wigstheone
Apr 10, 01, 12:24 pm
April 3rd-April 4th, MSP/ORD/LHR
I arose on Tuesday, tired but extremely pleased following the Blue Devil’s triumphant Championship victory over the determined and worthy Arizona Wildcats. We were staying in the Radisson Hotel South & Plaza Tower (with the team and other Iron Duke supporters), which could best be described as fully adequate. After loading up on Championship t-shirts and paraphernalia, I drove to a local grocery store to pick up Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing packets for the office staff in London, and then headed over to MSP to catch AA #1788 to ORD.
Given the number of people trying to depart MSP post-Final Four, the airport seemed extremely well run. Traffic in wasn’t very bad, check-in lines seemed under control (at least around AA and TWA), and people were moving through security with limited delay. The gates, not surprisingly, were quite full, and more than a few parties could be heard discussing their chances on clearing the waitlist on the next flight to where they were trying to head.
AA #1788 was scheduled to depart at 2:21PM from gate E14, which is located at the end of the E gates. Boarding began more or less on time at 1:55PM, beginning with F, then AAdvantage elite, then by row number. Given the amount of carry-ons, boarding went smoothly, although more than a few bags were checked towards the end of the process. I was traveling with a laptop case, not overstuffed but definitely full, a smallish tri-fold garment bag and a medium-sized duffel bag, and was pleased as punch to be let on board without any question. I was in 13D, an exit row aisle, with very good leg room, although the seats are very narrow. The flight itself was uneventful, with drink service (plus snack pack) in Y. We landed on time in ORD and had a fairly smooth trip over to the arrival gate.
After arrival in ORD, it was over to gate K12 to catch AA #86, 777 service ORD to LHR, departing at 5:10PM. I stopped by the Admirals Club between H and K for a few minutes on the way, and it was relatively empty, with no wait to for a computer. Boarding began a few minute late, but again by F, then C, AAdvantage Elite, and by row numbers. I was seated in 12G, on the far aisle of the 3-seat center section in C. The flight was nearly full in both F and C. By the time we pushed back (roughly on time), the FAs had collected coats, passed out newspapers and menus and served the obligatory champagne or orange juice (but no mimosas). Amenity kits had already been stowed at each seat.
Before departing, an engineer came on board, as the control units in some of the G seats in C were not operating. He said that he would restart the system, the lights flashed a couple of times, the door closed and we pushed back. Unfortunately, he never returned to check if his “solution” was successful, and indeed it wasn’t. As a result, most of the G seats in C couldn’t turn on their overhead lights, operate the audio or video system, or page the FAs to let them know that the system wasn’t working. After we had departed, and the FAs became aware that the system still hadn’t been fixed, they tried resetting the system a number of times without success.
The gentleman seated next to me in the center seat, 12E, wanted to travel with his wife, who was seated in 10G, so I switched seats with her (her controls were inoperative as well). One caveat I would note is that the seats in the 10th row do not have access to air vents (because of the overhead video projector), so if you like more control over your environment, I would avoid this row.
Once in the air, prior to starting beverage service, the FAs passed out immigration forms and FastTrack passes, then Bose noise reduction headphones, which were collected about 45 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time. We also were offered warmed towels.
Wines
The wines available included Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne; two whites, Chateau Olivier 1998 and Alderbrook Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 1998; two reds, Chateau Duhart-Milon Rothschild Grand Cru 1996 and King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir 1997; and three dessert wines, Osborne Amontillado Sherry, Graham’s Port 1983, and Royal Tokaji ‘Blue Label’ Aszu 1996.
Dinner Menu
To Start: An assortment of warm roasted nuts.
Appertizer: Shrimp bruschetta with sun-dried tomato butter.
Salad: Fresh seasonal greens offered with creamy basil dressing or olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Entrees:
Beef Filet with portobello mushroom and red wine demi-glace, served with haricots verts with garlic shallot butter and a potato diamond;
Grilled Salmon accented by a leek garlic sauce, served on a bed of roasted sliced potatoes and a fresh sauté of asparagus with cherry tomatoes;
Cheese Tortelloni enhanced by a marinara and béchamel sauce, garnished with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese;
Seared Chicken Breast served with a leek and watercress sauce, fresh vegetables and potatoes layered with cheddar cheese and onions; or
Vegetable Plate including wilted spinach, balsamic grilled tomatoes and whipped potatoes.
Desserts:
Fruit and Cheese with selected crackers, or
Hagen-Dazs hazelnut gelato topped with almond walnut brittle.
