CMK10
Jul 7, 04, 10:54 pm
Sunday, here in the air. I’d think it was the fourth of July.
- Adapted Chicago Lyrics
Background
July 4th is a day of Independence, a day to celebrate freedom by eating hot dogs. But for me and a select group of others, it was a day to defy gravity in hollow tubes and fly strictly for miles. For the last 18 years I have been going to the beach club branch of the Westchester Country Club. I am no one to stop precedence so the plan was to fly to Chicago with a connection in St. Louis on the return for the first half of the day and make it Long Island Sound Side in time for dinner with the family. I had shared my plans with a few others and one person, Pyschocadet decided to jump in as well.
Preflight
SUNDAY JULY 4, 2004
American Flight 30
LGA-ORD
Scheduled Departure: 8:00 AM
Scheduled Board: 7:30 AM
I can guarantee you that I was the only person in my age group that was awake to go flying somewhere, let alone awake. But after over a dozen trips this year, the majority which started before dawn, I’m used to it. The best part is you don’t even have to worry about the drive in. Usually names like “The Hutch”, “The Whitestone” and “The Van Wyck” strike terror into the heart of New Yorkers. However it was early so I was at LaGuardia in less than thirty minutes. Once at the airport I followed the routine. Walk up to the ticket counter and state “I’m on 309 to Chicago” while showing the ID. Then through security after removing anything that could possibly cause me unwarranted intrusions at the hand of a beeping plastic wand.
Once through security the monotony continued with a trip to the LGA Admirals Club, a place I have spent more time at than the Arizona State Library. Jacob and I dined on bagels and Orange Juice while watching the day begin through the large windows. After a short amount of time we headed back downstairs to await the boarding of:
Flying
Gate D4
Seat 5A First Class
MD-80, N7535A
Actual Board: 7:33 AM
Actual Depart: 7:59 AM – 1 Minute Early
Take off 8 minutes after departure
Even though I was up front and Jacob was not I was a gentleman and waited for them to call Group 1’s to board. After he made his march southward I took my seat and watched the plane full up. It seemed that a lot of people were jumpstarting their vacations today as a family of four up front with me were off to Reno/Lake Tahoe and there were connections abound. A number of Hassidic Jews were onboard; they most likely had been unable to fly on the two previous days because of the Sabbath. The flight attendants got into the mood and wished us a happy Fourth of July several times during boarding. Our F/a up front, Logan (I assume not named after the airport), set the tone early with his pre-departure drink spread. Even though it was earlier than 8 AM we were offered water, Bloody Mary’s or Mimosas. I accepted a Mimosa gratefully and waited as the last trickle of passengers made it on the S80. Today continued to go smoothly as we had to only wait for a DL CR2 to take off before we were “off like a big ... bird” as Steven King would say.
After takeoff we began the westward course while the flight attendants began the service. In the rear of the aircraft it was the standard drink and granola bar (baked apple I believe) service that is oh so common on nearly all AA coach flights that aren’t transcons. Up front the service started with the choice of beverage in an actual glass. The f/a tucked a lime into my Cran-Apple which made it taste far better. Another example of Logan being one of the great f/a’s American has that aren’t complimented enough. After we had enjoyed suitable time to sip drinks and reflect on life, hot towels were offered. In a gesture that I had only seen once previously, Logan put a slice of dry ice into a glass of water so the tray of hot towels appeared to be covered in steam. This was much appreciated by the two children up in my cabin.
After another short amount of time as we reached the shores of Lake Erie, meal trays were brought out. The choices were rice krispees or a Spanish omlette. As I am never one to turn down a hot meal I took the latter. This turned out to be a cheese omlette served over corn, black beans, breakfast potatoes and salsa. I have had this meal twice before (DEN-LAX in 2002 and JFK-SJU in 2003). Therefore it’s my destiny to have it once a year I figure. Also on the tray was a fruit plate with grapefruit, strawberries and the standard issue honeydew. Hot bagels with cream cheese were offered to compliment the already excellent meal. The best part was the presentation. Usually the flight attendant care for how you perceive your meal tray doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. But Logan folded the napkin into an artful form and stuck it in the wine glass.
