ILUV767
Oct 28, 03, 4:35 pm
There was a topic on this forum not too long ago, from a United employee who talked about what it is really like to be a non-rev on United. I think that it had something in the title like “Employee Class?!? Ha!” or something like that. For all of you who thinks that United non-revs are always getting first class before you guys, please think again. There are many dark tales of non-reving that you don’t see. Keep reading so you can find out about my pass riding adventures during the month of October.
I had to go home for two weekends in a row. The first weekend was very very stressful, and the second weekend was the first time in history that I ever got stuck.
I left my math class around 10:30 on Friday morning. I needed to leave early so that I could make the drive down to Fargo to catch my flight to Chicago. The drive down I-29 was un-eventful. I got to Fargo Airport, passed the Pepsi soccer complex and parked in the long term lot.
ACA handles all of the United Express flights in and out of Fargo. Aside from United Express, there is only one other carrier that flies into Fargo, and that is Northwest. I guess this area up here is NWA country. My goal for the day was to get to San Francisco, and to get their as early as I can. Before I left, I had checked the flight loads, and I knew that SFO wasn’t looking too good. Instead, I listed my self on a flight to San Jose.
I cleared security, and then got onto the full CRJ flight. I wasn’t sure if I was going to clear on to the flight anyways. So far I’ve had good luck getting out of Fargo on those CRJs. I tend to prefer SkyWest over Atlantic Coast Airlines. Having not flown Mesa I wont comment on them, and AWAC is about in the middle between SkyWest and ACA. As of right now, all of the FAR-ORD flights are operated by ACA. How fun for me. It seems that the ACA flights that I’ve been on have been really hit or miss. This one was alright.
We left the gate on time, and taxied out for take off. We took off, and climbed out on our way to O’Hare. Our flight took us over Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. You can really tell that we are over Minnesota because of all of the lakes. I’m serious.
Before I go on, I want to mention that ACA has their safety announcements automated. The flight attendant pushed play on the CD player and does the demo along with it. Having seen this a few times, it is growing on me. I’m not sure if I like it better than the live demo, but it is defiantly easier to hear.
Our flight attendant Jenny came around with the beverage service. I got a Pepsi and she asked if I wanted the can. Usually ACA doesn’t do this. Go ACA! Then, after she collected the trash, she asked if there was anything else we wanted. Being the friendly talker that I am (and a flight student) I went up and talked to her for a while. She’s really cute…btw…did I mention that? Anyways, she was telling me her thoughts on ACA, and how Mesa wants to buy them. She was also telling me about their plans to be a low fare carrier. I think ACA wants to commit suicide, but she thinks it’s a positive thing. What ever.
During our approach into O’Hare, she and I took bets if we were going to have to wait for a gate. O’Hare ramp is a nightmare for United Express. I hope that when SkyWest moves in there next month, things will get better. As we were on approach, I had been making funny faces at Jenny from my seat. You could see her laughing on the jumpseat. It was quite amusing. I did stop though when we were on final, and she had to be working…monitoring the cabin.
Once we landed, Jenny made the after landing speech. Then we taxied, and stopped. I was like “Oh great…here we go.” Next thing you know, one of the pilots comes over the PA and says that we are going to wait her for a while. I went back and talked to Jenny when the seatbelt sign was switched off.
I can’t keep writing about this flight with out mentioning Mr. Annoying cell phone guy. This guy was on his phone, talking loudly at Fargo, then once we get to O’Hare and stopped in the Penalty Box he was on his phone again. ACA does not allow the use of cell phones during taxi unless mentioned by a crew member. Once we started moving, Jenny had to pry the phone from him. It was really funny. Can’t some people wait a while? I guess not.
Finally after about 30 minutes in the box, we taxied. We went all of the way around the airport, then got held up going to the gate area. We parked down at the very end of the gate area in between several other CRJs. ACA ramp in O’Hare is a joke. Any suggestions on how it can be fixed?
I got off of the plane, grabbed my carry on then walked to the terminal. Once there, I checked in for San Jose. After a while (since I had a few hours) I went and talked to an agent in the C concourse about how the flight was looking. She said that it was alright, but not great. She mentioned that I was number 14 on the list. She told me that SFO was really really bad that day.