I asked for the filet, but it wasn’t available, so I had the tortelloni as an entree, which was fine. I find the “shrimp bruschetta” to be a real misnomer, as it consistently would be better described as one shrimp on a stale piece of heavily buttered bread ( http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif). The FAs indicated that because of mad cow/hoof and mouth concerns, catering has cut the proportion of beef entrees to 10%, and they are consequently running out of this choice almost immediately (I was also told the same thing on the return flight, and the FAs are clearly frustrated by not having enough beef entrees on board).
Breakfast
About an hour before landing, breakfast was served, including fresh fruit; Colby cheese omelette accompanied by turkey sausage with roasted peppers and a potato, scallion and sour cream timbale; yogurt; cereal; and warm breads.
We arrived approximately 25 minutes late after being held up by traffic control, then pulled into a gate in T3. Lines at immigrations were quite long, particularly in the FastTrack lane, as a couple of jets had preceded our arrival. As a rule of thumb, I would suggest that if the line to FastTrack extends well past the translucent barrier back towards the far corner, it’s probably worth detouring into the regular lines.
After stopping by AA’s arrival lounge (located on the second floor outside of customs) to shower and change, I headed into London to drop my bags off at the London Hilton Park Lane. Although I had not pre-registered for the 4th, I was able to check in upon arrival, and was upgraded to a renovated room on the 17th floor facing the Metropolitan, Four Seasons, Intercontinental and Lanesborough hotels. IMHO, the renovated rooms are a substantial improvement over the previous rooms, and they seem to be holding up well. I find certain aspects of the hotel somewhat cheesy (the elevators, particularly, Trader Vics, etc.), but I continue to like the mix of location and cost, as well as the health club, albeit small but well outfitted. Room service was prompt, and my orders were delivered correctly on a consistent basis.
This trip was primarily work, so I don’t have much to relay about new restaurants or cultural attractions. I would note that we ate in Itsu one evening (sushi with conveyor belt kitsch, located on Draycott Ave. in Chelsea), and the food was a significant step down from previous visits. The selections were both more limited and consistently tired than before, and the staff manning the system seemed to be spending much more time removing and then returning the same dishes to the conveyor.
April 7th, LHR/ORD/CVG
Traffic was light on Saturday morning and it only took 45 minutes by car to reach LHR from the Hilton. After checking in for AA #67, 777 service LHR/ORD in C, I headed up to the AA Flagship lounge. Once upstairs, there are two entrances to security, and the nearer one was very long, so if you aren’t able to FastTrack, you may want to walk down towards that side as the regular line there appeared much shorter.
The lounge was the same as always, offering full beverage service, small sandwiches (including, salmon, chicken, egg and cream cheese), snacks and desserts. It would be even nicer if AA would add a couple of computers with internet access. Despite having flights to BOS and JFK depart before ORD, the lounge was quite empty.
Boarding began approximately 35 minutes late, owing to the late arrival of the equipment, but proceeded by the book. F and C were close to full, and Y seemed well occupied too. Amenity kits had been placed at each seat prior to boarding, and the FAs took coats, served champagne and orange juice, passed out menus offered newspapers and distributed customs forms prior to pushback. I was seated in 9D, the aisle on the near side of the 3-seat center section in C. On this flight, the audio/video console was operative.
Once in the air, passengers were offered warmed towels, meal orders were taken, then the Bose headphones were distributed before the start of beverage service.
Wines
The same selections were available as on AA #86 (see above).
Dinner Menu
To Start: An assortment of warm roasted nuts.
Appertizer: Pissaladiere puff pastry topped with fresh tomato slices, Kalamata olives, carmalized onions and fresh basil.
Salad: Fresh seasonal greens offered with creamy Caesar or olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Entrees:
Filet Mignon complemented by sun-dried tomatoes and a caramelized onion demi-glace, served with roasted root vegetables and mashed potatoes with sour cream and chives;
Horseradish-Crusted Salmon in a breadcrumb and ginger crust, enhanced by a soy glaze, served with sautéed chive potatoes and mixed vegetables;
Farfelle Pasta tossed with oven-roasted rosemary tomatoes and a light Porcini mushroom cream sauce;
Key West Chicken Breast topped with a pineapple mango relish, served on a bed of cumin-scented rice, accompanied by spinach with zesty orange butter; or
Vegetable Plate including a wild rice medley, braised leeks with chervil and roasted carrots with sage butter.
