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#949225 by David
14 Mar 2019, 12:52
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The preamble

This trip was very unexpected and indeed sort of stumbled upon just a week or so after returning from the last (last minute) trip to Orlando in January to meet up with some friends.

Note to self : get organised a bit earlier in the future

I was sitting checking twitter and stumbled across a post from Virgin about Golden Tickets being on “sale” tomorrow. Something to do with a response to British Airways £100 each way promo I’m thinking

Next day started a bit busy and I infact had forgotten about the competition until another look at twitter and the second batch had been released. The clue was something that made me think Miami so a quick look through various dates and low and behold a price of £230 ish stood out amongst the rest of the £850 prices on the 12th March.

Clicking on the price brought up a nice golden box which indeed was a ticket for £1 plus the taxes - 3 left.

A quick phone call meant this would be a solo trip (no available hols at short notice) and so the button was clicked and I sat a few mins late wondering what I had just done.

The rest of the booking

Flights down to Heathrow and back were booked with BA just as the deal was coming together to buy Flybe. Club Europe was the choice, again only for baggage allowance (and a few extra tier points). The penalty’s of going over your bag by weight / numbers with BA make the few extra £’s booking Club Europe a no brainier and you do get the BA lounge as well.

The next challenge was accommodation and indeed where ? Stay in Miami, the keys or the default of going upto Orlando ?

It was a short trip even by my standards 6 nights . That meant familiarity for me and baulking at Miami and Keys prices Orlando was the choice.

Next Challange

The VS05 lands at 18.30 normally. The last flight to Orlando from Miami on American is 21.35. Global entry and premium bags should be fine. Land in J quick walk round the horseshoe to D to check in. 3 hours. Easy !

Nope

The time change in the US happened on the Sunday before I arrived so that meant 2 hours. I checked expertflyer. Ave delay 27 mins. Average. Mmm ?

I chickened.

Flights with AA booked at 9.30 am the following morning with an overnight in Miami. All good

The accommodation

Prices for Orlando were also stupid. No holidays of sorts but everything for the 5 days was coming in at £1000 plus. Hilton’s Marriotts all much the same price. However a week before the flight Disney’s Pop Century “popped” up on Virgins travel site at £550. That will do. Not quite Saratoga Springs or indeed Disney’s Old Key West from a few weeks ago, but clean, safe and central. All good (maybe .....)

The flight (eventually)

I had been checking the loads and the 005 looked really light. It turned out to be 87 on the day.

Premium was empty I had the back row, left hand side, nobody at the window nobody in front and infact most of the middle was empty. However so was Upper.

This was to be the first flight in premium for a long time and I kept telling myself it will be fine. It was for £1 (plus taxes). I’d only been a few weeks ago. It was empty, nobody reclining into you or indeed next to you and I should be content with that.

The bid thing was showing an opening bid of £800 with the lowest around £540. One way. I had enquired about a miles upgrade which was horrendous because the ticket had to be upgraded first before it could then be changed to a G and so unless something happened at checkin it was going to be premium. Which was fine. Really.

Opened the app to check in and low and behold a message appeared. Would you like to change your seat for £689. Sure I would. Thank you very much.

So it was down to Heathrow with a purple boarding pass in my phone and all was well.

The BA flight was fine although a bit of drama before we left. A baggage machine spilt it guts of hydraulic fluid and got jammed against the side of the plane necessitating a visit from fire engines, foam and engineers. They eventually managed to get the machine pulled away from the plane far enough to reverse us back a little to close the cargo door enough to get us away.

Landed in Heathrow a little late and only a few steps later was checking in at the Sofitel at T5. Blagged and upgrade to a suite for a few pounds and had a great nights sleep. For being literally a few steps from T5, that has got to be one of the quietest airport holidays I’ve ever stayed in. Not a sound was heard.

Next morning a thought about getting a car to the DTCI but decided to walk to T5 jump on the free Heathrow Express to T3 and do a “manual” check in. Very quick although they are doing a bit of work to security and I don’t think I ended up in Virgins channel but just in the general bit but was still very quick and painless.

Through the shopping centre and into the Clubhouse after a few minutes. I still like the Gatwick Clubhouse better for service but compared to many other lounges, Heathrow beats them hands down.

My server was, for want of a better phrase, a little scatty. Everything that appeared, be it coffee, champagne, food etc always came with something extra. One breakfast and 2 coffees ?? 2 champagnes ( wasn’t a problem ) 2 bacons rolls (again no problem) All was gratefully received. :-D

After a few calls, the morning passed very quickly and I thought it was time I walked off the excess food and headed to the gate.

