Ramada Airport Parking in Atlanta, Atlanta International Airport, and Virgin Atlantic Airlines
Ramada Airport Parking
We usually like to park offsite no matter if it’s a cruise or a flight. This time we chose to park at the Ramada Inn Airport Hotel in Atlanta. It’s very close to the airport, and easy to use. Plus, they have an airport shuttle that runs every half hour. It’s located at 5010 Old National Hwy, Atlanta, and the cost is much cheaper than at the airport.
When you get to the hotel go into the reception desk area (the same place where you’d check into the hotel) and check-in your car. Then you can get your luggage out of your car outside the reception area and self-park in the back of the hotel. No need to leave your keys, which I like. There is lighting by the parking area for your and your cars safety. A shuttle leaves often for the airport right outside the check-in area, and the driver was very friendly and helpful. The hotel is about 7 or 8 minutes from the area where they drop you off at the airport.
The only problem that we encountered with Ramada was that the hotel shuttle will only drop you off at the Domestic Terminal at the airport. If you need to be at the International Terminal, like we did, you have to figure out where to go to find the free bus that takes you to the International Terminal. The bus driver told us how to get to the International shuttle, (a big blue bus) but it was confusing. However, after asking a few people along the way inside the Domestic Terminal, we did manage to find the shuttle bus. Be warned, I didn’t realize that the international terminal is what seemed to be miles from the domestic terminal. I’d actually consider it a completely different airport, so leave plenty of time, it takes awhile. The airport needs to put in a high-speed monorail or something to get you there, like the one at Orlando International airport.
Returning to the airport after our trip was the same thing. Take the shuttle bus outside the baggage claim area to the domestic terminal, (just ask if you need help finding it), and then wait for the Ramada shuttle to pick you up. It took about 15 minutes for the shuttle to arrive. They give you a red ticket for each person when you are dropped off. I’d advise you to take a picture of the tickets in case you lose them, you will need them when you are picked up. I would use Ramada parking again. Our car was safe when we got back after 8 days in London.
Atlanta International Airport
This was our first time out of the Atlanta International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. Well, actually, I had a layover in Atlanta over 40 years ago with my 5-month-old baby, but all I remember is getting on a train to try and make it to my new gate, and barely having time to get there. Last year we left out of Orlando MCO, but Atlanta is only about a three hour drive for us versus eight hours for Orlando. Once we finally got to the International Terminal for our flight to London Heathrow, we went through TSA Security. Actually, security at Atlanta was pretty quick and easy, and we got through it with plenty of time to spare. We did have to take our shoes off, and the usual other TSA rules, but it didn’t take long at all.
Our Virgin Atlantic app said that we were leaving out of gate F7, so we found it and sat down to wait. I noticed that there was a different airline announcement posted at F7, so I took a walk to see what I could find out. Turns out we were at the wrong gate, we were supposed to be at the very end of the concourse at gate F2. I’m glad that we figured that out early. There are a few overpriced restaurants and shops in the terminal, and of course plenty of restrooms and a water fountain. No bottle fillers that I could find. I bought a couple of bottles of drink at the shop for the plane. Those plane cans of soda are so tiny.
The gate agents checked our passports early, and we boarded smoothly and on time. All we had to do was look at a screen at the door, our information came up, and they knew from it that we were on the flight without having to show a boarding pass. Very easy.
Coming back was easy too. We landed smoothly and on time, and Passport Control and Customs were extremely easy and quick, unlike Orlando MCO last year. Why are Customs agents always so cranky though? Guess all passengers aren’t as nice as me. lol
My review of London Heathrow is in this blog from last year. This experience was about the same, but it was faster getting through security when we left from Heathrow this time. We just kept getting waved on ahead till we got to the actual security screening, which didn’t take long at all. And no Customs check for us either. We must look very honest. lol
ETA (not estimated time of arrival) & Passport- Getting into the UK
Be aware that you do have to have an ETA, along with a passport, to travel from the US to the UK starting this year. It’s an Electronic Travel Authorization which is good for 2 years. Go here to apply. To see which other countries need an ETA, check here. I think we paid around $25 each for it, and we did it a month early. You need to use the app on your phone so you can take a picture of yourself. After we filled out everything that we needed to, it took less than an hour to see if it was accepted. It links directly onto your passport, and you don’t need a paper copy of it at the airport. I was a bit worried, but it went seamlessly at the airport.
