0 to 9600 in 3 days...
Jan 10, 2003, 7:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Bellevue, WA-AAEXP3mm
Posts: 2,962
0 to 9600 in 3 days...
AKA my first MR as a newly minted EXP in 2003. Well, I can’t stand seeing that zero in my AA Y-T-D miles balance, and, as it’s the first weekend of the new year, it’s time to do something about it. Florida and L.A. are always nicer the SEA at this time of year, so off I go on a couple of el cheapo tickets. Less than four hundred dollars for the whole shebang, so I’m feeling fairly thrifty about this run.
SEA-STL-MCO, AA 3122, 757-200, 10:01 A.M. Sat., 1/3/03, Seat 2B
This is one of those “continuing flights” on the same aircraft; instead of being a 5 hour non-stop, it becomes a 7 hour and two minute domestic mini-marathon. What the heck, it’ll all be up front, so it’s a good time to test the recent postings of AA’s food allegedly getting better on the old TWA metal. The last time I went through STL in November, the food and service were pretty dismal.
We have a movie on this segment, K19:The Widowmaker, with Harrison Ford. As I can’t stand watching movies that have been dumbed down and edited for television, I think I’ll pass on the inflight entertainment and do a little studying for my upcoming LSAT test. The Y section on the SEA-STL segment is pretty full, but there are only 9 of us in the 20 seat F section. I have totally lucked out and scored an entire open row…lotsa room to spread out.
This flight’s meal service:
Hot towel service (it’s been missing this in F on the last 3 SEA-ORD-SEA trips) followed by:
Warmed assorted nuts
Choice of either:
Chicken Salad Sandwich on Focaccia Bread
Shrimp Salad
Served with cheese and crackers, Milano cookies.
Choice of beverage
I decide on the chicken salad sandwich, as I want something a little more on the substantial side for the flight. I had no idea at the time if we were going to get anything to eat on the STL-MCO leg, so I figure, what the heck, go for the ol’ gut buster now. Wrong. It’s a half sammich, pretty good actually, but nowhere near what this guy’s gonna need for the six hours that remain. At least there’s a fair amount of cheese & crackers, and those Milano cookies are always a smile getter. Life is good. The FA’s on the flight are somewhat attentive, but as usual, gone after the meal service is finito.
The skipper tells us that our route will take us over the Idaho / Oregon border at about the Hell’s Canyon recreation area, and it’s about at this point that the bumps start. They’ll continue on and off from here to Nebraska and onward; thus, the seatbelt chime and ensuing announcements are endless, as is the seatbelt light going on and off. It reminds me of being in a bonus situation while playing pinball.
It’s getting on towards dusk as we approach Lambert Field from the west on this mostly cloudy afternoon; there appears to be plenty of snow on the ground left from a dumping earlier in the week. Arriving 20 minutes early, it means I’ll have about an hour on the ground before we take off again for Orlando. Rather than risk a “random TSA screening” upon reboarding, I opt to hang out on the plane and observe the crew change and cleaning. Besides, I’ve been to the Admiral’s Club here, and I didn’t think it was all that great.
STL-MCO, AA 3122, the same 757-200, 4:53 P.M., Sat., Jan. 4, 2003, still in 2B
Well, we have a whole new flight deck crew and team of FA’s for this scheduled 2:17 leg; the FA’s get on and immediately, the mood on board the aircraft seems to lighten a bit. The FA serving F tonight, Liz, is one of the friendliest and most interesting FA’s I’ve met while flying anywhere. She is not only well versed in Paso Robles wineries and the enology program at U.C. Davis, but knows several single barrel bourbons and single malt scotches by name and taste. I am quite impressed, especially with the Paso Robles familiarity; I rarely meet anyone that knows the wineries in the area as well as I do (other than residents). I use a bit of the ol’ charm when I notice there’s no ring on her left hand, but she’s way ahead of me. Can’t blame a guy for trying.
Meal service on this leg:
No hot towels
Half turkey & cheese sandwich
Pasta salad with beans & tomatoes on a bed of lettuce
More Milano cookies (chocolate jones temporarily satisfied)
Pretzels (I miss the colossal cheddar mix, gone but not forgotten)
Hey, I’m kinda shocked that there’s food service on this short leg, even if it is at the dinner hour. Nice touch. The FA’s are all pretty good and attentive on this flight, and, as was the SEA-STL leg, Y is packed, but FC only has 6 takers. I keep my empty row and try to remember the last time this happened. Liz and another of the main cabin FA’s are constantly up and down, walking both cabins and seeing if any of us need anything (OK, I’ll have another crown-on-the –rocks).
I remember that I have about a dozen or so SOS’s in my laptop bag, so I give one to each of them. There is some discussion as to whether they are still good or not (did they have to receive them by 12/6/02 and turn them in by 1/31/03, or are they still good until 1/31/03?), but I tell them I think they still are. One of the FA’s says that these are good for free FC upgrades on non-rev flights, so I hope it works out for them. I am really not pleased to see this program ending just as I am becoming a truly “frequent flyer” on AA for the first time and enjoy the ability to recognize an employee for going above and beyond the call of duty. What a slap in the face to both AA elites and employees in discontinuing this recognition program. I truly hope that AA executives rethink this decision.
Warmed by the Crown and good service, it’s an uneventful approach and landing in MCO. I grab my bags and head for the Airport Marriott bus pickup space outside terminal A, where I’ve booked a pretty cheap ($60) Hotwire stay.
The Marriott Orlando Airport Hotel, Saturday, 1/4/03
The shuttle driver’s there lickety split and gets me to the hotel in about 3 minutes. There’s somewhat of a “hotel row” right at the airport entrance, and it’s one of the smartest layouts I’ve ever seen. Come to think of it, I was very impressed at the terminal layout, inter-terminal shuttle frequency and signage at MCO. I wish more airports were laid out and organized like this. For a first time passenger arriving there, I had absolutely no trouble locating the hotel courtesy phones, exits or where to go after deplaning. This has been a minor challenge at some airports (particularly the first time I went into JFK). Even the clerk that I called at the hotel was friendly, spoke excellent english and gave me specific directions on where to meet the van.
