arkangel
Nov 8, 03, 5:37 pm
Well, after a little over 400 posts, and many flights inbetween, I guess it's about time that I write a trip report. Now, I'm no Hemmingway, so all you travel novelists take it easy on me. Nevertheless, I hope to make this an interesting read.
This tome is about a trip that my wife, our foreign exchange(AFS) daughter from Paris, and I took a few weeks ago to attend my nephew's wedding in Nantucket, on the beach no less. We were joind in BOS by our biological daughter, who flew in from PHL, for the last part of the trip.
OCT. 09, SHV-ATL
DL 5058 (CRJ 500)
Dep.: 5:55pm
Arr.: 8:43pm
We arrived at SHV about 45 min. prior to departure following a 1.5hr. drive from home. With boarding passes in hand, and no bags to check, we proceeded directly to security. No line and no real problems. The only minor glitch was a brief delay when TSA found a small pair of scissors in our "daughter's" backpack. After a brief conference, they gave them back to her. Since one of the blades was rounded they said they were ok but we might have a problem at our next security check. The flight was fine. The FA announced that we would experience Delta's new snack service. I thought that since it was the dinner hour, we might get a sandwich or something. Wrong! It was just the same old selection of nuts, cookies, and snack mix. Well, better than nothing, I guess. Just as beverage service was about to begin, we hit some turbulence and the FA was requested to return to her seat. Unfortunately, the turbulence lasted for the remainder of the flight and so we never got anything to wash down the snacks with. Landed at ATL about 15 min.early and taxied over to the tarmac between Concourses B and C where we waited....and waited. After about 20 min., we finally headed to, and docked at, our gate. Heavy traffic, I guess, caused the delay. Since our connecting flight to BOS was leaving from Concourse A, we boarded the train and headed that way. Stopped in the A17 CRC and while everone else relaxed with a libation, I headed down to out BOS flight gate to see if our upgrade waitlist had cleared. No such luck but did notice that the flight was oversold and volunteers were being solicited for $400 Delta dollars. Hey, I'm convinced! I put our three names on the list and headed back to the CRC to let my TC's know what I was doing. They're cool with that. Back to the gate a little bit later to learn that we will be needed afterall. Alright! I'm asked which morning flight I want and I indicate that I'd like the one that has upgrades currently available. Now, unfortunately, at this point in time, DL doesn't allow companion upgrades, so our "daughter" will have to remain in Y, but she can have a bulkhead seat. I'm told, however, that I can check with the GA at boarding and maybe they can move her up front with us. I'm also asked if I'd like one or two hotel rooms. I request two so our "daughter" can have her own. And I'm also given three $10 dinner vouchers and three $6 breakfast vouchers. So, with $1200 in travel vouchers, $48 in meal vouchers, and positive F space on the 8:09am departure to BOS the next day, these happy campers are off to find some chow and then our hotel.
10 OCT, ATL-BOS
DL 350 (763 - Domestic Config.)