I get over to the SJC gate (not with out a stop at the Bergohff Café) and It is a disaster scene. After a few minutes, the gate agents are starting to say that they wont be able to accommodate stand bys on the San Jose flight. I still wait, just to see if things improve. No dice. 5 minutes before its scheduled push back time, I head out from that gate and talk to another CSR at a Customer Service desk. He looks up loads for me to LAX and then to SFO. I call UAL List and get listed, then proceed to the gate for that flight.
The 6pm flight to LAX was on a 757. There was one agent, and this was one of the few flights to the west coast that had some seats on it. As she was trying to board the plane, people (a lot of them bad stand by passengers) kept trying to get her to give them seats. She was basically spatting at them. I could have imagined her with a base ball bat swinging at them to get them to back off for a minute. She made an announcement (once she had some help) that all standbys would get a seat, and to just wait a minute.
I got cleared to 25E on the 757. Now, I am not one who likes 757s very much, and I was cleared to a-middle in coach. After getting my bags stowed, I sat down. My seatmates were a guy who I didn’t talk to much, and then an Asian lady who was a dermatologist.
To my surprise, United 123 pushed back on time…right at 6pm. We were airborne ten minutes later on our way to LAX. Channel 9 was on, so that helped pass the time. The drink cart and the meal cart came around. Dinner tonight was a box with a turkey sandwich in it, sun chips and a Milano cookie. I ordered a Pepsi with a lemon to drink.
The movie was Hollywood Homicide. I didn’t really watch it. I caught up on some sleep; chatted with my neighbor; looked at the lightening storm outside of the window; and listened to channel 9. Over the four corners region, we passed a really cool lightning storm.
I thought it was funny when the flight attendant said to the people in the row in front of me “Are you done with your box?” She said that when she was collecting the meal boxes.
We landed early, waited a few minutes for a gate, then arrived in T6 at LAX. I had 2.5 hours to kill, so I went to La Salsa in T7. My flight to SFO was the last one of the night, and it was on a 737.
The SFO flight was a Shuttle 737. It has been a while since I’ve been on one of these, and they really do suck. I was cleared to 7E I think. I got water on the flight up to SFO. It was quick. We were vectored all funny into SFO.
We landed, and after getting off of the plane I found my dad who was waiting an hour after work to take me home.
Getting back was a lot less of an adventure, but still an adventure. My grandpa picked me up around 4:30 in the morning and drove me to SFO. I used the easy check in machine, and got my DM cards for the flights.
Today’s trip would take me via Denver then on my way back to Fargo. The flight to Denver this morning was really really empty. It was a 757, and I was actually cleared to first class. Since I’ve started school, I haven’t really been cleared to first class on anything out of O’Hare with the exception of a Minneapolis flight that I was positive spacing on because of a funeral.
We left right on time, and taxied out. The take off this morning was nice, and seeing all of the lights of the houses and stuff in the hills as we climbed out was really pretty. As we climbed up, the sun was rising.
Breakfast this morning was the Breakfast Burrito. Hey, at least it is food. It was served with some really really cold…almost frozen fruit. There was also an Oatmeal Raisin Bar with it. I ate about half of the Burrito. I spent the rest of the flight snoozing, or looking out of my window. My dad and I drove out to North Dakota in August, and we were following I-80 for much of the flight. It was cool to see much of the same scenery, but from 35,000 feet.
Our decent in to Denver was bumpy. We landed and taxied to the gate. It was a few minute wait for the jet bridge, and then we were off.
I checked in for the Fargo flight with the agent. I was so happy to be on SkyWest again. I’ve been ACA many times lately and I could feel the difference from the second that I encountered a SkyWest employee. Anyone else notice this?
After checking in, I ran down to Quiznos then came running back to the gate. I was cleared to 13A on the CRJ. That is the back back row.
The flight attendant was cool, and she talked to me for a minute or two during the flight. I pretty much kept to my self. I did watch a Futurama episode on my laptop. The flight into FAR landed early. Fargo was overcast and windy when we landed.
I got in my car and drove back north to Grand Forks.
Next week…
I’ll keep this short. I had to go back home to move a friends airplane to San Diego. I barely made it on to the DEN flight at 7:05 am because of the high load factor. The flight was short and un-eventful. I talked to an interesting guy about his family for most of the flight.
