The Things We Do for Status – 10 flights, 3 countries, 75 hours, 15,819 miles
May 27, 2008, 11:14 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
I have the next three segments written, just need to add the menu choices within. Hoping to get that done in the next day or two.
Again.. sorry for the delays!
Greg
Again.. sorry for the delays!
Greg
May 29, 2008, 10:12 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
AA92
ORD-DUB
Scheduled 7:15pm-8:35am
Actual 7:12pm-8:39am
This was the flight where I had to question if I was really taking a mileage run to Europe. But, there was no turning back now.
The flight began boarding 45 minutes before departure. While Business Class had been booked about 2/3rds full the previous day, the weather delays in the Midwest the previous day had resulted in a number of misconnects including my seatmate who was heading for a two week trip to Ireland with his family. Two of his children had made it the night before while he, his wife and another daughter hadn’t made it out of Dallas.
The standard pre-departure beverages of champagne and orange juice were offered. The portable DVD players had already been placed in the seatbacks. Duvets and pillows had been placed on the seats as well. Menus were handed out before pushback:
Pushback was almost to the minute followed by a taxi to runway 22L – a surprising choice to me as it is only slightly over 7,000 feet long. We only needed about 5,000 feet of it however before turning over downtown Chicago and then heading to the northeast.
Meal orders were taken and I chose the Chipotle Orange Barbecue Shrimp. Drinks were served with warm nuts or marinated cheese. Asking what the cheese was, I opted for it after the flight attendant stated it was Mozzarella. Sadly, it was Feta which is far too salty to have an entire ramekin of.
When offered a refill, I asked for and was given the nuts. The appetizer soon followed and then the salad. These were fairly standard courses: the shrimp and salmon seems a mainstay on the two-class service to Europe while the salad featured mushrooms and artichoke hearts as the seasonal vegetables – neither of which I liked. The entrée itself was quite good. For dessert, I chose the ice cream sundae with hot fudge, berries, whipped cream and pecans. By the time the meal service finished up, I was completely full and we were about two hours into the flight heading up over eastern Canada.
The one downside of the meal occurred when I stepped out to use the restroom after the main course and before dessert. When stepping back in, my seatmate while “trying to help” knocked over his glass of red wine. Although some of it hit the sidewall on the far side of my seat, most of it ended up on the armrest area and a little dripped onto my seat and the floor below. While not a good experience, it could have been much worse!
I put the seat into sleeping position and proceeded to sleep for a good three hours. Opinions on American’s New Generation Business Class are quite mixed. Personally, I love the new seats since I’m a side sleeper and could never get comfortable in the old ‘cradle’ seats.
I woke up as breakfast was being served about 1:45 outside of Dublin:
I tried to doze off again without success. Not being hungry, I simply asked for a glass of orange juice and one of ice water. After finishing the OJ, my seatmate turned in a repeat performance – dumping my glass of ice water. This time the contents ended up on the floor with a little splashing on my leg. Luckily, it somehow missed my laptop case which was located on the seat in front of me. I guess he was just trying to clean up the wine from earlier in the night!
ORD-DUB
Scheduled 7:15pm-8:35am
Actual 7:12pm-8:39am
This was the flight where I had to question if I was really taking a mileage run to Europe. But, there was no turning back now.
The flight began boarding 45 minutes before departure. While Business Class had been booked about 2/3rds full the previous day, the weather delays in the Midwest the previous day had resulted in a number of misconnects including my seatmate who was heading for a two week trip to Ireland with his family. Two of his children had made it the night before while he, his wife and another daughter hadn’t made it out of Dallas.
The standard pre-departure beverages of champagne and orange juice were offered. The portable DVD players had already been placed in the seatbacks. Duvets and pillows had been placed on the seats as well. Menus were handed out before pushback:
To Start
Warm mixed Nuts
Or
Marinated Cheese Antipasto
Appetizer
Smoked Salmon and Herb-marinated Shrimp
Salad
Fresh seasonal Greens with an assortment of fresh Vegetables offered with Pepper Cream Dressing or Castello Monte Vibiano Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Bread Basket
Assorted Gourmet Breads offered with a choice of Butter or Castello Monte Vibiano Olive Oil
Main Course
BEEF FILLET
Grilled Fillet of Beef featured with a Ratatouille Sauce, Cauliflower Gratin and a medly of baby Vegetables.