After the meal was consumed there isn’t much to do in First Class on an MD-80 besides listening to any music you may have brought and reading something. Frankly, after the meal there really isn’t much benefit in being up front unless you’re lucky enough to have the flight attendants who care enough about you so they don’t sit in the galley for the rest of the flight. Luckily on this flight Logan and the purser Kim kept us watered. A LGA-ORD run is quite short and after a scant hour and 45 minutes we descended through cloud cover and completed the lengthy taxi back to the gate. I must say though, as much as I appreciate the reading of the connecting gate information, today it depressed me. Destinations such as Reno, San Diego, Honolulu and Maui were read as well as my trip to, sigh, St. Louis. Even though the trip is fun for me, it’s a bit of a downer to know others are going to Paradise and you’ll be ending up at Lambert Field.
Scheduled Arrival: 9:28 AM
Actual Arrival: 9:03 AM
Gate H8
Preflight/Transit
American Flight 435
ORD-STL
Scheduled Board: 10:30 AM
Scheduled Depart: 11:00 AM
I was a gentleman once again as I waited in my seat until Jacob reentered the world of the upper crust in front of the remains of the curtain. Two days ago I had been reading the Flyertalk Itineraries thread that Polkacat would be flying off to Seattle on her little run at the same time as us. We had originally planned to meet her at the LGA Arrival’s Gate but after we arrived so early I changed plans. The ORD AC was very friendly about me putting her on the admit list but they seemed a little miffed when I said I didn’t know her last name :). Jacob ended up running into problems with a future itinerary so he left me to hold down the fort by the windows overlooking the L Concourse while he went off to do God knows what. After five minutes of waiting I spotted a woman walk into the AC with her head darting around. I said to myself “that’s her” and when she pulled out a cell phone I just waited for mine to ring. Shortly thereafter it rang and I simply said to her “turn around.” Unfortunately my directions were apparently confusing as she couldn’t find “The blue chairs by the windows” as easily as I had hoped she would, but eventually we were united.
After thirty-five minutes of talk about law and flying it was time to head off for greener pastures. We headed down to the end of the H Concourse where we reached a parting of the ways as the men went to the right and to a decaying river city and the lady to the left to the city of emeralds on the sound.
Flying
Gate H16
Seat 21D Main Cabin – Exit Row
MD-80, N227AA
Actual Board: 10:37 AM
Actual Depart: 10:59 AM – 1 Minute Early
Take off 10 minutes after departure
Today was a day of sacrifices for this young Arizona State Student. I purposefully picked an aisle seat so that Jacob could have a window and we could talk. The way I see it, taking a trip for me where I call all the shots is an excellent activity full of fun. But having someone around that you can enjoy conversations with, both about life AND airplanes is a real treat. This is only the second time I’ve been lucky enough to have a Flyertalker end up on the same flight as me. Jacob was a wonderful edition to an already excellent trip and I cannot remember a more fun mileage run.
Once off the ground the glorious monotony of the day continued. We leveled off and the drink cart came out. A cup of our preferred beverage and a pack of Rold Gold was offered with grace AND aplomb. The rest of the flight passed remarkably swiftly as Jacob and I engaged in an extremely enjoyable banter covering a wide range of topics but usually swaying back to airplanes. The only downside of this was the woman in 20F got very annoyed at us even though we were keeping our voices down as my dad puts it. This flight wasn’t as crowded as the last one but had a good amount of people on it, mainly connectors in from London. The whole group of them cheered when our Super-80 found solid purchase in the Show Me State.
