jerseyfinn
Jul 17, 05, 8:31 pm
Just got back today from a couple of weeks in Costa del Sol PHL-MAD-AGP and back. Thought I'd offer some comments and experiences as we fly PHL-MAD three times a year.
Today, we come into MAD this morning via Spanair from AGP. We land @ 10AM and looking out the windows, we don't see the US flight at T1 terminal.
Because we land out on the tarmac at MAD Barajas, we take the shuttle bus to T2. It's quite an experience. It's a long ride from where the JK flight lands to the debarcation/baggage area. It felt like a road rally track out there with freeway-like traffic as you dodge other shuttle busses, trucks, baggage vehicles, and other equipment all moving at top speed. Along the way I see a suitcase that must have fallen out of a luggage carriage and now sits in lonely solitude waiting to be picked up in the middle of nowhere ( a monument to PHL baggage handlers? ).
While we're riding the shuttle bus, my wife thinks that she sees a US plane landing ( @ 10:30 AM ). Inside the terminal, we look at the board and find that she is correct. US 12 is late arriving at MAD today and has just now arrived. We ourselves were 2 hours 20 minutes late arriving PHL-MAD two weeks ago. Same problems during a January flight. Looks like the PHL-MAD makes a habit out of late arrivals.
We had checked our bags all the through from AGP to PHL with Spanair. So we at least do not have to reclaim bags and trudge from T2 to T1. Although shuttle busses run between terminals, we find it faster to walk between terminals using the moving walks.
Confusion reasserts itself in the departures area as we try to find the US counter. Initially, we can't find our US flight listed on the monitor bank of departing flights. Then we realize that there are monitors on both the front and back of the monitor bank and we find the US counter number there.
At the US counter, I suddenly notice that I can't find the baggage claim stubs that JK had given me in AGP. The security official tells me that without my green bag claim receipt, our bags will not be released from MAD. She is reluctant to complete the security screen and wants us to go to the US service counter ( which was immersed in a long queue of chaos ).
Long story short is that I find the stubs, we rejoin the check-in queue and finally get boarding passes. The check-in agent laughs when I tell her about the temporarily missing stubs. She does say that it was not a problem, as she says US could look up the number at the check in counter. So I learn to be more aware of our baggage stubs on transfers, and that US can still locate bags if you fly an Alliance member carrier.
From here, things get better as our waitlisted UGs are confirmed, so the 3 of us at least have a comfortable journey home awaiting us. Additionally we get to sit in Spanair's Sala lounge which is quiet and comfortably appointed. Of course as SA Golds, we could have used the Sala Lounge even if we were ticketed coach from MAD-PHL.
Boarding at MAD is total confusion as people crowd and push the boarding queue and GAs do little to restrain them. Zone 1 and Envoy is being called, but we can't get near the GAs because of the crowds. Just as we reach the GA, they go from calling Zone 1 only, to announcing Zones 1 through 5. We feel the crush of bodies building behind us like an avalanche. The lesson here is to read carefully the boarding time and clear the additional security check point to be there as boarding begins. This is especially so if you are a DM preferred who is flying coach and want to board early and secure an overhead bin space.
Boarding itself goes quickly. However our pushback is delayed because the flight has not been given a departure slot by ATC in Brussels. We push back one hour later despite US attempts to obtain a slot from Brussels. Perhaps others can comment on how ATC works in Europe.
The flight is full, but things go smoothly once in the air. Food in Envoy is pretty good. We do hear the FA talking about nagging equipment problems such as Envoy seats which must be manually operated and constant crashes of the IFE system. It goes down a couple of times during our flight. The FAs ascribe the problem to an aging plane which needs some maintainance and tweaking, but it's not possible given the operating schedule.
Despite leaving MAD an hour late, we are scheduled to arrive 10 minutes early in PHL. This goes out the window when we are placed in two holding
patterns for weather delays. After our arrival some really heavy thunderstorms hit and all activity is temporarily halted. Lots of folks on the flight making all sorts of connections. Don't know how that's going to turn out for them.
So just a few impressions and experiences flying to MAD.
BTW, Spanair works very efficiently and offers good service ( though our outbound JK miles have yet to post ).
