jAAck
May 9, 00, 1:40 pm
Took a quick trip to Puerto Rico this weekend rather than flying home to NYC from San Francisco. Wow, it turned out to be quite a bit farther than I realized!
May 04
SFO-BOS
AA198 B767-200 Seat 3A
10:00p - 6:38a
This is the red-eye flight, which I'm not a fan of, but was necessary in order to not lose an entire day traveling. Connecting through Boston wasn't the most direct route, but I was using a VIP2 on this trip to upgrade from Business to Premium and the JFK flight was sold out. Routing through MIA, DFW, or LAX and spending most or all of the overnight portion on a 757 definitely didn't appeal to me! I arrived at SFO at about 9:00p and found the airport as crowded as ever. There are red-eyes departing for JFK, BOS, and MIA at 10:00p, as well as flights to DFW and ORD.
We didn't begin boarding until almost 9:45, but managed to push back almost on-time - surprisingly fast given the full load. It always amazes me how full these flights are; I overheard the captain and the gate agent talking and we were at capacity in F and J with only 15 open seats in Y. Prior to departure the Purser served water, champagne, and juice and distributed the DVD players. Not many wanted them, but I knew I wouldn't be going to sleep right away. You can definitely spot the pros on these flights - they sat down and immediately put on eyeshades and earplugs and checked out for the duration of the flight.
After takeoff the F/As brought around the standard warm nuts and cocktails. No menus tonight, which is unusual - just a choice of soup, warm roast beef sandwich with cheese, or a cold turkey croissant. I chose the croissant, as I've had the roast beef sandwich before and found it pretty unappetizing. I fired up the DVD player and watched the end of a movie I'd started on the way to SFO, then settled in for some sleep. I must say I really like the DVDs with the noise-canceling Bose headsets.
A few hours later I was awake and the F/As were right there with juice and a warm muffin. Nice that they paid such close attention - on many red-eyes it's tough to find a F/A after the meal service. We landed almost 40 minutes early at BOS and I was off to the Admiral's Club to clean up a bit.
May 05
BOS-SJU
AA1019 A300 Seat 1J
7:15a - 11:14a
After a few minutes washing up at the Admiral's Club I walked to the gate for the San Juan flight. Boarding had just started so I walked right on to the A/C. For some reason AA brands their F cabin as Business on flights to and from San Juan. It's pretty standard F Class domestic service, though. This flight, too, was completely full. You can imagine my thoughts when the seat next to me was occupied by a young woman with a 1 year old child in her lap, but I'm happy to report the boy didn't make a peep the entire flight. If only all kids were like that! ;-)
Pushback and takeoff were right on time. I was sitting at the bulkhead directly behind the fore galley and was a little annoyed as the F/A crew gathered there to talk and laugh very loudly for about 15 minutes. News flash for flight crews - just because you can't see us doesn't mean we can't hear you! Loudly making fun of passengers and other employees doesn't come across as very professional. That said, the crew was very polite and attentive once they'd finished their fun. Breakfast was served, with a choice of french toast or cereal along with the standard fruit setups.
The 4-hour flight was a little longer than I'd bargained for as I hadn't realized that Puerto Rico doesn't observe Daylight Savings Time. Oh well, what's another hour in the air at this point? ;-)
We arrived in San Juan right on schedule and I had the whole weekend in front of me. My partner and some friends met me and we set off on a 45-minute drive to Fajardo, on the northeast corner of Puerto Rico. From there we took a 1 ½ hour ferry ride to Culebra, an island about 17 miles off the coast of PR. Culebra is also about 10 miles from Vieques, and we could see the Navy warships off the coast there preparing for their exercises after removing all the protestors the day before. Culebra is a small island with about 1000 residents. We had a very pleasant weekend there, visiting really breathtaking beaches, snorkeling, and of course, consuming many of the official drink of PR, the pina colada! Sunday night brought the reverse commute, so we boarded the ferry for Fajardo and made our way back to San Juan.
May 08
SJU-JFK
AA648 A300 Seat 1J
10:10a - 2:14p
After an interesting ride to the airport where the driver stopped every time he saw someone he knew (3 times, actually) to chat for a few minutes, I made it to the AA terminal. Couldn't find the Admiral's Club, but did come across a Platinum Service Center so I checked in there. At the gate it was quite crowded - another full flight. More tourists than businesspeople, it seemed, but again Business Class was full.
A different crew did the same thing on this flight, gathering in the galley for some raucous laughter and conversation. Not that I'm against enjoying your job, but I certainly wouldn't act that way in front of my customers! But again, once they set about their duties this was a great group of F/As. Lunch was served and we were offered a choice of Chicken Parmesan or Grilled Salmon. I chose the salmon and found it to be quite good, but the gentleman next to me had the chicken breast and it was huge compared to my tiny portion of fish!