Scheduled Arrival: 12:10 PM
Actual Arrival: 12:01 PM
Gate C6
Preflight/Transit
American Flight 582
STL-LGA
Scheduled Board: 12:16 PM
Scheduled Depart: 12:46 PM
Today’s transfer is possibly my shortest on record. I emerged into the enclave of the C Concourse at 6 minutes past 12 and boarded the next flight at quarter past. In that nine minute span we managed to buy a postcard and make an inquiry at the Customer Service Center but that was all we had time to do and all we cared to do. St. Louis never was the best airport and it has really gone downhill after American removed most of its forces from the airport. With only the reserves remaining, the airport has become dirtier and shabbier. Also even when it was at full strength it never had certain basic amenities I expect of a major airport. Case in point the fact that there is no mailbox past security, I was told if I wanted to mail my postcard to walk out by the ticketing lobby. Also there are little chain restaurants. Instead you can nosh at “Snack Bar.” Criticism aside, it’s not hard to get around, the American concourse is just a long L. Thankfully we didn’t have too much time there because we boarded:
Flying
Gate C24
Seat 5F First Class
MD-80, N244AA
Actual Board: 12:15 PM
Actual Depart: 12:43 PM – 2 Minutes Early
Take off 8 minutes after departure
One of the benefits that is part of flying First Class is the privilege to board at your leisure. Some choose to wait until the last possible second and have the door close behind them while others (myself and Jacob included) tend to prefer getting on first. As part of my choice, I noticed two other gentlemen already seated in aisle seats. I will leave you to infer who these gentlemen were but I think it’s fair to surmise they were paid by the Federal Government. Seated behind me was a non-revving employee with the best mullet I’d seen in a while. This meant that the First Class cabin had no people who had specifically paid to be there and only two that were even revenue passengers. God Bless the Fourth of July.
Also thanks to today being the Fourth, not only were we treated to fireworks and four-play for the Fourth by our local radio station, we got quick taxi times at every airport. This trip had to have been the easiest one I have ever taken. Every flight was early both departing and arriving, the crew was great on every flight, I got to spend time with very enjoyable people, and it all just fit. I only wish every trip would be like this. Musings aside it was time for the in flight service to begin.
With only five people in the cabin (out of a possible 14), it was a very relaxing lunch experience, much like what an old train ride must have been like. Everyone had their own pair of seats with two pairs empty. Even so Jacob, being the quality human being he is, moved over to 5E to join me. After our safe and comfortable cruising altitude was attained, we received drinks (with the full can) in bona fide glasses. This was accompanied by cashews and pretzels. Hats off to Fisher’s for making succulent cashews, they really were quality in taste. After this the hot towels followed. For maximum enjoyment I like to rub it on my face then point the air jet on my moist skin, it really feels great.
The meal today was the usual fare for lunch. Your basic one tray affair with choice of cold entrees and the usual sides. Today’s choices were a turkey croissant or a chicken breast served over greens with a side of pasta salad. Jacob took the chicken and I selected the croissant. I ended up being pleasantly happy as I got a decent sized croissant with turkey and cheese with the usual packet of Dijonaise. Seriously folks, does American own part interest in Hellmans or something? Because I eat more Dijonaise than the average man should. The usual salad was mushrooms, tomatoes, a single olive and lettuce, a nice change for the average man, but I hate mushrooms tomatoes and the single olive so I ended up with lettuce garnished with vinaigrette. Since the dawn of time these lunches have came with Carrs Water Crackers, cheese and Pepperidge Farm cookies. The only question is which kind of cheese and which flavor cookies? Today it was cheddar and Milanos respectively. Although today’s meal doesn’t sound very appetizing, it was actually excellent. I preferred it to some of the other lunches where they tried to be too fancy. If you’re going to sever a cold lunch (which I wish they wouldn’t), it’s best to stay simple as it’s usually of a higher quality.
The rest of the flight was the most enjoyable part of the whole trip. I sipped coffee complimented with the perfect balance of cream, sugar and Baileys. Jacob and I continued our dialogue which allowed me to sit back and reflect for a minute. I had a good drink in my left hand, a comfortable seat surrounding me and good conversation between two intelligent individuals, life is good for Charles M. Kunz. Unfortunately life turned slightly sour as we began our decent and Jacob scampered back over to 4A to watch Manhattan followed by the Bronx slip below us as we touched down back where we started from a scant 9 hours ago.
Scheduled Arrival: 4:16 PM
Actual Arrival: 3:56 PM
Gate D3
The worst part about taking a trip that involves being with a friend or family is you have to leave them. Today I drove Jacob back to where he’d parked his car and then showed him how to get to the Van Wyck and we parted. He went East towards his home and I went West towards mine. I spent the rest of the day down at the beach eating with my family, and when a plane glided over the calm waters of the Long Island Sound, I raised my arm in a silent salute to those that made this country what it is today. Happy 238th Birthday America.