CHIPOTLE SHRIMP
Orange Barbecue Chipotle Shrimp server with Basmati Rice with Corn, and accompanied by sautéed Haricot Verts and roasted Peppers
MARINATED PORK TENDERLOIN
Tender Port topped with roasted Tomato Sauce and served with Herbed Long Grain Rice and Asparagus Spears.
STUFFED LASAGNA ROLL
Tender Lasagna Pasta stuffed with Ricotta Cheese and Spinach, topped with a creamy Tomato Sauce and shredded Mozzarella.
Dessert
Basic Caciotta and White Cheddar Cheese accompanied by seasonal Grapes
Ice Cream Sundae – Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream with a choice of Hot Fudge, Butterscotch or seasonal Berry Toppings, Whipped Cream and Pecans.
To Finish
Assorted Lindt Chocolates
Warm mixed Nuts
Or
Marinated Cheese Antipasto
Appetizer
Smoked Salmon and Herb-marinated Shrimp
Salad
Fresh seasonal Greens with an assortment of fresh Vegetables offered with Pepper Cream Dressing or Castello Monte Vibiano Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Bread Basket
Assorted Gourmet Breads offered with a choice of Butter or Castello Monte Vibiano Olive Oil
Main Course
BEEF FILLET
Grilled Fillet of Beef featured with a Ratatouille Sauce, Cauliflower Gratin and a medly of baby Vegetables.
CHIPOTLE SHRIMP
Orange Barbecue Chipotle Shrimp server with Basmati Rice with Corn, and accompanied by sautéed Haricot Verts and roasted Peppers
MARINATED PORK TENDERLOIN
Tender Port topped with roasted Tomato Sauce and served with Herbed Long Grain Rice and Asparagus Spears.
STUFFED LASAGNA ROLL
Tender Lasagna Pasta stuffed with Ricotta Cheese and Spinach, topped with a creamy Tomato Sauce and shredded Mozzarella.
Dessert
Basic Caciotta and White Cheddar Cheese accompanied by seasonal Grapes
Ice Cream Sundae – Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream with a choice of Hot Fudge, Butterscotch or seasonal Berry Toppings, Whipped Cream and Pecans.
To Finish
Assorted Lindt Chocolates
Meal orders were taken and I chose the Chipotle Orange Barbecue Shrimp. Drinks were served with warm nuts or marinated cheese. Asking what the cheese was, I opted for it after the flight attendant stated it was Mozzarella. Sadly, it was Feta which is far too salty to have an entire ramekin of.
When offered a refill, I asked for and was given the nuts. The appetizer soon followed and then the salad. These were fairly standard courses: the shrimp and salmon seems a mainstay on the two-class service to Europe while the salad featured mushrooms and artichoke hearts as the seasonal vegetables – neither of which I liked. The entrée itself was quite good. For dessert, I chose the ice cream sundae with hot fudge, berries, whipped cream and pecans. By the time the meal service finished up, I was completely full and we were about two hours into the flight heading up over eastern Canada.
The one downside of the meal occurred when I stepped out to use the restroom after the main course and before dessert. When stepping back in, my seatmate while “trying to help” knocked over his glass of red wine. Although some of it hit the sidewall on the far side of my seat, most of it ended up on the armrest area and a little dripped onto my seat and the floor below. While not a good experience, it could have been much worse!
I put the seat into sleeping position and proceeded to sleep for a good three hours. Opinions on American’s New Generation Business Class are quite mixed. Personally, I love the new seats since I’m a side sleeper and could never get comfortable in the old ‘cradle’ seats.
I woke up as breakfast was being served about 1:45 outside of Dublin:
American Breakfast
Chilled Orange Juice
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Pepper Jack Cheese Omelet accompanied by a Cheddar Cheese Sour Cream Potato Timbale and a Turkey Sausage flavored with sun-dried Tomato and Basil
Yogurt
Cereal
An assortment of warm Breads
Express Breakfast
Served 45 minutes prior to landing to allow you to sleep as long as possible.
