Not another aeroplane

London, United Kingdom

Terminal 1 at Heathrow now looks pokey compared to other Terminals –
even Manchester had a more airy feel, However it was only just over an
hour before they boarded us on a very full A330. The amount of legroom
in Premium Economy is brilliant The amount of **** room, not much
different from monkey class, sad to say. Still, the food was ace but
there was no vegetarian option for the ‘supper’ – probably had to ask
when booking or something? Gave up on the breakfast before the cooked
food came round there was that much it! In total the flight was 11
hours 20 mins, most of it with the lights off, which makes for an easy
trip for the cabin crew, I reckon. I sat next to a Kiwi lady returning
home from a visit to the UK and she was going straight through to
Auckland. However, they still kick everyone off the aircraft at HK to
clean it. Those carrying on to NZ have or wait in the transit lounge
for two hours and then re-embark for another 10.5 hours flight. No
thanks matey. Last time I was here I flew into Kai Tek with it’s
brilliant switchback ride landing over the harbour and Kowloon (not for
the faint-hearted); in contrast the new airport on Lantau Island is
both way out in the sticks and bloody enormous. I reckon the trip from
the gate to immigration was a single corridor good mile long. All of
which gave you plenty of time to admire the view of a very wet day
outside. I thought HK in Oct was supposed to be sunny and clear. Ah
well, it was 28 degrees in the rain.