Virgin Atlantic Airlines
The trip to London...This was our second trip using Virgin Atlantic airlines to London. Our trip to London was supposed to be an A350 Airbus, but about a month before our trip they changed it to an A330, which is a much smaller plane. I was not happy with this development, but what can you do? We were seated in the back of the plane in the center row, one of us on each side of the center, with the middle seat empty. However, they placed someone between us at the last minute, which made for a very crowded row.
I couldn’t even put my backpack under the seat in front of me, I had to keep it between my feet. The overhead bins were full, so that was not an option. Virgin does not seem to be overly concerned with the size of your carry on case, I saw one man unable to stuff his case into the overhead bin, but the stewards were very helpful in finding him space. The walking row was very narrow also.
The plane was small and full, and very crowded, and it was late evening when we took off. On top of that, there was the worst turbulence that I had ever experienced almost the entire trip to London Heathrow. It sounded like the plane was going to fall apart. The lady between us was nice, but ended up sleeping with her head very close to mine. It didn’t matter, I had no plans on sleeping with all that turbulence, it was making me very nervous.
I didn’t think that the food was all that good on the flight headed to London Heathrow. I had a Mexican fajita dish that I could not finish, the chocolate mousse dessert was the highlight of the meal. The staff, however, were great. They had to serve food and drinks holding on while bouncing around. One of the back toilets was inoperable the entire way, so the lines were long at the other.
The entertainment was just so-so. I did watch The Queen, the story of Queen Elizabeth when Princess Diana Died. It was a good movie, but I loved Princess Diana and didn’t like the way that the Royalty handled it after she died. I tried watching Mufasa, but couldn’t get through it. I wanted to watch Paddington in Peru but they didn’t have it. I didn’t buy the wi-fi, but I did have a downloaded game, so I played that for awhile. My seatmate was knitting the entire time with her arm on our shared armrest, so I really couldn’t get comfortable in that small seat. Thankfully, in spite of not sleeping, the trip went quickly and we were finally in London. I was very happy to get to Heathrow and to get off of that plane.
On the trip home we had the A350 airbus, with no one between us. That flight was so much better. We did have a slightly late take off, but the pilot managed to get us to Atlanta right on time. There was less turbulence, but there was some. The plane was bigger and the seats were roomier, and there was no one sitting between us. I could also stash my backpack under the seat in front of me, which helped a lot. The food was better too. I had a chicken dish that I loved for lunch. And their chocolate mouse dessert was great too. We also had the Mile High Tea, although there was too much turbulence for hot tea, so we got water or juice. I enjoyed the scones though, along with jam and clotted cream.
The trip home also had better movies. I finally got to watch Paddington in Peru, and I also watched the movie about Margaret Thatcher with Meryl Streep. Both movies were enjoyable and helped to pass the time. There was only one bathroom in the back of the plane which made for lines, but people talked to each other, and it wasn’t too bad. But men…please put the toilet seat down when you’re done.
Virgin Atlantic has some superior stewards also. They were very friendly and helpful. And they do have the tiny bottles of alcohol to mix into your drinks. I got a tiny bottle of rum each way that lasted the entire trip. I’d mix it was the little tiny cans of Coke Zero. Both flights were very cold, thank goodness Virgin provides a blanket, a pillow. They also provide headphones.
So, that’s the last of this blog. I’ll be showing more as I get the chance. I’ve done a slideshow of some of the trip that I’ll include next time.
The Quiet Cruiser 