As to the hotel itself, the rooms were ok, but nothing special. I had a burger in the Paradise lounge while watching the Falcons take the Packers apart. It’s only the second time I’ve been able to watch Michael Vick all season, and this guy is worthy of all the hype…he is exciting to watch. I’ve looked through some postings in the FT Marriott forum on this property, so I was pretty prepared for what I got; a room with a foam mattress, no ironing board, loud clientele and stale furniture. It confirms earlier suspicions from Hotwire hotel stays in that I think they give you the least desirable rooms
at the property. I guess this makes sense, but I have to say that I’m probably going to bail on Hotwire after this trip…the rooms I’ve received from their bookings have all been pretty substandard at what could be nice properties. Since I’ve never had a really bad experience as a Diamond at Hilton, I’ll just pay the extra and get what I want from now on.
MCO – DFW, AA 2271, MD-80, 9:40 A.M. Sun. 1/4/03, Seat 8B
Oh, man, I don’t know if I can stand it…the upgrades that I requested back in September when I booked this flight as a PLT didn’t come through. It seems as if every seat on this flight was either a paid F, Aadvantage 15K/30K upgrader or Aadvantage FC Aaward ticket. There never was any “upgrade sticker” inventory….which I thought was kind of unusual until I thought about this being the last day of the holiday travel season.
Probably due to the above, this flight was oversold by 6 seats; the GA’s were asking for volunteers, offering a $300.00 voucher. As I had 2-1/2 hours to kill at DFW, and the next MCO-DFW left at 10:46 (cutting my wait for the DFW-LAX segment to just under 90 minutes), I offered to give up my seat. No sweat, except the 10:49 to DFW is already oversold by 8 seats. The only other flight is a non-stop MCO-LAX that doesn’t leave until after 3 p.m., and it’s already oversold by one seat. So, they can’t give me a guaranteed seat assignment to LAX from MCO at all today. So, a nice try, but no cigar.
I did overhear the meal selections in FC, and at once was pleased that I didn’t get to use the two required upgrade stickers.
No hot towel service
Choice of:
Pancakes, skillet potatoes and sausage
Rice Krispies cereal with fruit
Egg Quesadillas with sausage
Bagels
Lots of college students and families with screamin’ babies on this flight; it’s a great time to break out the ol’ silicone earplugs. A scheduled 2:55 leg with only beverage service back here in steerage, I opt for a nap on this segment after catching up on the latest news in the Orlando Sentinal. The earplugs do their job quite nicely, funneling out the high pitched wailing and complaining from mouths that, if they could speak, would be asking for relief from the pains associated with ascending and descending pressurized aircraft cabins. A rather uneventful and smooth flight, we arrive at DFW about 5 minutes early.
DFW-LAX, AA 2445, 757, 2:24 PM, Sun 1/5/03, Seat 17C
Upon deplaning from the MCO-DFW segment, it’s off to the A terminal AC for an update on my remaining upgrade requests. Wow. Oh-for-two on the upgrade action…there were five seats available in FC when I checked this segment on Friday the 3rd, so I wonder what happened? The agent mentioned that even though I was listed as an EXE on the reservation, I was first on the waiting list for FC. Seems as if some PLT’s were upgraded ahead of me; the reason given that I although I booked this four months ago, due to a schedule change, I was put on a new upgrade list in November. Then, after making EXE in late December, I was “moved up” on the list again, changing my upgrade request date now to December 27. I’m still confused as to how all this works, but I accept my rejection from the upgrade “Wheel of Fortune” and head off to catch up on some e-mails.
I guess I can tough it out back in cattle class for this 3:16 segment, at least it’s an exit row aisle seat.
The only interesting person on this leg is my seatmate; he has brought on a bag clearly too large to fit into a 757 overhead bin, and thus, much too large to fit under the seat. Rather than contact a flight attendant to assist in gate checking the bag during the boarding process, he lets the window seat person trip over his bag getting to her seat. He sits there until the final preflight cabin check is made, and of course, the flight attendant notices the bag under his feet blocking the exit row aisle. The flight is delayed perhaps five to seven minutes while bonehead hauls his bag to the front of the plane to locate a storage spot for it. Fortunately, the FA’s are merciful on this putz and let him stow his bag in the forward rollup bin where they keep crew bags.
This is another “beverage service only” flight, so I grab a turkey sandwich in the B concourse at DFW before getting on board. Again, probably due to being the last day of the holiday season, the Y section is packed, lots of families and college students again. The service is pretty decent for Y, the drink cart comes by twice. I resist the urge to start pounding the Crown early and opt for water.
Four Points Hotel, LAX Int’l Airport, Sunday 1/5/2003
It takes about 20 minutes for the shuttle driver to pick me up out in front of T4 at LAX; the ride over to the hotel is about 5 minutes after stops at T5 & T6. One of the neat things about staying near the airport in L.A. is all the international passengers. There is a discordant melange of at least four languages other than english being spoken on our half full shuttle this afternoon; I pick out spanish, french, german and mandarin chinese.
It’s an absolutely gorgeous afternoon in L.A., weather wise. The temperature has got to be near 80 degrees F, and there’s nary a cloud to be seen. The Santa Ana’s, which are somewhat strong today, have kept the normally ever present smog somewhat at bay. Check-in is relatively swift; I am given a smoking room on the second floor. The room is a bit on the small side, even by airport standards, but it is clean and really doesn’t reek; it looks as if the rooms were renovated fairly recently. There’s a nice selection of bath amenities and a real coffeemaker. Unlike last night’s Marriott, I have a real ironing board (gotta keep those shirts pressed) and a window that opens. After unpacking, I head off to the brewpub lounge (of which I have already forgotten the name…hmmm, must have something to do with the four beers I wind up having here) to have a beer and something to eat. The Black Hawks and Red Wings are on T.V. in the lounge, so things are looking up.