Desserts:
Fruit and Cheese with selected crackers, or
Hagen-Dazs ice cream (unspecified, although it appeared to be some type of brittle of toffee).
I passed on the appetizer pastry, as it seemed too fussy for its own good. Once again, the filets were the first entrées to go, so I had the chicken. It was okay, although the chopped spinach really didn’t match very well with the pineapple mango relish. Service was prompt, however, and the FAs kept glasses well filled.
Light Meal
About an hour and a half before arrival, we were offered a choice of a Beef Tenderloin Sandwich, presented with a roasted garlic potato salad, or a Salad Nicoise, with Italian tuna, plum tomatoes, potatoes and Kalamata olives, in a red wine vinaigrette, each served with an orange tart in a biscuit crust topped with a Kiwi slice.
The FAs also found it ironic that while cutting back dramatically on the number of beef entrees available, catering has decided that beef seems to be okay for the second service. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
We were not able to make up time in route, and consequently landed in ORD and parked at our arrival gate approximately 35 minutes late, at 3:40PM. I don’t know where the previous couple of flights had arrived from, but lines through immigrations were unusually long, and they had a couple of lines dedicated to military personnel.
My connecting flight, AA #4154, ORD/CVG, was scheduled to depart at 4:30PM, which could have been a tight connection, but it was also delayed owing to late inbound equipment as well. High winds and storms throughout the Midwest appeared to be wreaking havoc with regional service, as many flights inbound and outbound were delayed, with more than a few cancellations to boot.
I consequently stopped by the new Admiral’s Club, located midway down the G gates, to kill some time. While on the smaller side, it is quite nice and comfortable, with a wall of windows looking out on the tarmac. The information posted on the arrivals/departures boards were of limited value (too many gate changes and conflicting information, i.e. showing a flight boarding when the equipment had yet to land), and the staff went out of their way to try and figure out when my flight might actually be departing.
We finally left at 6:21 PM, only 111 minutes late. I was seated in 12B, an exit row aisle, but I moved forward six rows since the incremental leg room in the exit row isn’t that great, and there was already someone seated in the window seat. The short flight included beverage service, followed by a somewhat bumpy approach and landing at CVG, owing to high winds. Gate-checked bags were brought forward quickly, and I was soon on my way out of the airport.
I arose on Tuesday, tired but extremely pleased following the Blue Devil’s triumphant Championship victory over the determined and worthy Arizona Wildcats. We were staying in the Radisson Hotel South & Plaza Tower (with the team and other Iron Duke supporters), which could best be described as fully adequate. After loading up on Championship t-shirts and paraphernalia, I drove to a local grocery store to pick up Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing packets for the office staff in London, and then headed over to MSP to catch AA #1788 to ORD.
Given the number of people trying to depart MSP post-Final Four, the airport seemed extremely well run. Traffic in wasn’t very bad, check-in lines seemed under control (at least around AA and TWA), and people were moving through security with limited delay. The gates, not surprisingly, were quite full, and more than a few parties could be heard discussing their chances on clearing the waitlist on the next flight to where they were trying to head.
AA #1788 was scheduled to depart at 2:21PM from gate E14, which is located at the end of the E gates. Boarding began more or less on time at 1:55PM, beginning with F, then AAdvantage elite, then by row number. Given the amount of carry-ons, boarding went smoothly, although more than a few bags were checked towards the end of the process. I was traveling with a laptop case, not overstuffed but definitely full, a smallish tri-fold garment bag and a medium-sized duffel bag, and was pleased as punch to be let on board without any question. I was in 13D, an exit row aisle, with very good leg room, although the seats are very narrow. The flight itself was uneventful, with drink service (plus snack pack) in Y. We landed on time in ORD and had a fairly smooth trip over to the arrival gate.
After arrival in ORD, it was over to gate K12 to catch AA #86, 777 service ORD to LHR, departing at 5:10PM. I stopped by the Admirals Club between H and K for a few minutes on the way, and it was relatively empty, with no wait to for a computer. Boarding began a few minute late, but again by F, then C, AAdvantage Elite, and by row numbers. I was seated in 12G, on the far aisle of the 3-seat center section in C. The flight was nearly full in both F and C. By the time we pushed back (roughly on time), the FAs had collected coats, passed out newspapers and menus and served the obligatory champagne or orange juice (but no mimosas). Amenity kits had already been stowed at each seat.