- Adapted Chicago Lyrics
Background
July 4th is a day of Independence, a day to celebrate freedom by eating hot dogs. But for me and a select group of others, it was a day to defy gravity in hollow tubes and fly strictly for miles. For the last 18 years I have been going to the beach club branch of the Westchester Country Club. I am no one to stop precedence so the plan was to fly to Chicago with a connection in St. Louis on the return for the first half of the day and make it Long Island Sound Side in time for dinner with the family. I had shared my plans with a few others and one person, Pyschocadet decided to jump in as well.
Preflight
SUNDAY JULY 4, 2004
American Flight 30
LGA-ORD
Scheduled Departure: 8:00 AM
Scheduled Board: 7:30 AM
I can guarantee you that I was the only person in my age group that was awake to go flying somewhere, let alone awake. But after over a dozen trips this year, the majority which started before dawn, I’m used to it. The best part is you don’t even have to worry about the drive in. Usually names like “The Hutch”, “The Whitestone” and “The Van Wyck” strike terror into the heart of New Yorkers. However it was early so I was at LaGuardia in less than thirty minutes. Once at the airport I followed the routine. Walk up to the ticket counter and state “I’m on 309 to Chicago” while showing the ID. Then through security after removing anything that could possibly cause me unwarranted intrusions at the hand of a beeping plastic wand.
Once through security the monotony continued with a trip to the LGA Admirals Club, a place I have spent more time at than the Arizona State Library. Jacob and I dined on bagels and Orange Juice while watching the day begin through the large windows. After a short amount of time we headed back downstairs to await the boarding of:
Flying
Gate D4
Seat 5A First Class
MD-80, N7535A
Actual Board: 7:33 AM
Actual Depart: 7:59 AM – 1 Minute Early
Take off 8 minutes after departure
Even though I was up front and Jacob was not I was a gentleman and waited for them to call Group 1’s to board. After he made his march southward I took my seat and watched the plane full up. It seemed that a lot of people were jumpstarting their vacations today as a family of four up front with me were off to Reno/Lake Tahoe and there were connections abound. A number of Hassidic Jews were onboard; they most likely had been unable to fly on the two previous days because of the Sabbath. The flight attendants got into the mood and wished us a happy Fourth of July several times during boarding. Our F/a up front, Logan (I assume not named after the airport), set the tone early with his pre-departure drink spread. Even though it was earlier than 8 AM we were offered water, Bloody Mary’s or Mimosas. I accepted a Mimosa gratefully and waited as the last trickle of passengers made it on the S80. Today continued to go smoothly as we had to only wait for a DL CR2 to take off before we were “off like a big ... bird” as Steven King would say.
After takeoff we began the westward course while the flight attendants began the service. In the rear of the aircraft it was the standard drink and granola bar (baked apple I believe) service that is oh so common on nearly all AA coach flights that aren’t transcons. Up front the service started with the choice of beverage in an actual glass. The f/a tucked a lime into my Cran-Apple which made it taste far better. Another example of Logan being one of the great f/a’s American has that aren’t complimented enough. After we had enjoyed suitable time to sip drinks and reflect on life, hot towels were offered. In a gesture that I had only seen once previously, Logan put a slice of dry ice into a glass of water so the tray of hot towels appeared to be covered in steam. This was much appreciated by the two children up in my cabin.
After another short amount of time as we reached the shores of Lake Erie, meal trays were brought out. The choices were rice krispees or a Spanish omlette. As I am never one to turn down a hot meal I took the latter. This turned out to be a cheese omlette served over corn, black beans, breakfast potatoes and salsa. I have had this meal twice before (DEN-LAX in 2002 and JFK-SJU in 2003). Therefore it’s my destiny to have it once a year I figure. Also on the tray was a fruit plate with grapefruit, strawberries and the standard issue honeydew. Hot bagels with cream cheese were offered to compliment the already excellent meal. The best part was the presentation. Usually the flight attendant care for how you perceive your meal tray doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. But Logan folded the napkin into an artful form and stuck it in the wine glass.
