31st August 2015 Thomas Cook Airlines flight TCX173 from Las Vegas, United States of America to London Stansted, United Kingdom.
I arrived in Las Vegas International Airport around lunch time. My friends were about to get ready to check-in but before we do that my friends are ready to get out ticket and passports out my best friend was putting his flight socks & shoes on he don't like long haul flights. Little bit about this terminal, it is a brand new building only opened 3 years ago June 27th 2012 which is called Terminal 3 it's mainly international flights they include some domestic flights like Virgin America, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and United Express. What happened to Terminal 2? it was softly opened in 1986 and officially opened in 1991 know as Charter Terminal for all international flights and charter flights it was closed 1 day after Terminal 3 was opened.
After 20 minutes of my British friends got changed for the flight & been to the toilets we're about to check-in. I thought the queue was going to long I think we arrived roughly 45 minutes before check-in closes.
After 10 minutes of checking-in we heading through security & headed straight to the gate! United States Immigration does not require passport stamps on departure it's not run by US Customs & Border Protection (arrivals only) it's US Department of Homeland Security they check your boarding pass and passports through UV light and off you go! "Have a good flight." 
After 7 minutes of walking to gate E1 we made it! the gate is located at the end of the left side of the building. Next door gate E2 was Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 arrived from London Gatwick, UK. Our flight was delayed by 1 hour because the aircraft arrived late from Glasgow, UK we mean't to depart 3:15pm. When the aircraft arrived there wasn't a lot of passengers it was a fast process with pilots & cabin crew swapped over at least boarding process was quick with almost every passengers onboard the aircraft.
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| Thomas Cook Airlines G-VYGK new to Airbus Military 10th March 2014 ex EC-330 |
Here is THE Thomas Cook Airlines NOT HI FLY! My friends who organized the booking said never fly with Thomas Cook again because of Hi Fly I fully explained & fully understand why we flew with them due to 1 short aircraft they did quite understand at least they enjoyed the flight home. As you mention on the caption this aircraft was new to Airbus Military last year ex EC-330 last year then handed over to AirTanker 6th February 2015 with new registration G-VYGK it was mean't to join the United Kingdom Royal Air Force however Thomas Cook introduced long haul flights from London Stansted (seasonal), Glasgow and Manchester, UK Thomas Cook have leased few Airbus A330-200 by Air Tanker it was delivered to Thomas Cook in 29th April 2105. Next year Thomas Cook Airlines will be going more long haul flights in the American continent to Los Angeles, & Boston in USA, Grantley Adams, Barbados and Frank Pais, Cuba.
Goodbye Las Vegas! and goodbye United States of America! While the aircraft was climbing the made a sharp turn right as we were heading to the mountain near Mountain Springs.
When I read the safety card it's still from Air Tanker not Thomas Cook Airlines even them monitor by the exit door with seating plan still shows Air Tanker.
It's now dinner time! today's Thomas Cook menu was chicken with rice and tomatoes, then desert was crackers & cheese, roll and chocolate mousse mixed with caramel inside. My friend did not have any dinner on the flight or a snack before we land all he head was breakfast in the States.The food overall is good!
5 hours in the sky close from Toronto, Canada it's time for sleep! The cabin looks nice with the lights off the cabin. Unfortunately in general I'm not a good sleeper on planes on short haul flights, with long haul I still cannot sleep. I can only sleep with music on but only for couple of hours then I woke straight up. Few of my friends in this cabin are a sleep but my old friend next to me in the middle isle was fully awake so I'm guessing he can't sleep on planes.
For children there are kids TV shows and music from Disney, Barney and Dora.
I'm a huge Michael Jackson fan that's why I manage to sleep for couple of hours when the playlist was over I was asleep. Michael Jackson - Bad Album was the only music I like during the flight until something happened from my friend... he woken me up with Barney and Dora I was going to explode but it was funny..... then 1 try to sleep again my friend turned the volume up I flinched & immediately woken up.
5am British Summer Time still at the Atlantic Ocean... We're not that far coming to British Airspace near Northern Ireland.... another 4000 miles to go.
September 1st we finally arrived in London Stansted, UK just after 10am! it didn't take long to get out the plane, got on a monorail at the right time, wen't through immigration quickly at epassport gates and waiting for our bags. My friends got their bags quick however I was the last one took 15 mins! at baggage reclaim their was a Ryanair flight arrived in Faro, Portugal. I think the reason why my bag took so long is that customs wen't through x-ray might have find something odd when it comes with souvenirs before it arrived at baggage reclaim at least through Nothing to Declare channel I did not get stopped. Really Stansted needs to put our flight to a different baggage reclaim number not 2 flights in 1 reclaim.
So that was the end of my long haul flight experience. What do I think of the flight now? it's very enjoyable compare to Hi Fly... Would I travel with Thomas Cook Airlines on long haul flight again? The answer is yes! I would but not from London Stansted. Thank you Thomas Cook Airlines. 9/10
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