Once in Denver, I bought another muffin at $2.25 cents then made the SFO flight. It was another ubiquitous 757 in the United fleet. This one also had the new interior that the last 757 had. I was cleared to 34F, but a man was sitting there so I took the open middle seat. I was trapped with both of the guys in the window and the aisle slept. I ordered a Pepsi with a Lemmon and had a granola bar.
Just a FYI: On he back row on the 757, the seats do recline, and they recline nicely. The flight was early into SFO. I met my grandpa who picked me up after that flight.
The next day, my friend Mike flew up on AA Eagle from San Diego (his Dad is an American Employee). Mike was going to help me crew my flight down to San Diego. We flew from Half Moon Bay to San Luis Obispo, then on to Montgomery Field .We did have to divert to Gilepsee though because of the fog that moved in suddenly.
Finding a hotel was a nightmare that night in San Diego, but Mike ended up helping me out. I stayed there. The problem arouse the next morning when there was absolutely no room on any…I repeat any United flight out of San Diego or Carlsbad. I needed to make it to Denver to make my Fargo flight. No dice. I ended up using a buddy pass and flying to San Jose on AA Eagle.
That was my first flight on an ERJ. It was alright. I think I like the CRJ better. It feels more spacious to me. I was seated in 3C. The window is big on the ERJ, but I miss my footrest that I have on the sidewall of the CRJ.
We landed a few minutes late in SJC. My dad ended up picking me up. This was the first time I got stuck…ever.
The next morning I tried to get to Fargo from SFO. I was able to make the first flight, which unlike last week…it was really really full. I was cleared to an aisle seat. We were served beverages and Biscoff cookies.
In Denver, I connected to the 10:30am flight to Fargo. I saw a buddy of mine and UAX@SFO in Denver. She said “hi” and she was on her way. The flight to Fargo was un-eventful with the exception of the cross wind landing where we bounced in the CRJ. I thought it was fun.
Anyways, that is my adventure of getting stuck and having to re-route my self to get to home. I hope that you enjoyed it, and I hope that you all realize that non-revs really don’t first class all of the time. It happens sometimes, but usually we are really selective in how we choose our flights. The flights though have been very full lately, and since United changed their upgrading policy, First class is starting to be a thing of the pass for non-revs.
I had to go home for two weekends in a row. The first weekend was very very stressful, and the second weekend was the first time in history that I ever got stuck.
I left my math class around 10:30 on Friday morning. I needed to leave early so that I could make the drive down to Fargo to catch my flight to Chicago. The drive down I-29 was un-eventful. I got to Fargo Airport, passed the Pepsi soccer complex and parked in the long term lot.
ACA handles all of the United Express flights in and out of Fargo. Aside from United Express, there is only one other carrier that flies into Fargo, and that is Northwest. I guess this area up here is NWA country. My goal for the day was to get to San Francisco, and to get their as early as I can. Before I left, I had checked the flight loads, and I knew that SFO wasn’t looking too good. Instead, I listed my self on a flight to San Jose.
I cleared security, and then got onto the full CRJ flight. I wasn’t sure if I was going to clear on to the flight anyways. So far I’ve had good luck getting out of Fargo on those CRJs. I tend to prefer SkyWest over Atlantic Coast Airlines. Having not flown Mesa I wont comment on them, and AWAC is about in the middle between SkyWest and ACA. As of right now, all of the FAR-ORD flights are operated by ACA. How fun for me. It seems that the ACA flights that I’ve been on have been really hit or miss. This one was alright.
We left the gate on time, and taxied out for take off. We took off, and climbed out on our way to O’Hare. Our flight took us over Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. You can really tell that we are over Minnesota because of all of the lakes. I’m serious.
Before I go on, I want to mention that ACA has their safety announcements automated. The flight attendant pushed play on the CD player and does the demo along with it. Having seen this a few times, it is growing on me. I’m not sure if I like it better than the live demo, but it is defiantly easier to hear.