Warm Breakfast Breads, seasonal Fruit and your choice of Beverage
Pre-Arrival Beverage
Chilled Sparkling Water with a fresh Citrus Garnish
Chilled Orange Juice
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Pepper Jack Cheese Omelet accompanied by a Cheddar Cheese Sour Cream Potato Timbale and a Turkey Sausage flavored with sun-dried Tomato and Basil
Yogurt
Cereal
An assortment of warm Breads
Express Breakfast
Served 45 minutes prior to landing to allow you to sleep as long as possible.
Warm Breakfast Breads, seasonal Fruit and your choice of Beverage
Pre-Arrival Beverage
Chilled Sparkling Water with a fresh Citrus Garnish
May 29, 2008, 10:13 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
Dublin Layover
We arrived into Dublin a few minutes behind schedule. The walk to immigration was quick and there was no line. I indicated to the officer that I was in transit to London (having my DUB-LHR boarding pass issued at LAX) before heading back to the states on a mileage run.
He didn’t bat an eye, only asking if I had my onward boarding pass and what time my flight left. I’m now the proud owner of an Irish visa stamp in my passport – one of the more interesting one I’ve seen. I debated going through flight connections or exiting out to the terminal area to see if I could get my LAX-LAX and LAX-SFO boarding passes. As my visa stamp indicated I was in transit to LHR, I figured it made sense to use flight connections. A quick security check dumped me into the shopping area.
A quick look around gave me the impression that Dublin had one of the better duty-free shopping areas I had seen: a much better selection than Paris but not nearly as crazy as Heathrow. As liquids were off the list since I was traveling only with carry-on, I thought candy might be the best purchase. However, I put off any purchases until after my breakfast meeting at the Aer Lingus Gold Circle lounge.
Finding the lounge was the tricky part. Luckily, I remembered it was on the “B” pier but my first walk-around left me wondering if I had remembered the right location. Finally as I was about to head off the pier, I saw a small sign indicating an elevator up to the lounges.
I entered the lounge which has some reciprocal privileges with American – for Business class passengers on AA, Admirals Clubs members traveling to Chicago and a couple of other categories. Having arrived in AA Business Class, departing on Aer Lingus to London and being an Admirals Club member – albeit without a membership card yet – I figured I would be able to get in somehow. I showed my pile of boarding passes and mentioned my AC membership to the agent. She looked a bit perplexed as to how I might qualify for entry and just let me in.
Skye1, the other STL Flyertalker, was sitting at a table and we caught up on our journeys. He had gotten into LHR the previous night and spent the night out drinking with friends. Of course, a can of Guinness was sitting on the table along with various snack wrappers. I could tell he was looking forward to a good nap in the NGBC seats on the way back to Chicago and then LA and finally back home to St. Louis.
We parted company as he left to catch his flight back on the plane I had just arrived on. I spent a little more time in the lounge: checking email, drinking OJ and changing my seat assignment from an aisle to a window.
About an hour before departure, I left the lounge and headed down to the shopping area where I purchased several boxes of Irish Whiskey Fudge and Irish Cream Truffles. Sounds like a yummy remembrance of my several hours in Ireland!
We arrived into Dublin a few minutes behind schedule. The walk to immigration was quick and there was no line. I indicated to the officer that I was in transit to London (having my DUB-LHR boarding pass issued at LAX) before heading back to the states on a mileage run.
He didn’t bat an eye, only asking if I had my onward boarding pass and what time my flight left. I’m now the proud owner of an Irish visa stamp in my passport – one of the more interesting one I’ve seen. I debated going through flight connections or exiting out to the terminal area to see if I could get my LAX-LAX and LAX-SFO boarding passes. As my visa stamp indicated I was in transit to LHR, I figured it made sense to use flight connections. A quick security check dumped me into the shopping area.
A quick look around gave me the impression that Dublin had one of the better duty-free shopping areas I had seen: a much better selection than Paris but not nearly as crazy as Heathrow. As liquids were off the list since I was traveling only with carry-on, I thought candy might be the best purchase. However, I put off any purchases until after my breakfast meeting at the Aer Lingus Gold Circle lounge.
Finding the lounge was the tricky part. Luckily, I remembered it was on the “B” pier but my first walk-around left me wondering if I had remembered the right location. Finally as I was about to head off the pier, I saw a small sign indicating an elevator up to the lounges.
