be giving it a good go to max out their 96kg allowance, each. The supervisor came over to apologize for the delay – I advised that I was already checked in, but just wanted to check an extra bag. She took it off me, disappeared over to the Economy / PE desks and came back with the tagged bag & baggage check.
Readers of my previous reports will know that I think the “TSA experience” is a joke. Well all I can say is that we arrived during the afternoon security rush-hour for Airside 4 and we were through in little over 5mins. OK, we had priority access to the ID / boarding pass checkpoint & were inserted into the zig-zag queue near the front. We were directed to have our hands swabbed, then directed all but straight to an x-ray. The rule in force today was “leave everything in your bags, keep your shoes on, only remove very large metal objects from your person”. Belts and watches were all fine through the metal detector (no body-scanner today). Today’s TSA experience has to get 10 out of 10. Security at Manchester – or to get onto a rollercoaster at Universal – was more hassle.
Have done the obligatory T-10 shopping downstairs and are now up in the Sky Club. True to form, it is busy, but we were lucky as we wandered to the back of the lounge near the restrooms and a group of 4 was just leaving, so table was nabbed. I was enjoying a cold beer & got paged over the PA – the Virgin rep wants to move me from 9K to 12A – I advised her I’d stick with 9K thanks.
Whilst in the lounge, we had a proper Florida thunderstorm that shut the airport – lots of PA announcements for delays to boarding / delays to Delta flights as the incoming ones had diverted. No delay to our flight though – a boarding call was made, but no VS escort appeared – the gate agent just told us to walk down to gate 87. As the airfield was still closed due to weather, we passed English Rose who had arrived, but had stopped about 20ft short of the gate as it could not be marshalled in (no SafeDock guidance on the MCO gates). Got to gate 87 to be told the flight was not yet boarding. Enquired why the lounge had sent us down and the guy was not particularly bothered. A minute or two later, the VS rep who’d asked me to move seats in the lounge appeared, doing some serious sucking-up to a couple – the boarding call went out then. We were 3rd & 4th onboard Barbarella. The aircraft was cold, very cold & the air-con outlets were emitting mist due to the hot, damp & humid conditions outside. It turns out the couple the VS rep was sucking up to are the one who are seated apart. The Garden Brut champagne was offered and accepted – just about managed to finish it, even if it is nasty. Absolutely no offer of a refill, despite pushing-back a good 15mins late.
Whilst on the ground, dinner orders were taken in FC status order – and it’s clear that after about 5 orders, the beef has run out. I could hear the CSS (one I have flown with several times before) trying to explain that they cannot load 14 of each meal. We have a bit of a DYKWIA near the front of the cabin who has been kicking off that meal orders should be taken “front to back” – he clearly has no FC status as his order was taken after my friends (who is Silver & could see he was the last silver person on the order sheet).
I’ve had a few snide comments from “Mr 12A” when visiting his wife in 8K – things like “there is absolutely no chance” [when looking my way] etc. Please don’t get me wrong – I am always happy to move seats so parents and children can be seated together, even if it means I can’t sit next to who I am travelling with. When it is grown adults, quite capable of sitting apart then I am less flexible if travelling with someone else. If there was a medical condition involved, I’d happily move – but if not, those seats were available at the same time for all to select.
As we pushed back and taxied out, the sky to the east / Cape Canaveral direction was very dark, with lots of lightning. Had a very short take off roll and climbed up to 25,000ft pretty fast, whilst flying straight up the middle of Florida – doubtless to avoid the aforementioned weather. The cabin service came to life at about 10,000ft and the cabin is now quite lively – pre-dinner drinks Florida time.
I’ve no idea why “Mr 12A” was so obsessed with sitting next to his Missus, as it’s clear they are travelling with others in the UC cabin who are dotted round – lots of ottoman hopping and chatting going on. Oh well. We’ve just got north of Jacksonville and the tables are being set for meal service – just started the TATL turn to the right too.
Dinner service followed – for those interested, the current UC menu for VS6/8/16/20/28/44/74/76/104 is as follows (menu card dated March 2015, so probably due a change in early June)
Starters
Mesclun Salad (v)
Parsnip and parmesan soup (v)
Maryland crab salad
Warm breads
Mains
Seared beef fillet
Pan roasted chicken
Vegetable Thai red curry (v)
Mozzarella and prosciutto ham salad
Pudding
Mango cheesecake
Lemon pudding
Cheese
Snowdonia cheddar
Danish Bleu
Eiffel Tower brie
I passed on a starter, but had the beef as a main course and it was excellent. Got a few looks from Mr DYKWIA too when eating the beef, as he’d clearly wanted it but it had run out. Passed on the pudding too and went straight for the cheese which was very nice.
After dinner it was time for a final glass of Sancerre then put the seat into bed mode for a few hours sleep (of sorts). Woke up just before the crew were about to wake people for breakfast. Had a very nice full English breakfast about an hour out of Manchester.
Half an hour out of Manchester the cabin was secured for landing and one of the smoothest landings I have had in a long time followed – you did not feel the aircraft touch down at all.
The UK Border Agency need a kick up the backside though, as all the e-gates were active, with the green “Enter” lights on & border agency official at the counter that monitors the e-gates. There was a tensa-barrier blocking them off though & only 4 immigration desks open. One enterprising passenger [not me] went under the tensa barrier and used the e-gate & got through – only to be sent back – and then to the back of the rapidly growing queue. Got through immigration in about 10mins and as we entered the baggage hall our bags were already on the belt. In under half an hour from wheels-down we were in the car leaving the airport, so can’t really complain at that.
So all in all it was another good VS flight – nothing stellar, but equally nothing worthy of complaint. The most amazing bit was the TSA in Orlando – leave everything in your bag / keep your shoes on etc. The x-ray machines looked just like they did back in February, so it does beg the question as to why we have had to remove everything from our person / laptops & liquids from bags for so long.
Time to start planning the next trip now!
