MStieb
Jun 20, 09, 12:46 am
06/09/09 DEN-LAX-SEA-DEN
UA979 DEN-LAX B763 12F E+
UX5818 (Skywest) LAX-SEA CRJ-700 4C E+
UA742 SEA-DEN A320 8D E+
I have made 2p for the last 3 years on segments. I have had to use segment runs to achieve it due to my high number of flights at the 500 mile minimum. This is the first year I will make it on miles.
Using this mileage run during the DEQM promo and the previous flights I have taken (one other MR) and my two trips that have been booked, I will make the 25k EQM milestone at the end of November.
I have one other trip that is not booked to Shanhi that may be on United or China Airlines; either may put me in a position at the end of the year to attempt 1P status. I have mixed feelings about this. Part of me hopes that the trip will not be booked on a Star Alliance carrier or in a booking code on China Airlines that will not earn miles (it will be a group ticket). To be 10k short of the next milestone at the end of December will be nerve racking and put me in a rush in October to get some miles.
5:30am Alarm came entirely too early. I am out the door by 5:50, coffee by 6:00 and on the highway by 6:05. It is 60 miles to the USAirport parking lot. I drifted in and out of paying attention to NPR's Morning Edition. I sent some texts to girlfriend and Niece. My Niece loves the fact that I travel in is intrigued with my mileage runs. She will get the texts when she wakes up. My girlfriend doesn’t understand Mileage Runs and never will I think. She just thinks I’m nuts.
Upon arriving at the airport, I proceeded to the Premier Check-in line and discovered that the machine spit out the blue ticket stock. This is the first time that this has happened in Denver since I became 2p in 2006. I shot down the escalator and found the general security line to be 4 ranks deep with the Elite line almost out to the entry. So, I hoofed it over the North side security line. Much better! Only 5 people in front of me in the Elite line and the general line was only 2 ranks deep and moving fast. I cue up on a machine and 8 crew members jump the line! Still faster than the South security station I told myself.
I traveled very light today, my backpack, netbook and new (replaced) seatback organizer (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-products/941853-anyone-tried-seatback-organizer-yet.html). Security was a breeze! I wore no belt and slip on shoes. I was off the belt in 20 seconds after my things came out of the x-ray.
I hopped the train to Terminal B then headed up to the Smoking Lounge (I know, I know) and had my ritual of Ginger Ale and Bitters. I headed to Gate B32 as indicated by my Easy Update text message 20 minutes prior to the scheduled boarding time. Dang, wrong gate! Easyupdate fails again. I don’t know why I ever trust it. It is only right 1 in 10 times. Off to B42 I go….
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cQ5qTiwqUx8/Sjx1CrU7cnI/AAAAAAAABBA/zm-nF0zGnlI/s1600-h/2009-06-09+1.jpgOnce at the gate I snap a picture of the plane for the niece and send it off in a text. 767-322 is written under the chin.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cQ5qTiwqUx8/Sjx1YDZ5ecI/AAAAAAAABBI/5udXeo8v3Wo/s1600-h/2009-06-09+2.jpgThen I take a picture of the Elite gate lice 10 minutes prior to boarding and they are on the carpet already.
The boarding area is strangely empty for a 767 going to LAX. I strike up a conversation with the man sitting next to me and he tells me the GA said the flight had quite a few empty seats. His flight to Orange(?) went MX. I will have to check when I land at LAX what flight it was.
During boarding I once again watched my pet peeve in action. PAX puts luggage over 11F and proceeds back to E-. A few minutes later, PAX in 11H can’t find any overhead space and puts her luggage back over row 15. It takes 6 minutes for this to happen. All the while, no progress is being made in boarding for the right side of the aircraft behind her. This process is repeated multiple times.
I’m 12F, 12D tells me flight is full. I’m thinking that all the other PAX from the MX have been rebooked on this flight. 12D tells me 42 PAX for 38 seats are on waitlist. 12E PAX arrives a few minutes later, sits down and proceeds to call and ask someone to cancel his rental car at John Wayne Airport and get him one at LAX.
None of the armrest PSUs are working at the gate or up to 10k feet in E+. FA comes by and asks if audio is working. PAX say no. I get her attention and tell her the entire PSU is out as I push the FA call and overhead light buttons repeatedly for her to see. A few minutes later all is well and working. They were trying to solve the audio problem to no avail. Once they figured out that nothing was working it was fixed within 90 seconds. Different switches I guess.
Drinks come by, coffee for me. I had setup my seatback organizer and got my netbook out. The FA said “how neat!” I wasn’t sure if she meant the netbook or the organizer.
As I am working on this post I hibernate the computer and head to the back, way, way back it seems to get some more coffee and see about the BOB snacks. I get 10 miles per $ for using my MP Visa. A coffee refill, Odwalla bar and nut mix and I am on the way back to my seat $6 poorer but 60 miles richer! I honestly wish they would have the full snack boxes for sale. I would gladly pay for them.