I entered the lounge which has some reciprocal privileges with American – for Business class passengers on AA, Admirals Clubs members traveling to Chicago and a couple of other categories. Having arrived in AA Business Class, departing on Aer Lingus to London and being an Admirals Club member – albeit without a membership card yet – I figured I would be able to get in somehow. I showed my pile of boarding passes and mentioned my AC membership to the agent. She looked a bit perplexed as to how I might qualify for entry and just let me in.
Skye1, the other STL Flyertalker, was sitting at a table and we caught up on our journeys. He had gotten into LHR the previous night and spent the night out drinking with friends. Of course, a can of Guinness was sitting on the table along with various snack wrappers. I could tell he was looking forward to a good nap in the NGBC seats on the way back to Chicago and then LA and finally back home to St. Louis.
We parted company as he left to catch his flight back on the plane I had just arrived on. I spent a little more time in the lounge: checking email, drinking OJ and changing my seat assignment from an aisle to a window.
About an hour before departure, I left the lounge and headed down to the shopping area where I purchased several boxes of Irish Whiskey Fudge and Irish Cream Truffles. Sounds like a yummy remembrance of my several hours in Ireland!
May 29, 2008, 10:13 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
EI 162 (AA7999)
DUB-LHR
Scheduled 11:20am-12:35pm
Actual 11:25am-12:45pm
Arriving at the gate about 45 minutes before departure, I became a bit concerned that there might be a delay. After all, one of my goals was to hit the Cathay Pacific lounge at Heathrow to take a shower and partake in something for lunch.
We finally began boarding about 20 minutes before departure and, thanks to boarding by stairs at both the front and rear of the aircraft, were ready to go close to schedule. A long taxi was followed by takeoff to the east heading across the Irish Sea towards London.
Aer Lingus has transformed into a low-cost carrier in recent years, leading to it’s departure from OneWorld. Most, if not all, service is one class and features sales of in-flight food & beverages as well as duty-free items. On an hour flight, I figured this would not be a big hit but I was proven wrong. Five flight attendants spread out throughout the plane and did quite a brisk business with teas, paninis and Irish breakfasts selling well. The group of four in the same row as me spent 12 Euro on food with another 77 Euro going on duty-free items.
The approach to Heathrow was, like usual, slow. After some circling, we eventually landed on runway 9L a little bit behind schedule.
DUB-LHR
Scheduled 11:20am-12:35pm
Actual 11:25am-12:45pm
Arriving at the gate about 45 minutes before departure, I became a bit concerned that there might be a delay. After all, one of my goals was to hit the Cathay Pacific lounge at Heathrow to take a shower and partake in something for lunch.
We finally began boarding about 20 minutes before departure and, thanks to boarding by stairs at both the front and rear of the aircraft, were ready to go close to schedule. A long taxi was followed by takeoff to the east heading across the Irish Sea towards London.
Aer Lingus has transformed into a low-cost carrier in recent years, leading to it’s departure from OneWorld. Most, if not all, service is one class and features sales of in-flight food & beverages as well as duty-free items. On an hour flight, I figured this would not be a big hit but I was proven wrong. Five flight attendants spread out throughout the plane and did quite a brisk business with teas, paninis and Irish breakfasts selling well. The group of four in the same row as me spent 12 Euro on food with another 77 Euro going on duty-free items.
The approach to Heathrow was, like usual, slow. After some circling, we eventually landed on runway 9L a little bit behind schedule.
May 30, 2008, 12:06 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: cyyz
Programs: ac ELITE,aa,nwa, Priority Club
Posts: 373
"Personally, I love the new seats since I’m a side sleeper and could never get comfortable in the old ‘cradle’ seats. "
Couldn't agree more HUGE side sleeper as well, even a little deviation in flat and I really can't sleep all that well. Never mind in economy sleeping sitting up-right, just doesn't happen
Couldn't agree more HUGE side sleeper as well, even a little deviation in flat and I really can't sleep all that well. Never mind in economy sleeping sitting up-right, just doesn't happen
Last edited by yyz_atc_lj; May 30, 2008 at 12:08 am Reason: didn't include quotes
Jun 2, 2008, 9:09 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
AA135
LHR-LAX
Scheduled 3:15pm-6:30pm
Actual 3:11pm-6:03pm
I headed towards the gate about 2:35pm. For those of you who haven’t been through Heathrow, some of the gates in Terminal 3 can be a 20 minute walk from the lounges. Luckily, I’m a fairly fast walker (plus I walk on moving walkways rather than just let them take me to the end) so the trip wasn’t too long.
