206013671
Mar 21, 05, 9:04 pm
I'm new to the FlyerTalk community; this is my first report, so go easy on me. I enjoy reading the other posts, and since I fly quite a bit, I wanted to chime in with my own flight report.
I travel to Toronto, Canada on a regular basis, from my home base in Los Angeles, where I live and work. I exclusively travel on American Airlines - mostly because they've historically flown non-stop to my destinations, and because of the More Room In Coach. Flight 1586 takes me non-stop from LAX to YYZ, leaving at 10:25am, so that's my flight of choice.
My latest journey began this past Sunday morning. I was booked on flight 1586 in Business Class. I bought a coach ticket and was upgraded without problems within my 72-hour window (Platinum Status last year, well on my way to Exec. Platinum this year). It was a breeze checking in. Nobody in the Business class check-in line, and the line for security wasn't too bad. One note here: I have no idea why AA still doesn't have a dedicated security line for BC/FC flyers. Instead, we're funnelled into regular security like everyone else, even though we have our own line to get 80% of the way there.
Anyway, after security, a stop in the Admirals Club. Picked up an apple and relaxed with some coffee. I had an hour to go before my 9:40am boarding time. So I watched as a Qantas flight pulled in from its' long flight across the Pacific, and read a few magazines I had.
At 9:35, I leave the club to walk to gate 42b for the 9:40 boarding call. Turns out there's no 9:40 boarding call. It will be another few minutes. Avionics is still doing some maintenance. So I stand there and enjoy a very, very attractive woman seated not too far away (I'm 32 and single… she had to be about 26 or 27, tops). Thoughts rumble through my head about how great it would be if she could sit next to me. But she's with some guy, so those thoughts are all but washed away. At 9:53, the announcement comes that boarding will begin. I'm standing near the gate, so I hand in my ticket, show my passport and I'm the first person on the plane. Sweet!
I find my seat: 4E, an aisle seat in the second row of this 737-800. One note, as I put my baggage in the overhead, I put the handle down on my suitcase and slammed my finger in it. So I'm doing well until I flinch in unbelievable pain! The skin is broken and I'm bleeding. The blood blister I'm going to have the next day is all that is on my mind. I finish loading the bag and when there's a lull in traffic entering the plane, I go to the front and ask the flight attendant, Vic, if he has a napkin or paper towel so I can clean it. He says no, to try the rest room. As I enter the rest room to wash it he pokes his head in (the door was opened) and I explained what happened. He says, "Yikes!", and proceeds to find the first aid kit to get me a band aid. What a great move!
He gives me the bandaid and I'm patched and ready to go 2 mins later. Then my seatmate comes. An older lady of Irish decent is sitting in 3F, but mistakenly sits in 4F. I help her hoist her bag into the bin and she sits down, opens her phone and calls her daughter. Interesting conversation to overhear.
As people come onto the plain, I notice the model… she starts walking to the back of the plane and then stops right next to me. She looks down at me and the lady next to me and says, "Umm… I have 4F. Maam I think you're in the wrong seat." As quickly as I could, I take my seatbelt off and am UP, ready for the old hag (notice she went from nice lady to old hag instantly?) to move to her seat, 3F. But she's yapping on the phone, and isn't paying attention to the hot mama telling her she's in the wrong seat! So instead, the flight attendant suggests SHE take the bulkhead seat, 3F, and the old bag is now paying attention and comments, "That's fine with me, so I don't have to get up."
NO!!!! I can't shake and bake on this girl from a seat back! She climbs into seat 3F, and my opportunity is out the window.
Back to the flight. We backup from the gate at 10:27 - two minutes late. I always find it funny that the flight attendants start the boarding process late, and then are always making announcements similar to, "if you don't sit down immediately, we're going to be late and it's your fault." That wasn't the exact announcement, but if you fly somewhat frequently, you know what I'm talking about.
Today we're taking off from the north runway. I don't know the runway number, but this is on the opposite side of the airport from Terminal 4, where AA is. Not sure why they had us taking off from that runway. Very atypical for this flight. There's no waiting at the end of the runway when we get there and at 10:34, we're off the ground.
The service starts with a female flight attendant taking our drink and lunch orders. Today the options are Filet, Chicken or Ribs. I order the filet (mistake!!) and a Cranapple juice. The order taking is followed by warm nuts, and then our drinks. The warm towel comes (it's not warm or close to it. It's barely wet!) Eventually the entertainment starts (Lemony Snicketts movie) and then it's time to start the lunch service. Good salad served with a side of cheese and tomatoes. I have no idea what kind of cheese it was. I think it's mozzarella, but it's the worst mozzerella I've ever had.