Our flight attendant Jenny came around with the beverage service. I got a Pepsi and she asked if I wanted the can. Usually ACA doesn’t do this. Go ACA! Then, after she collected the trash, she asked if there was anything else we wanted. Being the friendly talker that I am (and a flight student) I went up and talked to her for a while. She’s really cute…btw…did I mention that? Anyways, she was telling me her thoughts on ACA, and how Mesa wants to buy them. She was also telling me about their plans to be a low fare carrier. I think ACA wants to commit suicide, but she thinks it’s a positive thing. What ever.
During our approach into O’Hare, she and I took bets if we were going to have to wait for a gate. O’Hare ramp is a nightmare for United Express. I hope that when SkyWest moves in there next month, things will get better. As we were on approach, I had been making funny faces at Jenny from my seat. You could see her laughing on the jumpseat. It was quite amusing. I did stop though when we were on final, and she had to be working…monitoring the cabin.
Once we landed, Jenny made the after landing speech. Then we taxied, and stopped. I was like “Oh great…here we go.” Next thing you know, one of the pilots comes over the PA and says that we are going to wait her for a while. I went back and talked to Jenny when the seatbelt sign was switched off.
I can’t keep writing about this flight with out mentioning Mr. Annoying cell phone guy. This guy was on his phone, talking loudly at Fargo, then once we get to O’Hare and stopped in the Penalty Box he was on his phone again. ACA does not allow the use of cell phones during taxi unless mentioned by a crew member. Once we started moving, Jenny had to pry the phone from him. It was really funny. Can’t some people wait a while? I guess not.
Finally after about 30 minutes in the box, we taxied. We went all of the way around the airport, then got held up going to the gate area. We parked down at the very end of the gate area in between several other CRJs. ACA ramp in O’Hare is a joke. Any suggestions on how it can be fixed?
I got off of the plane, grabbed my carry on then walked to the terminal. Once there, I checked in for San Jose. After a while (since I had a few hours) I went and talked to an agent in the C concourse about how the flight was looking. She said that it was alright, but not great. She mentioned that I was number 14 on the list. She told me that SFO was really really bad that day.
I get over to the SJC gate (not with out a stop at the Bergohff Café) and It is a disaster scene. After a few minutes, the gate agents are starting to say that they wont be able to accommodate stand bys on the San Jose flight. I still wait, just to see if things improve. No dice. 5 minutes before its scheduled push back time, I head out from that gate and talk to another CSR at a Customer Service desk. He looks up loads for me to LAX and then to SFO. I call UAL List and get listed, then proceed to the gate for that flight.
The 6pm flight to LAX was on a 757. There was one agent, and this was one of the few flights to the west coast that had some seats on it. As she was trying to board the plane, people (a lot of them bad stand by passengers) kept trying to get her to give them seats. She was basically spatting at them. I could have imagined her with a base ball bat swinging at them to get them to back off for a minute. She made an announcement (once she had some help) that all standbys would get a seat, and to just wait a minute.
I got cleared to 25E on the 757. Now, I am not one who likes 757s very much, and I was cleared to a-middle in coach. After getting my bags stowed, I sat down. My seatmates were a guy who I didn’t talk to much, and then an Asian lady who was a dermatologist.
To my surprise, United 123 pushed back on time…right at 6pm. We were airborne ten minutes later on our way to LAX. Channel 9 was on, so that helped pass the time. The drink cart and the meal cart came around. Dinner tonight was a box with a turkey sandwich in it, sun chips and a Milano cookie. I ordered a Pepsi with a lemon to drink.
The movie was Hollywood Homicide. I didn’t really watch it. I caught up on some sleep; chatted with my neighbor; looked at the lightening storm outside of the window; and listened to channel 9. Over the four corners region, we passed a really cool lightning storm.
I thought it was funny when the flight attendant said to the people in the row in front of me “Are you done with your box?” She said that when she was collecting the meal boxes.
We landed early, waited a few minutes for a gate, then arrived in T6 at LAX. I had 2.5 hours to kill, so I went to La Salsa in T7. My flight to SFO was the last one of the night, and it was on a 737.
The SFO flight was a Shuttle 737. It has been a while since I’ve been on one of these, and they really do suck. I was cleared to 7E I think. I got water on the flight up to SFO. It was quick. We were vectored all funny into SFO.
We landed, and after getting off of the plane I found my dad who was waiting an hour after work to take me home.