I’ve often read that LHR-LAX is one of the hardest flights to upgrade. My experience from this flight was just the opposite – I was able to confirm the upgrade at the time of booking and Business Class went out with only 26 of 37 seats filled. Lucky for me, one of the empty ones was next to me!
The load seemed fairly light in both Coach and First as well. Later in the flight I’d have a chance to see the F passenger list and it appeared only eight seats were filled with a number of the passengers being non-revs.
As a result, we were closed up a few minutes early and, with only a short wait for the runway, took off towards the east before turning north and over the Atlantic.
The menu:
To Start
Warm mixed Nuts
Appetizer
Apple Soy-marinated Beef – served with Horseradish Cream and thin Potatoes
Salad
Fresh seasonal Greens and an assortment of fresh Vegetables offered with Roasted Red Pepper Dressing or Castello Monte Vibiano Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Bread Basket
Assorted Gourmet Breads
Main Course
FILLET OF SALMON
On this flight we are proud to offer you a taste of European flair. Using only the freshest ingredients, Chef Andrew Bailey from our London kitchen has created an entrée that captures the essence of his country’s cusine.
Seared Fillet of Salmon accented by an Herb-Butter Sauce, offered with blanced Asparagus and Spring Onion Mashed Potatoes
BEEF FILLET
Grilled Fillet of Beef accented by Cherry and Chocolate Balsamic Sauce, served with a Cheddar Polenta Cake and Asparagus and Celery Medley
ROASTED CHICKEN
Roasted Chicken Breast enhanced by Bordelaise Sauce, served with sautéed Swiss Chard, baby Carrots and Truffle Celeriac Puree
MUSHROOM GIRASOLE
Sunflower-shaped Pasta filled with a blend of Mushrooms, enhanced by a Portobello Mushroom and Pesto Cream Sauce, garnished with grated Parmesan Cheese.
Dessert
A selection of gourmet Cheeses offered with fresh seasonal fruit and assorted Crackers
Or
A scoop of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
To Finish
Assorted Lindt Chocolates
After lunch/dinner (there really isn’t a difference other than time since AA offers the same meal service on all LHR-DFW/LAX/MIA/ORD flights regardless of departure time), I dozed off for a good four to five hour nap. By this time we were crossing over eastern Canada and still have roughly five hours (the equivalent of a trans-con flight) left.
Mid-Flight Snack
A selection of gourmet Cheeses offered with fresh seasonal Fruit and assorted Crackers
Or
Assorted snack items are also available
The cheese, crackers and fruit were an enjoyable mid-flight snack. I then proceeded to spend time working on this trip report – it was really the first time I had to sit down and type since the LAX-ORD flight the previous day!
Another two hours was killed watching my favorite movie of all time – The Shawshank Redemption. I’m definitely a fan of the new 777 AVOD in Business Class. The one drawback to it that I’ve noticed is that you no longer have control over the audio channel which is on when the Flight Map is displayed. In the past, if you chose to watch the flight map, the audio would remain on the channel which you were previously on. That is no longer the case. With the seat next to mine open, that problem was easily solved by putting the other seat’s monitor on flight map while listening to the audio on my seat.
The snack service was handed out about an hour before arrival, which is about thirty minutes later than usual from my experience. I guess the light load allowed that to take place. I had the Asian Chicken which I've had before. It's something I enjoy and was quite happy with.
One rather negative experience occurred as the flight ended. Both Business Class lavs became blocked or were full. Although they allowed us to use the lavs in First so it was not a major inconvenience, it seemed odd that this would happen to multiple lavs in one section of the plane on a flight clearly within the mission of the 777.
Landing at LAX was, as usual, to the west. Following a taxi from the North side of the field to Terminal 4, we had to wait to be towed into the gate. Due to favorable headwinds, we arrived close to 30 minutes early.
