DataPlumber
Jan 11, 03, 2:53 pm
(be gentle this is my first trip report)
We've decided it would be nice to escape the bone chattering winter weather in Chicago for something more balmy down on the Yucan Penninsula of Mexico. So in late December, I found a pretty good price on tickets and off we went. What a better way to spend my brithday!
04 JAN
AA 445 ORD-CUN
Sch Dep 0908, Act Dep 0901, Gate H12
Sch Arr 1245, Act Arr 1237, Gate A7
"Business" Class 737-800
We arrived at O'Hare at about 7:30AM and found the lobby to be a zoo. I don't think it was anymore busy than usual, its just that with the all room the explosives detectors take up, it seems to compress all of the people standing around. We walked over to the Int'l Business Class checkin and we were immediatly summoned to the counter. Checkin was efficient and the only hold up was for the bomb screening of our luggage. Appearently, AA can check you in faster than the TSA machine can sniff. Total time to check in was about 5 minutes. We proceeded to the premium security line where there were, as usuaul, only 3 people in line. Here it was about 7:45, so we proceeded to kill the next hour and a half in the bar having a few eye openers http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
Boarding had commensed by the time we finished our second round and we made our way to the gate. The load in first..err "business" was light, with only only 9 of 20 seats filled. The back of the bus was about 90% full. There was no pre take-off beverage offered. There were 2 FAs working F today, which made for very attentive service later in the flight. After takeoff The FAs made the rounds to take breakfast orders.
Entree choices were the ubiquidous:
Southwest omelete with potatoes or corn flakes. Both were accompanied by 3 slices each of cantelope, honeydew mellon, and a strawberry. Warm biscuits or rasin bagels were also offered for the single tray affair.
I broke with my tradition of not getting the the hot breakfast entree, when the FA said it was a cheese omelete. To my horror it was the cursed southwest omelete, the most pewtrid of all AAs hot breakfast entrees. Fortunately the fruit was perfect and I opted for a bagel and cream cheese to complete my breakfast. I washed it down with a bloody mary. I did notice someone taking a picture of the breakfast, so it may find its way onto www.airlinemeals.net. (http://www.airlinemeals.net.) One movie I didn't watch and 3 more bloody mary's later, we had begun our desent. Touch down was smooth. Our flight had arived early enough to beat the rush hour through immigration. We were through in 5 minutes. Getting our bags was a nightmare. We had to wait another 45 minutes before our bags came off. Oh well, this was the worst part of my vacation.
An hour van ride and I had arrived in Playa del Carmen. The weather for the entire week was about 80 degrees and no rain! We did nothing more than lie in the sun and eat way too much. I gained 3 pounds in spite of running 5 miles a day.
10 JAN
AA 448 CUN- ORD
Sch Dep 1331, Act Dep 1333, Gate A6
Sch Arr 1659, Act Arr 1710, Gate M18
"Business" Class 737-800
All good things must come to an end. We checked out and after a 40 minute cab ride we arrived at the Cancun Airport. The Taxi driver was trying to up the fare we were supposed to be charged. He claimed the sign at the resort said the ride should have been 450 pesos instead of 400. After a few minutes of going back and forth in Spanish, I said fine here is 450 and *& http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif%# the tip. We made our way inside there was an entremely long line for economy checkin but only 2 couples in the business class line. Check in was very quick, with the exception of my girlfriend having to buy more upgrade stickers. Security had a long line but it moved very quickly. Security looked to be as lax as it was before the TSA here in the states. Random gate searches were conducted at boarding and my girlfreind was lucky enough to be chosen.
The load was again light in front today with 10 of the 20 seats taken. The back looked only about 70% full. Pre-departure drinks of water, OJ, or champagne were offered. We taxied out very quickly and were number 1 for take off. Soon after take off warm nuts were handed out with drinks. Meal choices were beef tenderloin or chicken. I opted for the beef. The meal itself was another single tray affair. The beef was served with carrots and a mushroom empenda which went well together. Both entrees came with a small green salad topped with cilantro (yummy), a crabmeat and cucumber appetizer, a warm roll, and generous sized (yet tasteless) slice of chocolate cake. The flight continued to be very smooth. Again there was another a movie I did not watch and 5 bloody mary's later we began our arrival into O'Hare. We landed on 27R and after taxing for what seemed like days, we arrived at our gate only to park short of it awaiting ground crew. Finally, after 10 minutes we parked and disembarked.
