Virgin Atlantic Airways - VIR > Reviews > Great Service from Gatwick to Orlando

Author's product rating:   

Food Quality	Good
Customer Service	Outstanding
Punctuality	Good
Space	Comfortable
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Economy class with first class service
Disadvantages:	Need detachable video monitor controls

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Virgin Do It Better

For one month of the year, I and she who will be obeyed escape to Florida, Orlando to be precise. Our mode of aerial transportation is provided by Virgin Atlantic. Thank you Sir Richard Branson for creating an airline that treats its passengers like people and not like cattle (BA take note).

Our last trip to Orlando was in March this year, (2005). The holiday started with a 300 mile journey by car to stay with relatives near to Gatwick Airport the day before our departure. This is the ideal way to start the hols as we get to see our distant family members again, have an overnight stay, and be able to fly out the following day refreshed. Oh and did I mention free parking on their drive for a month. Should anyone find themselves in a similar situation it's at this point I should mention that Virgin Atlantic have a number of ways that check in can be completed, the first is :-

Twilight Check In.

This is particularly good if you have an early morning flight or you want to minimise the hassle of turning up 2 to 3 hours prior to departure with all your bags, screaming kids and all you can see is a long queue in front of you. The way it works is that you can check in between noon and 9pm the night before you fly out from Gatwick, you check in your luggage, receive your boarding passes, go back to your hotel/accommodation, turn up the following day at least 60 minutes prior to departure, present your boarding passes with passports and your off.

Another form of Check In is DIY Check In online

For this method I would suggest you register with Virgin Atlantic Web Site

If you have booked your flight via the Virgin Web Site or you have a booking reference number you can check in online from 24 to 2 hours prior to departure, you will need your Passports to hand to do this. Then all you have to do is turn up at the airport go to the Virgin check in and you will most likely be directed by one of the staff to a separate check in desk, with passports to hand, receive your boarding cards, go to baggage drop, then security screening and that's it.

Most airlines operate DIY Check In as well as the Check in kiosks, so some travellers may all ready be aware of this.

I have already booked my flights via Virgin Atlantic for next year and as a result of this they have advised me of some new requirements for travellers to the USA.
May I introduce you to "API" Advance Passenger Information? You can check this out on the Virgin Atlantic Web Site. They say that from 4th October 2005, all airlines are required to collect additional Advance Passenger Information at check in; the information that is required is the address of where you will be staying in the USA. It would appear that this information together with passport and travel document info is sent on to the US prior to the flight departing. This enables the US boarder control to do routine checks prior to your arrival. I don't think it speeds up your entry to the US at the other side of the pond but as a result of 9/11 I can not criticise the US for taking additional steps to beef up security, it makes me feel a lot better.

OK now we have our boarding cards, and I have received a snippet of information from the check in, that my Virgin Points have been allocated to me, but don't spend them all on trying to bring down the cost of future flights, as when the airline has need to upgrade passengers, they first look at passengers who are regular travellers i.e. the points savers and they are the ones that may get chosen. I have been told that this is normal practice with other Airlines. So wearing a suit and tie and the wife wearing a ball gown and her Sunday Best Hobnail Boots is not the only way to get an upgrade. So far I have not benefited by being upgraded yet, but I live in hope.

Now off we go through security and into the inner sanctum of the airside eateries. For the smokers amongst you there are a few places where you can smoke, one is in the bar, so after 3 cans of diet coke ( I am a little bit health aware) and ten small cigars, my dear wife (she's the one tapping her clay pipe on her shoe, we are from the North East you know) we set off to hover round the gate. Knowing that we will be the first of the economy passengers on the aircraft we try to look as if we are seasoned travellers and start people watching. Here's another tip, I have said that we will be the first of the economy passengers on the flight; this is as a result of selecting our seats when we booked the flights online. This is especially good as we wanted to secure the seats at the back of the aircraft (yes I know the old joke, no aircraft has ever crashed by reversing into a mountain) but on the 747's the seats on the port and starboard side of the cabin at the back go down to rows of 2 seats and you do get a bit more room. Did you like the reference to port and starboard, I had 4 x 1 hour flying lessons in a Cessna in 1986 and I have never got over it.

We are boarding the aircraft; the butterflies have started or is it the 3 cans of Diet Coke. Onto the aircraft and up to the back where we find our seats. It never fails to amaze me but there they are, placed on every seat in the durable plastic bag, (keep the bag, they are great for the beach) containing a Pen, Note Pad, Little Tooth Brush, accompanied by a Little Tube of Tooth Paste, Ear Plugs, Eye Mask and a pair of Bright Yellow Socks!!. Over the years I have built up quite a collection of these socks, I have red ones too. I think I will wait a few years and flood E-Bay with my collection and use the proceeds to buy a can of Virgin Cola.

Now I know some people have problems with the seats in economy. I am 5'10", and my weight, well I could do with loosing a few stones. I must say that I have been in worse. Considering that you can be on the aircraft for some 10 hours, the seats are not too bad. My only criticism is that the controls for the video monitor are fixed into the side of the arm rest, and when you are a little wide in the beam like me it can be a bit of a struggle to operate the controls for channel change and volume control. However over the years you develop a knack. Choice of films are pretty good, there are also TV comedy channels and children's channel, I only look at the children's channel if there is an episode of Thomas the Tank Engine that I have not seen. As the years go by one reaches second childhood, and I don't care.