The lounge here is smallish and uninspiring at first, but Nero at the bar assures me that he has more than enough varieties of hops-and-malt libations to satisfy my taste and preferences. “So, something other than the usual Bud and Miller stuff, huh?” I ask. He grins and gives me a menu, which I assume is food. It isn’t. This lounge serves at least 50 different beers; a pleasant surprise and highly unusual for an airport area hotel. I am immediately impressed with this place and settle for the most highly hopped selection on the menu, Anderson’s I.P.A. It’s excellent, one of the best beers I’ve ever had; I’m going to need some wings to go with this. The service and beer knowledge here is terrific; I am highly entertained on two fronts including the hockey game. If you’re a beer connoisseur, IMHO this is the place if you’re going to be staying at the L.A. Airport. The food is above average (the wings were HOT and the fish tacos pretty good), the rooms very decent and the overall value outstanding if on a discounted stay of about $60.00 a night.
MCO-LAX, AA244, 737-800, 9:30AM Monday, 1/6/03, Seat 3E
The gods are smiling on me for a Monday morning. My upgrade for this leg clears at the airport, and I am leaving from T3….no T4 check-in nightmare for this trip. Since I’m an hour early even after getting through security, I head to the Admiral’s Club, which is conveniently located right near departure gate 34. I watch our 737 roll up to the gate at 8:20, a full 40 minutes before boarding; looks like we’ll be leaving on time.
Watching CNN at the hotel this morning, I note that Sea-Tac had double trouble last night. Not only did a TSA screener fall asleep during his duties, prompting the delay of 23 inbound flights and the disruption of 4 terminals, somebody got pissed enough to call in a bomb threat there. A combination of “your tax dollar at work” and a disgruntled, bored anarchist no doubt looking for something to do after the WTO riots of last year. I am grinning thinking about the TSA moron falling asleep; I bet Spiff’s having a field day with this one on the FT board today. The bomb threat? Another idiot focusing impotent rage in the wrong direction. There seems to be a fair amount of that in the Pacific Northwest these days.
Boarding is uneventful; though there is a “secondary screening area” adjacent to the gate, no one is being pulled from line to be accosted, and there are no TSA people to be found. I thought that T4 was the only area at LAX that was doing away with gate screening as a test, but I guess it’s spreading. This is a good thing.
Since I have a bulkhead seat, I get into the boarding line early and hope to get on before the overhead space is full by my row. I find it a bit of a pain to have to go back five or six rows to get my bags upon arrival, as the flow of traffic is heading in the opposite direction. I wind up being the second passenger on board; no sweat getting the laptop and gym bag overhead. First class winds up completely full, yet coach is only at about 80%.
Though it’s only a 4:06 flight to MCO, we’re being treated as a transcon and are given printed menus in FC. The meal selections for this flight:
No pre-departure beverage offered, BUT:
Hot towels (with that lemony scent, I really wish AA did this more often)
Warmed assorted mixed nuts
Basil cured salmon with tomato caper relish, lemon and a french baguette crouton
Caesar salad with croutons and parmesan cheese
Entrees:
Herb Poached Salmon with romaine lettuce salad and feta cheese
Mango Cilantro Chicken with Asparagus tips and Sweet Potatoes
Wild Mushroom Tortelloni with shiitake mushrooms and spinach (optional Chicken Breast)
Assorted warm breads
The Cheese and Desert cart: Cheese with fruit and crackers or
Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream w/ choice of toppings
The tortelloni (don’t ask me why they spelled it this way) is actually quite good; the pasta is “gathered” at the base and contains what I assume to be ricotta. The salmon crostini appetizer is excellent; I find myself in the rare position of wishing for another portion of airline food. As I am surrounded by what sounds like the sick huddled masses with colds, I stick with orange juice throughout the flight and decline the desert selections.
This flight I’ve decided to name the “hackers and coughers” flight. It seems everyone up front (with the exception of moi) is expectorating something during the course of the flight; the sounds the guy is making behind me in 4E are completely repulsive. I’m half waiting for a half a lung or so to come shooting over the seat, bounce off the bulkhead wall and land in my lap. Echinacea, please do your thing.
Since we’re eastbound, the movie is once again K-19: The Widowmaker; I opt for a nap and sleep through about two thirds of the flight. Approach and landing are uneventful at MCO, so I head off to a quiet place in terminal A to catch up on some business calls and a little update on the old trip report.
MCO-STL, AA 3039, 757-200, 6:34 p.m. Monday, 1/6/03, Seat 3B
Am I a total non-observant bonehead, or do all the ex-TWA 757’s in FC come with footrests? It’s the first time I’ve noticed these little goodies. I’ve said it before, so I’ll rehash it again: I like these seats better than the AA leather ones. Supposedly, according to tonight’s FA up front, when these birds go in for heavy maintenance they’ll be putting power ports in them. I’m kind of surprised, as I thought these 757’s were getting retired in a few years. I’m hoping that AA decides to save money and leave these seats alone.
This flight’s meal offering:
Pre-departure cocktail
No hot towels
Assorted greens salad with basil vinaigrette dressing
Steak with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and assorted squash
Roll with butter
Oatmeal apple bar
At last, a Crown Royal on the rocks. I do not ask for, but receive, a double. Methinks it helps to smile at the FA’s and treat them well, saying please and thank you, being truly appreciative for the unthankful job that they do.
IFE: Rehashed TV garbage from CBS
It’s kind of bumpy on this leg, so we’re once again alternating between the seat belt sign on and off dings, lights and announcements. I am thankful that the weather gods have been smiling down upon me during this trip; no delays on a seven segment trip in the dead of winter.