Before departing, an engineer came on board, as the control units in some of the G seats in C were not operating. He said that he would restart the system, the lights flashed a couple of times, the door closed and we pushed back. Unfortunately, he never returned to check if his “solution” was successful, and indeed it wasn’t. As a result, most of the G seats in C couldn’t turn on their overhead lights, operate the audio or video system, or page the FAs to let them know that the system wasn’t working. After we had departed, and the FAs became aware that the system still hadn’t been fixed, they tried resetting the system a number of times without success.
The gentleman seated next to me in the center seat, 12E, wanted to travel with his wife, who was seated in 10G, so I switched seats with her (her controls were inoperative as well). One caveat I would note is that the seats in the 10th row do not have access to air vents (because of the overhead video projector), so if you like more control over your environment, I would avoid this row.
Once in the air, prior to starting beverage service, the FAs passed out immigration forms and FastTrack passes, then Bose noise reduction headphones, which were collected about 45 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time. We also were offered warmed towels.
Wines
The wines available included Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne; two whites, Chateau Olivier 1998 and Alderbrook Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 1998; two reds, Chateau Duhart-Milon Rothschild Grand Cru 1996 and King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir 1997; and three dessert wines, Osborne Amontillado Sherry, Graham’s Port 1983, and Royal Tokaji ‘Blue Label’ Aszu 1996.
Dinner Menu
To Start: An assortment of warm roasted nuts.
Appertizer: Shrimp bruschetta with sun-dried tomato butter.
Salad: Fresh seasonal greens offered with creamy basil dressing or olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Entrees:
Beef Filet with portobello mushroom and red wine demi-glace, served with haricots verts with garlic shallot butter and a potato diamond;
Grilled Salmon accented by a leek garlic sauce, served on a bed of roasted sliced potatoes and a fresh sauté of asparagus with cherry tomatoes;
Cheese Tortelloni enhanced by a marinara and béchamel sauce, garnished with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese;
Seared Chicken Breast served with a leek and watercress sauce, fresh vegetables and potatoes layered with cheddar cheese and onions; or
Vegetable Plate including wilted spinach, balsamic grilled tomatoes and whipped potatoes.
Desserts:
Fruit and Cheese with selected crackers, or
Hagen-Dazs hazelnut gelato topped with almond walnut brittle.
I asked for the filet, but it wasn’t available, so I had the tortelloni as an entree, which was fine. I find the “shrimp bruschetta” to be a real misnomer, as it consistently would be better described as one shrimp on a stale piece of heavily buttered bread ( http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif). The FAs indicated that because of mad cow/hoof and mouth concerns, catering has cut the proportion of beef entrees to 10%, and they are consequently running out of this choice almost immediately (I was also told the same thing on the return flight, and the FAs are clearly frustrated by not having enough beef entrees on board).
Breakfast
About an hour before landing, breakfast was served, including fresh fruit; Colby cheese omelette accompanied by turkey sausage with roasted peppers and a potato, scallion and sour cream timbale; yogurt; cereal; and warm breads.
We arrived approximately 25 minutes late after being held up by traffic control, then pulled into a gate in T3. Lines at immigrations were quite long, particularly in the FastTrack lane, as a couple of jets had preceded our arrival. As a rule of thumb, I would suggest that if the line to FastTrack extends well past the translucent barrier back towards the far corner, it’s probably worth detouring into the regular lines.
After stopping by AA’s arrival lounge (located on the second floor outside of customs) to shower and change, I headed into London to drop my bags off at the London Hilton Park Lane. Although I had not pre-registered for the 4th, I was able to check in upon arrival, and was upgraded to a renovated room on the 17th floor facing the Metropolitan, Four Seasons, Intercontinental and Lanesborough hotels. IMHO, the renovated rooms are a substantial improvement over the previous rooms, and they seem to be holding up well. I find certain aspects of the hotel somewhat cheesy (the elevators, particularly, Trader Vics, etc.), but I continue to like the mix of location and cost, as well as the health club, albeit small but well outfitted. Room service was prompt, and my orders were delivered correctly on a consistent basis.
This trip was primarily work, so I don’t have much to relay about new restaurants or cultural attractions. I would note that we ate in Itsu one evening (sushi with conveyor belt kitsch, located on Draycott Ave. in Chelsea), and the food was a significant step down from previous visits. The selections were both more limited and consistently tired than before, and the staff manning the system seemed to be spending much more time removing and then returning the same dishes to the conveyor.
