Mats
Dec 25, 06, 11:17 pm
I had been planning to go to Israel for maybe 15 years. It seemed like every time I’d start to plan a trip, tragedy would strike. Too afraid, I would go elsewhere. So I ended up going all over the world, but never to Israel. I think everyone imagined that I’d already been to Israel many times, but the truth was that I’d never gone.
Israel was in my travel plans in August, when war broke out and the liquid ban struck. There was no way I would travel to Israel amid such miserable conditions. I had gone on a lackluster trip to Puerto Rico instead (see prior trip report).
On the way back from San Juan, at I sat with two Continental flight attendants, who encouraged me to go. One had just returned and loved it. He didn’t feel unsafe and was a Puerto Rican guy. The other FA told me how gorgeous all of the guys are in Israel. I thought to myself, “Can I go tonight?”
The responses by friends and coworkers in Columbus were curious. “Why Israel?” “Do you have family there?” and “But you’ll miss Christmas!” where popular responses. Others were, “Oh be CAREFUL!” and “Do you want to get killed? Is that why you’re going?” It never occurred to anyone that maybe Christmas isn’t a holiday that I celebrate.
Although my miles are all on Continental, I really wanted to fly El Al. Furthermore, a business class ticket was substantially cheaper with Delta/El Al. $2500 seemed too good to be true, so I grabbed it. After all, it can’t hurt to have some mileage on more than one airline (Delta offline codeshare flights do not earn Continental miles.)
Check In
The airport was surprisingly busy for Christmas day. Most everyone was headed overseas and Delta’s two international check-in agents were quite busy. The family in front of me was checking in about 20 bags to Mumbai.
The agent, however, was pleasant and jovial. He did ask, however, “Where is Tel Aviv located?”
To my surprise and great pleasure, no SSSS appeared on my boarding card. As a single male traveling alone to Israel, I thought I was doomed.
I breezed through security and faced not raging power trips, which are commonplace at Port Columbus Airport TSA checkpoints.
And back out of the airport…
Once on the concourse, I realized that I didn’t have the power adaptor to my laptop. Aware that this would be a crucial item, I decided that I had no choice but to go get it. So I left the airport, got into an extortionately-priced taxi, realized that my keys were in my checked bag, and took a Xanax.
Fortunately, I had deliberately built in a long layover, so I was able to do everything without misconnecting.
I scaled the fence at my apartment to try to find my hidden spare keys… no luck, especially in the rain. So I called a friend, who drove over, let me in, and we took care of it. I was on the phone with Delta and El Al, who got me seats on a later CMH-JFK flight. And I called El Al to tell them I would be running late. No problem.
I checked in again and the Delta agents were cheerful and helpful. I had to pay the $25 change feel, but that was the least of my problems.
In the process, I managed to lose two library books in the airport or in the taxi. This involved a further visit to the concourse, back to the terminal to the lost-and-found, and once again to visit the TSA. More Xanax anyone?
25 December 2006 Delta/Comair 5524 CMH-JFK CRJ-50 Seat 1D
This was a remarkably full flight, given that it was Christmas Day. The overwhelming majority of passengers were not Americans, and many were clearly headed to India. This was a quick 1 hour 15 minute flight. We actually took off and landed early, but got to the gate late due to a lack of space.
Shannon, a rather calm and pleasant flight attendant, offered Biscoff biscuits and peanuts, as well as drinks.
Nobody enjoyed the 20 minute wait on the tarmac, but I think everyone knows that it’s not worth getting upset. I was mostly just bored because I had no books, didn’t feel like climbing over someone to get my computer, and there was no copy of Sky at my seat.
A Delta agent obtained my bag without any trouble; it had flown on the earlier flight. She smiled and wished me a good trip.
El Al Check in
I took the AirTrain to Terminal 4, where there was no line for El Al first/business; almost no line for economy.
I was scared out of my mind. I was expecting to be strip-searched, humiliated, quizzed on Hebrew prayers, and so on.
Nope. The questions were only slightly more elaborate than the questions by ICTS agents at European airports. A young man did ask if I belonged to a synagogue, how active I was, and when the last time was I went to shul. He also spoke to me in Hebrew, perhaps to see how I’d respond. He also inquired if I had a Hebrew name and which name was used at my Bar Mitzvah. He also asked which synagogue my parents belong to.
