Review of Vueling Airlines flight Rome → London in Economy

INTRODUCTION

Hello everyone!
Last time I took a plane before this flight was August '17. It means I spend almost one year without flying :/ Maybe it's the longest period in my life spent "on the ground".

However let's talk about this flight. About one month ago I decided to leave to London in order to find a summer job, like waiter or shop assistant. For the first time in my life I book a one-way ticket. Using SkyScanner I find many good offers with Ryanair, but since I needed to bring a big baggage, I chose Vueling's offer, which included it. Departure date set for June 19th.
About a week before the flight I made the online check-in and print my BP.

Just to give some stats: this is my 6th flight with Vueling and 2nd flight to LGW.

AT THE AIRPORT

My parents brought me to the airport around 11, with the flight scheduled at 12:45. Even if I made the online check-in I needed to go to drop-off desk for my baggage. Like most airlines at FCO Vueling is based at Terminal 3. The other Terminal, 1, is used by Alitalia and its partners.
The bright departure hall was a bit busy


Old style FIDS
Note: all non-Schenghen flights are handled at boarding area E, the newest part of the airport. As it happens in other major airports the gate is not showed until minutes before boarding. This "obliges" passengers to spend most of the time (and maybe money) in the mall-style departure lounge.


Vueling has an entire line of desks at the far end of the Terminal


There were two queues: one for baggage drop-off and one for passengers without BP
15 minutes after getting into the queue I saw my baggage disappearing on the belt


At this moment I realized my flight would have a 55-minute delay :P


Passport and BP


This large banner showing airport's latest achievments: World's First in Services' improvement and Europe's First for quality
I think that FCO really deserved those prizes, since in the last 3/4 years it changed completely, reaching other European hubs' standards


After greeting my parents I made my way to the security check-point
Despite the crowd it took about 10 minutes to complete the procedures


Time to turn left, towards passport control and boarding area E


Passport control done in 2 minutes thanks to eGates


Mandatory passage through the large duty free


Boarding area E opened on December '16
It contains a lot of Italian luxury brands, plus a large food court. It has also 8 remote gates and 14 contact gates, mainly used by widebodies


The departure lounge is large and bright


Many fashion brands


The "rotunda" at the end of the departure lounge


I went upstairs to the food court to have lunch


I really like that glass skylight…


…and the impressive glass "bubble"


Time for some spotting
Alitalia A320 in old livery, Jet2.com 737 and Aeroflot A320 parked at the pier


Aer Lingus A320 taking off from RWY7/25


Lufthansa A320 and Iberia A321 parked at Pier D, used for Schenghen destinations


Despite the reported delay boarding for my flight was called on time at gate E8
Time to descent to ground floor, where gates E1-8 are located


Nothing to say about this small waiting area


The gate for my flight


Boarding was already started


Most of the passengers don't like boarding by airside bus, but for an aviation geek like me it's amazing


Alitalia's unique Boeing 777-300, EI-WLA, named Roma


It started flying for AZ in December 2017, after belonging to ILCF
Air Austral and Garuda Indonesia leased it for different periods


I love those enormous engines


This plane is used at the moment on FCO-JFK route


Passing by amazing Delta A330


Another DL and AZ A330s parked at the pier


China Southern Airlines B787

BOARDING AND TAXI

Our A320 for today's flight, EC-MES, delivered to Vueling on March '15 (3,3 years old). It's jokingly named Leonardo da Vueling


As many A320s it's equipped with sharklets


Hainan Airlines A330 in the distance


The cabin is equipped with 186 Y-seats


I took my seat 6F. The view of the cabin while boarding continue


I really like those yellow details


Legroom was sufficent for a two-hour flight (I'm 1,8m)


Boarding and doors were closed on time. However we had to wait about half a hour before pushing back due to heavy traffic at LGW


45 minutes after boarding we started pushback


easyJet and Tunisair A320s


Our stand, located in front of gate area E51-61


Saudia A320 at remote stand


China Southern, Alitalia and Air Canada heavies at the Satellite Terminal


Alitalia 777-200 EI-DBK "Ostuni" and China Southern 787


Taxiing to RWY16R/34L, generally used for landings


Alitalia A320 EI-DSY "Aldo Palazzeschi" ready for departure


So many wonderful tails


And then he goes…


Qatar Airways 777 just landed


Our turn for departure


Blue Panorama 737s in the distance

THE FLIGHT

Vueling 6224 cleared for take-off, RWY34L


IAE V2500 engines went full thrust


V1…Rotate


We crossed RWY 7/25 (on the far right), only used for TOs at FCO


Goodbye Rome! See you in two months


We banked over Roman coastline, flying over Fiumicino town


Lazio northern coast


Civitavecchia Power Plant and harbour


Argentario, a big island connected to mainland by two narrow stripes


Isola d'Elba
For some it looks like a lizard, for others like a fish…


Marina di Campo Airport (IATA: EBA, ICAO: LIRJ), located on the island


In the blu dipinto di blu…


Approaching Ligurian coast between Italy-France border


easyJet plane going somewhere


Po river and (maybe) Turin in the distance


Crossing Alps and flying over Savoia region


Another easyJet plane


Geneva Lake and city underneath


Geneva Airport (IATA: GVA, ICAO: LSGG)


Flying over French mainland


Approaching the Channel we started flying over a big layer of clouds


A glimpse of England Coast


Cloud layer started to thin as we descent to LGW


Banking over southeastern London, we made a complete "loop"


Passing through the clouds…


…finally we see here…Anglia, to use my ancestors' words


Motorway M23 serving the airport


Airport parking lot


London Gatwick railway station


South Terminal, where Vueling is hosted
Many British Airways tails


easyJet A320 and Emirates whalejet ehm A380 waiting for departure
Such a great welcome to Gatwick


North Terminal Satellite connected through a bridge crossing taxiways


Air Traffic Control Tower


Ladies and Gentleman, Welcome to London

ARRIVAL AT GATWICK

Half a hour later than scheduled we landed at Gatwick
Virgin Atlantic A330 parked in the distance


Previosuly seen easyJet A320 departing after we cleared the RWY


British Airways A319 landed behind us


Ryanair 737


British Airways 777


Emirates A380 still waiting for TO next to a British Airways A320


Fortunately we were parked at the beginning of the pier, meaning we won't have made a long walking to the exit
British Airways A320s


Norwegian 737 "Astor Piazzolla" parked next to us


Docked at the stand


While desembarking I received the flight report from the crew and was invited to visit the cockpit
I chat a little bit with pilots before thanking and greeting them
I really appreciate when cabin crew is so available with Avgeeks like me


Strange to see a glass jetway in a London airport…


Bye bye EC-MES


Let's go to Passport Control


Last view of our plane, with Norwegian 737 and British Airways A320 behind


What a nice line up: Ryanair 737, Aer Lingus and British Airways A320s


Sorry for the blurred pic, but I wanted to snap this nice Aurigny ATR72


Her Majesty the Queen kindly welcomes you to London


Norwegian 737 and British Airways A320


On the way to passport control
Despite the big crowd, immigration was a breeze thanks to eGates


Baggage reclaim hall
We had to wait about 10 minutes to have our baggages delivered


Fortunately my bag was among the first to be delivered
I made my way through customs and out in the bright arrivals hall


I headed straight to the train station


Waiting for the train
It takes about half a hour to reach London Victoria Station, one of the most central railway terminus


Thank you for your attention! See you next time ;)