LHR-LAX
Scheduled 3:15pm-6:30pm
Actual 3:11pm-6:03pm
I headed towards the gate about 2:35pm. For those of you who haven’t been through Heathrow, some of the gates in Terminal 3 can be a 20 minute walk from the lounges. Luckily, I’m a fairly fast walker (plus I walk on moving walkways rather than just let them take me to the end) so the trip wasn’t too long.
I’ve often read that LHR-LAX is one of the hardest flights to upgrade. My experience from this flight was just the opposite – I was able to confirm the upgrade at the time of booking and Business Class went out with only 26 of 37 seats filled. Lucky for me, one of the empty ones was next to me!
The load seemed fairly light in both Coach and First as well. Later in the flight I’d have a chance to see the F passenger list and it appeared only eight seats were filled with a number of the passengers being non-revs.
As a result, we were closed up a few minutes early and, with only a short wait for the runway, took off towards the east before turning north and over the Atlantic.
The menu:
To Start
Warm mixed Nuts
Appetizer
Apple Soy-marinated Beef – served with Horseradish Cream and thin Potatoes
Salad
Fresh seasonal Greens and an assortment of fresh Vegetables offered with Roasted Red Pepper Dressing or Castello Monte Vibiano Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Bread Basket
Assorted Gourmet Breads
Main Course
FILLET OF SALMON
On this flight we are proud to offer you a taste of European flair. Using only the freshest ingredients, Chef Andrew Bailey from our London kitchen has created an entrée that captures the essence of his country’s cusine.
Seared Fillet of Salmon accented by an Herb-Butter Sauce, offered with blanced Asparagus and Spring Onion Mashed Potatoes
BEEF FILLET
Grilled Fillet of Beef accented by Cherry and Chocolate Balsamic Sauce, served with a Cheddar Polenta Cake and Asparagus and Celery Medley
ROASTED CHICKEN
Roasted Chicken Breast enhanced by Bordelaise Sauce, served with sautéed Swiss Chard, baby Carrots and Truffle Celeriac Puree
MUSHROOM GIRASOLE
Sunflower-shaped Pasta filled with a blend of Mushrooms, enhanced by a Portobello Mushroom and Pesto Cream Sauce, garnished with grated Parmesan Cheese.
Dessert
A selection of gourmet Cheeses offered with fresh seasonal fruit and assorted Crackers
Or
A scoop of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
To Finish
Assorted Lindt Chocolates
Mid-Flight Snack
A selection of gourmet Cheeses offered with fresh seasonal Fruit and assorted Crackers
Or
Assorted snack items are also available
Another two hours was killed watching my favorite movie of all time – The Shawshank Redemption. I’m definitely a fan of the new 777 AVOD in Business Class. The one drawback to it that I’ve noticed is that you no longer have control over the audio channel which is on when the Flight Map is displayed. In the past, if you chose to watch the flight map, the audio would remain on the channel which you were previously on. That is no longer the case. With the seat next to mine open, that problem was easily solved by putting the other seat’s monitor on flight map while listening to the audio on my seat.
Light Meal
UNO'S FARMER'S MARKET PIZZA
A Chicago-style Deep-Dish Pizza topped with fresh Spinach, Eggplant, sun-dried and Plum Tomatoes, sweet Caramelized Onions and a three Cheese blend of Feta, Mozzarella and Romano flavored with fragrant Basil Pesto accompanied by a fresh Green Salad tossed with English Cucumbers and Cherry Tomatoes
ASIAN-STYLE CHICKEN
Slices of Soy-seared Breast of Chicken served chilled on a bed of grilled Pineapple with Asian Slaw and a sweet and sour Sesame Dressing.
Dessert
Lemon Tart
Pre-Arrival Beverage
Chilled Sparkling Water with a fresh Citrus Garnish
UNO'S FARMER'S MARKET PIZZA
A Chicago-style Deep-Dish Pizza topped with fresh Spinach, Eggplant, sun-dried and Plum Tomatoes, sweet Caramelized Onions and a three Cheese blend of Feta, Mozzarella and Romano flavored with fragrant Basil Pesto accompanied by a fresh Green Salad tossed with English Cucumbers and Cherry Tomatoes
ASIAN-STYLE CHICKEN
Slices of Soy-seared Breast of Chicken served chilled on a bed of grilled Pineapple with Asian Slaw and a sweet and sour Sesame Dressing.