Arrival at JFK was about 15 minutes early, and as we taxied we were treated with views of the BA Concorde departing for London and Air Force One parked at a remote hanger. Clinton was in town for the funeral of John Cardinal O'Connor. So while I had a little itch to be going home to Manhattan rather than continuing on to SFO, the gridlock that occurs whenever the President is in town made it a little easier to keep going.
May 08
JFK-SFO
AA65 B767-200 Seat 3A
3:30p - 6:52p
I'm back in Premium Class, which makes any trip a whole lot more pleasant, even when you're tired of flying. Five minutes before departure it looks like there will be 4 of the 9 seats empty, so I'm looking forward to a little more space - I know, greedy! ;-) But I should know better on this route; at the last minute the missing four passengers arrive and take their seats.
Routine pre-flight beverages and we're soon in the air and the service begins. This is a really pleasant and professional crew. Here's a quick overview of the menu:
Wines
- Domaine Chandon Sparkling Wine
- Bargetto Santa Cruz Gewurztraminer 1996
- Robert Keenan Napa Valley Chardonnay 1996
- Silverado Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 1997
- Palmer Long Island Merlot 1997
- Forest Glen California Cabernet Sauvignon 1996
- King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir 1996
Appetizers
- Warm Nuts and Fresh Vegetables with Dip
- Caviar or Smoked Salmon with Blini, Toast Points, and Traditional Garnishes
- Salad Cart with Greens, Lobster Tail and Claw, and Mozarella Salad
- Bread Basket
Entrees
- Chateuabriand with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Vegetables
- Mango BBQ Pork Chop with Tamale Cake and Fruit Relish
- Tortelloni Marinara
- Breaded Chicken Salad
Desserts
- Tiramisu
- Haagen-Dazs Sundaes
- Fresh Fruit & Cheese selections
I had the Chateaubriand, one of my favorites. I do find it amusing, though, when the F/A asks how I would like it cooked. I tell her Medium Rare, but of course it's more like Well Done when I get it. The Flagship service is quite nice, though, and I always enjoy it.
After watching The Mummy and American Pie on the DVD player, we're close to landing in San Francisco. The Otis Spunkmeyer cookies are served and we're finally on the ground at SFO. Whew, what a trip that was! Had a great time, but in retrospect it was a little far to go for a weekend. As usual, AA did a terrific job getting me to and from my destination. Not an unpleasant person on this trip and some great flights.
May 04
SFO-BOS
AA198 B767-200 Seat 3A
10:00p - 6:38a
This is the red-eye flight, which I'm not a fan of, but was necessary in order to not lose an entire day traveling. Connecting through Boston wasn't the most direct route, but I was using a VIP2 on this trip to upgrade from Business to Premium and the JFK flight was sold out. Routing through MIA, DFW, or LAX and spending most or all of the overnight portion on a 757 definitely didn't appeal to me! I arrived at SFO at about 9:00p and found the airport as crowded as ever. There are red-eyes departing for JFK, BOS, and MIA at 10:00p, as well as flights to DFW and ORD.
We didn't begin boarding until almost 9:45, but managed to push back almost on-time - surprisingly fast given the full load. It always amazes me how full these flights are; I overheard the captain and the gate agent talking and we were at capacity in F and J with only 15 open seats in Y. Prior to departure the Purser served water, champagne, and juice and distributed the DVD players. Not many wanted them, but I knew I wouldn't be going to sleep right away. You can definitely spot the pros on these flights - they sat down and immediately put on eyeshades and earplugs and checked out for the duration of the flight.
After takeoff the F/As brought around the standard warm nuts and cocktails. No menus tonight, which is unusual - just a choice of soup, warm roast beef sandwich with cheese, or a cold turkey croissant. I chose the croissant, as I've had the roast beef sandwich before and found it pretty unappetizing. I fired up the DVD player and watched the end of a movie I'd started on the way to SFO, then settled in for some sleep. I must say I really like the DVDs with the noise-canceling Bose headsets.
A few hours later I was awake and the F/As were right there with juice and a warm muffin. Nice that they paid such close attention - on many red-eyes it's tough to find a F/A after the meal service. We landed almost 40 minutes early at BOS and I was off to the Admiral's Club to clean up a bit.
