I used twilight check in at LGW (2200 hrs) boarding cards 1 & 2. Returned home and arrived back at 0615 for first boarding, no stampede and got door seats row 12. Take off on time, no food or drinks although available from Easy Cafe. Smooth flight, excellent crew who worked very hard throughout. A full load arrived at LEI ahead of schedule. Plane new, clean and no children on board.
Retrun flight one week later, check in a breeze allocated cards 16 & 17. Boarded quickly same door seats as outward, tons of room much more than VA economy. A slightly late take off due to delay by infirm passengers getting up the steps. Another full load. Crew worked hard again for whole flight, very chatty, mature and approachable. (More than can be said of some of the VA crews I have flown with of late.
Pilot made up time en route UK and we landed smoothly 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Luggage off quickly both ways. No fuss, no panic.
Shame about weather here, we returned from a comfortable 21 degrees to LGW @ 1230hrs 2 degrees.
The real bonus of these flights - 30 per person return.
We were impressed. There are always detractors to the budget airlines during the last 14 months I have flown with most of them in UK and they have always been on time, good value and did exactley what they said on the can. For a few pounds got me from UK to southern europe.
S