The whole thing took maybe three or four minutes, he swabbed my bag, showed my passport to someone else, and that was it. A friendly woman checked my bag and showed me to the lounge. Nothing to it.
The King David Lounge
The El Al King David lounge is nicely-appointed but small. As anticipated, there is a ton of food but not much liquor.
The lounge itself has no shower, but an agent escorted me to the Varig lounge next door. The shower was nothing like Air France or even the Delta BusinessElite lounge showers, but it still beat Continental. (Yes, I care a lot about these things.)
25 December 2006 El Al flight 2 747-400 Seat 75H
About 45 minutes prior to departure, I headed back through the last TSA checkpoint of the day. There were no words spoken by the TSA, and I like it that way. It took maybe five minutes.
There was a long line to board, which I assumed meant all kind of detailed questions and security procedures. Nope. Just a flash of the passport and on my way. I still imagined that I’d get pulled aside on the Jetway so that they could take the lining out of my shoes or go through my Outlook Calendar. No again. Just a smile and “Have a good flight.”
Shoshi and Shaul showed me to my seat, hung my jacket and welcomed me aboard the upper deck. They soon offered water, juice, and bubbly.
Although not lie-flat and not electronic, the seats are great: wide, soft, heavily cushioned, with seemingly more legroom than Continental or Delta. The wide cabin of the 747—even upstairs—helps.
The cabin was so calm and restful.
I started beaming when I heard the captain say, “B’ruchim Haba’im.” Music to my ears.
After a surprisingly expeditious departure, Shoshi and Shaul came around with a cocktail menu, cashews, cocktails, hot towels, amenity kits, and menus.
Service was comparable to Air France: not as glitzy as some, but certainly elegant, friendly, and attentive. It is definitely business class, not a business/first hybrid. But it’s hard to find fault.
I enjoyed a mixture of Campari, orange juice, and passion fruit syrup. Dinner was an unexciting but pleasant chicken dish. Menus to follow.
To my delight, El Al offers in-seat laptop power as well as wireless internet. So I am writing this trip report after dinner, as I turn back to watch to movies.
Israel was in my travel plans in August, when war broke out and the liquid ban struck. There was no way I would travel to Israel amid such miserable conditions. I had gone on a lackluster trip to Puerto Rico instead (see prior trip report).
On the way back from San Juan, at I sat with two Continental flight attendants, who encouraged me to go. One had just returned and loved it. He didn’t feel unsafe and was a Puerto Rican guy. The other FA told me how gorgeous all of the guys are in Israel. I thought to myself, “Can I go tonight?”
The responses by friends and coworkers in Columbus were curious. “Why Israel?” “Do you have family there?” and “But you’ll miss Christmas!” where popular responses. Others were, “Oh be CAREFUL!” and “Do you want to get killed? Is that why you’re going?” It never occurred to anyone that maybe Christmas isn’t a holiday that I celebrate.
Although my miles are all on Continental, I really wanted to fly El Al. Furthermore, a business class ticket was substantially cheaper with Delta/El Al. $2500 seemed too good to be true, so I grabbed it. After all, it can’t hurt to have some mileage on more than one airline (Delta offline codeshare flights do not earn Continental miles.)
Check In
The airport was surprisingly busy for Christmas day. Most everyone was headed overseas and Delta’s two international check-in agents were quite busy. The family in front of me was checking in about 20 bags to Mumbai.
The agent, however, was pleasant and jovial. He did ask, however, “Where is Tel Aviv located?”
To my surprise and great pleasure, no SSSS appeared on my boarding card. As a single male traveling alone to Israel, I thought I was doomed.
I breezed through security and faced not raging power trips, which are commonplace at Port Columbus Airport TSA checkpoints.
And back out of the airport…
Once on the concourse, I realized that I didn’t have the power adaptor to my laptop. Aware that this would be a crucial item, I decided that I had no choice but to go get it. So I left the airport, got into an extortionately-priced taxi, realized that my keys were in my checked bag, and took a Xanax.
