dansac
Dec 7, 04, 2:16 pm
This is my first post, so any comments are appreciated. They're not the most exciting flights in the world, but some interesting things did happen to me. I promise to post some more interesting ones soon (I travel about 100K/year for work, so always some unique stories). But this is my most recent...
LGA-DTW
Flight NWA #531
Nov 30th.
Airbus 319
Dep Sched: 2:00 P.M.
Dep Actual: 2:05 P.M.
Arr Sched: 4:12 P.M.
Arr. Actual: 3:40 P.M.
Seat: 7A
I work for a major media company and conduct marketing tests at college campuses around the country. This time I was off to Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan, in the towns of Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor respectively. So, for the first time in 6 years, I get on a Northwest Airlines flight (I almost exclusively fly United and Delta).
Boarding was pretty standard - and I was eager to get on the plane and away from the chaotic Delta/Northwest terminal at LaGuardia. Especially since there was a couple standing at the gate counter screaming at each other and the agent. I remember noting them and thinking two things: first, it's interesting how there's this hot young skinny blonde lady with an older and significantly overweight guy; and second, please don't let them sit next to me. You can see where this story is going.
So the plane is full except for the middle seat next to me and an aisle seat one row behind us. We're about to shut the door when I hear some loud voices from the jetway. Getting louder and louder....and it's my favorite couple. Of course, she's sitting next to me and the guy in the aisle seat "kindly" switches with him so they can both be next to me. Lovely. Oh well, it's a short flight.
So we pull out to the taxiway and the couple is gabbing loudly about how expensive some nachos were or some such nonsense, and I am just thinking to myself: "Please takeoff and reach 10,000 feet soon so I can pop my iPod in." Luckily we're in the A319 with it's quick take-off and climb capabilities, and it really is a matter of 5 minutes until we hear those two dings and out comes my iPod.
The flight itself was standard, with a flying time of 1 hour and 29 minutes. The pilot gave us specific routing info - over to Rochester, Buffalo, across the lake into Ontario, and down into Detroit. The interesting part comes on descent.
So we knew there would be light snow in Detroit, nothing big. So, not surprisingly, there was heavy cloud cover all the way down to about 2,000 feet. So on the way down, there wasn't much to see. All of a sudden, the blonde bombshell next to me starts freaking out (and it was out of the blue, she was fine the whole flight).
Keep in mind, the flight wasn't really bumpy or anything. We just couldn't see much out the window. But here she is crying and wailing, being comforted by her man - very very loudly. "It's okay honey. Sweetie. Shnookums. They have technology that lets them see. Oh, that sound is just the landing gear. Don't worry. Look, I can see ground now!" People around us were trying not to laugh. I was trying to convey visually to others that I wasn't with them.
Of course, we land smoothly and early and all is well. Into Northwest's very impressive World Gateway terminal at Detroit. A terminal I would come to know well very soon....
DTW-LGA
Flight NWA #532
Dec 1
Airbus 320
Dep Sched: 12:18 P.M.
Dep Actual: CANCELLED
After a couple productive days in Michigan, I'm off for my return. Or so I thought. I heard something that morning on the news about a windy day in New York, but didn't think much of it. I guess it really was windy, because when I arrived at my departure gate I saw "Destination: Miami." Everyone was pretty confused as to what that was about, but not for long. The announcement came: "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry to announce but flight #532 to LaGuardia has been cancelled due to wind and air traffic in New York. Please form a line and we'll try to accomodate you."
So apparently there were seats sprinkled throughout the rest of the day, but who wants to wait around doing nothing in the airport? I had a better idea. I reached the gate agent and told her I'd make her life easier by leaving the next day. She was so grateful she put me in "the best window seat in coach" and thanked me profusely.
Now I just needed to find a hotel. Lucky me, there was a brand new Westin hotel built into the Northwest terminal (literally). I walked in and asked them if they had free rooms and what the rate was - $249/night. I call my company's travel agency and ask them to book it for me, which they did at $169/night (love those corporate rates - not that I was paying anyway).