Dep.: 8:09am
Arr.: 10:33am
Up at 5:30am and off to the airport at 6:45am. Try to use the Kiosk for check in but get an error message, so have to go to the counter. Not a big deal. We have our boarding passes within 5 min. and head for security. Pass thru without any problems. The scissors were apparently not noticed. At the gate, after stopping to grab a sweet rolls, coffee, and cookies with our meal vouchers, by 7:30. I ask if our "daughter" can sit up front with us, but am told that F is full, so no dice. A boarding delay of 15 min. or so was announced at 7:45. Seems that since this was the first flight out of this gate today, extra security checks were required, or something like that. You'd think they'd know that already so we could have an ontime departure. Boarding finally begins at 8:05, with everybody onboard by 8:25. And then we wait some more. Well, at least I have a screwdriver to enjoy! The captain announces 10 min. later that there's a connecting passenger whose bag made the flight but h/she didn't and they will now have to search for, and pull, the bag. Grrrrr! We have a lunch engagement in Cambridge with the son of friend's of ours here, and if we don't get underway soon, we may not have time to dine with him. We finally push back at 9:05 and are airborne by 9:15. Breakfast orders are taken shortly after the seatbelt sign is turned off. We are seated in Row 4, the middle section (D & E?). The FA begins taking requests starting with 1 AB, then goes over to 1 GH, then 1 DE, then back to 2 AB, crosses back to 2 GH, etc. This seems kind of a strange way of order taking to me. But then I haven't flown on a meal service DL widebody in a while, so maybe for all you DL warriors it's the norm. On AA widebodys, orders are taken from the front on even numbered flights, and from the back on odd numbered ones. And all the rows on one side are done before crossing over to the other side. Anyway, by the time the FA got to us I was sure that only the cold cereal option would be left. But I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I could still get an omelette. It turned out to be quite tasty, containing some red bell peppers and cheese, accompanied by fried potatoes and sausage. My wife preferred the cold cereal and yoghurt option. A nice breakfast! And the FA's were quite attentive with coffee and, in my case, screwdriver refills. We finally landed in BOS at 11:40 and headed quickly for the bus to the airport MTA station. It was here that we met up with our natural daughter. She had flown in the night before and stayed at the Logan Embassy Suites. Off to Cambridge we went for lunch. I deposited everyone on a bench in Harvard Sq., the designated meeting point with our friend's son, and then went to find the National Car Rental office. Their web site map indicated that it was located at Brattle and Sparks, near the Longfellow National Historic Site. Not! I then tried phoning the local office for directions but only got an answering machine. So, back to Harvard Sq. and lunch, just in time for the rendezvous. Following lunch and a tour of the Harvard campus, we found the car agency office was on Mass. Ave, just north of campus. On check in, despite reserving only an intermediate size vehicle, I was given "the pick of the litter." So I selected a Buick Rendezvous. Nice for our gang of four. Following farewells to our Harvard freshman, we were off to Hyannis.
10 OCT, BOS-HYA
NATIONAL (Buick Rendezvous)
Dep.: 2:00pm
Arr.: 5:10pm
Well, this was an experience! I completely underestimated traffic to the Cape on a Friday afternoon. I though it would only take us 90 min. or so to make the 80 mile drive to Hyannis, and so had made a 4:30pm Fast Ferry reservation to Nantucket as we had a 6:30pm wedding party cookout to attend. Realizing after about an hour that my original travel time estimate was wrong, we called to see about getting on a later ferry. Sorry, sold out, but we could standby. Same answer from the other ferry company. The only option left was a 6:10pm flight on a 10-seat Cessna(or Beechcraft?). So, flying, rather than boating, to the island it was going to be.
10 OCT, HYA-ACK
ISLAND AIR 229 (Cessna Prop)
Dep.: 6:10pm
Arr.: 6:30pm
Turns out we got the last four seats on this flight. And so, at 5:55pm we boarded with five other humans and one German Shepherd! I sat right behind the pilot where I could see the instruments and the front view. We took off 5 min. early and the pilot then announced that due to fog over the island, and some other aircraft waiting to land, the normally 20 min. flight might turn into a 45 min. one. And so it did - at least 40 min. anyway. But it was smooth and we had a view of a nice sunset. It was also neat to see the runway lights ahead of us after we broke thru the fog layer! Taxied into downtown Nantucket and checked into our B & B. Then off to the cookout, about a 1 mile walk away. Met up with my brother and my niece and nephews. Turns out that my brother(the groom's father) had had an emergency appendectomy just four days earlier, but he was looking, and feeling, pretty good for the experience, and having flown in from GRR the day before.
11 OCT, ACK
No flight departures or arrivals. Just transportation on foot! The day was beautiful - sunny, relatively warm, but a little windy. The wedding was held in the afternoon on the beach next to the Brandt Point lighthouse, the second oldest lighthouse in the US so I'm told. Cocktails and the dinner reception followed in a covered tent about half a mile inland. All in all, a very nice event. We were pleasantly surprised.