Customs at O'Hare was suprisingly quick. The lines at Immigration were only 3 people deep. After claiming our bags we were on our way home only it was 20 degrees instead of 80 :0
We've decided it would be nice to escape the bone chattering winter weather in Chicago for something more balmy down on the Yucan Penninsula of Mexico. So in late December, I found a pretty good price on tickets and off we went. What a better way to spend my brithday!
04 JAN
AA 445 ORD-CUN
Sch Dep 0908, Act Dep 0901, Gate H12
Sch Arr 1245, Act Arr 1237, Gate A7
"Business" Class 737-800
We arrived at O'Hare at about 7:30AM and found the lobby to be a zoo. I don't think it was anymore busy than usual, its just that with the all room the explosives detectors take up, it seems to compress all of the people standing around. We walked over to the Int'l Business Class checkin and we were immediatly summoned to the counter. Checkin was efficient and the only hold up was for the bomb screening of our luggage. Appearently, AA can check you in faster than the TSA machine can sniff. Total time to check in was about 5 minutes. We proceeded to the premium security line where there were, as usuaul, only 3 people in line. Here it was about 7:45, so we proceeded to kill the next hour and a half in the bar having a few eye openers http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
Boarding had commensed by the time we finished our second round and we made our way to the gate. The load in first..err "business" was light, with only only 9 of 20 seats filled. The back of the bus was about 90% full. There was no pre take-off beverage offered. There were 2 FAs working F today, which made for very attentive service later in the flight. After takeoff The FAs made the rounds to take breakfast orders.
Entree choices were the ubiquidous:
Southwest omelete with potatoes or corn flakes. Both were accompanied by 3 slices each of cantelope, honeydew mellon, and a strawberry. Warm biscuits or rasin bagels were also offered for the single tray affair.
I broke with my tradition of not getting the the hot breakfast entree, when the FA said it was a cheese omelete. To my horror it was the cursed southwest omelete, the most pewtrid of all AAs hot breakfast entrees. Fortunately the fruit was perfect and I opted for a bagel and cream cheese to complete my breakfast. I washed it down with a bloody mary. I did notice someone taking a picture of the breakfast, so it may find its way onto www.airlinemeals.net. (http://www.airlinemeals.net.) One movie I didn't watch and 3 more bloody mary's later, we had begun our desent. Touch down was smooth. Our flight had arived early enough to beat the rush hour through immigration. We were through in 5 minutes. Getting our bags was a nightmare. We had to wait another 45 minutes before our bags came off. Oh well, this was the worst part of my vacation.
An hour van ride and I had arrived in Playa del Carmen. The weather for the entire week was about 80 degrees and no rain! We did nothing more than lie in the sun and eat way too much. I gained 3 pounds in spite of running 5 miles a day.
10 JAN
AA 448 CUN- ORD
Sch Dep 1331, Act Dep 1333, Gate A6
Sch Arr 1659, Act Arr 1710, Gate M18
"Business" Class 737-800
All good things must come to an end. We checked out and after a 40 minute cab ride we arrived at the Cancun Airport. The Taxi driver was trying to up the fare we were supposed to be charged. He claimed the sign at the resort said the ride should have been 450 pesos instead of 400. After a few minutes of going back and forth in Spanish, I said fine here is 450 and *& http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif%# the tip. We made our way inside there was an entremely long line for economy checkin but only 2 couples in the business class line. Check in was very quick, with the exception of my girlfriend having to buy more upgrade stickers. Security had a long line but it moved very quickly. Security looked to be as lax as it was before the TSA here in the states. Random gate searches were conducted at boarding and my girlfreind was lucky enough to be chosen.
The load was again light in front today with 10 of the 20 seats taken. The back looked only about 70% full. Pre-departure drinks of water, OJ, or champagne were offered. We taxied out very quickly and were number 1 for take off. Soon after take off warm nuts were handed out with drinks. Meal choices were beef tenderloin or chicken. I opted for the beef. The meal itself was another single tray affair. The beef was served with carrots and a mushroom empenda which went well together. Both entrees came with a small green salad topped with cilantro (yummy), a crabmeat and cucumber appetizer, a warm roll, and generous sized (yet tasteless) slice of chocolate cake. The flight continued to be very smooth. Again there was another a movie I did not watch and 5 bloody mary's later we began our arrival into O'Hare. We landed on 27R and after taxing for what seemed like days, we arrived at our gate only to park short of it awaiting ground crew. Finally, after 10 minutes we parked and disembarked.
Customs at O'Hare was suprisingly quick. The lines at Immigration were only 3 people deep. After claiming our bags we were on our way home only it was 20 degrees instead of 80 :0