Flight Advice needed :)

[joolz1910]

Hi all, I have had my Virgin flight times confirmed. We fly out on VS75 on Oct 29th at 10.25 and return on the VS76. I haven't been on a long-haul flight since 1999, so I am very out of date with how things work!

Some advice:

We live in the Midlands and are flying from Manchester, how long before the flight should we be at the airport?

Should I book a hotel the night before?

If yes, has anyone got any recommendations?

Val (TA) is going to contact the special needs dept for my daughter - is there anyone who can let me know what sort of assistance is available?

What configuration of seats should we book? There are 2 adults and 3 children.

Apologies for all of the questions. If anyone has any hints or tips, (however obvious they might seem) I would be very grateful!

 

[Twinkly-Tink]

Hi Juliette

We're in the midlands and whenever we travel from Manchester we always stay the night before.

Too many times when we've travelled up the M6 has been closed and I think I'd panic too much travelling on the actual day.

We check-in as early as possible as to us our holiday starts sooner that way

As for hotels, we've stayed in Radisson (pricey!!) And Bewleys which wad more reasonable, both are on site.

Can't help with your other questions but sure someone will ben along soon.

Happy planning!!

Lynn

 

[orangetiggs]

Not sure what sort of assistance your daughter needs but when i have used them they have been great, we got extra leg room seats and on and off airplane first etc, you can call and speak to them yourself they are great

 

[joolz1910]

Hi Juliette

We're in the midlands and whenever we travel from Manchester we always stay the night before.

Too many times when we've travelled up the M6 has been closed and I think I'd panic too much travelling on the actual day.

We check-in as early as possible as to us our holiday starts sooner that way

As for hotels, we've stayed in Radisson (pricey!!) And Bewleys which wad more reasonable, both are on site.

Can't help with your other questions but sure someone will ben along soon.

Happy planning!!

Lynn

Will have a look at Bewleys. Would love to stay at the Radisson but with 5 of us, it's too pricey!

Not sure what sort of assistance your daughter needs but when i have used them they have been great, we got extra leg room seats and on and off airplane first etc, you can call and speak to them yourself they are great

My DD has acute anxiety disorder. My main concern is that she won't get on / stay on the plane. This is why I would have preferred not to stay the night before as we will need someone with us in case she refuses to board, so that she can be taken home

 

[ChristieK0310]

Hi all, I have had my Virgin flight times confirmed. We fly out on VS75 on Oct 29th at 10.25 and return on the VS76. I haven't been on a long-haul flight since 1999, so I am very out of date with how things work!

Some advice:

We live in the Midlands and are flying from Manchester, how long before the flight should we be at the airport?

Should I book a hotel the night before?

If yes, has anyone got any recommendations?

Val (TA) is going to contact the special needs dept for my daughter - is there anyone who can let me know what sort of assistance is available?

What configuration of seats should we book? There are 2 adults and 3 children.

Apologies for all of the questions. If anyone has any hints or tips, (however obvious they might seem) I would be very grateful!

Hi,

What age is your daughter? Has she flown before?

Another vote for Bewleys here - nice and simple. Always use it when in Devlin r Manchester.

At the airport it's 3 hrs prior to flight but I always go about 3.5 for my sanity! Can't sleep anyway - too excited lol!

I have a huge fear of flying and VA special assistance are fab. I would call yourself unless ur travel agent has a really in depth knowledge of your daughter as then they can tell you what they can do and you can say yes or no or add suggestions yourself. Best virgin department I've dealt with

If u stay the night before it also means the children (especially your daughter) will have slept more and be happier travellers - that's the biggest reason where possible that I stay overnight.

Hope this helps a little?

Christie

 

[joolz1910]

Hi,

What age is your daughter? Has she flown before?

Another vote for Bewleys here - nice and simple. Always use it when in Devlin r Manchester.

At the airport it's 3 hrs prior to flight but I always go about 3.5 for my sanity! Can't sleep anyway - too excited lol!

I have a huge fear of flying and VA special assistance are fab. I would call yourself unless ur travel agent has a really in depth knowledge of your daughter as then they can tell you what they can do and you can say yes or no or add suggestions yourself. Best virgin department I've dealt with

If u stay the night before it also means the children (especially your daughter) will have slept more and be happier travellers - that's the biggest reason where possible that I stay overnight.

Hope this helps a little?

Christie

Thanks! She is 12. She has flown before but it was before she had this acute anxiety. Her anxiety isn't to do with the flight - it is hard to explain but it is quite like autism. I think we will need to use a sedative the night before and before she boards. I will definitely talk to the special needs department at Virgin.

Might have to rule out Bewleys - although it looks fab, it is quite a lot more expensive for 2 rooms than I had budgeted. I am more in the Premier Inn price range.

 

[ChristieK0310]

Me too! Trust me!!! (although sometimes do a good deal with parking and their Facebook got us a bit off too)

Have fun!

