My seat: 17D, at the window and just behind the wing. A cloudy start meant there wasn't much of a view — apart from spotting Heathrow's famous-but-forlorn British Airways Concorde while we were taxiing. Poor old Concorde.
Fellow passengers: A mix of solos like me, couples and a few harried-looking families.
Wrestling kids out the door early, then through a crowded airport can't be much fun.
How full: About half.
Entertainment: Just a magazine and clouds to look at. Wi-Fi was available but I was happy to zone out for the duration.
The service: Chatty and smiley — I'd said sad goodbyes to family that morning, and after fighting through the airport, it's amazing how a smile and a kind word can lift your mood.
Food and drink: Marks and Spencer food and various drinks are available to buy. For eight quid ($15) I got a delicious turkey and cranberry sandwich, a caramel slice thing and a can of Adnams craft beer. Calories consumed while travelling don't count.
The toilets: No problems here.
Luggage: Economy passengers get one 23kg checked bag, plus a cavernous 23kg carry-on allowance. It's easy to see how this would cause problems on full flights ...
The airport experience: T3 at Heathrow was hot, crowded and stressful and I didn't enjoy it at all. Hot tip: book the Heathrow Express in advance and it's way cheaper, and zooms you to the airport from Paddington in just 15 minutes.
Would I fly this again? Even with Heathrow being a necessary evil, this was cheap, convenient and I was on a nice new Airbus — sign me up.