At just over two hours, I am once again surprised that the meal service is as extensive as it is; I guess I’ll never be able to figure AA and their feeding practices out. First class has all of nine takers out of twenty seats, and three of those are deadheading pilots. Even coach is fairly empty on this flight; quite a difference between today’s and yesterdays flights. Well, the laptop battery has about had it, and we’re just starting to descend for Lambert Field, so without power ports, it’s adios amigos for now.
STL-SEA, AA 3105, 757-200 9:19 P.M., Monday 1/6/03, Seat 3B
The really good news is that we’re going to get into Seattle about 40 minutes early. The bad news is that there’s no grub on this segment, except for the two packets of Fisher’s Almonds. I believe I’ll take some pleasure from emptying the Crown Royal supply on this aircraft; I believe they usually get four or six, and I’ll test that theory. Our FA has no qualms about pouring pre-departure doubles, and I’m fairly anesthetized even before takeoff.
Our inflight movie is Possession, with Gwynneth Paltrow. Since you all know of my disdain for edited commercial aircraft motion pictures by now, I’ll spare you of any reviews. My fellow up front pax include a 400+ pounder in back of me trying to destroy the seat frame and a 20 something couple in 3D & F, but other than that, FC is empty tonight. I score my fourth empty row out of seven segments; the commercial aviation gods are definitely with me this weekend.
Seems the lack of fog at SeaTac (very prevalent this time of year) will allow us to land night VFR, so that more aircraft can come in at one time. I wish the tree huggers would quit filing legal motions and stalling the third runway that’s due to be built there in the next few years; it’s inevitable and will cut down on flight delays. The anti-noise NIMBY freaks are just running up the bill by protesting the project and dragging it out. They don’t realize that all of the posturing and public hearings will eventually come out of all the locals’ pockets in the form of increased tax dollars and fees. The problem with the existing two parallel runways, 16L/16R and 34L/34R, is that they are too close together under FAA IFR minimums to land two aircraft side-by-side simultaneously during poor weather conditions…of which Seattle is somewhat famous for. The result? Fog, low ceilings or rain equal delays.
Enduring a few bumps on climbout, I could swear this is the same bird I just got off of, as the drink swing out in the seat console is stuck shut the way it was on the last ’57. I keep forgetting that these poor birds have been through a lot in their twenty some years of service; while I think of them as relatively new aircraft, their flight hours and interior condition prove otherwise. Looking down, I notice that there are no footrests on this plane; I immediately feel better at what I perceived last flight as total ignorance on my part. How could I have failed to recognize luxury accoutrements on these aircraft before? Fellow FT’ers, feel free to tell me that the footrests are an anomaly and are rare on the ex-TWA 757’s…I’ll feel a lot better.
Well, I’ve just been handed a bag of Rold Gold Pretzels, and rather than wax poetic regarding the loss I feel for the demise of colossal cheddar snacks (techgirl, you’re not alone is missing the good ol’ days) , I believe I’ll choose this as a most fitting point at which to end this written drivel. Thanks for reading, if you’re still awake; I must go, as I hear Mr. Seagram calling. Just think, if there were power ports on these birds, you’d have been blessed with another 700 words.
SEA-STL-MCO, AA 3122, 757-200, 10:01 A.M. Sat., 1/3/03, Seat 2B
This is one of those “continuing flights” on the same aircraft; instead of being a 5 hour non-stop, it becomes a 7 hour and two minute domestic mini-marathon. What the heck, it’ll all be up front, so it’s a good time to test the recent postings of AA’s food allegedly getting better on the old TWA metal. The last time I went through STL in November, the food and service were pretty dismal.
We have a movie on this segment, K19:The Widowmaker, with Harrison Ford. As I can’t stand watching movies that have been dumbed down and edited for television, I think I’ll pass on the inflight entertainment and do a little studying for my upcoming LSAT test. The Y section on the SEA-STL segment is pretty full, but there are only 9 of us in the 20 seat F section. I have totally lucked out and scored an entire open row…lotsa room to spread out.
This flight’s meal service:
Hot towel service (it’s been missing this in F on the last 3 SEA-ORD-SEA trips) followed by:
Warmed assorted nuts
Choice of either:
Chicken Salad Sandwich on Focaccia Bread
Shrimp Salad
Served with cheese and crackers, Milano cookies.
Choice of beverage
I decide on the chicken salad sandwich, as I want something a little more on the substantial side for the flight. I had no idea at the time if we were going to get anything to eat on the STL-MCO leg, so I figure, what the heck, go for the ol’ gut buster now. Wrong. It’s a half sammich, pretty good actually, but nowhere near what this guy’s gonna need for the six hours that remain. At least there’s a fair amount of cheese & crackers, and those Milano cookies are always a smile getter. Life is good. The FA’s on the flight are somewhat attentive, but as usual, gone after the meal service is finito.
The skipper tells us that our route will take us over the Idaho / Oregon border at about the Hell’s Canyon recreation area, and it’s about at this point that the bumps start. They’ll continue on and off from here to Nebraska and onward; thus, the seatbelt chime and ensuing announcements are endless, as is the seatbelt light going on and off. It reminds me of being in a bonus situation while playing pinball.
It’s getting on towards dusk as we approach Lambert Field from the west on this mostly cloudy afternoon; there appears to be plenty of snow on the ground left from a dumping earlier in the week. Arriving 20 minutes early, it means I’ll have about an hour on the ground before we take off again for Orlando. Rather than risk a “random TSA screening” upon reboarding, I opt to hang out on the plane and observe the crew change and cleaning. Besides, I’ve been to the Admiral’s Club here, and I didn’t think it was all that great.
STL-MCO, AA 3122, the same 757-200, 4:53 P.M., Sat., Jan. 4, 2003, still in 2B
Well, we have a whole new flight deck crew and team of FA’s for this scheduled 2:17 leg; the FA’s get on and immediately, the mood on board the aircraft seems to lighten a bit. The FA serving F tonight, Liz, is one of the friendliest and most interesting FA’s I’ve met while flying anywhere. She is not only well versed in Paso Robles wineries and the enology program at U.C. Davis, but knows several single barrel bourbons and single malt scotches by name and taste. I am quite impressed, especially with the Paso Robles familiarity; I rarely meet anyone that knows the wineries in the area as well as I do (other than residents). I use a bit of the ol’ charm when I notice there’s no ring on her left hand, but she’s way ahead of me. Can’t blame a guy for trying.
