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Most Random Holiday Ever ! - Outbound

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  • Most Random Holiday Ever ! - Outbound

    Ok so here is how i found out about it :
    I was in Madrid on Business, not long after i just got back from the states with Kevin and James, and when i landed i got a text from Aimee saying call her.
    So i did, and she picked up, i asked her whats up, and she told me that my family and friends are going on holiday to Cancun,Mexico (WTF!?) and that she is going, and wandered if i could, TOMORROW. I had a meeting in the morning, but i would try my best to get there. I found out how they were getting there and where they were staying. They took off from Gatwick at 09:15 on Thomson.
    My meeting started at 12, so no way could i get there, but never the less i searched for flights. They all knew i would turn up, its what i do, turn up on holiday, fashionably late
    "Invite people if you wanna" they told me.
    So a quick call to James and he had confirmed, he has too much time on his hands
    I Didnt call Kev, i knew he wouldent come.
    Most people were all flying on different flights, and we were all planning to meet in Marriott Cancun. We organized it and seeing as we all arrived on the same day (Apart from me), we would meet the next day there at 1pm. There were 36 people going !
    James was flying down on Mexicana, some were flying on Thomas Cook,American,Thomson, Air Transat, Air Berlin, to name a few.
    I still hadnt booked any so i searched for the cheapest, i was going to fly back with a group of people, most likely James would come back with me and Aimee but nothing was arranged for most people for the return, apart from the people doing a package trip (Thomson,Thomas Cook). After an unsuccessful attempt at finding flights, i called up James with an idea.
    I get the last flight out to NY, he meets me and i crash at his, then we fly there together the day after. After this i called Aimee and told her.
    So then i booked these.
    Airline - Iberia
    Route - Madrid to London Heathrow
    Scheduled Departure - 16:30 (16:49 actual)
    Scheduled Arrival - 17:50 (18:21 actual)
    Aircraft - Airbus A321
    Seat - 24F
    Class - Economy



    I checked in online, and having no bags meant i could go straight to security.
    Security was easy enough, and i got to the gate just in time.
    Greeted on board by a friendly crew who directed us to our seats.Unlike most other national european carriers, Iberia does not offer free food, instead offering "Tu Menu" which has extremely overpriced buy-on-board snacks.
    Safety demo was shown as we taxied, on the overhead tv screens.
    The screens then went up and we made a powerful take-off.
    Climb was bumpy and we made a few turns before reaching the clouds, and our cruise. Even though it cost an arm and a leg, i was hungry so i purchased a Turkey and Cheese Sandwich and a drink for £10.50 !!!!! (AND THEY DIDNT CONVERT EUROS TO POUNDS, AND THIS WAS MEANT TO BE A "MEAL DEAL" !!!) i got a coke with it. The sandwich was dry and pretty much disgusting, the coke, ice cold. The coke "exploded" when i opened it, the crew volunteered to clear it up, and did it perfectly, even covering up the smell, which wasnt the worst smell in the world. (Imagine if this was an AA crew, they would have FREAKED OUT, and maybe would have asked if there was a doctor on board!) At least the can was full size. I left most of the $$$$ sandwich as it was probably the worst food, on a plane, i had ever had !
    This B-O-B product made the B-O-B of Ryanair look like Emirates !
    I had already seen enough of IB, the only thing that made up for this pathetic excuse for an airline, was the amazing crew. The Overhead TV's remained silent for the remainder of the flight, every once in a while, flickering into life to show the mini-map, then going away again, i dont think that was supposed to happen. We started descent about 45 minutes prior to landing. Descent was bumpy, but ok. We touched down onto the runway gently. We parked up, and i apologized to the crew about earlier, and said goodbye. Iberia have fantastic crews, crap planes, crap food, crap seats, crap tv's and altogether, iberia = crap.
    My advice - Only fly Iberia if your someone, who wants a good crew for a flight, and if you want to starve, waste money, time and effort.


    I headed through and made my way to the connection...


