VS073 MAN-MCO 15 JUN 18 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

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Just realised as my current trip draws to an end that I hadn’t done the outbound trip report - times flies when you are enjoying yourself

This one started well not only with G’s but a great early morning drive down to Manchester.

After some of the near disasters of late (shuttle cancelled etc) The initial plan was to go down the night before and stay at the Raddison onsite for a leisurely walk along the Tunnel to check in.

As the week progressed, it was obvious that work went there was no chance of finishing around lunchtime Thursday afternoon and driving down, so a change of plan meant a 5am departure from the Scottish Borders.

An anxious drive down due to what had been reported as potential time consuming road works before the airport meant the pleads to stop for coffee / breakfast were ignored saying I would buy when we got to the airport. (T2)

Now, all the regular MAN travellers will be laughing because apart from check in desks we found there is nothing else in T2 when we arrived around 8.45. - ah well. Lesson for the next time.

Check in was very pleasant, no queue and very chatty staff who were happy to check me in rather than the huge group behind that seemed to have a pile of excess baggage. More on this later.

It was to be a rather empty flight across, think she said Upper was full, premium pretty full and economy empty with a total of around 90 Ish

So up to the escape plus lounge, still wondering what the plus is, which was already quite busy. With the expansion of flights coming, a proper Clubhouse is surely a must in the airports expansion plans.

Breakfast was ok, probably more so as by this time I was in dire need of food / coffee and the time passed quite quickly with emails and calls to be done. Did overhear a conversation with a very unhappy traveller who was trying to get in with her paid for PP pass which in her words wasn’t worth the money as most lounges now seem to refuse entry on the basis that they have pre booked guests coming in.

Boarding was done very swiftly as you can imagine with only 90 ish passengers and I was soon seated in 10k with a glass of champagne in hand - not that horrible stuff Gardet and not Lanson but Canard-Duchene. It was fine

10k was my first ever Upper seat and it seems to have stuck - don’t know why but have managed to get it for about 95% of my flights and feels a bit strange if seated anywhere else - haha weird !

The menu has been reported before and was very nice

I had the Crab Cakes to start, the weeping tiger Beef salad and the burnt sugar custard tart.

The crab cakes were very nice, the beef served cold but had a kick to it and the tart was just perfect to finish off - pictures here
https://twitter.com/davidgalashiels/sta ... 73153?s=21

Afternoon tea was the obligatory burger https://twitter.com/davidgalashiels/sta ... 22304?s=21
The crew were very good keeping everyone hydrated with drinks, mugs of tea etc and seemed to be keep very busy in premium with what sounded like a party . After a wee walk through the empty aircraft, it appeared that the large group checking in behind me were infact a special needs school group who were heading to see the mouse and were having the time of their life’s even before they had landed. Full marks to the crew and especially the FSM who seemed to be their leader in song.

All too soon after a film or two and a snooze or two, it was time for landing. Global entry was a boom as the arrivals hall was rammed – passengers off our plane we’re diverted right into a smaller hall, but global entry was in the main hall, to the left this time.

I’m guessing I was waiting for bags after about 8 minutes after the doors had opened.

Then it all went wrong.

The night before I had received the standard text message from Virgin about delays in Orlando Airport – the same one that had come through in November. November had no delays but this trip certainly made up for it.

To the left of what was the booth for the officials after the immigration desks was one belt with a cardboard sign on it for BA

To the right, hidden was another 2 belts with no screens, no cardboard signs, nothing.

After various conversations giving multiple answers, I discovered the left belt contained bags from Brazil and the right belt contained Thomas Cook bags. VS 73 bags were supposed to come off on the right belt, maybe.

The problem was Thomas Cooks customers were stuck in immigration.

The crew arrived and we formed a huddle.

Probably 50mins later, after some raised voices from our American cousins who’d been on our flight, it was decided to now use the left hand belt which had now been empty for some time. Thomas Cook customers still hadn’t appeared by this time.

The bags started to appear about 10mins after that.

