View Full Version : FOOD ON PLANE
[msnsmile2]
Hi all,
Just wondering how long into the flight from Gatwick to
Orlando do they serve food, departing at 12.30pm.
What are the kids meals like? flying with Virgin.
Thanks.
Hi
The flight is approx 9.5 Hours, Have had shorter and longer in the past
Yes they serve food and its not that bad,
My kids love their meals, they tend to be stuff like chicken nuggets etc
Virgin are a good airline
Just after take-off they bring round drinks and a snack then you have a proper meal than an ice cream then another meal and in between times most drinks are free. I have a very fussy eater so I always take a packed lunch for him always found the food to be as good as you would expect, I have to agree with Chris, Virgin are a good airline and we always travel to Florida with them:D
Longer than 9.5 hours...ouch...I thought that was the longest it would ever take. I've been lucky and never had longer than 8.5 I think...anyway I digress.
They start serving pretty much as soon as they reach cruising altitude so about 20/30 mins if I remember correctly
Brizzle
steph_goodrum
13-05-2004, 13:53
Anna
You have to preorder kids meals in advance, or any other special diet requests, veggie etc. (there is a veggie option on menu but it wont be guaranteed youll get one if you dont preorder. Its the same no 08712220050 as you can preallocate your seats on. The seats can be done up to 180 days in advance of travel date. We usually make 2 phone calls (one for outward and one for return ) on the 180 days so we can get our choice of seats, some people wait till return date is within 180 days and then make one call.
You even get an ice cream mid flight with the movies.
We always have a problem with getting kids meals - the last two times we have flown with Virgin our kids have not been 'on the list' for kids meals, despite pre-ordering them. After the first time, when we pre-ordered, we asked for a faxed copy of the confirmation, but we were reassured that there would be no problem. And they still did not have the meals down for our two. It has not put us off flying with them again though.
We flew BA last time, pre-ordered, and we got two on the way out, but nothing on the way back. We must just be unlucky I guess.
Lesley:D
We didnt have a problem as such on the way home with Virgin, but the man asked if we had
pre-booked our kids meals, we had done and he went away for a few minutes then came back.
Few minutes later we heard a couple moaning that there was no kids meals, We felt bad because
they were seated a few seats back and it looked like ours had taken their meals
steph_goodrum
13-05-2004, 21:13
I think they should make it clearer when they send the tickets that you have to preorder as a lot of people just assume the airline carries enough for a choice but of course they don't they have just enough meals for the passnegers on board, well they are supposed to. If they havent been preordered the airlines just assume its adults.
we flew Virgin last April - the food was fine - you can pre order veggie food etc. Call Virgin and pre book
T
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by brizzle
Longer than 9.5 hours...ouch...I thought that was the longest it would ever take. I've been lucky and never had longer than 8.5 [/quote]
Thank yourself lucky, we have a 8 hours flight to Boston two hour stop over and then 2 1/2 hour flight to Orlando next Thursday. The trans-atlantic flight is normally better than the bus ride that you experience on internal flights.
Pikey1999
13-05-2004, 23:44
The Virgin website now allows you to choose your special requirement food and pick your own seats (if any are available).
Its new and it's good, you only need your booking details.
However at the moment it is only available to those who booked through Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
I think they should make it clearer when they send the tickets that you have to preorder as a lot of people just assume the airline carries enough for a choice but of course they don't they have just enough meals for the passnegers on board, well they are supposed to. If they havent been preordered the airlines just assume its adults.
[/quote]
Totally agree with that Steph
The only time we had a problem with the kids meals was when we booked with a travel agent. I checked with them that the kids meals had been ordered they assured me they had but, you`ve guessed, when we got on the plane they had not. :( Now I book direct with VA and never had a prob. I will have to check out Virgins site and book seats and stuff on-line. What a good idea.:D
Virgin also give kids a cool backpack, which comes in useful for lugging stuff around when you are there. It usually has some sunglasses, a cap,a pen or crayons, a puzzle book, a book to read, and I can't remember if they still give out the snack pack with an apple some chocolate and crips in it ?