Meal service on this leg:
No hot towels
Half turkey & cheese sandwich
Pasta salad with beans & tomatoes on a bed of lettuce
More Milano cookies (chocolate jones temporarily satisfied)
Pretzels (I miss the colossal cheddar mix, gone but not forgotten)
Hey, I’m kinda shocked that there’s food service on this short leg, even if it is at the dinner hour. Nice touch. The FA’s are all pretty good and attentive on this flight, and, as was the SEA-STL leg, Y is packed, but FC only has 6 takers. I keep my empty row and try to remember the last time this happened. Liz and another of the main cabin FA’s are constantly up and down, walking both cabins and seeing if any of us need anything (OK, I’ll have another crown-on-the –rocks).
I remember that I have about a dozen or so SOS’s in my laptop bag, so I give one to each of them. There is some discussion as to whether they are still good or not (did they have to receive them by 12/6/02 and turn them in by 1/31/03, or are they still good until 1/31/03?), but I tell them I think they still are. One of the FA’s says that these are good for free FC upgrades on non-rev flights, so I hope it works out for them. I am really not pleased to see this program ending just as I am becoming a truly “frequent flyer” on AA for the first time and enjoy the ability to recognize an employee for going above and beyond the call of duty. What a slap in the face to both AA elites and employees in discontinuing this recognition program. I truly hope that AA executives rethink this decision.
Warmed by the Crown and good service, it’s an uneventful approach and landing in MCO. I grab my bags and head for the Airport Marriott bus pickup space outside terminal A, where I’ve booked a pretty cheap ($60) Hotwire stay.
The Marriott Orlando Airport Hotel, Saturday, 1/4/03
The shuttle driver’s there lickety split and gets me to the hotel in about 3 minutes. There’s somewhat of a “hotel row” right at the airport entrance, and it’s one of the smartest layouts I’ve ever seen. Come to think of it, I was very impressed at the terminal layout, inter-terminal shuttle frequency and signage at MCO. I wish more airports were laid out and organized like this. For a first time passenger arriving there, I had absolutely no trouble locating the hotel courtesy phones, exits or where to go after deplaning. This has been a minor challenge at some airports (particularly the first time I went into JFK). Even the clerk that I called at the hotel was friendly, spoke excellent english and gave me specific directions on where to meet the van.
As to the hotel itself, the rooms were ok, but nothing special. I had a burger in the Paradise lounge while watching the Falcons take the Packers apart. It’s only the second time I’ve been able to watch Michael Vick all season, and this guy is worthy of all the hype…he is exciting to watch. I’ve looked through some postings in the FT Marriott forum on this property, so I was pretty prepared for what I got; a room with a foam mattress, no ironing board, loud clientele and stale furniture. It confirms earlier suspicions from Hotwire hotel stays in that I think they give you the least desirable rooms
at the property. I guess this makes sense, but I have to say that I’m probably going to bail on Hotwire after this trip…the rooms I’ve received from their bookings have all been pretty substandard at what could be nice properties. Since I’ve never had a really bad experience as a Diamond at Hilton, I’ll just pay the extra and get what I want from now on.
MCO – DFW, AA 2271, MD-80, 9:40 A.M. Sun. 1/4/03, Seat 8B
Oh, man, I don’t know if I can stand it…the upgrades that I requested back in September when I booked this flight as a PLT didn’t come through. It seems as if every seat on this flight was either a paid F, Aadvantage 15K/30K upgrader or Aadvantage FC Aaward ticket. There never was any “upgrade sticker” inventory….which I thought was kind of unusual until I thought about this being the last day of the holiday travel season.
Probably due to the above, this flight was oversold by 6 seats; the GA’s were asking for volunteers, offering a $300.00 voucher. As I had 2-1/2 hours to kill at DFW, and the next MCO-DFW left at 10:46 (cutting my wait for the DFW-LAX segment to just under 90 minutes), I offered to give up my seat. No sweat, except the 10:49 to DFW is already oversold by 8 seats. The only other flight is a non-stop MCO-LAX that doesn’t leave until after 3 p.m., and it’s already oversold by one seat. So, they can’t give me a guaranteed seat assignment to LAX from MCO at all today. So, a nice try, but no cigar.
I did overhear the meal selections in FC, and at once was pleased that I didn’t get to use the two required upgrade stickers.
No hot towel service
Choice of:
Pancakes, skillet potatoes and sausage
Rice Krispies cereal with fruit
Egg Quesadillas with sausage
Bagels
Lots of college students and families with screamin’ babies on this flight; it’s a great time to break out the ol’ silicone earplugs. A scheduled 2:55 leg with only beverage service back here in steerage, I opt for a nap on this segment after catching up on the latest news in the Orlando Sentinal. The earplugs do their job quite nicely, funneling out the high pitched wailing and complaining from mouths that, if they could speak, would be asking for relief from the pains associated with ascending and descending pressurized aircraft cabins. A rather uneventful and smooth flight, we arrive at DFW about 5 minutes early.
DFW-LAX, AA 2445, 757, 2:24 PM, Sun 1/5/03, Seat 17C
Upon deplaning from the MCO-DFW segment, it’s off to the A terminal AC for an update on my remaining upgrade requests. Wow. Oh-for-two on the upgrade action…there were five seats available in FC when I checked this segment on Friday the 3rd, so I wonder what happened? The agent mentioned that even though I was listed as an EXE on the reservation, I was first on the waiting list for FC. Seems as if some PLT’s were upgraded ahead of me; the reason given that I although I booked this four months ago, due to a schedule change, I was put on a new upgrade list in November. Then, after making EXE in late December, I was “moved up” on the list again, changing my upgrade request date now to December 27. I’m still confused as to how all this works, but I accept my rejection from the upgrade “Wheel of Fortune” and head off to catch up on some e-mails.