April 7th, LHR/ORD/CVG
Traffic was light on Saturday morning and it only took 45 minutes by car to reach LHR from the Hilton. After checking in for AA #67, 777 service LHR/ORD in C, I headed up to the AA Flagship lounge. Once upstairs, there are two entrances to security, and the nearer one was very long, so if you aren’t able to FastTrack, you may want to walk down towards that side as the regular line there appeared much shorter.
The lounge was the same as always, offering full beverage service, small sandwiches (including, salmon, chicken, egg and cream cheese), snacks and desserts. It would be even nicer if AA would add a couple of computers with internet access. Despite having flights to BOS and JFK depart before ORD, the lounge was quite empty.
Boarding began approximately 35 minutes late, owing to the late arrival of the equipment, but proceeded by the book. F and C were close to full, and Y seemed well occupied too. Amenity kits had been placed at each seat prior to boarding, and the FAs took coats, served champagne and orange juice, passed out menus offered newspapers and distributed customs forms prior to pushback. I was seated in 9D, the aisle on the near side of the 3-seat center section in C. On this flight, the audio/video console was operative.
Once in the air, passengers were offered warmed towels, meal orders were taken, then the Bose headphones were distributed before the start of beverage service.
Wines
The same selections were available as on AA #86 (see above).
Dinner Menu
To Start: An assortment of warm roasted nuts.
Appertizer: Pissaladiere puff pastry topped with fresh tomato slices, Kalamata olives, carmalized onions and fresh basil.
Salad: Fresh seasonal greens offered with creamy Caesar or olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Entrees:
Filet Mignon complemented by sun-dried tomatoes and a caramelized onion demi-glace, served with roasted root vegetables and mashed potatoes with sour cream and chives;
Horseradish-Crusted Salmon in a breadcrumb and ginger crust, enhanced by a soy glaze, served with sautéed chive potatoes and mixed vegetables;
Farfelle Pasta tossed with oven-roasted rosemary tomatoes and a light Porcini mushroom cream sauce;
Key West Chicken Breast topped with a pineapple mango relish, served on a bed of cumin-scented rice, accompanied by spinach with zesty orange butter; or
Vegetable Plate including a wild rice medley, braised leeks with chervil and roasted carrots with sage butter.
Desserts:
Fruit and Cheese with selected crackers, or
Hagen-Dazs ice cream (unspecified, although it appeared to be some type of brittle of toffee).
I passed on the appetizer pastry, as it seemed too fussy for its own good. Once again, the filets were the first entrées to go, so I had the chicken. It was okay, although the chopped spinach really didn’t match very well with the pineapple mango relish. Service was prompt, however, and the FAs kept glasses well filled.
Light Meal
About an hour and a half before arrival, we were offered a choice of a Beef Tenderloin Sandwich, presented with a roasted garlic potato salad, or a Salad Nicoise, with Italian tuna, plum tomatoes, potatoes and Kalamata olives, in a red wine vinaigrette, each served with an orange tart in a biscuit crust topped with a Kiwi slice.
The FAs also found it ironic that while cutting back dramatically on the number of beef entrees available, catering has decided that beef seems to be okay for the second service. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
We were not able to make up time in route, and consequently landed in ORD and parked at our arrival gate approximately 35 minutes late, at 3:40PM. I don’t know where the previous couple of flights had arrived from, but lines through immigrations were unusually long, and they had a couple of lines dedicated to military personnel.
My connecting flight, AA #4154, ORD/CVG, was scheduled to depart at 4:30PM, which could have been a tight connection, but it was also delayed owing to late inbound equipment as well. High winds and storms throughout the Midwest appeared to be wreaking havoc with regional service, as many flights inbound and outbound were delayed, with more than a few cancellations to boot.
I consequently stopped by the new Admiral’s Club, located midway down the G gates, to kill some time. While on the smaller side, it is quite nice and comfortable, with a wall of windows looking out on the tarmac. The information posted on the arrivals/departures boards were of limited value (too many gate changes and conflicting information, i.e. showing a flight boarding when the equipment had yet to land), and the staff went out of their way to try and figure out when my flight might actually be departing.
We finally left at 6:21 PM, only 111 minutes late. I was seated in 12B, an exit row aisle, but I moved forward six rows since the incremental leg room in the exit row isn’t that great, and there was already someone seated in the window seat. The short flight included beverage service, followed by a somewhat bumpy approach and landing at CVG, owing to high winds. Gate-checked bags were brought forward quickly, and I was soon on my way out of the airport.