The plane was an airbus A330 and was very, very clean. No dust in corners, no crumbs, nothing. Don’t know if it had just come back from a deep clean but was impressed.

The crew was great, very happy lead by a great FSM who apologised profusely when my chicken and leek pie wasn’t available and insisted on sticking 5000 miles into my account for the “upset”

There’s a new menu which I will post late or this will run out of “bandwidth” :-)

The flight seemed to be very long and indeed turns out we had a bit of a head wind. Indeed, after 2 films we were only half way there.

A wonder round the plane did confirm it was very empty in all cabins but am guessing it must be full coming back or they might have combined the earlier Miami flight.

A couple of observations about the A330-300’s. The screens are far better than those on the jumbos. Touch works far better and the choices didn’t seem to be zooming of in either directions There must be a software update as well as the sky maps are much better.

But the most annoying thing is that little lip on the floor just past your seat. Caught me out every time (although that might have had something to do with the champagne :-D )

Eventually after a lovely afternoon tea, it was time to start our decent into Miami.

What a difference since the last time I was there. Nearly straight into the immigration hall, global entry took a few seconds, again the face recognition stuff means no passport. Just look into the screen and take your receipt.

The officer was a little grumpy and actually stamped my passport. The first stamp I’ve had in it for years.

Bags were a few steps away and within minutes I was outside trying to find the courtesy coaches to my hotel. The Hampton Miami Airport East. New one seemingly.

I gave up wondering about and eventually phoned them. “We will send the coach to you” Excellent.

On leaving, there were police everywhere. It seems the Donald has just left causing his usual chaos. Someone said he had been here playing golf ?

The Hampton is only a few minutes away, was booked on Hilton points, was very new and clean and did the job although I think I could have made this last flight to Orlando.

Next morning was to be a quick flight up to Orlando.

The finale.

A Boeing 737-800 Max and SPRING BREAK. :-O

If you’ve made it to the end, thanks for reading

David
#949227 by hiljil
14 Mar 2019, 13:52
Thanks for a most enjoyable and detailed TR.
Yes the words “Spring Break” still manage to send a shiver down my spine !

Were Customs Forms handed out on the flight, please ? I ask because my last couple of flights into the US have had forms handed out then not required, and forms not handed out & been asked for. I just wondered what the policy was at MIA for future reference ! Thank You.
#949229 by buns
14 Mar 2019, 16:00
Thanks for such a captivating TR.

Congratulations on the all the Good Fortune you were able to achieve :-)

Enjoy the delights of Spring Break in Florida ;-)

buns
#949232 by pjh
14 Mar 2019, 16:35
Thanks for the TR! We had the same courtesy coach experience when we landed in New Orleans. As rides to the Hilton, the Marriott and a variety of others passed through every few minutes we waited and waited and eventually had to phone.
#949238 by David
14 Mar 2019, 20:53
hiljil wrote:Thanks for a most enjoyable and detailed TR.
Yes the words “Spring Break” still manage to send a shiver down my spine !

Were Customs Forms handed out on the flight, please ? I ask because my last couple of flights into the US have had forms handed out then not required, and forms not handed out & been asked for. I just wondered what the policy was at MIA for future reference ! Thank You.


Hi Hiljil

No customs forms handed out at checkin or on plane, or asked for but I was using global entry. Think you should be fine.

Miami is certainly worlds apart from a few years ago although still very poorly signposted.

Have a good trip when it comes

David
#949239 by David
14 Mar 2019, 20:56
Spring. Break - just had a walk through Saratoga Springs on my way to lunch at Disney Springs and spied around 8 “kids” on a balcony “enjoying” their Spring Break

If I’d used points or paid many hundreds of pounds to stay in that building, I really, really wouldn’t be happy

Here, however, so far so good.

David
#949240 by David
14 Mar 2019, 20:59
pjh wrote:Thanks for the TR! We had the same courtesy coach experience when we landed in New Orleans. As rides to the Hilton, the Marriott and a variety of others passed through every few minutes we waited and waited and eventually had to phone.


:-) thanks Paul. Miami airport seems to be particularly poorly signed.

David
#949241 by hiljil
14 Mar 2019, 21:07
David wrote:
hiljil wrote:

Were Customs Forms handed out on the flight, please ? I ask because my last couple of flights into the US have had forms handed out then not required, and forms not handed out & been asked for. I just wondered what the policy was at MIA for future reference ! Thank You.


Hi Hiljil

No customs forms handed out at checkin or on plane, or asked for but I was using global entry. Think you should be fine.



Have a good trip when it comes


David

Thank you :D
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