12 OCT, ACK-HYA
Steamship Authority Fast Ferry
Dep.: 11:30am
Arr.: 12:30pm
Unfortunately, the weather turned nasty today - rain, fog, windy. Flights were cancelled or delayed. Fortunately, I had made Fast ferry reservations before leaving home. Good thing as there was a significant standby line due to the weather. A bit of a rough ride, but we all managed to keep our breakfast down. Since our car was at the airport, and we were, of course, arriving at the docks, I needed a taxi to pick up the SUV. Well, no taxis were to be found initially. And lots of people were in the same boat, no pun intended. It took about half an hour before I, and another couple, were able to hail one. Once at the airport, I discovered that my taximate's car was parked right next to mine in the airport lot. What a coincidence! Back to the docks to pick up the rest of the family and then decide what to do for lunch. It was now 1:30pm, and our flight from BOS departs at 5:10pm. We decided that a quick lunch now in Hyannis would be better than a later one at Logan. Big mistake! Lunch was fine, but again the drive was a little slow, although not nearly as slow as the drive down. We arrived at the exit for the Ted Williams tunnel at 4:10, and at the National Car dropoff at 4:20. To save time, I had not filled up the SUV with gas and I knew this was going to cost me. But we wanted to make the flight. Arrived at the DL Kiosk at 4:35, but once again got an error message. With boarding passes in hand at 4:40, we headed for security. Well, the line was a mile long! And no elite line. We heard a couple of later flights announced, but when we asked twice about our flight to DFW, we were told not to worry. Maybe, hope hope, it was delayed. We had just cleared the ticket checker at 5:10 when we heard our name announced. Our daughter, who was flying US, went to the DL counter to tell them that we were on our way. And security said to go to the head of the line. Of course, there was no security person at the front of the line to tell people there why we were taking cuts. Took us 10 more minutes to get thru and five more min. to the date. Arrived just in time....to see our plane pushing back from the gate!! OK, what now? We went back to the CRC to assess our options. There was a later flight that would get us back to SHV that nite, but it was full. And with DLs new "standby" policy, we had to be confirmed on the flight. Even if there were some last minute no shows, we couldn't standy at the gate without a confirmed reservation. The best DL could do was to put us on the morning flight to DFW....and at a cost of $100 each, thank you very much. Well, one of the travel vouchers came in handy here as it was used to "pay the piper." Live and learn. Now, with the Yankee-Red Sox playoff series in town, it was time to try and find a hotel room. Nothing at the airport, but I was able to snag an award room at the Back Bay Hilton. So, back on the MTA. The room and dinner at the hotel were fine.
13 OCT, BOS-DFW
DL 1621 (738)
Dep.: 7:45am
Arr.: 10:54am
Up at 5:45am, and off to Logan by taxi at 6:30am. Arrive at the DL terminal at 6:45am. Boarding passes in hand and in another long security line by 6:55am. This time we hear our flight announced and are allowed to move to a shorter line. We're thru by 7:15am! Whew!! Check at the gate for an F seat for our "daughter" but F is full once again. Board and relax with a screwdriver while waiting for boarding to finish. Push back at 7:50am, and airborne by 8:05am. Again, a breakfast flight, but this time, sitting in 2 A&B, we don't have to worry about getting our preferred election. Or do we?? Order taking begins from the rear this time! But, when the FA arrives at our seats, the only choice left is....the omelette. So I'm happy! This time it was accompanied only by sausage. But, once again, it was quite tasty. The IFE was fine, the FAs attentive. Overall, a nice experience. Landed at DFW pretty much on time.
13 OCT, DFW-SHV
DL 4702 (CRJ400)
Dep.: 1:30pm
Arr.: 2:33pm
Pretty much uneventful flight. Left on time, arrived on time. And so our four, turned into five, day odyssey has ended following an hour and a half drive home.