I guess I can tough it out back in cattle class for this 3:16 segment, at least it’s an exit row aisle seat.
The only interesting person on this leg is my seatmate; he has brought on a bag clearly too large to fit into a 757 overhead bin, and thus, much too large to fit under the seat. Rather than contact a flight attendant to assist in gate checking the bag during the boarding process, he lets the window seat person trip over his bag getting to her seat. He sits there until the final preflight cabin check is made, and of course, the flight attendant notices the bag under his feet blocking the exit row aisle. The flight is delayed perhaps five to seven minutes while bonehead hauls his bag to the front of the plane to locate a storage spot for it. Fortunately, the FA’s are merciful on this putz and let him stow his bag in the forward rollup bin where they keep crew bags.
This is another “beverage service only” flight, so I grab a turkey sandwich in the B concourse at DFW before getting on board. Again, probably due to being the last day of the holiday season, the Y section is packed, lots of families and college students again. The service is pretty decent for Y, the drink cart comes by twice. I resist the urge to start pounding the Crown early and opt for water.
Four Points Hotel, LAX Int’l Airport, Sunday 1/5/2003
It takes about 20 minutes for the shuttle driver to pick me up out in front of T4 at LAX; the ride over to the hotel is about 5 minutes after stops at T5 & T6. One of the neat things about staying near the airport in L.A. is all the international passengers. There is a discordant melange of at least four languages other than english being spoken on our half full shuttle this afternoon; I pick out spanish, french, german and mandarin chinese.
It’s an absolutely gorgeous afternoon in L.A., weather wise. The temperature has got to be near 80 degrees F, and there’s nary a cloud to be seen. The Santa Ana’s, which are somewhat strong today, have kept the normally ever present smog somewhat at bay. Check-in is relatively swift; I am given a smoking room on the second floor. The room is a bit on the small side, even by airport standards, but it is clean and really doesn’t reek; it looks as if the rooms were renovated fairly recently. There’s a nice selection of bath amenities and a real coffeemaker. Unlike last night’s Marriott, I have a real ironing board (gotta keep those shirts pressed) and a window that opens. After unpacking, I head off to the brewpub lounge (of which I have already forgotten the name…hmmm, must have something to do with the four beers I wind up having here) to have a beer and something to eat. The Black Hawks and Red Wings are on T.V. in the lounge, so things are looking up.
The lounge here is smallish and uninspiring at first, but Nero at the bar assures me that he has more than enough varieties of hops-and-malt libations to satisfy my taste and preferences. “So, something other than the usual Bud and Miller stuff, huh?” I ask. He grins and gives me a menu, which I assume is food. It isn’t. This lounge serves at least 50 different beers; a pleasant surprise and highly unusual for an airport area hotel. I am immediately impressed with this place and settle for the most highly hopped selection on the menu, Anderson’s I.P.A. It’s excellent, one of the best beers I’ve ever had; I’m going to need some wings to go with this. The service and beer knowledge here is terrific; I am highly entertained on two fronts including the hockey game. If you’re a beer connoisseur, IMHO this is the place if you’re going to be staying at the L.A. Airport. The food is above average (the wings were HOT and the fish tacos pretty good), the rooms very decent and the overall value outstanding if on a discounted stay of about $60.00 a night.
MCO-LAX, AA244, 737-800, 9:30AM Monday, 1/6/03, Seat 3E
The gods are smiling on me for a Monday morning. My upgrade for this leg clears at the airport, and I am leaving from T3….no T4 check-in nightmare for this trip. Since I’m an hour early even after getting through security, I head to the Admiral’s Club, which is conveniently located right near departure gate 34. I watch our 737 roll up to the gate at 8:20, a full 40 minutes before boarding; looks like we’ll be leaving on time.
Watching CNN at the hotel this morning, I note that Sea-Tac had double trouble last night. Not only did a TSA screener fall asleep during his duties, prompting the delay of 23 inbound flights and the disruption of 4 terminals, somebody got pissed enough to call in a bomb threat there. A combination of “your tax dollar at work” and a disgruntled, bored anarchist no doubt looking for something to do after the WTO riots of last year. I am grinning thinking about the TSA moron falling asleep; I bet Spiff’s having a field day with this one on the FT board today. The bomb threat? Another idiot focusing impotent rage in the wrong direction. There seems to be a fair amount of that in the Pacific Northwest these days.
Boarding is uneventful; though there is a “secondary screening area” adjacent to the gate, no one is being pulled from line to be accosted, and there are no TSA people to be found. I thought that T4 was the only area at LAX that was doing away with gate screening as a test, but I guess it’s spreading. This is a good thing.
Since I have a bulkhead seat, I get into the boarding line early and hope to get on before the overhead space is full by my row. I find it a bit of a pain to have to go back five or six rows to get my bags upon arrival, as the flow of traffic is heading in the opposite direction. I wind up being the second passenger on board; no sweat getting the laptop and gym bag overhead. First class winds up completely full, yet coach is only at about 80%.
Though it’s only a 4:06 flight to MCO, we’re being treated as a transcon and are given printed menus in FC. The meal selections for this flight:
No pre-departure beverage offered, BUT:
Hot towels (with that lemony scent, I really wish AA did this more often)
Warmed assorted mixed nuts
Basil cured salmon with tomato caper relish, lemon and a french baguette crouton
Caesar salad with croutons and parmesan cheese
Entrees:
Herb Poached Salmon with romaine lettuce salad and feta cheese
Mango Cilantro Chicken with Asparagus tips and Sweet Potatoes
Wild Mushroom Tortelloni with shiitake mushrooms and spinach (optional Chicken Breast)
Assorted warm breads
The Cheese and Desert cart: Cheese with fruit and crackers or
Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream w/ choice of toppings
The tortelloni (don’t ask me why they spelled it this way) is actually quite good; the pasta is “gathered” at the base and contains what I assume to be ricotta. The salmon crostini appetizer is excellent; I find myself in the rare position of wishing for another portion of airline food. As I am surrounded by what sounds like the sick huddled masses with colds, I stick with orange juice throughout the flight and decline the desert selections.