Our PHL- MAD flights have been delayed two seperate occassions during weather-related problems as FCs have not arrived in PHL. Is this a consistent issue?
Barry
Today, we come into MAD this morning via Spanair from AGP. We land @ 10AM and looking out the windows, we don't see the US flight at T1 terminal.
Because we land out on the tarmac at MAD Barajas, we take the shuttle bus to T2. It's quite an experience. It's a long ride from where the JK flight lands to the debarcation/baggage area. It felt like a road rally track out there with freeway-like traffic as you dodge other shuttle busses, trucks, baggage vehicles, and other equipment all moving at top speed. Along the way I see a suitcase that must have fallen out of a luggage carriage and now sits in lonely solitude waiting to be picked up in the middle of nowhere ( a monument to PHL baggage handlers? ).
While we're riding the shuttle bus, my wife thinks that she sees a US plane landing ( @ 10:30 AM ). Inside the terminal, we look at the board and find that she is correct. US 12 is late arriving at MAD today and has just now arrived. We ourselves were 2 hours 20 minutes late arriving PHL-MAD two weeks ago. Same problems during a January flight. Looks like the PHL-MAD makes a habit out of late arrivals.
We had checked our bags all the through from AGP to PHL with Spanair. So we at least do not have to reclaim bags and trudge from T2 to T1. Although shuttle busses run between terminals, we find it faster to walk between terminals using the moving walks.
Confusion reasserts itself in the departures area as we try to find the US counter. Initially, we can't find our US flight listed on the monitor bank of departing flights. Then we realize that there are monitors on both the front and back of the monitor bank and we find the US counter number there.
At the US counter, I suddenly notice that I can't find the baggage claim stubs that JK had given me in AGP. The security official tells me that without my green bag claim receipt, our bags will not be released from MAD. She is reluctant to complete the security screen and wants us to go to the US service counter ( which was immersed in a long queue of chaos ).
Long story short is that I find the stubs, we rejoin the check-in queue and finally get boarding passes. The check-in agent laughs when I tell her about the temporarily missing stubs. She does say that it was not a problem, as she says US could look up the number at the check in counter. So I learn to be more aware of our baggage stubs on transfers, and that US can still locate bags if you fly an Alliance member carrier.
From here, things get better as our waitlisted UGs are confirmed, so the 3 of us at least have a comfortable journey home awaiting us. Additionally we get to sit in Spanair's Sala lounge which is quiet and comfortably appointed. Of course as SA Golds, we could have used the Sala Lounge even if we were ticketed coach from MAD-PHL.
Boarding at MAD is total confusion as people crowd and push the boarding queue and GAs do little to restrain them. Zone 1 and Envoy is being called, but we can't get near the GAs because of the crowds. Just as we reach the GA, they go from calling Zone 1 only, to announcing Zones 1 through 5. We feel the crush of bodies building behind us like an avalanche. The lesson here is to read carefully the boarding time and clear the additional security check point to be there as boarding begins. This is especially so if you are a DM preferred who is flying coach and want to board early and secure an overhead bin space.
Boarding itself goes quickly. However our pushback is delayed because the flight has not been given a departure slot by ATC in Brussels. We push back one hour later despite US attempts to obtain a slot from Brussels. Perhaps others can comment on how ATC works in Europe.
The flight is full, but things go smoothly once in the air. Food in Envoy is pretty good. We do hear the FA talking about nagging equipment problems such as Envoy seats which must be manually operated and constant crashes of the IFE system. It goes down a couple of times during our flight. The FAs ascribe the problem to an aging plane which needs some maintainance and tweaking, but it's not possible given the operating schedule.
Despite leaving MAD an hour late, we are scheduled to arrive 10 minutes early in PHL. This goes out the window when we are placed in two holding
patterns for weather delays. After our arrival some really heavy thunderstorms hit and all activity is temporarily halted. Lots of folks on the flight making all sorts of connections. Don't know how that's going to turn out for them.
So just a few impressions and experiences flying to MAD.
BTW, Spanair works very efficiently and offers good service ( though our outbound JK miles have yet to post ).
Our PHL- MAD flights have been delayed two seperate occassions during weather-related problems as FCs have not arrived in PHL. Is this a consistent issue?
Barry