Hi folks. As promised, here is a quick review of the new First Choice flight service, from Gatwick to Sanford.
We were on FCA056 at 10am, but we had an announced 1-hour delay which eventually translated into 2 hours by the time we took off. However, we were only just over an hour late touching down. The new Star class cabins are very comfortable, way in excess of usual charter flights, and better even than Virgin's economy seats IMHO (and I have always held Virgin as the benchmark for standard long-haul flight seats). They are all leather, with seatback 7" TVs, with the choice of 6 movies, cartoons for the kids and a TV comedy channel, plus the usual audio and flightmap options. The main in-flight meal (beef stroganoff) was better than reasonable (it actually had some taste!), and the boys were both served their children's meals (shepherds pie - with vegetables: allelujah!!) in advance of the adults, which I thoroughly approve of, as it makes for much more manageable meal-times on board. They also had the choice of 2 kids' films (Lemony Snicket and Robots), which were both watched ad nauseam! The in-flight service was attentive and efficient and the 8hr 40min passed by with minimum discomfort. I looked in the Star Premier cabin briefly (about 70 seats, almost a third of the plane) and it looked suitably impressive from the extra space point of view, while they also get an extra 6 movie channels to choose from.
Arriving in Sanford was a little bit of a bunfight, but not too bad considering it was one of their busiest days of the year - almost 9,000 Brits to process in the space of 6 hours! This is now officially America's biggest foreign gateway - quite amazing for a tiny ex-US Air Force base.
We landed around 3.45, were in the immigration hall by 4.05 (about three-quarters of the way back, after arriving at the same time as a TCD jumbo), but were through immigration in about 25 minutes. There was then a 15-minute wait for baggage, but we were at the new Alamo counter (about a 5-minute walk past the Welcome Center at the back of the airport) a bit before 5 and mobile within 10 minutes. Great service there. As it was a Saturday, I chose to stay on Lake Mary Boulevard through to I4, and we were back in our house just through Lake Buena Vista by 6.
All in all, it was as painless and enjoyable a journey as you can hope for with an economy ticket, and I think First Choice customers have a lot to look forward to this summer.
We were on FCA056 at 10am, but we had an announced 1-hour delay which eventually translated into 2 hours by the time we took off. However, we were only just over an hour late touching down. The new Star class cabins are very comfortable, way in excess of usual charter flights, and better even than Virgin's economy seats IMHO (and I have always held Virgin as the benchmark for standard long-haul flight seats). They are all leather, with seatback 7" TVs, with the choice of 6 movies, cartoons for the kids and a TV comedy channel, plus the usual audio and flightmap options. The main in-flight meal (beef stroganoff) was better than reasonable (it actually had some taste!), and the boys were both served their children's meals (shepherds pie - with vegetables: allelujah!!) in advance of the adults, which I thoroughly approve of, as it makes for much more manageable meal-times on board. They also had the choice of 2 kids' films (Lemony Snicket and Robots), which were both watched ad nauseam! The in-flight service was attentive and efficient and the 8hr 40min passed by with minimum discomfort. I looked in the Star Premier cabin briefly (about 70 seats, almost a third of the plane) and it looked suitably impressive from the extra space point of view, while they also get an extra 6 movie channels to choose from.
Arriving in Sanford was a little bit of a bunfight, but not too bad considering it was one of their busiest days of the year - almost 9,000 Brits to process in the space of 6 hours! This is now officially America's biggest foreign gateway - quite amazing for a tiny ex-US Air Force base.
We landed around 3.45, were in the immigration hall by 4.05 (about three-quarters of the way back, after arriving at the same time as a TCD jumbo), but were through immigration in about 25 minutes. There was then a 15-minute wait for baggage, but we were at the new Alamo counter (about a 5-minute walk past the Welcome Center at the back of the airport) a bit before 5 and mobile within 10 minutes. Great service there. As it was a Saturday, I chose to stay on Lake Mary Boulevard through to I4, and we were back in our house just through Lake Buena Vista by 6.
All in all, it was as painless and enjoyable a journey as you can hope for with an economy ticket, and I think First Choice customers have a lot to look forward to this summer.