This flight I’ve decided to name the “hackers and coughers” flight. It seems everyone up front (with the exception of moi) is expectorating something during the course of the flight; the sounds the guy is making behind me in 4E are completely repulsive. I’m half waiting for a half a lung or so to come shooting over the seat, bounce off the bulkhead wall and land in my lap. Echinacea, please do your thing.
Since we’re eastbound, the movie is once again K-19: The Widowmaker; I opt for a nap and sleep through about two thirds of the flight. Approach and landing are uneventful at MCO, so I head off to a quiet place in terminal A to catch up on some business calls and a little update on the old trip report.
MCO-STL, AA 3039, 757-200, 6:34 p.m. Monday, 1/6/03, Seat 3B
Am I a total non-observant bonehead, or do all the ex-TWA 757’s in FC come with footrests? It’s the first time I’ve noticed these little goodies. I’ve said it before, so I’ll rehash it again: I like these seats better than the AA leather ones. Supposedly, according to tonight’s FA up front, when these birds go in for heavy maintenance they’ll be putting power ports in them. I’m kind of surprised, as I thought these 757’s were getting retired in a few years. I’m hoping that AA decides to save money and leave these seats alone.
This flight’s meal offering:
Pre-departure cocktail
No hot towels
Assorted greens salad with basil vinaigrette dressing
Steak with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and assorted squash
Roll with butter
Oatmeal apple bar
At last, a Crown Royal on the rocks. I do not ask for, but receive, a double. Methinks it helps to smile at the FA’s and treat them well, saying please and thank you, being truly appreciative for the unthankful job that they do.
IFE: Rehashed TV garbage from CBS
It’s kind of bumpy on this leg, so we’re once again alternating between the seat belt sign on and off dings, lights and announcements. I am thankful that the weather gods have been smiling down upon me during this trip; no delays on a seven segment trip in the dead of winter.
At just over two hours, I am once again surprised that the meal service is as extensive as it is; I guess I’ll never be able to figure AA and their feeding practices out. First class has all of nine takers out of twenty seats, and three of those are deadheading pilots. Even coach is fairly empty on this flight; quite a difference between today’s and yesterdays flights. Well, the laptop battery has about had it, and we’re just starting to descend for Lambert Field, so without power ports, it’s adios amigos for now.
STL-SEA, AA 3105, 757-200 9:19 P.M., Monday 1/6/03, Seat 3B
The really good news is that we’re going to get into Seattle about 40 minutes early. The bad news is that there’s no grub on this segment, except for the two packets of Fisher’s Almonds. I believe I’ll take some pleasure from emptying the Crown Royal supply on this aircraft; I believe they usually get four or six, and I’ll test that theory. Our FA has no qualms about pouring pre-departure doubles, and I’m fairly anesthetized even before takeoff.
Our inflight movie is Possession, with Gwynneth Paltrow. Since you all know of my disdain for edited commercial aircraft motion pictures by now, I’ll spare you of any reviews. My fellow up front pax include a 400+ pounder in back of me trying to destroy the seat frame and a 20 something couple in 3D & F, but other than that, FC is empty tonight. I score my fourth empty row out of seven segments; the commercial aviation gods are definitely with me this weekend.
Seems the lack of fog at SeaTac (very prevalent this time of year) will allow us to land night VFR, so that more aircraft can come in at one time. I wish the tree huggers would quit filing legal motions and stalling the third runway that’s due to be built there in the next few years; it’s inevitable and will cut down on flight delays. The anti-noise NIMBY freaks are just running up the bill by protesting the project and dragging it out. They don’t realize that all of the posturing and public hearings will eventually come out of all the locals’ pockets in the form of increased tax dollars and fees. The problem with the existing two parallel runways, 16L/16R and 34L/34R, is that they are too close together under FAA IFR minimums to land two aircraft side-by-side simultaneously during poor weather conditions…of which Seattle is somewhat famous for. The result? Fog, low ceilings or rain equal delays.
Enduring a few bumps on climbout, I could swear this is the same bird I just got off of, as the drink swing out in the seat console is stuck shut the way it was on the last ’57. I keep forgetting that these poor birds have been through a lot in their twenty some years of service; while I think of them as relatively new aircraft, their flight hours and interior condition prove otherwise. Looking down, I notice that there are no footrests on this plane; I immediately feel better at what I perceived last flight as total ignorance on my part. How could I have failed to recognize luxury accoutrements on these aircraft before? Fellow FT’ers, feel free to tell me that the footrests are an anomaly and are rare on the ex-TWA 757’s…I’ll feel a lot better.
Well, I’ve just been handed a bag of Rold Gold Pretzels, and rather than wax poetic regarding the loss I feel for the demise of colossal cheddar snacks (techgirl, you’re not alone is missing the good ol’ days) , I believe I’ll choose this as a most fitting point at which to end this written drivel. Thanks for reading, if you’re still awake; I must go, as I hear Mr. Seagram calling. Just think, if there were power ports on these birds, you’d have been blessed with another 700 words.
Jan 14, 2003, 6:45 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Ireland
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, IHG Plat
Posts: 3,566
fredmartens, thanks for the report which shows even EXPs have trouble getting the electronic upgrades to F.
How did get you get a rate of $60 per night at the Four Points at LAX? Did this include taxes?
I recently used quickaid.com for a stopover at LAX, and it had a rate of $66 per night for the same hotel. Taxes and "service charges" bring this up to nearly $80.
How did get you get a rate of $60 per night at the Four Points at LAX? Did this include taxes?