After the meal was consumed there isn’t much to do in First Class on an MD-80 besides listening to any music you may have brought and reading something. Frankly, after the meal there really isn’t much benefit in being up front unless you’re lucky enough to have the flight attendants who care enough about you so they don’t sit in the galley for the rest of the flight. Luckily on this flight Logan and the purser Kim kept us watered. A LGA-ORD run is quite short and after a scant hour and 45 minutes we descended through cloud cover and completed the lengthy taxi back to the gate. I must say though, as much as I appreciate the reading of the connecting gate information, today it depressed me. Destinations such as Reno, San Diego, Honolulu and Maui were read as well as my trip to, sigh, St. Louis. Even though the trip is fun for me, it’s a bit of a downer to know others are going to Paradise and you’ll be ending up at Lambert Field.
Scheduled Arrival: 9:28 AM
Actual Arrival: 9:03 AM
Gate H8
Preflight/Transit
American Flight 435
ORD-STL
Scheduled Board: 10:30 AM
Scheduled Depart: 11:00 AM
I was a gentleman once again as I waited in my seat until Jacob reentered the world of the upper crust in front of the remains of the curtain. Two days ago I had been reading the Flyertalk Itineraries thread that Polkacat would be flying off to Seattle on her little run at the same time as us. We had originally planned to meet her at the LGA Arrival’s Gate but after we arrived so early I changed plans. The ORD AC was very friendly about me putting her on the admit list but they seemed a little miffed when I said I didn’t know her last name :). Jacob ended up running into problems with a future itinerary so he left me to hold down the fort by the windows overlooking the L Concourse while he went off to do God knows what. After five minutes of waiting I spotted a woman walk into the AC with her head darting around. I said to myself “that’s her” and when she pulled out a cell phone I just waited for mine to ring. Shortly thereafter it rang and I simply said to her “turn around.” Unfortunately my directions were apparently confusing as she couldn’t find “The blue chairs by the windows” as easily as I had hoped she would, but eventually we were united.
After thirty-five minutes of talk about law and flying it was time to head off for greener pastures. We headed down to the end of the H Concourse where we reached a parting of the ways as the men went to the right and to a decaying river city and the lady to the left to the city of emeralds on the sound.
Flying
Gate H16
Seat 21D Main Cabin – Exit Row
MD-80, N227AA
Actual Board: 10:37 AM
Actual Depart: 10:59 AM – 1 Minute Early
Take off 10 minutes after departure
Today was a day of sacrifices for this young Arizona State Student. I purposefully picked an aisle seat so that Jacob could have a window and we could talk. The way I see it, taking a trip for me where I call all the shots is an excellent activity full of fun. But having someone around that you can enjoy conversations with, both about life AND airplanes is a real treat. This is only the second time I’ve been lucky enough to have a Flyertalker end up on the same flight as me. Jacob was a wonderful edition to an already excellent trip and I cannot remember a more fun mileage run.
Once off the ground the glorious monotony of the day continued. We leveled off and the drink cart came out. A cup of our preferred beverage and a pack of Rold Gold was offered with grace AND aplomb. The rest of the flight passed remarkably swiftly as Jacob and I engaged in an extremely enjoyable banter covering a wide range of topics but usually swaying back to airplanes. The only downside of this was the woman in 20F got very annoyed at us even though we were keeping our voices down as my dad puts it. This flight wasn’t as crowded as the last one but had a good amount of people on it, mainly connectors in from London. The whole group of them cheered when our Super-80 found solid purchase in the Show Me State.