Turned out to be a fantastic hotel, much better than the regular Marriott I stayed in at Ypsilanti. The rooms were quiet, the beds huge, the internet worked well, good food, and a great work-out room. Why rush back to the office when you have this?
A day later it was time to leave the Westin Detroit Airport hotel - which was a bit sad for me, although even I was getting bored. 24 hours in the Detroit airport was plenty for me.
DTW-LGA
Flight NWA #530
Dec 2
Boeing 757
Dep Sched: 10:11AM
Dep Actual: 10:15 AM
Arr Sched: 11:52AM
Arr Actual: 11:40 AM
Seat: 14F
I rolled out of the hotel 30 minutes before my flight, through its lobby's dedicated security checkpoint with no line (what a pleasure) - and arrived at the gate just as boarding was commencing. When I got into the plane, I was very pleased with seat 14F - the first row bulkhead of coach in Northwest's older 757s which had some nice leg-space and great storage space built into the bulkhead itself.
We were fully-loaded that day, when I look to the left and see a short, clean-cut black man enter into First Class. Barry Sanders! Living in New York I rarely get starstruck, but I am a big fan of the NFL and of Mr. Sanders, so it was a thrill for me to have him on my flight.
The flight itself was fine - smooth sailing most of the way, much quieter weather, and standard drink and pretzel service. I noticed how early we began our descent - no more than 30 minutes into the flight, but that's what happens when you have an 150 mph tailwind working in your favor! We still had a circle a decent amount so we didn't land outrageously early. But everything went smoothly.
All in all, a pain-free trip - well, that had a lot to do with the very nice Westin hotel softening the blow of my flight's cancellation, probably the nicest airport hotel I've ever stayed in. Northwest was perfectly fine and their Detroit World Gateway terminal is quite impressive. But as we all know too well, domestic Y service is pretty much interchangeable these days, so no reason for me to change my loyalties from United and Delta.
So, that's my first trip report, all comments are welcome. A much much more exciting trip coming up in a couple weeks courtesy of a 90K Star Alliance Award - Traveling to Tel Aviv, Nice, and London all on J using SQ, LH, OS, BMD, and UA!
LGA-DTW
Flight NWA #531
Nov 30th.
Airbus 319
Dep Sched: 2:00 P.M.
Dep Actual: 2:05 P.M.
Arr Sched: 4:12 P.M.
Arr. Actual: 3:40 P.M.
Seat: 7A
I work for a major media company and conduct marketing tests at college campuses around the country. This time I was off to Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan, in the towns of Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor respectively. So, for the first time in 6 years, I get on a Northwest Airlines flight (I almost exclusively fly United and Delta).
Boarding was pretty standard - and I was eager to get on the plane and away from the chaotic Delta/Northwest terminal at LaGuardia. Especially since there was a couple standing at the gate counter screaming at each other and the agent. I remember noting them and thinking two things: first, it's interesting how there's this hot young skinny blonde lady with an older and significantly overweight guy; and second, please don't let them sit next to me. You can see where this story is going.
So the plane is full except for the middle seat next to me and an aisle seat one row behind us. We're about to shut the door when I hear some loud voices from the jetway. Getting louder and louder....and it's my favorite couple. Of course, she's sitting next to me and the guy in the aisle seat "kindly" switches with him so they can both be next to me. Lovely. Oh well, it's a short flight.
So we pull out to the taxiway and the couple is gabbing loudly about how expensive some nachos were or some such nonsense, and I am just thinking to myself: "Please takeoff and reach 10,000 feet soon so I can pop my iPod in." Luckily we're in the A319 with it's quick take-off and climb capabilities, and it really is a matter of 5 minutes until we hear those two dings and out comes my iPod.
The flight itself was standard, with a flying time of 1 hour and 29 minutes. The pilot gave us specific routing info - over to Rochester, Buffalo, across the lake into Ontario, and down into Detroit. The interesting part comes on descent.