    Airline - Virgin Atlantic
    Route - London Heathrow to Newark
    Scheduled Departure - 20:25 (21:15 actual)
    Scheduled Arrival - 23:10 (00:13 actual)
    Aircraft - Airbus A340-300
    Seat - 52A
    Class - Economy


    I made it to check-in and then headed up to security.
    At check-in i was told my flight was almost empty.
    I will skip to boarding now.
    Boarding was chaotic, the screen kept changing, and no announcements were made. People were getting annoyed. The plane was there, from what i could see through the window, the crew were too, the bags were being put on and from what i could see was almost done, so why has boarding not started ?
    Eventually boarding started, still with no explanation. Greeted on by a young crew, who were trying hard to take care of an Unaccompanied Minor who looked like he was causing trouble When we walked on one girl changed her attention to us, and directed us to our seats.The seat was comfortable and had a working PTV so i was happy. The safety demo normal, pushback taxi and then take-off. We seemed to taxi fast up to about half the runway, then suddenly power up and lift off. I turned to my TV after about half hour, and watched the Cleveland Show (Yes i have an immature sense of humor ) then i watched the Men who stare at goats
    Not long after we were served a drink and some pretzels.
    I got a coke, which DIDNT explode, which was served in a cup with ice.
    After this, a while later, dinner was served.
    Beef Stew or Chicken. I got the Beef.
    Bread Roll,Salad, Beef Stew,Carrots,Peas,Rice, Chocolate Mousse.
    It was VERY tasty. Best transatlantic meal ive ever had.
    After this i fell asleep to help "fight" jetlag.
    I woke shortly before landing, and we touched down SO gently onto the runway. EWR looked asleep as we taxied in, i saw one or two planes with lights on but none moving. We pulled up and disembarked. I said goodbye and headed down the jetway. Inside EWR it was deadly silent. After about 40 minutes, having issues with my visa, i got let through and headed out, to find James waiting, looking quite pissed off

    We headed back and then i looked for flights for us.

    Airline - Mexicana
    Route - New York JFK to Cancun
    Scheduled Departure - 08:30 (08:35 actual)
    Scheduled Arrival - 11:55 (12:04 actual)
    Aircraft - Airbus A320
    Seat - 26F
    Class - Coach


    We got to JFK and checked in.Security again was easy. Waiting at the gate for us was a shiny A320. Boarding started bang on time, and we were greeted by friendly f/a. I took my seat, which was comfortable enough.
    Safety demo pushback taxi and then a powerful take-off.
    Straight into clouds. Not long after take-off breakfast was served.
    It consisted of :
    Serrano Ham roll, Cinnamon Danish, Lays Potato Chips and cookies.
    It was tasty and filled me up, but was disappointing as the website said we were getting a hot breakfast. It filled me up nonetheless. I fell asleep shortly after i finished. I woke up about an hour and a half before landing. I pressed the crew call button and asked if it was possible for me to get a coffee.
    She reluctantly went back and brought back a coffee for me, and with a huff and a sigh walked off. The coffee itself was tasty, although cold. This woke me up a little. Then i realised that we didnt know how to get to the Holiday Inn and that we had no Mexican money, so i woke up James and told him.
    he just says "Its not my first time to Mexico, i know what to do, now shut up, im tired " And fell back asleep. Then he woke up during our bumpy descent. I wondered what he was going to do
    Our descent was bumpy but we landed smoothly onto the runway.
    We taxied and parked up on our own. We disembarked, i said bye to the crew and we headed off.
    When outside we got in a cab, and we spoke no spanish to him, even though we both spoke fluent spanish, and we paid in American Dollars, which pleased the driver ALOT, and he drove us there, happily

    We obviously didnt get to the Marriott for 1pm, but we got there at 2:15 and everyone was waiting for us. They were checking our flight so they didnt leave as they knew we would be late. All of us then headed up to our rooms. The Marriott Cancun is amazing, and very cheap , a room for me and Aimee was cheap as chips, and the service was spectacular, i highly recommend it.
    Also i will recommend Mexicana and Virgin, Good value for money. I do however advice people to stay away from Iberia, at all costs.


    Return flight i will post shortly !! hope you enjoyed !!

  • #2
    I really do have alot of time on my hands , but what better way to fill that time, flying


    Mexicana are not the best airline are they
    :-) Life is like a Journey,Travel it well. United Airlines :smile:
    :heart::smile::D:razz::-):-P:grin::):-D:love:

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    • #3
      i cant be bothered to post the return leg, i just got back from a business trip, so am pretty tired, basically we went from Cancun to New York to London on Jet Blue and BA.

      Im going to post my business trip that i just got back from in a while though.

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      • #4
        Wonderful report and trip

        Wish I could afford all those flights. Id be bankrupt

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        • #5
          The only thing I'll agree with about Iberia is the expensive on board food. I probably wouldn't use them long haul but for Europe I used them LHR-MAD, MAD-TFS & return and had no problem at all. Check in online 24hrs before, get exit seats with good legroom. Flights on time and cheaper than BA. (Don't mention Ryanair or queasyJet...I flatly REFUSE to fly in a cattletruck).

          Only 4 legs of just over 2 hrs each but it was a pleasant 2 days travelling and the new Madrid terminal is excellent.
          If it 'ain't broken........ Don't try to mend it !

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