A Virgin America Airbus A320. Photo / Creative Commons image by Flickr user Aero Icarus
Dana Johannsen flies VX413 across the USA.
The plane? Airbus A320.
Class? I stayed classy in Economy.
Price? Flightaware.com reckons the average cost on this one-way route is $240.08.
On time? We departed bang on time and arrived in Los Angeles about 30 minutes ahead of schedule saving me any anxiety over whether I'd make my connecting flight.
My seat? 13D - on the aisle, but fortunately I still managed to get a peek of the Hollywood sign as we flew into LA.
Fellow passengers? From the "only in America files" the passenger beside me brought his dog along for the ride. Yep, Arthur, a wee terrier, sat safely stowed away in his carrier bag under my neighbour's seat. Arthur is a rescue dog that escaped life on the streets and now splits his time between the east and west coast of the US. It is a true canine rags-to-riches tale. He must have been heavily sedated as I did not hear a peep out of him the entire trip - with that and his lie flat position, I envied him.
How full? Pretty chokka, passengers were advised before boarding there would not be space in the overhead lockers for everyone's carry-on luggage so some had to have their bags stored down below.
Entertainment? Movies came at a cost of $8, but you could still watch a range of television channels for free. Happily my flight coincided with the women's final of the US Open, so I didn't miss out on seeing Serena Williams dominate Caroline Wozniacki.
The service? Ranged from overly familiar to downright rude. A woman across the aisle from me had water spilt all over her by the flight attendant, but somehow it was the passenger's fault.
Food and drink? Water, soft drinks and tea and coffee were free - everything else you had to pay for.
The toilets? Nice and tidy. There were helpful reminders for all passengers to wash their hands - reminded me of my kindergarten days.
Luggage? After three weeks in London and New York, I tested the luggage allowances to the limit.
The airport experience? Once you've negotiated the queues for security, there are plenty of nice shiny new shops in terminal four of JFK airport at which to amuse yourself before your flight.
Would I fly this again? I would recommend for humans and pets alike.
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