I recently used quickaid.com for a stopover at LAX, and it had a rate of $66 per night for the same hotel. Taxes and "service charges" bring this up to nearly $80.
Jan 16, 2003, 9:55 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Bellevue, WA-AAEXP3mm
Posts: 2,962
Thanks, all, for the nice comments. The TR's are fun to write, a little time capsule of life in the sky (and hotels...).
azmmza, I'll take that luck on the LSAT's, I'm gonna need it. Sometimes I think it's kinda nuts to attempt to go to law school at 44, but what the heck.
oiRRio, I think the hotel discounter prices are pretty much based upon existing or perceived demand at the time of booking; I've seen some posts here on FT where people got that same hotel for $44 through Priceline. I didn't do anything special, just picked the hotel that looked best at the lowest rate. Will be in DUB 2/23-2/24, let me know if you're in town & up for a pint.
Dogstar, the 25th approaches rapidly, will finalize plans w/ you via e-mail next week. Am hoping the VIPOWs clear for this flight!
azmmza, I'll take that luck on the LSAT's, I'm gonna need it. Sometimes I think it's kinda nuts to attempt to go to law school at 44, but what the heck.
oiRRio, I think the hotel discounter prices are pretty much based upon existing or perceived demand at the time of booking; I've seen some posts here on FT where people got that same hotel for $44 through Priceline. I didn't do anything special, just picked the hotel that looked best at the lowest rate. Will be in DUB 2/23-2/24, let me know if you're in town & up for a pint.
Dogstar, the 25th approaches rapidly, will finalize plans w/ you via e-mail next week. Am hoping the VIPOWs clear for this flight!
Jan 16, 2003, 10:40 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: South Bend, IN
Programs: AA EXP 3 MM; Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 18,562
Great report. I'm curious about the meal service on your first SEA-STL leg. No sundae? Is this common to all ex-TWA midcons, or is this a new service degredation?
BTW, I don't think the ex-TWA 757s are that old. I recall TWA getting them in the early to mid 90s.
Good luck on the LSAT. It's a hard test and has, unfortunately, too much influence on the law school admission process. Oh well, it prepares you for the some of the ridiculousness that is American legal education.
BTW, I don't think the ex-TWA 757s are that old. I recall TWA getting them in the early to mid 90s.
Good luck on the LSAT. It's a hard test and has, unfortunately, too much influence on the law school admission process. Oh well, it prepares you for the some of the ridiculousness that is American legal education.
Jan 16, 2003, 1:39 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 2,055
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PresRDC:
...I'm curious about the meal service on your first SEA-STL leg. No sundae? Is this common to all ex-TWA midcons, or is this a new service degredation?
.....</font>
...I'm curious about the meal service on your first SEA-STL leg. No sundae? Is this common to all ex-TWA midcons, or is this a new service degredation?
.....</font>
This is just the way it is with LLC flying, often times they pull passengers off the jetbridge while boarding to help throw bags in the hold. It's a lot of fun and you get to interact with the ground crews.
My most recent flight as I was getting off the flight attendant handed me a vacuum cleaner and asked if I wouldn't mind making a quick pass as I deplaned. I didn't mind as I was heading to the exit door anyway.
The LLC(TWA) used to have ice cream in bowls covered with a hard-as-rock chocolate covering. It was best to let it sit for an hour or two to thaw, but it was good. No more.
Flying the LLC doesn't come without it's little pleasures however, such as in the above trip report where Fred points out he was given a double when he ordered his Crown Royale. This is service carryover from the pre-LLC days where every drink served in first class or TWOne came with the glass of mixer separate and two miniatures unopened for you to do as you pleased. I prefer that.
Jan 16, 2003, 4:26 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Bellevue, WA-AAEXP3mm
Posts: 2,962
Amen, tfjim, I "dig the doubles". Nice to know where that came from, I never flew TWA before the AA takeover.
Re: the ice cream, I haven't seen any at all on an ex-TWA flight, but then again I've only gone SEA-STL-MCO-STL-SEA and SEA-STL-TPA-STL-SEA. The sundaes still pop up routinely on my SEA-ORD-SEA flights as well via DFW on mid-cons over 3 hours and transcons (depending on time of day... hmmm... a sundae for breakfast?).
Re: the ice cream, I haven't seen any at all on an ex-TWA flight, but then again I've only gone SEA-STL-MCO-STL-SEA and SEA-STL-TPA-STL-SEA. The sundaes still pop up routinely on my SEA-ORD-SEA flights as well via DFW on mid-cons over 3 hours and transcons (depending on time of day... hmmm... a sundae for breakfast?).
Jan 16, 2003, 7:33 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Ireland
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, IHG Plat
Posts: 3,566
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fredmartens:
oiRRio, Will be in DUB 2/23-2/24, let me know if you're in town & up for a pint.
</font>
oiRRio, Will be in DUB 2/23-2/24, let me know if you're in town & up for a pint.
</font>
Will stay at Four Points if I go to LAX in two weeks time. Any hotel that lists a gourmet beer bar as one of its features deserves a visit (especially if you're Irish).
Jan 17, 2003, 8:51 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Congratulations on your first Mileage Run of 2003 and thanks for a nice Trip Report! Have fun in Ireland and good luck on those LSATs!
Jan 17, 2003, 9:45 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AA EXP & Life Plat; AA 4MM; TWA Life Plat; HH Diamond
Posts: 1,110
Fredmartins,
The TWA 757s started arriving at TWA in mid 1996. The last was delivered in late 2000. There are 27 aircraft. Approximately 11 or 12 of these have footrests in first class. N716TW-N727TW tail numbers have the footrests. I'm not sure about N714 & N715. N713-back do not have the footrests.
The TWA 757s started arriving at TWA in mid 1996. The last was delivered in late 2000. There are 27 aircraft. Approximately 11 or 12 of these have footrests in first class. N716TW-N727TW tail numbers have the footrests. I'm not sure about N714 & N715. N713-back do not have the footrests.