So we knew there would be light snow in Detroit, nothing big. So, not surprisingly, there was heavy cloud cover all the way down to about 2,000 feet. So on the way down, there wasn't much to see. All of a sudden, the blonde bombshell next to me starts freaking out (and it was out of the blue, she was fine the whole flight).
Keep in mind, the flight wasn't really bumpy or anything. We just couldn't see much out the window. But here she is crying and wailing, being comforted by her man - very very loudly. "It's okay honey. Sweetie. Shnookums. They have technology that lets them see. Oh, that sound is just the landing gear. Don't worry. Look, I can see ground now!" People around us were trying not to laugh. I was trying to convey visually to others that I wasn't with them.
Of course, we land smoothly and early and all is well. Into Northwest's very impressive World Gateway terminal at Detroit. A terminal I would come to know well very soon....
DTW-LGA
Flight NWA #532
Dec 1
Airbus 320
Dep Sched: 12:18 P.M.
Dep Actual: CANCELLED
After a couple productive days in Michigan, I'm off for my return. Or so I thought. I heard something that morning on the news about a windy day in New York, but didn't think much of it. I guess it really was windy, because when I arrived at my departure gate I saw "Destination: Miami." Everyone was pretty confused as to what that was about, but not for long. The announcement came: "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry to announce but flight #532 to LaGuardia has been cancelled due to wind and air traffic in New York. Please form a line and we'll try to accomodate you."
So apparently there were seats sprinkled throughout the rest of the day, but who wants to wait around doing nothing in the airport? I had a better idea. I reached the gate agent and told her I'd make her life easier by leaving the next day. She was so grateful she put me in "the best window seat in coach" and thanked me profusely.
Now I just needed to find a hotel. Lucky me, there was a brand new Westin hotel built into the Northwest terminal (literally). I walked in and asked them if they had free rooms and what the rate was - $249/night. I call my company's travel agency and ask them to book it for me, which they did at $169/night (love those corporate rates - not that I was paying anyway).
Turned out to be a fantastic hotel, much better than the regular Marriott I stayed in at Ypsilanti. The rooms were quiet, the beds huge, the internet worked well, good food, and a great work-out room. Why rush back to the office when you have this?
A day later it was time to leave the Westin Detroit Airport hotel - which was a bit sad for me, although even I was getting bored. 24 hours in the Detroit airport was plenty for me.
DTW-LGA
Flight NWA #530
Dec 2
Boeing 757
Dep Sched: 10:11AM
Dep Actual: 10:15 AM
Arr Sched: 11:52AM
Arr Actual: 11:40 AM
Seat: 14F
I rolled out of the hotel 30 minutes before my flight, through its lobby's dedicated security checkpoint with no line (what a pleasure) - and arrived at the gate just as boarding was commencing. When I got into the plane, I was very pleased with seat 14F - the first row bulkhead of coach in Northwest's older 757s which had some nice leg-space and great storage space built into the bulkhead itself.
We were fully-loaded that day, when I look to the left and see a short, clean-cut black man enter into First Class. Barry Sanders! Living in New York I rarely get starstruck, but I am a big fan of the NFL and of Mr. Sanders, so it was a thrill for me to have him on my flight.
The flight itself was fine - smooth sailing most of the way, much quieter weather, and standard drink and pretzel service. I noticed how early we began our descent - no more than 30 minutes into the flight, but that's what happens when you have an 150 mph tailwind working in your favor! We still had a circle a decent amount so we didn't land outrageously early. But everything went smoothly.
All in all, a pain-free trip - well, that had a lot to do with the very nice Westin hotel softening the blow of my flight's cancellation, probably the nicest airport hotel I've ever stayed in. Northwest was perfectly fine and their Detroit World Gateway terminal is quite impressive. But as we all know too well, domestic Y service is pretty much interchangeable these days, so no reason for me to change my loyalties from United and Delta.
So, that's my first trip report, all comments are welcome. A much much more exciting trip coming up in a couple weeks courtesy of a 90K Star Alliance Award - Traveling to Tel Aviv, Nice, and London all on J using SQ, LH, OS, BMD, and UA!