LAX was a little confusing for me. It has been at least a year and I don’t remember having flown into the area around gate 72 before. I was a little turned around. I walked over to gate 82 and it was only a few minutes. Starbucks was necessary and it was across from the gate. I waited until 5 minutes before boarding to buy some food to take on-board with me from California Pizza Kitchen, half Caesar Salad / Caesar Chicken Sandwich.
The flight was checked in full with PAX on standby list. Not an empty seat. I find it interesting that a Skywest CRJ-700 flies this route (LAX-SEA). I wouldn’t think it to be a long-skinny route. 66 PAX is all that can fit. Surely at least a B737 variant or A320, A319 would serve better.
It has amazed me how prevalent RJ travel has become. I think Skywest could almost stand on it’s own as part of the Star Alliance network. I have over the last three years taken over 70 segments on Skywest, the majority of my flights. I am treated better on Skywest than on mainline UA Metal.
When I arrive at SEA I make my way out past security to passenger drop off or pickup, I can’t remember which, for a quick smoke. I spent some time in the main terminal area hooked up to their free WiFi. I wish that every Airport would do this! I caught up on my work that came in while I was in the air and went back through security.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cQ5qTiwqUx8/Sjx2XzHWWrI/AAAAAAAABBY/jSzWj3Ncdhc/s1600-h/2009-06-09+3.jpgThere was this interesting machine at SEA that allows you to download a movie to your laptop via Ethernet cable that can be viewed over a time limit. I have never seen one of these before!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cQ5qTiwqUx8/Sjx1z8lenGI/AAAAAAAABBQ/3w34R_VZeZA/s1600-h/2009-06-09+4.jpg I stopped and picked up a magazine that I would later leave in the seatback for the next PAX to read if they so chose. After I sat down the gate lice came like moths to a flame. Red Carpet, Elites and general types all began clogging the area before any announcement was made. When it finally came down for Group 1 to board there wasn’t a path. A 1P in front of me cleared the way with her BF complaining the whole time. She got a little snooty after an old woman challenged her “excuse me” with “are you group 1?” I just followed and held my tongue.
I watched the Bag Droppers do their thing again and just wondered why I do this sometimes. Maybe I shouldn’t if Gate Lice and Bag Droppers upset me so much! Oh, I remember why I do it! Shorter Lines, Upgrades, Free Travel in that order!
UA979 DEN-LAX B763 12F E+
UX5818 (Skywest) LAX-SEA CRJ-700 4C E+
UA742 SEA-DEN A320 8D E+
I have made 2p for the last 3 years on segments. I have had to use segment runs to achieve it due to my high number of flights at the 500 mile minimum. This is the first year I will make it on miles.
Using this mileage run during the DEQM promo and the previous flights I have taken (one other MR) and my two trips that have been booked, I will make the 25k EQM milestone at the end of November.
I have one other trip that is not booked to Shanhi that may be on United or China Airlines; either may put me in a position at the end of the year to attempt 1P status. I have mixed feelings about this. Part of me hopes that the trip will not be booked on a Star Alliance carrier or in a booking code on China Airlines that will not earn miles (it will be a group ticket). To be 10k short of the next milestone at the end of December will be nerve racking and put me in a rush in October to get some miles.
5:30am Alarm came entirely too early. I am out the door by 5:50, coffee by 6:00 and on the highway by 6:05. It is 60 miles to the USAirport parking lot. I drifted in and out of paying attention to NPR's Morning Edition. I sent some texts to girlfriend and Niece. My Niece loves the fact that I travel in is intrigued with my mileage runs. She will get the texts when she wakes up. My girlfriend doesn’t understand Mileage Runs and never will I think. She just thinks I’m nuts.
Upon arriving at the airport, I proceeded to the Premier Check-in line and discovered that the machine spit out the blue ticket stock. This is the first time that this has happened in Denver since I became 2p in 2006. I shot down the escalator and found the general security line to be 4 ranks deep with the Elite line almost out to the entry. So, I hoofed it over the North side security line. Much better! Only 5 people in front of me in the Elite line and the general line was only 2 ranks deep and moving fast. I cue up on a machine and 8 crew members jump the line! Still faster than the South security station I told myself.
I traveled very light today, my backpack, netbook and new (replaced) seatback organizer (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-products/941853-anyone-tried-seatback-organizer-yet.html). Security was a breeze! I wore no belt and slip on shoes. I was off the belt in 20 seconds after my things came out of the x-ray.
I hopped the train to Terminal B then headed up to the Smoking Lounge (I know, I know) and had my ritual of Ginger Ale and Bitters. I headed to Gate B32 as indicated by my Easy Update text message 20 minutes prior to the scheduled boarding time. Dang, wrong gate! Easyupdate fails again. I don’t know why I ever trust it. It is only right 1 in 10 times. Off to B42 I go….