Well, that's it. If you've made it this far, you deserve a drink. So, cheers!
This tome is about a trip that my wife, our foreign exchange(AFS) daughter from Paris, and I took a few weeks ago to attend my nephew's wedding in Nantucket, on the beach no less. We were joind in BOS by our biological daughter, who flew in from PHL, for the last part of the trip.
OCT. 09, SHV-ATL
DL 5058 (CRJ 500)
Dep.: 5:55pm
Arr.: 8:43pm
We arrived at SHV about 45 min. prior to departure following a 1.5hr. drive from home. With boarding passes in hand, and no bags to check, we proceeded directly to security. No line and no real problems. The only minor glitch was a brief delay when TSA found a small pair of scissors in our "daughter's" backpack. After a brief conference, they gave them back to her. Since one of the blades was rounded they said they were ok but we might have a problem at our next security check. The flight was fine. The FA announced that we would experience Delta's new snack service. I thought that since it was the dinner hour, we might get a sandwich or something. Wrong! It was just the same old selection of nuts, cookies, and snack mix. Well, better than nothing, I guess. Just as beverage service was about to begin, we hit some turbulence and the FA was requested to return to her seat. Unfortunately, the turbulence lasted for the remainder of the flight and so we never got anything to wash down the snacks with. Landed at ATL about 15 min.early and taxied over to the tarmac between Concourses B and C where we waited....and waited. After about 20 min., we finally headed to, and docked at, our gate. Heavy traffic, I guess, caused the delay. Since our connecting flight to BOS was leaving from Concourse A, we boarded the train and headed that way. Stopped in the A17 CRC and while everone else relaxed with a libation, I headed down to out BOS flight gate to see if our upgrade waitlist had cleared. No such luck but did notice that the flight was oversold and volunteers were being solicited for $400 Delta dollars. Hey, I'm convinced! I put our three names on the list and headed back to the CRC to let my TC's know what I was doing. They're cool with that. Back to the gate a little bit later to learn that we will be needed afterall. Alright! I'm asked which morning flight I want and I indicate that I'd like the one that has upgrades currently available. Now, unfortunately, at this point in time, DL doesn't allow companion upgrades, so our "daughter" will have to remain in Y, but she can have a bulkhead seat. I'm told, however, that I can check with the GA at boarding and maybe they can move her up front with us. I'm also asked if I'd like one or two hotel rooms. I request two so our "daughter" can have her own. And I'm also given three $10 dinner vouchers and three $6 breakfast vouchers. So, with $1200 in travel vouchers, $48 in meal vouchers, and positive F space on the 8:09am departure to BOS the next day, these happy campers are off to find some chow and then our hotel.
10 OCT, ATL-BOS
DL 350 (763 - Domestic Config.)