Scheduled Arrival: 12:10 PM
Actual Arrival: 12:01 PM
Gate C6
Preflight/Transit
American Flight 582
STL-LGA
Scheduled Board: 12:16 PM
Scheduled Depart: 12:46 PM
Today’s transfer is possibly my shortest on record. I emerged into the enclave of the C Concourse at 6 minutes past 12 and boarded the next flight at quarter past. In that nine minute span we managed to buy a postcard and make an inquiry at the Customer Service Center but that was all we had time to do and all we cared to do. St. Louis never was the best airport and it has really gone downhill after American removed most of its forces from the airport. With only the reserves remaining, the airport has become dirtier and shabbier. Also even when it was at full strength it never had certain basic amenities I expect of a major airport. Case in point the fact that there is no mailbox past security, I was told if I wanted to mail my postcard to walk out by the ticketing lobby. Also there are little chain restaurants. Instead you can nosh at “Snack Bar.” Criticism aside, it’s not hard to get around, the American concourse is just a long L. Thankfully we didn’t have too much time there because we boarded:
Flying
Gate C24
Seat 5F First Class
MD-80, N244AA
Actual Board: 12:15 PM
Actual Depart: 12:43 PM – 2 Minutes Early
Take off 8 minutes after departure
One of the benefits that is part of flying First Class is the privilege to board at your leisure. Some choose to wait until the last possible second and have the door close behind them while others (myself and Jacob included) tend to prefer getting on first. As part of my choice, I noticed two other gentlemen already seated in aisle seats. I will leave you to infer who these gentlemen were but I think it’s fair to surmise they were paid by the Federal Government. Seated behind me was a non-revving employee with the best mullet I’d seen in a while. This meant that the First Class cabin had no people who had specifically paid to be there and only two that were even revenue passengers. God Bless the Fourth of July.
Also thanks to today being the Fourth, not only were we treated to fireworks and four-play for the Fourth by our local radio station, we got quick taxi times at every airport. This trip had to have been the easiest one I have ever taken. Every flight was early both departing and arriving, the crew was great on every flight, I got to spend time with very enjoyable people, and it all just fit. I only wish every trip would be like this. Musings aside it was time for the in flight service to begin.
With only five people in the cabin (out of a possible 14), it was a very relaxing lunch experience, much like what an old train ride must have been like. Everyone had their own pair of seats with two pairs empty. Even so Jacob, being the quality human being he is, moved over to 5E to join me. After our safe and comfortable cruising altitude was attained, we received drinks (with the full can) in bona fide glasses. This was accompanied by cashews and pretzels. Hats off to Fisher’s for making succulent cashews, they really were quality in taste. After this the hot towels followed. For maximum enjoyment I like to rub it on my face then point the air jet on my moist skin, it really feels great.
The meal today was the usual fare for lunch. Your basic one tray affair with choice of cold entrees and the usual sides. Today’s choices were a turkey croissant or a chicken breast served over greens with a side of pasta salad. Jacob took the chicken and I selected the croissant. I ended up being pleasantly happy as I got a decent sized croissant with turkey and cheese with the usual packet of Dijonaise. Seriously folks, does American own part interest in Hellmans or something? Because I eat more Dijonaise than the average man should. The usual salad was mushrooms, tomatoes, a single olive and lettuce, a nice change for the average man, but I hate mushrooms tomatoes and the single olive so I ended up with lettuce garnished with vinaigrette. Since the dawn of time these lunches have came with Carrs Water Crackers, cheese and Pepperidge Farm cookies. The only question is which kind of cheese and which flavor cookies? Today it was cheddar and Milanos respectively. Although today’s meal doesn’t sound very appetizing, it was actually excellent. I preferred it to some of the other lunches where they tried to be too fancy. If you’re going to sever a cold lunch (which I wish they wouldn’t), it’s best to stay simple as it’s usually of a higher quality.
The rest of the flight was the most enjoyable part of the whole trip. I sipped coffee complimented with the perfect balance of cream, sugar and Baileys. Jacob and I continued our dialogue which allowed me to sit back and reflect for a minute. I had a good drink in my left hand, a comfortable seat surrounding me and good conversation between two intelligent individuals, life is good for Charles M. Kunz. Unfortunately life turned slightly sour as we began our decent and Jacob scampered back over to 4A to watch Manhattan followed by the Bronx slip below us as we touched down back where we started from a scant 9 hours ago.
Scheduled Arrival: 4:16 PM
Actual Arrival: 3:56 PM
Gate D3
The worst part about taking a trip that involves being with a friend or family is you have to leave them. Today I drove Jacob back to where he’d parked his car and then showed him how to get to the Van Wyck and we parted. He went East towards his home and I went West towards mine. I spent the rest of the day down at the beach eating with my family, and when a plane glided over the calm waters of the Long Island Sound, I raised my arm in a silent salute to those that made this country what it is today. Happy 238th Birthday America.