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cQ5qTiwqUx8/Sjx1CrU7cnI/AAAAAAAABBA/zm-nF0zGnlI/s1600-h/2009-06-09+1.jpgOnce at the gate I snap a picture of the plane for the niece and send it off in a text. 767-322 is written under the chin.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cQ5qTiwqUx8/Sjx1YDZ5ecI/AAAAAAAABBI/5udXeo8v3Wo/s1600-h/2009-06-09+2.jpgThen I take a picture of the Elite gate lice 10 minutes prior to boarding and they are on the carpet already.
The boarding area is strangely empty for a 767 going to LAX. I strike up a conversation with the man sitting next to me and he tells me the GA said the flight had quite a few empty seats. His flight to Orange(?) went MX. I will have to check when I land at LAX what flight it was.
During boarding I once again watched my pet peeve in action. PAX puts luggage over 11F and proceeds back to E-. A few minutes later, PAX in 11H can’t find any overhead space and puts her luggage back over row 15. It takes 6 minutes for this to happen. All the while, no progress is being made in boarding for the right side of the aircraft behind her. This process is repeated multiple times.
I’m 12F, 12D tells me flight is full. I’m thinking that all the other PAX from the MX have been rebooked on this flight. 12D tells me 42 PAX for 38 seats are on waitlist. 12E PAX arrives a few minutes later, sits down and proceeds to call and ask someone to cancel his rental car at John Wayne Airport and get him one at LAX.
None of the armrest PSUs are working at the gate or up to 10k feet in E+. FA comes by and asks if audio is working. PAX say no. I get her attention and tell her the entire PSU is out as I push the FA call and overhead light buttons repeatedly for her to see. A few minutes later all is well and working. They were trying to solve the audio problem to no avail. Once they figured out that nothing was working it was fixed within 90 seconds. Different switches I guess.
Drinks come by, coffee for me. I had setup my seatback organizer and got my netbook out. The FA said “how neat!” I wasn’t sure if she meant the netbook or the organizer.
As I am working on this post I hibernate the computer and head to the back, way, way back it seems to get some more coffee and see about the BOB snacks. I get 10 miles per $ for using my MP Visa. A coffee refill, Odwalla bar and nut mix and I am on the way back to my seat $6 poorer but 60 miles richer! I honestly wish they would have the full snack boxes for sale. I would gladly pay for them.
LAX was a little confusing for me. It has been at least a year and I don’t remember having flown into the area around gate 72 before. I was a little turned around. I walked over to gate 82 and it was only a few minutes. Starbucks was necessary and it was across from the gate. I waited until 5 minutes before boarding to buy some food to take on-board with me from California Pizza Kitchen, half Caesar Salad / Caesar Chicken Sandwich.
The flight was checked in full with PAX on standby list. Not an empty seat. I find it interesting that a Skywest CRJ-700 flies this route (LAX-SEA). I wouldn’t think it to be a long-skinny route. 66 PAX is all that can fit. Surely at least a B737 variant or A320, A319 would serve better.
It has amazed me how prevalent RJ travel has become. I think Skywest could almost stand on it’s own as part of the Star Alliance network. I have over the last three years taken over 70 segments on Skywest, the majority of my flights. I am treated better on Skywest than on mainline UA Metal.
When I arrive at SEA I make my way out past security to passenger drop off or pickup, I can’t remember which, for a quick smoke. I spent some time in the main terminal area hooked up to their free WiFi. I wish that every Airport would do this! I caught up on my work that came in while I was in the air and went back through security.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cQ5qTiwqUx8/Sjx2XzHWWrI/AAAAAAAABBY/jSzWj3Ncdhc/s1600-h/2009-06-09+3.jpgThere was this interesting machine at SEA that allows you to download a movie to your laptop via Ethernet cable that can be viewed over a time limit. I have never seen one of these before!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cQ5qTiwqUx8/Sjx1z8lenGI/AAAAAAAABBQ/3w34R_VZeZA/s1600-h/2009-06-09+4.jpg I stopped and picked up a magazine that I would later leave in the seatback for the next PAX to read if they so chose. After I sat down the gate lice came like moths to a flame. Red Carpet, Elites and general types all began clogging the area before any announcement was made. When it finally came down for Group 1 to board there wasn’t a path. A 1P in front of me cleared the way with her BF complaining the whole time. She got a little snooty after an old woman challenged her “excuse me” with “are you group 1?” I just followed and held my tongue.
I watched the Bag Droppers do their thing again and just wondered why I do this sometimes. Maybe I shouldn’t if Gate Lice and Bag Droppers upset me so much! Oh, I remember why I do it! Shorter Lines, Upgrades, Free Travel in that order!