Dep.: 8:09am
Arr.: 10:33am
Up at 5:30am and off to the airport at 6:45am. Try to use the Kiosk for check in but get an error message, so have to go to the counter. Not a big deal. We have our boarding passes within 5 min. and head for security. Pass thru without any problems. The scissors were apparently not noticed. At the gate, after stopping to grab a sweet rolls, coffee, and cookies with our meal vouchers, by 7:30. I ask if our "daughter" can sit up front with us, but am told that F is full, so no dice. A boarding delay of 15 min. or so was announced at 7:45. Seems that since this was the first flight out of this gate today, extra security checks were required, or something like that. You'd think they'd know that already so we could have an ontime departure. Boarding finally begins at 8:05, with everybody onboard by 8:25. And then we wait some more. Well, at least I have a screwdriver to enjoy! The captain announces 10 min. later that there's a connecting passenger whose bag made the flight but h/she didn't and they will now have to search for, and pull, the bag. Grrrrr! We have a lunch engagement in Cambridge with the son of friend's of ours here, and if we don't get underway soon, we may not have time to dine with him. We finally push back at 9:05 and are airborne by 9:15. Breakfast orders are taken shortly after the seatbelt sign is turned off. We are seated in Row 4, the middle section (D & E?). The FA begins taking requests starting with 1 AB, then goes over to 1 GH, then 1 DE, then back to 2 AB, crosses back to 2 GH, etc. This seems kind of a strange way of order taking to me. But then I haven't flown on a meal service DL widebody in a while, so maybe for all you DL warriors it's the norm. On AA widebodys, orders are taken from the front on even numbered flights, and from the back on odd numbered ones. And all the rows on one side are done before crossing over to the other side. Anyway, by the time the FA got to us I was sure that only the cold cereal option would be left. But I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I could still get an omelette. It turned out to be quite tasty, containing some red bell peppers and cheese, accompanied by fried potatoes and sausage. My wife preferred the cold cereal and yoghurt option. A nice breakfast! And the FA's were quite attentive with coffee and, in my case, screwdriver refills. We finally landed in BOS at 11:40 and headed quickly for the bus to the airport MTA station. It was here that we met up with our natural daughter. She had flown in the night before and stayed at the Logan Embassy Suites. Off to Cambridge we went for lunch. I deposited everyone on a bench in Harvard Sq., the designated meeting point with our friend's son, and then went to find the National Car Rental office. Their web site map indicated that it was located at Brattle and Sparks, near the Longfellow National Historic Site. Not! I then tried phoning the local office for directions but only got an answering machine. So, back to Harvard Sq. and lunch, just in time for the rendezvous. Following lunch and a tour of the Harvard campus, we found the car agency office was on Mass. Ave, just north of campus. On check in, despite reserving only an intermediate size vehicle, I was given "the pick of the litter." So I selected a Buick Rendezvous. Nice for our gang of four. Following farewells to our Harvard freshman, we were off to Hyannis.
10 OCT, BOS-HYA
NATIONAL (Buick Rendezvous)
Dep.: 2:00pm
Arr.: 5:10pm
Well, this was an experience! I completely underestimated traffic to the Cape on a Friday afternoon. I though it would only take us 90 min. or so to make the 80 mile drive to Hyannis, and so had made a 4:30pm Fast Ferry reservation to Nantucket as we had a 6:30pm wedding party cookout to attend. Realizing after about an hour that my original travel time estimate was wrong, we called to see about getting on a later ferry. Sorry, sold out, but we could standby. Same answer from the other ferry company. The only option left was a 6:10pm flight on a 10-seat Cessna(or Beechcraft?). So, flying, rather than boating, to the island it was going to be.
10 OCT, HYA-ACK
ISLAND AIR 229 (Cessna Prop)
Dep.: 6:10pm
Arr.: 6:30pm
Turns out we got the last four seats on this flight. And so, at 5:55pm we boarded with five other humans and one German Shepherd! I sat right behind the pilot where I could see the instruments and the front view. We took off 5 min. early and the pilot then announced that due to fog over the island, and some other aircraft waiting to land, the normally 20 min. flight might turn into a 45 min. one. And so it did - at least 40 min. anyway. But it was smooth and we had a view of a nice sunset. It was also neat to see the runway lights ahead of us after we broke thru the fog layer! Taxied into downtown Nantucket and checked into our B & B. Then off to the cookout, about a 1 mile walk away. Met up with my brother and my niece and nephews. Turns out that my brother(the groom's father) had had an emergency appendectomy just four days earlier, but he was looking, and feeling, pretty good for the experience, and having flown in from GRR the day before.
11 OCT, ACK
No flight departures or arrivals. Just transportation on foot! The day was beautiful - sunny, relatively warm, but a little windy. The wedding was held in the afternoon on the beach next to the Brandt Point lighthouse, the second oldest lighthouse in the US so I'm told. Cocktails and the dinner reception followed in a covered tent about half a mile inland. All in all, a very nice event. We were pleasantly surprised.