 

[dixonsontour]

I'd stay the night before due to distance. Check in opens 3 hours before the flight.

If you are not doing a hotel with parking included I can recommend meteor meet and greet parking at Manchester.

You can usually check in online and print your boarding pass off 24 hours before.

I've spoken to special assistance at virgin in the past (my DD has a disability) and they were very helpful. Personally I would speak to them yourself as your TA wont know the ins and outs of your dd's condition.

They may offer to seat you in bulkhead seats if available, will ensure your DD can sit with an adult, may offer meet and greet assistance at mco.

Make sure you have your kids meals booked.

My hints and tips for travel day are to have a pep talk with the children about what to expect - I think a lot literally expect to see Mickey when they get off the plane.

The worst bit imo is MCO airport.

You get off the plane, line up for immigration, collect bags, go through customs, drop bags off again, get on monorail shuttle to a different terminal,
collect bags, go to magical express desk/car hire rental, check into hotel.

Alot for anyone to deal with after a 9 hour flight.

You can do online check in for disney which should speed up check in.

 

[queendisney]

just a note to above....

you don't have to drop your bags off anymore you can take them with you on the shuttle if you want to, saves a load of time at the other end

 

[Jakejosh4]

Hi
We travel with virgin all the time and have found them to be so good with my child who is autistic. We have found the best place to sit is the small area behind premium economy. Special assistance can help with this, also the bulkhead seats are good as he then does not bother about what is going on behind him. We take a DS and a DVD player with his favourite films which he watches with headphones on. You do have to check in 3 hours before but there is a disabled check in. Virgin can also arrange a meet and greet at both ends but in Florida they were pretty useless unless you need a wheelchair. My son has a disability card which you can get from your local social services we then use this to go through the disabled line at the airport and immigration where the queues are much smaller. Hope this helps

 

[joolz1910]

I'd stay the night before due to distance. Check in opens 3 hours before the flight.

If you are not doing a hotel with parking included I can recommend meteor meet and greet parking at Manchester.

You can usually check in online and print your boarding pass off 24 hours before.

I've spoken to special assistance at virgin in the past (my DD has a disability) and they were very helpful. Personally I would speak to them yourself as your TA wont know the ins and outs of your dd's condition.

They may offer to seat you in bulkhead seats if available, will ensure your DD can sit with an adult, may offer meet and greet assistance at mco.

Make sure you have your kids meals booked.

My hints and tips for travel day are to have a pep talk with the children about what to expect - I think a lot literally expect to see Mickey when they get off the plane.

The worst bit imo is MCO airport.

You get off the plane, line up for immigration, collect bags, go through customs, drop bags off again, get on monorail shuttle to a different terminal,
collect bags, go to magical express desk/car hire rental, check into hotel.

Alot for anyone to deal with after a 9 hour flight.

You can do online check in for disney which should speed up check in.

Thank you! I'm in the process of checking out hotels - it will either be Bewleys or Premier Inn. How far in advance would I need to book for a decent price?

I will definitely do online check-in before we go and book kids meals - didn't know you could do that.

just a note to above....

you don't have to drop your bags off anymore you can take them with you on the shuttle if you want to, saves a load of time at the other end

That makes things slightly easier.

Hi
We travel with virgin all the time and have found them to be so good with my child who is autistic. We have found the best place to sit is the small area behind premium economy. Special assistance can help with this, also the bulkhead seats are good as he then does not bother about what is going on behind him. We take a DS and a DVD player with his favourite films which he watches with headphones on. You do have to check in 3 hours before but there is a disabled check in. Virgin can also arrange a meet and greet at both ends but in Florida they were pretty useless unless you need a wheelchair. My son has a disability card which you can get from your local social services we then use this to go through the disabled line at the airport and immigration where the queues are much smaller. Hope this helps

That really helps - thank you. I have had a look on seatguru and thought that the seats behind PE looked good but I thought you had to book and pay for those. How far in advance can you book them? I will phone Virgin's special assistance in the new year.

My DD isn't registered as disabled - she has a statement of special needs and I could bring a covering letter from the NHS centre she attends. I will probably need that to get a GAC at Disney anyway.

 

[dixonsontour]

just a note to above....

you don't have to drop your bags off anymore you can take them with you on the shuttle if you want to, saves a load of time at the other end

I know some couples do but i've never seen families with young kids manage it.
- if you only travel with a couple of suitcases/no buggy etc it is doable.

We flew indirect this year which made mco alot easier

We were seated once in bulkhead and once just behind premium last two times we flew with virgin (and had spoken to special assistance)

Is there still a separte immigration line at mco for disabled people? I know there used to be but thought it was all one line now.

 

[Bridgey]

We stop at the Premier inn at the airport whenever we've stayed. Spot on and they'll organise a taxi to take you to the terminal for you which makes life easier.