Anyway, the food is standard kids grub - chicken Nuggets and chips and beans, cadbury's choc and a yoghurt, type of thing. Coming back, it can be a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich - beware those of you with allergies! My hubby usually swaps with my son, as he prefers the kids food and vice versa :) I told one of the Virgin people this once, when booking some seats, and he had ORDERED my hubby a kids meal too, when we got on the plane - ugh the embarrassment :)
I personally think that Virgin are a good Airline and have flown with them a couple of times. The food and the entertainemt was very good but for some reason they are very expensive. We went out at easter and Virgin wanted £750 per person for a direct flight from Manchester. We opted to go with US Airways not direct but at more than half the price of Virgin.The food was good with US Airways apart from the internal flight which was only a drink and some peanuts. We again are going next week and this time we are going from Manchester with American Airlines via Boston and again Virgin wanted £700 per person and £500 for kids. We have paid £1300 for all of us to travel (2 adults and 2 Kids) Yes Virgin are good but at the moment they are too expensive for me to travel with them.
[8D]Thanks everyone for all your replies.
I can't wait to go to florida, it will our first time, July this
year for 3 weeks.
steph_goodrum
14-05-2004, 15:58
Pieman
If you can have any flexibility not to travel at peak times Virgin prices are ok. We went the day after Easter Monday for 10 days so our daughter wouldnt miss any school and paid £270 each with Virgin and are going on Sept 1st to New York and home from Orlando for £350 each, as she wont start uni till the end of the month it makes it much better.
We also went last Oct and by travelling on the first monday of half term paid £270 when the Sat price was £630 so she still only missed 1 week.
sunseeker
14-05-2004, 22:38
i have got flights for next easter with virgin for £409.00 plus tax. didnt think that was too expensive :D
Dave
Nostromo
15-05-2004, 18:22
They used to be good, but I must confess that the food on Virgin was rather poor on both directions this time. The salads are a special problem since the vegetables seemed dry and limp. My in-laws had requested an Indian veg meal and got a single rice cake and a banana for breakfast. Maybe it is a temporary glitch but a lot of people on flights seemed unhappy with the food served.
Cruella DeVilla
10-06-2004, 02:38
You won't go hungry but we take bottles of water to keep hydrated. They do give you it but it saves you trapsing up and down to the galley all the time.. although you do have to trapse up and down to the loo and that's for the brave towards the end of the flights!
CDV[}:)]
Traipsing up and down the plane is good for you on a long flight so do it as often as you can.
As long as it's not turbulent and the seat belt signs are not on it's great to take a stroll. Just remember to stay in your own cabin ie don't go walking into first class if sat in business etc. We always take our own bottle of water as passengers in case where we are sat it is difficult to get up from our seat too often. If you get thirsty just walk to the galley and the crew will be only too happy to get you a drink. When possible they walk through the cabin with trays of juice and water anyway between meal services.(BA) We always have a snack with us as well just in case the choice of meal has run out before it gets to us and we don't like what is left. After all there is only so much capacity to carry food on an aircraft, if the option I like has gone no point moaning at the crew, it's not their fault and they can't magic more of that option - if I have a sandwhich with me I won't go hungry and everyone's happy! Food has actually got better in recent years!
If you are walking about the aircraft especially on a night flight, just remember the other passengers who are trying to sleep! If taking a stroll perhaps best to wait until the crew have put all the trolleys away, finished the main service otherwise you might get stuck!
Happy flying
The best food I used to have was on the early shuttle from Heathrow to Glasgow, the breccie
was so yummy, once I cheekily asked for more and they gave me another one :D (BA)
The best afternoon food was always BMI, Scones, cream and jam :) Yummy
Yeah the bacon butties that used to be on the breakfast shuttles Yummy! Still do cake alternated every couple of months to scones and jam for afternoon tea in the World Traveller cabin to MCO or TPA. I always gave out extras if we had them they only get thrown out otherwise - these days though, cater alsmost exactly, so you have to be careful. Dropped a meal in the aisle once, quite embarrassing - luckily we did have spare on that occasion![:I]
pieman790
10-06-2004, 17:55
We have just returned from Orlando and this time we did the Manchester to Boston and boston Orlando route with American Airlines. We had two young children with us and i would not recommend this route to anybody with Children. For one they dont have seat back TV's. Two they dont do kids meals or sell crisps etc on board. Three its a very old 757 plane with none of the extra legroom they advertise and has only one aisle. My son who is 5 could not see the TV's they have just above the centre aisle but luckly we take our own portable DVD player which was a life saver. The flight was full, so it is a popular route and i would opt for the US Airways plane any day. We did get a price for Virgin but this was almost double the price of American. Virgin are good but not that good. I could have bought us all a portable DVD player with the extra money it would have cost to fly Virgin. Some people are either paying over the top for flights with Virgin or are getting great deals. If people are getting great deals for flights from Manchester, please will they DM me with the details.