I’ve never been as happy to be crammed onto the shuttle train heading for the terminal.

Onwards to Hertz who came good with another free upgrade to an Infiniti QX60 and I was soon wizzing my way down the south exit to a wonderful relaxing Wilderness Lodge at Disney.

Overall, a great flight let down by utter chaos at baggage reclaim.

Some observations :

The weather – this trip is normally earlier by about 4 or 5 weeks and what a difference these weeks make. The vicious heat and humidity is unbelievable. Starting around the mid 20’s at 7am rising to the high 30’s low 40’s by 3pm is fine but the humidity – wow. This of course brings the thunderstorms which are always forecast daily in Florida but rarely seem to materialise.

Not this trip. You are guaranteed some spectacular storms mid afternoon sometimes lasting into the evening.

The drivers. I know we are in the land of Star Wars but most drivers seem to be using the force to drive. This is around the 50th trip to Orlando and I have never witnessed so much bad driving – indicators are optional at best (infact are mostly used by tourists) and pushing into lanes (especially coming from the bottom mall onto the 535 heading for Disney Springs) is done consistently and aggressively and of course without any indication.

However to finish off, I feel as though I’ve been here for months and have really enjoyed some of the new stuff this time, although never managed to get to Toy Story land yet.

Hopefully the return flight will be just as good and I’m sure we will be back September/October time.

Thanks for reading

David.

Thank you for a most entertaining TR. Sounds like you are having a great time despite the storms !

Hope the return flight is memorable for all the right reasons

Many thanks for your TR

We were there in early/mid May and the weather was dreadful as the "rainy season" had arrived a month early! We had torrential rain and bad storms. All the locals we spoke to said they had never had a May like it.

Thanks for the TR. Enjoy the rest of your holiday.

While I don't want to turn this in to a British discussion about the weather... we usually fly around this time (indeed 4 years worth of Facebook on this day is really annoying me at the moment) and we've had it both ways. Sometimes it's really hot and a thunderstorm would be welcome to take the head out of the evening but it never arrives. One year it rained from 1pm every day non stop.

I've even found it to be a wash out at Universal and yet no rain whatsoever on Disney property, it can be that localised.

Anyway nice to know the loads are so light out of Manchester, noted for future for when we travel without kids! I've been hearing bad stories about MCO recently, makes me glad I'm flying into Tampa instead.

[buns]

Thanks for the detailed (and entertaining) TR

Yes, the load situation on the 747’s is similar to my experience - bet VS had some 350’s in their back pocket to maximise on the PE and Upper demand on the route.

That arrival lottery is still there then

Thanks once again

buns

Thanks for the TR! It was a very good read and it seems you all had a nice flight.

MAN T2 used to have landside shops and food/drink establishments before they re-modelled departures about 10 years ago or so to shove everything airside like in T1 and T3. Basically, the area that's now before duty free was landside and duty free was the security area. You used to walk through the walls that are now there where the lifts are behind the escalators/stairs up to the current security area (duty free used to be somewhere else). I can't see much appearing landside once the rebuilding works is complete, though the odd cafe would surely go down well, particularly for those arriving early before check-in opens or those who are seeing off anyone travelling. That said, there's a few outlets downstairs in arrivals (not that it's practical to be traipsing down there with suitcases).

A friend of mine and his family flew to MCO about a week or so before you and commented about the reduced size due to the redevelopment works. Until now, it had barely changed since the first time I flew there in the 90's! It sounds like it's even more hellish when one plane lands not long after another whilst the works are ongoing.

A friend of mine and his family flew to MCO about a week or so before you and commented about the reduced size due to the redevelopment works. Until now, it had barely changed since the first time I flew there in the 90's! It sounds like it's even more hellish when one plane lands not long after another whilst the works are ongoing.

The global entry thing really helps and you are so thankful for it when you walk into a bursting hall, but the mess with the baggage negates any time gained. I'm sure when its all finished it will be great but I wondering if VS will move to the new terminal when its finished ?

David