Given that you can be on the aircraft for between 9 to 10 hours, and being a smoker, there is a tendency for some to anesthetise themselves with alcohol to overcome the desire to light up. Don't do it, the effects of the change in cabin pressure during the flight does have a negative effect on the body's chemistry, and some people do suffer worse than others. I do have a small glass on red wine with the main meal, this appears sometimes within the first 2 hours of the flight. We also took on board a couple to plastic bottles of water, as the atmosphere in the cabin is dry.

Tips in preparation to your journey.

Start taking Aspirin about a week prior to travel. It thins the blood and aids circulation.(If you have existing medical problems check with your GP).
Take on board a plastic bottle of water per family member, (Flight crew will refill for you during the flight)
A pack of sandwiches or snacks. (Just in case you have to eat at regular times, i.e. Diabetics etc)
Wear Flight Socks, they help prevent DVT
Get up and walk around the cabin at least once an hour and do the foot and leg exercises, you will find similar advice in the flight magazines. It does not matter how old you are DVT can affect anyone.
Baby's and young children, on take off give them a bottle to drink, it helps stop the discomfort of their ears popping. We know that by simply swallowing this helps, the kids don't.
During the flight, you will be given some forms in the shape of cards to fill in prior to entry into the USA, they are for Customs and Immigration, take your time in filling these forms out as Immigration do not accept the forms if there are any mistakes. Do not worry if they run out of the forms on the aircraft, you can get the more as you enter the terminal at Orlando or Sanford. Don't worry, Virgin Cabin Staff will be more than happy to help you.

During the flight you will be served with one main meal and a light meal during your journey, the flight staff will also serve drinks between the meals. With the serving of meals watching films etc you will find that the time passes by quite quickly. The kids are also given prior to take off, a back pack containing games and other stuff to help keep them occupied.

Landing at Orlando, try to suppress your excitement, you have to negotiate the Customs and Immigration. Don't worry just take your time. As you can appreciate the USA have beefed up the security at their airports since 9/11. People around you will complain that it takes ages, just try to remember why. You will find that the Immigration part of your entry will look daunting; however you will see that they have a large number of officers at desks processing passengers, so it should not take too long. You will need to show your Passports together with the forms you filled in on the aircraft, they will ask you how long you're staying, take each family members photo using a webcam type camera and also the fingerprint of both index fingers. Now you are through Immigration, collect your bags from the carousel and proceed through Customs, you may get stopped to allow a sniffer dog to have a sniff at your bags; one of the things they are looking for, apart from the obvious is food products. Do not attempt to take in food i.e. Sandwiches you may have left from the flight, again this info is available in the flight magazine.

Now we come to the big moan about Orlando International Airport. The airport has 4 satellite terminals linked to the main terminal by monorail trains. You have to put your luggage onto a conveyor, this takes your luggage to the main terminal. You take the monorail to the main terminal. There is another security check to negotiate, you will have to remove your shoes, (Good idea is to wear slip on shoes) if you have a belt with a metal buckle, that will also have to be taken off, they go into a tray to be X-Rayed (If you are carrying a Lap Top Computer, take it out of the case and place that into a tray). Once through all that you're on your way.
If you are collecting a hire car, all the Car Hire Company's are together at the front of the terminal, just follow the signs.

Regarding car hire, you will need your car hire agreement together with your driving licence and credit card, all the car hire company's work in a similar fashion. They will ask you if you want an upgrade, they will quote the cost as so many dollars per day, also they will offer you additional insurances, when you book your holiday check that you are happy with your insurance before you go and try to resist taking on further charges. You will also be offered the opportunity to pay for a full tank of gas (petrol) I would suggest you take this, as it saves on extra charges being placed on your credit card at the end of your holiday. At this point I would like to point out that as far as I am aware, all US airports are non smoking. If you are dying for a smoke it's just a short distance from the car hire desks to the front of the Terminal, go outside and you will find between the door and the kerb a yellow line, once you cross the line, you can light up. Now back to car hire. You have been given your map showing how to get from the airport to your hotel/accommodation and a folder with the hire agreement. Most hire company's have the hire cars at the airport, they are located in the car park across from the terminal building. Other company's may have the car collection point off airport, these company's will have their own buses to take you. When you have been given the keys to your car, go to the car and take your time, load your luggage and check the outside body work of the vehicle. This year I did not, it wasn't till I got to my accommodation I noticed a big dent in the front offside under the headlight. I contacted the hire company, they were very understanding when I assured them that I was not responsible for the damage and offered to replace the vehicle the following day. I ended up with an upgrade, so I was a happy soldier. If you find any damage report it straight away prior to leaving the car park.

Well that's it folks, I could go on but all I have tried to do is give you an idea of what to expect, and also give you a few hints on what to expect especially if you have not travelled to USA before

The service that Virgin Atlantic offers is nothing but first class, you may find cheaper alternatives but I am more than happy.

I have not covered the price of the air fare as this changes and is dependant on time of year, day of the week etc; you will find cheaper flights when you go through flight booking sites such as E-Bookers. I have to travel via schedule flights as we go for longer than the package holidays so it's worth looking around, but if I had to recommend an airline you can not do better than Virgin.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you're going to Orlando, Enjoy

Mike