May 05
BOS-SJU
AA1019 A300 Seat 1J
7:15a - 11:14a
After a few minutes washing up at the Admiral's Club I walked to the gate for the San Juan flight. Boarding had just started so I walked right on to the A/C. For some reason AA brands their F cabin as Business on flights to and from San Juan. It's pretty standard F Class domestic service, though. This flight, too, was completely full. You can imagine my thoughts when the seat next to me was occupied by a young woman with a 1 year old child in her lap, but I'm happy to report the boy didn't make a peep the entire flight. If only all kids were like that! ;-)
Pushback and takeoff were right on time. I was sitting at the bulkhead directly behind the fore galley and was a little annoyed as the F/A crew gathered there to talk and laugh very loudly for about 15 minutes. News flash for flight crews - just because you can't see us doesn't mean we can't hear you! Loudly making fun of passengers and other employees doesn't come across as very professional. That said, the crew was very polite and attentive once they'd finished their fun. Breakfast was served, with a choice of french toast or cereal along with the standard fruit setups.
The 4-hour flight was a little longer than I'd bargained for as I hadn't realized that Puerto Rico doesn't observe Daylight Savings Time. Oh well, what's another hour in the air at this point? ;-)
We arrived in San Juan right on schedule and I had the whole weekend in front of me. My partner and some friends met me and we set off on a 45-minute drive to Fajardo, on the northeast corner of Puerto Rico. From there we took a 1 ½ hour ferry ride to Culebra, an island about 17 miles off the coast of PR. Culebra is also about 10 miles from Vieques, and we could see the Navy warships off the coast there preparing for their exercises after removing all the protestors the day before. Culebra is a small island with about 1000 residents. We had a very pleasant weekend there, visiting really breathtaking beaches, snorkeling, and of course, consuming many of the official drink of PR, the pina colada! Sunday night brought the reverse commute, so we boarded the ferry for Fajardo and made our way back to San Juan.
May 08
SJU-JFK
AA648 A300 Seat 1J
10:10a - 2:14p
After an interesting ride to the airport where the driver stopped every time he saw someone he knew (3 times, actually) to chat for a few minutes, I made it to the AA terminal. Couldn't find the Admiral's Club, but did come across a Platinum Service Center so I checked in there. At the gate it was quite crowded - another full flight. More tourists than businesspeople, it seemed, but again Business Class was full.
A different crew did the same thing on this flight, gathering in the galley for some raucous laughter and conversation. Not that I'm against enjoying your job, but I certainly wouldn't act that way in front of my customers! But again, once they set about their duties this was a great group of F/As. Lunch was served and we were offered a choice of Chicken Parmesan or Grilled Salmon. I chose the salmon and found it to be quite good, but the gentleman next to me had the chicken breast and it was huge compared to my tiny portion of fish!
Arrival at JFK was about 15 minutes early, and as we taxied we were treated with views of the BA Concorde departing for London and Air Force One parked at a remote hanger. Clinton was in town for the funeral of John Cardinal O'Connor. So while I had a little itch to be going home to Manhattan rather than continuing on to SFO, the gridlock that occurs whenever the President is in town made it a little easier to keep going.
May 08
JFK-SFO
AA65 B767-200 Seat 3A
3:30p - 6:52p
I'm back in Premium Class, which makes any trip a whole lot more pleasant, even when you're tired of flying. Five minutes before departure it looks like there will be 4 of the 9 seats empty, so I'm looking forward to a little more space - I know, greedy! ;-) But I should know better on this route; at the last minute the missing four passengers arrive and take their seats.
Routine pre-flight beverages and we're soon in the air and the service begins. This is a really pleasant and professional crew. Here's a quick overview of the menu:
Wines
- Domaine Chandon Sparkling Wine
- Bargetto Santa Cruz Gewurztraminer 1996
- Robert Keenan Napa Valley Chardonnay 1996
- Silverado Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 1997
- Palmer Long Island Merlot 1997
- Forest Glen California Cabernet Sauvignon 1996
- King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir 1996
Appetizers
- Warm Nuts and Fresh Vegetables with Dip
- Caviar or Smoked Salmon with Blini, Toast Points, and Traditional Garnishes
- Salad Cart with Greens, Lobster Tail and Claw, and Mozarella Salad
- Bread Basket
Entrees
- Chateuabriand with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Vegetables
- Mango BBQ Pork Chop with Tamale Cake and Fruit Relish
- Tortelloni Marinara
- Breaded Chicken Salad
Desserts
- Tiramisu
- Haagen-Dazs Sundaes
- Fresh Fruit & Cheese selections
I had the Chateaubriand, one of my favorites. I do find it amusing, though, when the F/A asks how I would like it cooked. I tell her Medium Rare, but of course it's more like Well Done when I get it. The Flagship service is quite nice, though, and I always enjoy it.
After watching The Mummy and American Pie on the DVD player, we're close to landing in San Francisco. The Otis Spunkmeyer cookies are served and we're finally on the ground at SFO. Whew, what a trip that was! Had a great time, but in retrospect it was a little far to go for a weekend. As usual, AA did a terrific job getting me to and from my destination. Not an unpleasant person on this trip and some great flights.