Navigator
Aug 25, 00, 8:11 pm
Trip reports have been among my favorites posts here, so here is my addition. Enjoy!
Good Morning, Sir!
Today I was stuck with a day trip to Philadelphia. I was due to return back in Tampa at 8:00, so I would miss the Bucs game, but I’d be able to make a later-than-usual dinner with my wife. The tickets didn’t go to waste, though. My son and his friend’s family enjoyed them, I’m sure. Anyway, its only a preseason game.
My day started like most, with the alarm’s blare at 5:45. I got my son up, got dressed, grabbed some papers and collected my briefcase, got breakfast, and saw my wife sleepily wander out of bed at 6:30. Boy, she sleeps late! (I am still thinking of a creative name for here, a la Hunnybear). At 6:45 I hop in the car, hitting some early morning traffic, and arrive at TIA (=Tampa International Airport) in good time.
The angels at the US Airways Club are chipper this morning, as usual. I don’t know how they do it. They wamly greeted me and wished my a good morning. I handed over my e-ticket itinerary, US Airways Club card (lifetime!), Chairman’s Preferred card, and drivers license. I’m not sure why the three latter, unless they wanted to triple-check that it was me, but they know me well enough to know it was me. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif The angelic agent issued my boarding pass (“I see that you preserved your favorite 2C!”) and my e-ticket receipt with asking. Don’t you just love these people. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif The club was filling up, so I filled past and took a seat in the small but cozy club.
About ten minutes later, thirty minutes before departure time, I bid the team of angel farewell (“Have a great day in Philly, Mr. Navigator”) and head out to our departure gate. I arrive amidst the normal buzz of morning activity, while the gate agent was offering his usual spiel (No smoking, only two bags, yada, yada, yada…). A moment later he called for First Class/Preferred, and a sea of people approached. I backed away and gazed out of the window, watching a Delta jet takeoff. First Class/Preferred boarding is cooling down, so I get in line, hand the agent my boarding pass, and head down the jetway. There was a five-minute delay in boarding.
I stash my bag under the seat in front me, and sit back in my comfy Airbus seat. I like these First Class seats, even if they don’t have the bells and whistles that others do (such as adjustable headrest, etc.). I find them more comfortable than any other US Airways First Class seat, especially the narrow MD-80, DC-9, and F100’s. The center armrests are also well designed, wide (no-more FC armrest fights like in the aforementioned jets!), with nice drink trays to boot. There is a set of pillow and blanket on the center armrest. I grab the pillow. Also, two bottles of water in the center armrest. My seat mate approaches, tosses his bag in the overhead, and climbs past me. He gestures if I want the blanket, I shake my head, and he tosses it up above.
The coach passengers file by, and as they are getting ready to close the door, the flight attendant apologizes for the lack of drink service, but offers more water. Water is fine with me, but his offer of fresh coffee once in the sky sounds good.
We push back and depart some five minutes early. We take the short taxi to the end of the runway, and are quickly skybound, bound for Philadelphia. As I can start to smell the fresh coffee emitting from the forward galley, the lead flight attendant comes for drink and snack orders. I ask for the coffee and another water bottle, and turn down the breakfast. Sorry, I forget what it was, but it was a single-tray affair.
Beverages are quickly passed around. For what it’s worth, orders taken and served from front to back.
We have a comfortable flight to Philadelphia. I spend the majority of our flying time plowing through the USA Today and Wall Street Journal, saving the New York Times for the return flight. I am well informed when I travel, as I plow through several newspapers. When at home, I skim one a day. New York Times, if you care.
We arrived into Philadelphia some twenty minutes early. I wish the hard-working all-male team of flight attendants a good day, and meet my contact for the ride into Center City.
Next Up: Above and Beyond
------------------
N A V I G A T O R
Good Morning, Sir!
Today I was stuck with a day trip to Philadelphia. I was due to return back in Tampa at 8:00, so I would miss the Bucs game, but I’d be able to make a later-than-usual dinner with my wife. The tickets didn’t go to waste, though. My son and his friend’s family enjoyed them, I’m sure. Anyway, its only a preseason game.
My day started like most, with the alarm’s blare at 5:45. I got my son up, got dressed, grabbed some papers and collected my briefcase, got breakfast, and saw my wife sleepily wander out of bed at 6:30. Boy, she sleeps late! (I am still thinking of a creative name for here, a la Hunnybear). At 6:45 I hop in the car, hitting some early morning traffic, and arrive at TIA (=Tampa International Airport) in good time.
The angels at the US Airways Club are chipper this morning, as usual. I don’t know how they do it. They wamly greeted me and wished my a good morning. I handed over my e-ticket itinerary, US Airways Club card (lifetime!), Chairman’s Preferred card, and drivers license. I’m not sure why the three latter, unless they wanted to triple-check that it was me, but they know me well enough to know it was me. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif The angelic agent issued my boarding pass (“I see that you preserved your favorite 2C!”) and my e-ticket receipt with asking. Don’t you just love these people. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif The club was filling up, so I filled past and took a seat in the small but cozy club.
About ten minutes later, thirty minutes before departure time, I bid the team of angel farewell (“Have a great day in Philly, Mr. Navigator”) and head out to our departure gate. I arrive amidst the normal buzz of morning activity, while the gate agent was offering his usual spiel (No smoking, only two bags, yada, yada, yada…). A moment later he called for First Class/Preferred, and a sea of people approached. I backed away and gazed out of the window, watching a Delta jet takeoff. First Class/Preferred boarding is cooling down, so I get in line, hand the agent my boarding pass, and head down the jetway. There was a five-minute delay in boarding.
I stash my bag under the seat in front me, and sit back in my comfy Airbus seat. I like these First Class seats, even if they don’t have the bells and whistles that others do (such as adjustable headrest, etc.). I find them more comfortable than any other US Airways First Class seat, especially the narrow MD-80, DC-9, and F100’s. The center armrests are also well designed, wide (no-more FC armrest fights like in the aforementioned jets!), with nice drink trays to boot. There is a set of pillow and blanket on the center armrest. I grab the pillow. Also, two bottles of water in the center armrest. My seat mate approaches, tosses his bag in the overhead, and climbs past me. He gestures if I want the blanket, I shake my head, and he tosses it up above.
The coach passengers file by, and as they are getting ready to close the door, the flight attendant apologizes for the lack of drink service, but offers more water. Water is fine with me, but his offer of fresh coffee once in the sky sounds good.
We push back and depart some five minutes early. We take the short taxi to the end of the runway, and are quickly skybound, bound for Philadelphia. As I can start to smell the fresh coffee emitting from the forward galley, the lead flight attendant comes for drink and snack orders. I ask for the coffee and another water bottle, and turn down the breakfast. Sorry, I forget what it was, but it was a single-tray affair.
Beverages are quickly passed around. For what it’s worth, orders taken and served from front to back.
We have a comfortable flight to Philadelphia. I spend the majority of our flying time plowing through the USA Today and Wall Street Journal, saving the New York Times for the return flight. I am well informed when I travel, as I plow through several newspapers. When at home, I skim one a day. New York Times, if you care.
We arrived into Philadelphia some twenty minutes early. I wish the hard-working all-male team of flight attendants a good day, and meet my contact for the ride into Center City.
Next Up: Above and Beyond
------------------
N A V I G A T O R