Part 1: SEA-IAH
As luck would have it a direct flight did end opening up on AS. Requires an overnight in IAH but is preferable to buying a new tix and flying a crazy routing. I ended up noticing it while running some errands in Bellevue and after a bit of back and forth about if change fees apply got them to add the flight into my existing rez included. I think they even forgot to collect the 9/11 security fee of $5 something... lol
And so my journey begins.
Love these King County New Flyer Articulated buses.
I'll admit this was my first AS flight ever. I've flown mostly United in the past and I've heard good things. Checked my bag with the self tag (1k free points after all!) and grabbed a paper boarding pass (nothing beats a hard copy a lot of times). After passing through the precheck line which was mostly empty, I went to the N gates where my flight was assigned to leave. I (wrongly) assumed that as AS now operated a lot of flights out of there that they would have a boardroom there. Apparently not as I had to ride the train back to the D gates to get to the board room.
I wasn't super impressed with the offerings. Some soup, cookies, and crackers. I guess its better than some other lounges though. Though I really like the seating set up in the room that gives you a personal space near the window to plane watch.
Disney planes everywhere!
Guy slacking off. Or taking a brake. Depends how you look on it.
Departure board.
One thing I noted about the service on the ground was that the people I interacted with were polite and curt but not exactly friendly. That changed a lot when I got on the plane though.
Went to the gate as the time to board approached.
Flight was completely full and F and Y both left packed. Even one pilot deadheading in the cockpit.
Sorry probably should have gotten a better shot of the seat. Mini bottles of water (lol, never seen these before) and a quick taxi to the runway left us running on time.
It was a 737-900. Pretty with mood lighting.
I was intrigued when they started handing out the iPad mini size tablets for people to watch movies. Wonder if these are free for Y as well? How do they keep from losing them all the time? Gogo flight but I didn't try.
As it was a red eye I wasn't expecting much in terms of food in F but they served a pretty decent turkey sandwich with coleslaw.
Then hit the sack for a few hours. We end up arriving into IAH nearly 40 min early at 3:20 AM. Terminal is abandoned at this time of day.
Train not working at night.
Booked the Hyatt place for the night. Surprise surprise they wouldn't let me check in this early haha but they said 10 AM would work.
Now time to go find some ribs...