Fortunately, I had deliberately built in a long layover, so I was able to do everything without misconnecting.
I scaled the fence at my apartment to try to find my hidden spare keys… no luck, especially in the rain. So I called a friend, who drove over, let me in, and we took care of it. I was on the phone with Delta and El Al, who got me seats on a later CMH-JFK flight. And I called El Al to tell them I would be running late. No problem.
I checked in again and the Delta agents were cheerful and helpful. I had to pay the $25 change feel, but that was the least of my problems.
In the process, I managed to lose two library books in the airport or in the taxi. This involved a further visit to the concourse, back to the terminal to the lost-and-found, and once again to visit the TSA. More Xanax anyone?
25 December 2006 Delta/Comair 5524 CMH-JFK CRJ-50 Seat 1D
This was a remarkably full flight, given that it was Christmas Day. The overwhelming majority of passengers were not Americans, and many were clearly headed to India. This was a quick 1 hour 15 minute flight. We actually took off and landed early, but got to the gate late due to a lack of space.
Shannon, a rather calm and pleasant flight attendant, offered Biscoff biscuits and peanuts, as well as drinks.
Nobody enjoyed the 20 minute wait on the tarmac, but I think everyone knows that it’s not worth getting upset. I was mostly just bored because I had no books, didn’t feel like climbing over someone to get my computer, and there was no copy of Sky at my seat.
A Delta agent obtained my bag without any trouble; it had flown on the earlier flight. She smiled and wished me a good trip.
El Al Check in
I took the AirTrain to Terminal 4, where there was no line for El Al first/business; almost no line for economy.
I was scared out of my mind. I was expecting to be strip-searched, humiliated, quizzed on Hebrew prayers, and so on.
Nope. The questions were only slightly more elaborate than the questions by ICTS agents at European airports. A young man did ask if I belonged to a synagogue, how active I was, and when the last time was I went to shul. He also spoke to me in Hebrew, perhaps to see how I’d respond. He also inquired if I had a Hebrew name and which name was used at my Bar Mitzvah. He also asked which synagogue my parents belong to.
The whole thing took maybe three or four minutes, he swabbed my bag, showed my passport to someone else, and that was it. A friendly woman checked my bag and showed me to the lounge. Nothing to it.
The King David Lounge
The El Al King David lounge is nicely-appointed but small. As anticipated, there is a ton of food but not much liquor.
The lounge itself has no shower, but an agent escorted me to the Varig lounge next door. The shower was nothing like Air France or even the Delta BusinessElite lounge showers, but it still beat Continental. (Yes, I care a lot about these things.)
25 December 2006 El Al flight 2 747-400 Seat 75H
About 45 minutes prior to departure, I headed back through the last TSA checkpoint of the day. There were no words spoken by the TSA, and I like it that way. It took maybe five minutes.
There was a long line to board, which I assumed meant all kind of detailed questions and security procedures. Nope. Just a flash of the passport and on my way. I still imagined that I’d get pulled aside on the Jetway so that they could take the lining out of my shoes or go through my Outlook Calendar. No again. Just a smile and “Have a good flight.”
Shoshi and Shaul showed me to my seat, hung my jacket and welcomed me aboard the upper deck. They soon offered water, juice, and bubbly.
Although not lie-flat and not electronic, the seats are great: wide, soft, heavily cushioned, with seemingly more legroom than Continental or Delta. The wide cabin of the 747—even upstairs—helps.
The cabin was so calm and restful.
I started beaming when I heard the captain say, “B’ruchim Haba’im.” Music to my ears.
After a surprisingly expeditious departure, Shoshi and Shaul came around with a cocktail menu, cashews, cocktails, hot towels, amenity kits, and menus.
Service was comparable to Air France: not as glitzy as some, but certainly elegant, friendly, and attentive. It is definitely business class, not a business/first hybrid. But it’s hard to find fault.
I enjoyed a mixture of Campari, orange juice, and passion fruit syrup. Dinner was an unexciting but pleasant chicken dish. Menus to follow.
To my delight, El Al offers in-seat laptop power as well as wireless internet. So I am writing this trip report after dinner, as I turn back to watch to movies.