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A Flight To Remember
We have one very excited little boy on our hands who just couldn’t sit or stand still for more than a second! Just wish we had an earlier flight as not sure if we can cope with this until our flight at 18.05!!
Bags packed and our chauffeur (Thanks Dad!) arrived to take us to the airport. After being dropped off at Terminal 5, we went straight to the baggage drop, waved farewell to our bags and kept fingers crossed they would make it through to NY. Fast tracked through security, just a slight delay as Jon set the machine off beeping so had to have a pat down! Thankfully, none of the nightmares publicised of having to power up every single electronic device! Just as well as we had a few with us.
From security we bypassed the shops and headed straight through to the BA Lounge. Seats found so Callum could watch the planes take-off and spot some new aircraft to tick-off in his I-Spy book.
We eventually found out that we were taking off from Satellite B so headed across on the transit so we were nearer to our gate. Some BA Crew were in our lift down to the platform and approved of Callum’s plane T-Shirt and asked him where he was off to. They laughed when Callum told him New York as they were the crew for our flight.
A very brief visit to the lounge on Satellite B and our flight was called. Straight through boarding and onto the plane. We found our seats on the Upper Deck and settled in ready for our flight. Two cabin crew would be looking after our section – just 20 passengers.
Marje immediately made a bee-line for Callum and said she would ask the Captain if he could visit the flight deck whilst we were sat on the tarmac at Heathrow. The Captain was more than happy to oblige and recognised Callum from the lift. He was escorted to the Captain’s seat and donned his hat. The Captain asked Callum what he would do to take off and he duly pushed the throttle up … and then asked what he would do to land and duly pulled back on the the throttle and steering column. He was also allowed to flick a couple of switches – Marje commented that she’s never seen him allow anyone touch the switches before so it was a real honour.
The captain did invite us back to the flight deck once the plane had landed in NY – but in reality all we would want to do is head to the hotel as it would be the equivalent of 2 in the morning.
We took off an hour late – one passenger had checked in luggage but failed to turn up for the flight. We had to wait whilst they pulled his bags off the plane. In the meantime, we were well looked after and our glasses of Tattinger were being refilled!
Callum tested out the lie-flat beds and approved. Neither Jon or I were convinced he would sleep at all during the flight though.
After take-off, Callum quickly found that Alvin and the Chipmunks were on the Movies and kept chuckling away to himself. He then watched the Postman Pat Movie and kept bursting out laughing. I watched the Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit movie … then started to watch The Monuments Men but fell asleep after the first hour.
Food was pretty good for airline food. We all tucked into Smoked Salmon for Starters then steak for mains. Callum had cheesecake for pudding whilst Jon and I went for cheese & biscuits.
In spite of the late take-off, we still landed 20 minutes early. Callum eventually fell asleep whilst we were taxi-ing to our gate! Immigration was a doodle – we’d landed at the right time. Just three people ahead of us in the queue – and the Immigration Officer, Baran, was very friendly and was telling all the places we need to take him; Bronx Zoo, FAO Schwartz, Museum of Natural History (he couldn’t believe we’d never seen the film A Night at The Museum!). Within 10 minutes, more flights had landed and the immigration queue quickly built up back down the corridor and out of sight.
A little wait for our luggage to come through, but by 9.30pm we were in a Yellow Cab heading to the hotel. Our home for the next week would be the Hilton Garden Inn on West 35th Street. We arrived and checked in and told our room was on the very top floor – Floor 31. We quickly unpacked and put Callum to bed and it wasn’t long before we all fell asleep.
