Today I had to go to Melbourne once again just for the night so after flying QANTAS for years I thought I would break the mould and go Virgin Australia. A decision I now regret.
My Virgin flight was to leave at 5.55am and boarding was to be at 5.25am so I set my alarm for 4am. Usual story, I was awake for about an hour and a half before hand.
I got up at 3.45am and left home at 4am on the dot arriving at the airport car park at 4.35am.
I went through security and after stopping for a few photos along the way I made my way to gate 44A where I was leaving from getting there around 4.55am.
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| VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-VUK (CN 36602) |
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| VIRGIN AUSTRALIA ATR 72 - 212 VH-FVM (CN 979 |
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| VIRGIN TAILS |
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| ALLIANCE F 28 MK 70 VH-QQX (CN 11571) |
We began boarding flight VA304 at 5.27 and I took my seat which was 21F. The aircraft for today was VH-YIA (CN 37824) a Boeing 737-8FE. This the first time I have flown on this aircraft.
The last cabin door was closed at 5.53 and we pushed back at 5.59am. At 6.04 we began taxiing out for runway 19 holding short of the runway at Alpha 3. We lined up and commenced rolling getting airborne at 6.12am. Doing the usual left and right banks after take off we set course for Melbourne.
We were told prior to take off that due to strong headwinds our flying time would be 2 hours 25 minutes, 20 minutes more than usual. I decided to watch a movie so I chose Table 19; it was all set around a wedding and table 19 was were people they had to invited but didnt really want to sat. It had Anna Kendrick and Lisa Kudrow and it was a mixture or comedy and romance. I really enjoyed it.
As we climbed to flight level 380 our track took us west of Beaudesert and over Tenterfeild, over the top of Gunnedah and on to Parkes. Flying Qantas I was used to getting a full breakfast either before hand or on board the aircraft. I didnt have breakfast because I expected it on the flight down. Well was I wrong... I got a baby choc chip muffin and a cup of tea. I asked if they were serving breakfast and I was told I could choose something for purchase from the menu in my seat pocket. Well it was rubbish... cheese and crakers and a beer; a chocolate biscuit and a hot chocolate was another choice and so on... nothing like a museli or yoghurt or even a hot meal of some sort.. I paid full price for my ticket and got nothing.
As we commenced our descent at 8.02, we continued on tracking just east of Narrandera, at a place called Tolleen we banked left and made our way south flying past the airport and turning back and landing from the south on Runway 34 at 8.36am.
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| RUNWAY 08 ESSONDON AIRPORT |
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