Flown the last three summer hols on Virgin from Manchester; food always reasonable. Unfortunately the smell of the food makes my 10 yr old nephew extremely air sick (10 times a flight!!) [xx(]The staff have generally been very good & for this year we have ordered a fresh fruit platter for him. Its developing into a real phobia for him & as we've just bought another house out there its a problem [msnsad]He's already having nightmares & pleading to go to Ireland next year! Dont suppose anyone has any tips have they? It spoils the flight for all around!
Have you tried sea bands? They are bands you wear on the wrist on pressure points. I guess you have also tried sea leg tablets, you can get some for children. Sickness can be worse if really tired - how early do you have to get up for the flight? The size of the aircraft the smaller the aircraft the worse the turbulence can feel if there is any, try 777 or 747 Virgin or BA. Try to request seats when you check in that are not near the galleys so you don't have the constant smell of food. Try not to sit at the very back. Some people find if they eat something light before boarding the aircraft they can sleep then for most of the flight. Just some suggestions for you, sure I'll think of some more. The main thing is not to be embarrassed, the crew are used to it. Hopefully he will grow out of it!
We have to set off from home at 7.00am so quite early. My sister is going to take him to the docs before we fly this time - hoping for tranquiliser darts!!;)This time we're travelling premium economy so at least he'll have a bit more room to be sick in!!
thanks
Dawn
Your welcome Dawn, I hope you have a good flight. A bit of extra room might just do the trick - the feeling of more air circulating around.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by pieman790
We have just returned from Orlando and this time we did the Manchester to Boston and boston Orlando route with American Airlines. We had two young children with us and i would not recommend this route to anybody with Children. For one they dont have seat back TV's. Two they dont do kids meals or sell crisps etc on board. Three its a very old 757 plane with none of the extra legroom they advertise and has only one aisle. My son who is 5 could not see the TV's they have just above the centre aisle but luckly we take our own portable DVD player which was a life saver. The flight was full, so it is a popular route and i would opt for the US Airways plane any day. We did get a price for Virgin but this was almost double the price of American. Virgin are good but not that good. I could have bought us all a portable DVD player with the extra money it would have cost to fly Virgin. Some people are either paying over the top for flights with Virgin or are getting great deals. If people are getting great deals for flights from Manchester, please will they DM me with the details.
[/quote]
We always use the Virgin flights from Manchester and I too would love to know of any special deals, I have just paid over £1100 per person to go Premium in August and as there are 5 of us traveling thats a hefty bill!! I always book as soon as seats are realeased 11 months before departure too!
I must admit I cannot face non-direct flights anymore and I wish BA would operate a flight from Man-MCO as Virgin has the monopoly on scheduled direct flights. Therefore they use the oldest 747's in the fleet and I get very cross that having paid all that money I do feel even in Premium that it is a second rate service, whats even more annoying when this route first started they used new Airbus 340's!!
Im so sorry you had a bad flight if I had known I would have warned you as I see this flight land quite often as I live near Manchester Airport. 757's are just not suitable for trans atlantic flights!! Not for passengers or for the crew I know I have operated a 757 from Man to New York a few years ago and I felt so sorry for the passengers on it.
Chicken or beef?
You're forgetting the vegetarian pasta dish everyone!!!:)
I once had a pasta with ham and a cheese source, now that was lovely, cant rememebr where
we were flying to, but since then I have liked pasta
I know its not pure veggie, but it made me realise theres more than Chicken or beef :D
Daxon
i have 2 sick children and was given this tip by a lady herself a travel sick person
put an elasterplast over his belly button !!
dont laugh i know it works as my girls have made it without being sick with this tip or just once and they can cope
dont let him eat rubbish or drink fizzy drinks before or during the flight and if possible if you can avoid the food yourself take a sandwich the smell is so awful i know how it makes me feel give him a nice smelling hankie to hold over his nose when the food comes out thats what we do it really helps
do not give him the sick pills my kids say they make them feel worse just the plaster nothing else
good luck
Well thanks for that Ann!
Cant imagine why it should work but we'll try anything once!!
Dawn