Anyway, after the salads, the main course comes. My filet arrives with a side of some potato, spinach, onion casserole-type thing. I try cutting into the steak, it I hear, "MOOOOOOOO". The thing is so rare, it may still be alive! No way… I stop the flight attendant and tell her to try again, or give me the chicken or ribs. She says they're having a problem with the oven on-board. She says she'll reheat it.
While I wait, I admire the fact the cute girl who is in 3F but should have been in 4F, got the chicken. I should have got the chicken.
About 10 mins later, it comes out piping hot. Still not completely cooked.. Kind of a medium rare color. But it will do.
After lunch, we get a choice of some caramel cheesecake, or a hot-fudge sundae. I used to get options for the sundae, but not today it seems. So I take the sundae and a cup of coffee. I'm happy. I break out the laptop and time to capture my thoughts as well as work on some email.
The pilot comes on about this time and says we have 160mph tail winds, so we're going to be about 15 mins early. Yahoo!
The rest of the flight is uneventful, though not matter how smooth the flight, when I get up to pee, it always gets bumpy for a few seconds. No idea why this always happens to me!
Anyway, arrival time is supposed to be 6:02, and we land in Toronto at 5:35. Nearly a half hour early. Yeah! Inevitably, being early still kills you because the stall where we're parking is occupied by the plane that hasn't left yet. We sit for about 10 mins. Until the other plane moves, and we pull in. I get up, remove my bag, remove the old hag's bag, and of course, help the cutie who was in 3F but should have been in 4F (actually should have been sitting on my lap in 4E!!) get her bag off. I follow her off the plane, right behind her admiring her derriere (hey… I'm 32 years old and single… what else am I going to do!!)
First off in Toronto means you're first in-line for customs. I play 20 questions with the customs guy (who are you… where you from, why are you here, who are you seeing, what company do you work for, what are you doing here, why are you here, who are you meeting with, why are you here?) and I'm on to my rental car.
Overall a good flight. Getting in early and getting bumped to biz definitely overcame the bad steak. But I'm still a little miffed about the cutie. All the work I do telling the gate agents to make sure I get a seat next to a model is always a running joke, and never fulfilled. Finally I can fulfill it, but yet I can't.
I hope this was entertaining. If it's well received, I'll post more. I have a return flight to LAX on Thursday, and a great flight planned for June (LAX-LHR-SNN, all first class on AA and Aer Lingus)
I travel to Toronto, Canada on a regular basis, from my home base in Los Angeles, where I live and work. I exclusively travel on American Airlines - mostly because they've historically flown non-stop to my destinations, and because of the More Room In Coach. Flight 1586 takes me non-stop from LAX to YYZ, leaving at 10:25am, so that's my flight of choice.
My latest journey began this past Sunday morning. I was booked on flight 1586 in Business Class. I bought a coach ticket and was upgraded without problems within my 72-hour window (Platinum Status last year, well on my way to Exec. Platinum this year). It was a breeze checking in. Nobody in the Business class check-in line, and the line for security wasn't too bad. One note here: I have no idea why AA still doesn't have a dedicated security line for BC/FC flyers. Instead, we're funnelled into regular security like everyone else, even though we have our own line to get 80% of the way there.
Anyway, after security, a stop in the Admirals Club. Picked up an apple and relaxed with some coffee. I had an hour to go before my 9:40am boarding time. So I watched as a Qantas flight pulled in from its' long flight across the Pacific, and read a few magazines I had.
At 9:35, I leave the club to walk to gate 42b for the 9:40 boarding call. Turns out there's no 9:40 boarding call. It will be another few minutes. Avionics is still doing some maintenance. So I stand there and enjoy a very, very attractive woman seated not too far away (I'm 32 and single… she had to be about 26 or 27, tops). Thoughts rumble through my head about how great it would be if she could sit next to me. But she's with some guy, so those thoughts are all but washed away. At 9:53, the announcement comes that boarding will begin. I'm standing near the gate, so I hand in my ticket, show my passport and I'm the first person on the plane. Sweet!
I find my seat: 4E, an aisle seat in the second row of this 737-800. One note, as I put my baggage in the overhead, I put the handle down on my suitcase and slammed my finger in it. So I'm doing well until I flinch in unbelievable pain! The skin is broken and I'm bleeding. The blood blister I'm going to have the next day is all that is on my mind. I finish loading the bag and when there's a lull in traffic entering the plane, I go to the front and ask the flight attendant, Vic, if he has a napkin or paper towel so I can clean it. He says no, to try the rest room. As I enter the rest room to wash it he pokes his head in (the door was opened) and I explained what happened. He says, "Yikes!", and proceeds to find the first aid kit to get me a band aid. What a great move!