Getting back was a lot less of an adventure, but still an adventure. My grandpa picked me up around 4:30 in the morning and drove me to SFO. I used the easy check in machine, and got my DM cards for the flights.
Today’s trip would take me via Denver then on my way back to Fargo. The flight to Denver this morning was really really empty. It was a 757, and I was actually cleared to first class. Since I’ve started school, I haven’t really been cleared to first class on anything out of O’Hare with the exception of a Minneapolis flight that I was positive spacing on because of a funeral.
We left right on time, and taxied out. The take off this morning was nice, and seeing all of the lights of the houses and stuff in the hills as we climbed out was really pretty. As we climbed up, the sun was rising.
Breakfast this morning was the Breakfast Burrito. Hey, at least it is food. It was served with some really really cold…almost frozen fruit. There was also an Oatmeal Raisin Bar with it. I ate about half of the Burrito. I spent the rest of the flight snoozing, or looking out of my window. My dad and I drove out to North Dakota in August, and we were following I-80 for much of the flight. It was cool to see much of the same scenery, but from 35,000 feet.
Our decent in to Denver was bumpy. We landed and taxied to the gate. It was a few minute wait for the jet bridge, and then we were off.
I checked in for the Fargo flight with the agent. I was so happy to be on SkyWest again. I’ve been ACA many times lately and I could feel the difference from the second that I encountered a SkyWest employee. Anyone else notice this?
After checking in, I ran down to Quiznos then came running back to the gate. I was cleared to 13A on the CRJ. That is the back back row.
The flight attendant was cool, and she talked to me for a minute or two during the flight. I pretty much kept to my self. I did watch a Futurama episode on my laptop. The flight into FAR landed early. Fargo was overcast and windy when we landed.
I got in my car and drove back north to Grand Forks.
Next week…
I’ll keep this short. I had to go back home to move a friends airplane to San Diego. I barely made it on to the DEN flight at 7:05 am because of the high load factor. The flight was short and un-eventful. I talked to an interesting guy about his family for most of the flight.
Once in Denver, I bought another muffin at $2.25 cents then made the SFO flight. It was another ubiquitous 757 in the United fleet. This one also had the new interior that the last 757 had. I was cleared to 34F, but a man was sitting there so I took the open middle seat. I was trapped with both of the guys in the window and the aisle slept. I ordered a Pepsi with a Lemmon and had a granola bar.
Just a FYI: On he back row on the 757, the seats do recline, and they recline nicely. The flight was early into SFO. I met my grandpa who picked me up after that flight.
The next day, my friend Mike flew up on AA Eagle from San Diego (his Dad is an American Employee). Mike was going to help me crew my flight down to San Diego. We flew from Half Moon Bay to San Luis Obispo, then on to Montgomery Field .We did have to divert to Gilepsee though because of the fog that moved in suddenly.
Finding a hotel was a nightmare that night in San Diego, but Mike ended up helping me out. I stayed there. The problem arouse the next morning when there was absolutely no room on any…I repeat any United flight out of San Diego or Carlsbad. I needed to make it to Denver to make my Fargo flight. No dice. I ended up using a buddy pass and flying to San Jose on AA Eagle.
That was my first flight on an ERJ. It was alright. I think I like the CRJ better. It feels more spacious to me. I was seated in 3C. The window is big on the ERJ, but I miss my footrest that I have on the sidewall of the CRJ.
We landed a few minutes late in SJC. My dad ended up picking me up. This was the first time I got stuck…ever.
The next morning I tried to get to Fargo from SFO. I was able to make the first flight, which unlike last week…it was really really full. I was cleared to an aisle seat. We were served beverages and Biscoff cookies.
In Denver, I connected to the 10:30am flight to Fargo. I saw a buddy of mine and UAX@SFO in Denver. She said “hi” and she was on her way. The flight to Fargo was un-eventful with the exception of the cross wind landing where we bounced in the CRJ. I thought it was fun.
Anyways, that is my adventure of getting stuck and having to re-route my self to get to home. I hope that you enjoyed it, and I hope that you all realize that non-revs really don’t first class all of the time. It happens sometimes, but usually we are really selective in how we choose our flights. The flights though have been very full lately, and since United changed their upgrading policy, First class is starting to be a thing of the pass for non-revs.