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Feb 28, 08, 5:19 pm
Although reports on longer flights seem to be most popular, my travel often involves shorter flights for business. Until recently, I was a regular on the DCA/LGA shuttles. Although the auto traffic from LGA into midtown Manhattan could (and did) drive a person to drink, the shuttle flights themselves usually were a piece of cake. On those days when I planned to commute from DC to NY and back to DC (about 4x/month) I would watch the weather forecasts like a hawk, and if either city was expecting bad weather, I would cut my losses and take the train from Washington’s Union Station to Penn. Station in NY.
DCA/LGA shuttle fliers -- at least on weekdays -- primarily are business people on day trips. They don’t have much luggage and they know how to fly. Very few crying babies and very few amateurs. When the stars were aligned, I could get from my office near the White House to my office on Wall Street in 2 hours.
Now, however, I am on the West Coast, and take my fair share of longer flights each year from SFO (I avoid OAK at all costs) to BOS, JFK or IAD, NRT, LHR and other points in Europe. In addition, I often find myself -- as I did this week -- flying back and forth between SFO and LAX. I am a loyal UA customer -- not just because loyalty pays dividends, but also because I genuinely like UA. Sure, I’ve run into the surly gate agent or FA, but generally I think UA treats people well.
I arrived at SFO at 6:00 a.m. and parked in International Garage G. I only had carry on luggage and had printed my boarding pass the day before. My first class upgrade cleared three days prior (using one 500 mile cert.) and by 6:20 p.m. I was through security and getting a shoe shine. I stopped briefly at the RCC (cleaner restrooms than in the terminal) and was at Gate 90 by 6:45 a.m. I really like the new plasma information screens at UA’s SFO gates. They provided more detailed information about the upgrade and standby lists, as well as destination gate arrival, weather and baggage claim information.
Boarding of the 757 began at 6:50 a.m. I was in seat 1D -- no one was in the seat next to me (yippee!!!!) and I had the overhead storage bin all to myself. The FA was pleasant and welcoming -- offering water, juice or coffee before pushback, and a drink service in flight. (BTW -- I am addicted to the ginger snap cookies that UA serves with coffee on its AM flights -- I always ask for extras.)
We pushed back at 7:15 a.m. (scheduled dep was 7:20 a.m.) and began our taxi at 7:19 a.m. We taxied to Runway 1L via taxiway Alpha, Foxtrot 1, Golf. No lines at the runway and we were airborne at 7:25 a.m. We departed via the Offshore Five departure and headed southeast toward SoCal. Unfortunately, Channel 9 was unavailable and I was too tired to make any noise about it.
Pet Peeve -- the guy in Seat 2D sniffled every 5 seconds all the way to LA. They were very loud and very annoying. Luckily, I had my iPod to keep me company so I could drown out his disgusting noises.
We approached via the standard routing over Ventura County, the Malibu coast, and Santa Monica before turning back toward the west for our visual approach to Runway 24L at LAX. We touched down at 8:22 a.m. and taxied via Alpha-Alpha from the north complex to the south and then via Bravo and Charlie 8 to the terminal and Gate 69A. The seat belt sign went off at 8:34 a.m., about 10 minutes ahead of schedule. I was in the Hertz shuttle bus and on my way at 8:45 a.m.
Luckily, the weather was fantastic up and down the west coast, so all in all it was a good trip down. My flight back to SFO is on Saturday. My upgrade has not come through, but that is no surprise on an A319, where there are only 6 first class seats.
Keep an eye out for Part 2.
DCA/LGA shuttle fliers -- at least on weekdays -- primarily are business people on day trips. They don’t have much luggage and they know how to fly. Very few crying babies and very few amateurs. When the stars were aligned, I could get from my office near the White House to my office on Wall Street in 2 hours.
Now, however, I am on the West Coast, and take my fair share of longer flights each year from SFO (I avoid OAK at all costs) to BOS, JFK or IAD, NRT, LHR and other points in Europe. In addition, I often find myself -- as I did this week -- flying back and forth between SFO and LAX. I am a loyal UA customer -- not just because loyalty pays dividends, but also because I genuinely like UA. Sure, I’ve run into the surly gate agent or FA, but generally I think UA treats people well.
I arrived at SFO at 6:00 a.m. and parked in International Garage G. I only had carry on luggage and had printed my boarding pass the day before. My first class upgrade cleared three days prior (using one 500 mile cert.) and by 6:20 p.m. I was through security and getting a shoe shine. I stopped briefly at the RCC (cleaner restrooms than in the terminal) and was at Gate 90 by 6:45 a.m. I really like the new plasma information screens at UA’s SFO gates. They provided more detailed information about the upgrade and standby lists, as well as destination gate arrival, weather and baggage claim information.
Boarding of the 757 began at 6:50 a.m. I was in seat 1D -- no one was in the seat next to me (yippee!!!!) and I had the overhead storage bin all to myself. The FA was pleasant and welcoming -- offering water, juice or coffee before pushback, and a drink service in flight. (BTW -- I am addicted to the ginger snap cookies that UA serves with coffee on its AM flights -- I always ask for extras.)
We pushed back at 7:15 a.m. (scheduled dep was 7:20 a.m.) and began our taxi at 7:19 a.m. We taxied to Runway 1L via taxiway Alpha, Foxtrot 1, Golf. No lines at the runway and we were airborne at 7:25 a.m. We departed via the Offshore Five departure and headed southeast toward SoCal. Unfortunately, Channel 9 was unavailable and I was too tired to make any noise about it.
Pet Peeve -- the guy in Seat 2D sniffled every 5 seconds all the way to LA. They were very loud and very annoying. Luckily, I had my iPod to keep me company so I could drown out his disgusting noises.
We approached via the standard routing over Ventura County, the Malibu coast, and Santa Monica before turning back toward the west for our visual approach to Runway 24L at LAX. We touched down at 8:22 a.m. and taxied via Alpha-Alpha from the north complex to the south and then via Bravo and Charlie 8 to the terminal and Gate 69A. The seat belt sign went off at 8:34 a.m., about 10 minutes ahead of schedule. I was in the Hertz shuttle bus and on my way at 8:45 a.m.
Luckily, the weather was fantastic up and down the west coast, so all in all it was a good trip down. My flight back to SFO is on Saturday. My upgrade has not come through, but that is no surprise on an A319, where there are only 6 first class seats.
Keep an eye out for Part 2.