Flying Steerage...uh I Mean Economy

On our recent transatlantic trip to England, I saw how the top 1 percent of the population fly. I. Am. Not. Happy. It's not just the roomy seats or the TVs attached to the seat with a movable arm or the footrests or the silverware. No, all of these are wonderful and to be expected from the astronomically priced first class seats. So what got my goat?

Virgin Atlantic had all passengers board the plane at the front of the plane...the first class end of the plane. I had to walk by all that is wonderful about first class. I had to restrain myself from stroking the leather seats. This would have been embarrassing since all the seats were occupied by first class paying customers. Back in steerage...uh I mean economy we had a polyester blend fabric on our seats.

After leaving the jetway at Washington Dulles Airport, I trudged down the aisle to my seat toting my ridiculously overstuffed diaper bag and hurrying my dawdling children. I don't have a baby, but the bag was so expensive that I absolutely have to use it whenever I can. I could not help, but notice the footstools attached to each pod seat. The pod seats are all angled toward the center of the first class cabin. Each person is cocooned in a cozy nook for the 7-hour flight. I tried not to injure the first class passengers with my enormously cumbersome carry on bag. I wondered if first class passengers even carry their own bags on board the plane?

Now our seats were by no means cheap. Flying economy in this economy still requires a chunk of change. I am also not knocking Virgin Atlantic. Virgin Atlantic might possibly be the best airline for children. Our kids got a bright red backpack filled with goodies upon boarding the plane. The airline provided a kids' meal that was a welcome relief from trying to explain to my son that pasta is supposed to come covered in oil and flecked with pesto. While he devoured his portion of bite size noodles and spaghetti sauce, I wondered what the first class passengers were eating.

Did I mention that as I walked through the first class cabin I passed a well-stocked buffet and drinks bar? I guess first class passengers receive made-to-order meals and unlimited drinks. Not that I was envious or anything.

As I sat in my polyester blend seat with my feet scrunched around my not really carry-on former diaper bag, I might have pondered the roominess of the leg room in first class. As I attempted to cross my legs I completely forgot about the teeny tiny tray table and dumped my drink on my leg and my son's leg. Not very elegant, but what can you do when you have zero leg room. I'm only 5'3", so I had sympathy for my 6'1" tall husband. If I was cramped, he must have had his legs jammed in to the seat in front of him.

I may have travelled in economy, but at least I was able to show my American born children my birthplace and former home. I was relieved to hop in to my roomy minivan after cramped flights to and from England, numerous train journeys, and too many to count taxi cab rides. It was good to be back in the Washington, D.C., Metro area!

Jill Berry is back from her transatlantic travels. It was fun to show her kid, preteen, and teen where Mommy lived, went to school, and shopped. She's back to the reality of life at Musings_from_Me.