He gives me the bandaid and I'm patched and ready to go 2 mins later. Then my seatmate comes. An older lady of Irish decent is sitting in 3F, but mistakenly sits in 4F. I help her hoist her bag into the bin and she sits down, opens her phone and calls her daughter. Interesting conversation to overhear.
As people come onto the plain, I notice the model… she starts walking to the back of the plane and then stops right next to me. She looks down at me and the lady next to me and says, "Umm… I have 4F. Maam I think you're in the wrong seat." As quickly as I could, I take my seatbelt off and am UP, ready for the old hag (notice she went from nice lady to old hag instantly?) to move to her seat, 3F. But she's yapping on the phone, and isn't paying attention to the hot mama telling her she's in the wrong seat! So instead, the flight attendant suggests SHE take the bulkhead seat, 3F, and the old bag is now paying attention and comments, "That's fine with me, so I don't have to get up."
NO!!!! I can't shake and bake on this girl from a seat back! She climbs into seat 3F, and my opportunity is out the window.
Back to the flight. We backup from the gate at 10:27 - two minutes late. I always find it funny that the flight attendants start the boarding process late, and then are always making announcements similar to, "if you don't sit down immediately, we're going to be late and it's your fault." That wasn't the exact announcement, but if you fly somewhat frequently, you know what I'm talking about.
Today we're taking off from the north runway. I don't know the runway number, but this is on the opposite side of the airport from Terminal 4, where AA is. Not sure why they had us taking off from that runway. Very atypical for this flight. There's no waiting at the end of the runway when we get there and at 10:34, we're off the ground.
The service starts with a female flight attendant taking our drink and lunch orders. Today the options are Filet, Chicken or Ribs. I order the filet (mistake!!) and a Cranapple juice. The order taking is followed by warm nuts, and then our drinks. The warm towel comes (it's not warm or close to it. It's barely wet!) Eventually the entertainment starts (Lemony Snicketts movie) and then it's time to start the lunch service. Good salad served with a side of cheese and tomatoes. I have no idea what kind of cheese it was. I think it's mozzarella, but it's the worst mozzerella I've ever had.
Anyway, after the salads, the main course comes. My filet arrives with a side of some potato, spinach, onion casserole-type thing. I try cutting into the steak, it I hear, "MOOOOOOOO". The thing is so rare, it may still be alive! No way… I stop the flight attendant and tell her to try again, or give me the chicken or ribs. She says they're having a problem with the oven on-board. She says she'll reheat it.
While I wait, I admire the fact the cute girl who is in 3F but should have been in 4F, got the chicken. I should have got the chicken.
About 10 mins later, it comes out piping hot. Still not completely cooked.. Kind of a medium rare color. But it will do.
After lunch, we get a choice of some caramel cheesecake, or a hot-fudge sundae. I used to get options for the sundae, but not today it seems. So I take the sundae and a cup of coffee. I'm happy. I break out the laptop and time to capture my thoughts as well as work on some email.
The pilot comes on about this time and says we have 160mph tail winds, so we're going to be about 15 mins early. Yahoo!
The rest of the flight is uneventful, though not matter how smooth the flight, when I get up to pee, it always gets bumpy for a few seconds. No idea why this always happens to me!
Anyway, arrival time is supposed to be 6:02, and we land in Toronto at 5:35. Nearly a half hour early. Yeah! Inevitably, being early still kills you because the stall where we're parking is occupied by the plane that hasn't left yet. We sit for about 10 mins. Until the other plane moves, and we pull in. I get up, remove my bag, remove the old hag's bag, and of course, help the cutie who was in 3F but should have been in 4F (actually should have been sitting on my lap in 4E!!) get her bag off. I follow her off the plane, right behind her admiring her derriere (hey… I'm 32 years old and single… what else am I going to do!!)
First off in Toronto means you're first in-line for customs. I play 20 questions with the customs guy (who are you… where you from, why are you here, who are you seeing, what company do you work for, what are you doing here, why are you here, who are you meeting with, why are you here?) and I'm on to my rental car.
Overall a good flight. Getting in early and getting bumped to biz definitely overcame the bad steak. But I'm still a little miffed about the cutie. All the work I do telling the gate agents to make sure I get a seat next to a model is always a running joke, and never fulfilled. Finally I can fulfill it, but yet I can't.
I hope this was entertaining. If it's well received, I'll post more. I have a return flight to LAX on Thursday, and a great flight planned for June (LAX-LHR-SNN, all first class on AA and Aer Lingus)