Dessert
Lemon Tart
Pre-Arrival Beverage
Chilled Sparkling Water with a fresh Citrus Garnish
One rather negative experience occurred as the flight ended. Both Business Class lavs became blocked or were full. Although they allowed us to use the lavs in First so it was not a major inconvenience, it seemed odd that this would happen to multiple lavs in one section of the plane on a flight clearly within the mission of the 777.
Landing at LAX was, as usual, to the west. Following a taxi from the North side of the field to Terminal 4, we had to wait to be towed into the gate. Due to favorable headwinds, we arrived close to 30 minutes early.
Last edited by GregL; Jun 2, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Jun 2, 2008, 9:20 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
LAX Transfer
Since the flight arrives at a time when no other international arrivals are due at Terminal 4, we had to use the underground walkways to use immigration and customs at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). It was an interesting walk through a combination of underground hallways with multiple moving walkways to a short outside passageway between the two buildings that is fenced in to remain sterile. For someone with limited mobility, I would highly recommend using a wheelchair.
Entering TBIT, I reached the moment I was most concerned about – re-entering the US after an international turnaround mileage run. Honestly, it was one of the simplest immigration experiences I’ve had. The ICE agent scanned my passport, stamped it and I was done!
Customs was a bit more interesting as there are two lines which lead to the exit. One was quite backed up with passengers from a Singapore Airlines flight but a quick walk around the baggage carousels led me to the other lane which had virtually no line at all.
From there, it was out the door and around the walkway back to Terminal 4. Security lines weren’t bad and I was back in the Flagship Lounge in a matter of minutes. It seemed like I had been here only yesterday… Oh yeah, I was!
By now, I had found out my LAX-SFO flight had already been delayed an hour past it’s 9:05pm departure. Apparently weather in SFO had backed up flights significantly that evening. With the earlier flight delayed as well, I was asked to be put on the standby list for that flight. I was told it was quite full but with EXP status, I should get on.
At the same time, I asked the very friendly agent if she would be able to print our boarding passes for my SJC-SNA-ORD-STL flight the following morning. I was worried that with a busy morning ahead of me that a late arrival to SJC would result in not being able to check-in. She wasn’t able to check me in, but once I did so online she was able to reprint my boarding passed.
Since the flight arrives at a time when no other international arrivals are due at Terminal 4, we had to use the underground walkways to use immigration and customs at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). It was an interesting walk through a combination of underground hallways with multiple moving walkways to a short outside passageway between the two buildings that is fenced in to remain sterile. For someone with limited mobility, I would highly recommend using a wheelchair.
Entering TBIT, I reached the moment I was most concerned about – re-entering the US after an international turnaround mileage run. Honestly, it was one of the simplest immigration experiences I’ve had. The ICE agent scanned my passport, stamped it and I was done!
Customs was a bit more interesting as there are two lines which lead to the exit. One was quite backed up with passengers from a Singapore Airlines flight but a quick walk around the baggage carousels led me to the other lane which had virtually no line at all.
From there, it was out the door and around the walkway back to Terminal 4. Security lines weren’t bad and I was back in the Flagship Lounge in a matter of minutes. It seemed like I had been here only yesterday… Oh yeah, I was!
By now, I had found out my LAX-SFO flight had already been delayed an hour past it’s 9:05pm departure. Apparently weather in SFO had backed up flights significantly that evening. With the earlier flight delayed as well, I was asked to be put on the standby list for that flight. I was told it was quite full but with EXP status, I should get on.
At the same time, I asked the very friendly agent if she would be able to print our boarding passes for my SJC-SNA-ORD-STL flight the following morning. I was worried that with a busy morning ahead of me that a late arrival to SJC would result in not being able to check-in. She wasn’t able to check me in, but once I did so online she was able to reprint my boarding passed.
Jun 2, 2008, 9:22 pm
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
LAX-SFO
Booked
AA1446
Scheduled 9:05pm-10:20pm
Actual 11:26pm-12:15am
Actual
AA1798
Scheduled 6:20pm-7:35pm
Actual 7:58pm-8:53pm
Note: Times for these flights are actual “in air” times from FlightAware as I did not have a chance to record the gate arrival and departures from AA.com before the end of the next day.
