Trip Reports - Daytrip to Detroit- LONG

This is my first trip report, I am trying to model it on other reports that I have read so any comments would be appreciated!

-Preface-

I was a little hesitant while booking the trip, i was just using some past credit and added a little extra money and had two seats booked (one for me, and my dad was coming with) so, I woke up at 5:00am and we were on the highway by 6:15am and we arrived at the Blue Lot at 7:05am, took the free shuttle to the terminal.

We entered the new Midway terminal on the ground level where the baggage claims are, went up another level, to where the gates are, and up another level to the check-in desks. I saw some self-check in kiosks- for AirTran! Anyway, walked past the Mesa, Delta, AirTran, Frontier, American, Continental, Northwest, and ATA check-in counters and got to the end and used the Rapid-Check In Kiosk.

Went back downstairs and entered a really short security line, cleared it with no probelms. We had extra time, so we went to see what airlines were where. The ones I can remember are

A Concourse
ATA/ATA Connection

B Concourse
Southwest, Northwest

C Concourse
American, Frontier, Continental/Express

I know there are more airlines, but I cannot remember where they were. Anyway, we realized we were running out of time, so we made our way through the B concourse to gate B16 where a Southwest Airlines 737-300 was sitting at the gate in Canyon Blue Colors. We waited about fifteen more minutes in the gate when two prebording passengers got on, and everybody else was in the A group. We waited in a short line, bording passes were scanned, and we made our way to our plane. I was a little dissapointed that it had the old seats, but they were still comfortable and it is only a 50 minute flight.

-The Flight-
Nov. 15, 2003
Southwest Airlines flight 1335
Chicago Midway(MDW)-Detroit Metro(DTW)
Seat 3A, Club Seats, 737-300, N303SW, Canyon Blue

Departure Gate: B16
Arrival Gate: A9

Scheduled Departure Time: 8:40am (9:40 EDT)
Pushback: 8:42am (9:42AM EDT)
Wheels-Up: 8:52am (9:52am EDT)

Scheduled Arrival Time: 10:45am (9:45 CST)
Wheels-Down: 10:42am (9:42am CST)
Door Opened: 10:55am (9:55am CST)

We got on the plane and we pushed back right away. Only orange juice and coffee were served on the flight, crew was funny, friendly, and professional. Landed a little early and deplaned at Gate A9.

The Southwest part of the L.C. Smith terminal is nice, walls and carpet were clean with light music playing. Once you got out of the Southwest area it was really not that nice. Chipped floors, dirty walls...etc. Delta/Comair, US Air, and United all use that part of the Smith Terminal. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at City Deli, and took a "Park and Jet" to the McNamara Terminal.

-McNamara Terminal-

This is a nice terminal, very modern and cool with the tram. Lots of Northwest planes at the mile-long strech of gates. We were downstairs and watched International Arrivals before we got back on another Terminal-to-Terminal shuttle, used the check in kiosks.

Security was a breeze because nobody was there, went back to gate A9 where bording had already started.

-The Return Flight-
Nov. 15, 2003
Southwest flight 268
Detroit Metro(DTW)-Chicago Midway(MDW)
Seat 9A, 737-300, Old Colors, New Seats, N650SW.
Scheduled Departure Time: 2:15pm (1:15 CDT)
Pushback: 2:17pm (1:17pm EDT)
Wheels Up: 2:25pm (1:25pm EDT)

Departure Gate: A9
Arrival Gate: B17
Flying Time: 48 minutes

We took off on time, were served a beverage and two peanut packs. We started a desent rather quickly and were placed in a holding pattern for about ten minutes. Still, we landed at Chicago Midway on time.

Southwest is a great airline that never ceases to impress me. Quoting The Flight Attendent "We know you have choises when you travel and we thank you for choosing Southwest" and I am glad that I chose Southwest.

[This message has been edited by I_Fly_Southwest (edited Nov 15, 2003).]

Welcome to FT. Nice first report!

I_Fly_Southwest:

Thanks for the trip report ! I don't fly SW very often (maybe once every two years); a few questions for you:

1. What are the "Club Seats" you mention on your outbound segment ?

2. How do the new seats differ from the old seats ?

3. What percentage of seats were filled on these flights (from your comments, it seems the loads were light -- I'm surprised as nearly all of my flights [125K domestic miles per year] in the last two years on NW and AS have been 95 % - 100 % full !).

Thanks.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hsmythe:
I_Fly_Southwest:

Thanks for the trip report ! I don't fly SW very often (maybe once every two years); a few questions for you:

1. What are the "Club Seats" you mention on your outbound segment ?

2. How do the new seats differ from the old seats ?

3. What percentage of seats were filled on these flights (from your comments, it seems the loads were light -- I'm surprised as nearly all of my flights [125K domestic miles per year] in the last two years on NW and AS have been 95 % - 100 % full !).

Thanks.</font>


To Answer Your Questions

1. "Club Seatiog" is just a name that Southwest uses. On the 200,300,500 series, in the front and overwing exit row, while all the seats face forward, three seats face aft. In a way you get more legroom.

You can see a pic here: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/171114/L/

The newer 300, 500 series do not have this, they all face forward.

2. As you can see in the above picture, some seats are brown leather or brown cloth. Not very comfortable, small pitch, limited legroom. The new seats however, are mainly orange leather with blue on the sides with the Southwest heart logo on the headrest. It is very comfortable leather and the pitch and legroom aer good too.

Pics here http://www.airliners.net/open.file/176557/L/

3. Loads were light- Outbound- 35pax Inbound- 50pax. But remember, WN has a lot of flights betweent MDW and DTW.

Hope It Helps!