12 OCT, ACK-HYA
Steamship Authority Fast Ferry
Dep.: 11:30am
Arr.: 12:30pm
Unfortunately, the weather turned nasty today - rain, fog, windy. Flights were cancelled or delayed. Fortunately, I had made Fast ferry reservations before leaving home. Good thing as there was a significant standby line due to the weather. A bit of a rough ride, but we all managed to keep our breakfast down. Since our car was at the airport, and we were, of course, arriving at the docks, I needed a taxi to pick up the SUV. Well, no taxis were to be found initially. And lots of people were in the same boat, no pun intended. It took about half an hour before I, and another couple, were able to hail one. Once at the airport, I discovered that my taximate's car was parked right next to mine in the airport lot. What a coincidence! Back to the docks to pick up the rest of the family and then decide what to do for lunch. It was now 1:30pm, and our flight from BOS departs at 5:10pm. We decided that a quick lunch now in Hyannis would be better than a later one at Logan. Big mistake! Lunch was fine, but again the drive was a little slow, although not nearly as slow as the drive down. We arrived at the exit for the Ted Williams tunnel at 4:10, and at the National Car dropoff at 4:20. To save time, I had not filled up the SUV with gas and I knew this was going to cost me. But we wanted to make the flight. Arrived at the DL Kiosk at 4:35, but once again got an error message. With boarding passes in hand at 4:40, we headed for security. Well, the line was a mile long! And no elite line. We heard a couple of later flights announced, but when we asked twice about our flight to DFW, we were told not to worry. Maybe, hope hope, it was delayed. We had just cleared the ticket checker at 5:10 when we heard our name announced. Our daughter, who was flying US, went to the DL counter to tell them that we were on our way. And security said to go to the head of the line. Of course, there was no security person at the front of the line to tell people there why we were taking cuts. Took us 10 more minutes to get thru and five more min. to the date. Arrived just in time....to see our plane pushing back from the gate!! OK, what now? We went back to the CRC to assess our options. There was a later flight that would get us back to SHV that nite, but it was full. And with DLs new "standby" policy, we had to be confirmed on the flight. Even if there were some last minute no shows, we couldn't standy at the gate without a confirmed reservation. The best DL could do was to put us on the morning flight to DFW....and at a cost of $100 each, thank you very much. Well, one of the travel vouchers came in handy here as it was used to "pay the piper." Live and learn. Now, with the Yankee-Red Sox playoff series in town, it was time to try and find a hotel room. Nothing at the airport, but I was able to snag an award room at the Back Bay Hilton. So, back on the MTA. The room and dinner at the hotel were fine.
13 OCT, BOS-DFW
DL 1621 (738)
Dep.: 7:45am
Arr.: 10:54am
Up at 5:45am, and off to Logan by taxi at 6:30am. Arrive at the DL terminal at 6:45am. Boarding passes in hand and in another long security line by 6:55am. This time we hear our flight announced and are allowed to move to a shorter line. We're thru by 7:15am! Whew!! Check at the gate for an F seat for our "daughter" but F is full once again. Board and relax with a screwdriver while waiting for boarding to finish. Push back at 7:50am, and airborne by 8:05am. Again, a breakfast flight, but this time, sitting in 2 A&B, we don't have to worry about getting our preferred election. Or do we?? Order taking begins from the rear this time! But, when the FA arrives at our seats, the only choice left is....the omelette. So I'm happy! This time it was accompanied only by sausage. But, once again, it was quite tasty. The IFE was fine, the FAs attentive. Overall, a nice experience. Landed at DFW pretty much on time.
13 OCT, DFW-SHV
DL 4702 (CRJ400)
Dep.: 1:30pm
Arr.: 2:33pm
Pretty much uneventful flight. Left on time, arrived on time. And so our four, turned into five, day odyssey has ended following an hour and a half drive home.
Well, that's it. If you've made it this far, you deserve a drink. So, cheers!