Getting to the gate for the earlier LAX-SFO flight, I was being paged to the podium. I had cleared onto the flight but with First full, was assigned 31D – an aisle in the next to last row.
I’ve had worse – standing by for an ORD-STL flight a year or two ago, I was given 32E – the middle seat in the last row with the window looking out on the engine. To make matters worse, the overhead light didn’t work so I spent an hour not being able to read or look out the window.
But for an hour flight, I could deal with coach – especially when the option is a very short night’s sleep. The flight went out totally full. Departure was over the Pacific, a turn to the Northwest and the arrival over the Bay to SFO. I kept myself busy with my laptop practicing video poker in practice for my trip to Las Vegas the following weekend.
Booked
AA1446
Scheduled 9:05pm-10:20pm
Actual 11:26pm-12:15am
Actual
AA1798
Scheduled 6:20pm-7:35pm
Actual 7:58pm-8:53pm
Note: Times for these flights are actual “in air” times from FlightAware as I did not have a chance to record the gate arrival and departures from AA.com before the end of the next day.
Getting to the gate for the earlier LAX-SFO flight, I was being paged to the podium. I had cleared onto the flight but with First full, was assigned 31D – an aisle in the next to last row.
I’ve had worse – standing by for an ORD-STL flight a year or two ago, I was given 32E – the middle seat in the last row with the window looking out on the engine. To make matters worse, the overhead light didn’t work so I spent an hour not being able to read or look out the window.
But for an hour flight, I could deal with coach – especially when the option is a very short night’s sleep. The flight went out totally full. Departure was over the Pacific, a turn to the Northwest and the arrival over the Bay to SFO. I kept myself busy with my laptop practicing video poker in practice for my trip to Las Vegas the following weekend.
Jun 2, 2008, 9:22 pm
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
San Francisco Layover
This was the most concerning layover for me as I would need to travel from the SFO airport area to SJC early the next morning using a variety of modes of public transit.
I booked the Sheraton Gateway on Priceline which is near SFO. I was heartened to find that, in addition to an airport shuttle, the hotel advertised shuttle service in the local vicinity of the hotel.
Rather than my initial option of hotel shuttle to SFO, Airtrain to BART, BART to CalTrain, CalTrain to Bus, Bus to Airport, I figured I could get the hotel shuttle to the CalTrain station saving me about 30 minutes and a couple of bucks.
At check-in, I found out that the “local shuttle” was a scheduled transit option which did not begin until 11am. Rather than risk the chance of problem on two additional modes of transit, I bit the bullet and opted to take a taxi to the CalTrain station in Millbrae the next morning. It would be about $10 more expensive, but a lot quicker giving me more time to sleep.
I arranged for a taxi pickup at 7:30 the next morning. It took me to the Millbrae CalTrain station in plenty of time for my train to Santa Clarita. The CalTrain ride was quite pleasant. A quasi-express, the trip took just under an hour and cost around $5.
The local transit operator in South Bay runs a bus line connecting the Santa Clarita Cal Train station with the airport as well as the local light rail line. A nice surprise upon arrival in Santa Clarita was that this route is free of charge. The bus ride from the train station to the airport was only about ten minutes, making the hike through the parking garage to the terminal @ SJC seem just as long.
This was the most concerning layover for me as I would need to travel from the SFO airport area to SJC early the next morning using a variety of modes of public transit.
I booked the Sheraton Gateway on Priceline which is near SFO. I was heartened to find that, in addition to an airport shuttle, the hotel advertised shuttle service in the local vicinity of the hotel.
Rather than my initial option of hotel shuttle to SFO, Airtrain to BART, BART to CalTrain, CalTrain to Bus, Bus to Airport, I figured I could get the hotel shuttle to the CalTrain station saving me about 30 minutes and a couple of bucks.
At check-in, I found out that the “local shuttle” was a scheduled transit option which did not begin until 11am. Rather than risk the chance of problem on two additional modes of transit, I bit the bullet and opted to take a taxi to the CalTrain station in Millbrae the next morning. It would be about $10 more expensive, but a lot quicker giving me more time to sleep.
I arranged for a taxi pickup at 7:30 the next morning. It took me to the Millbrae CalTrain station in plenty of time for my train to Santa Clarita. The CalTrain ride was quite pleasant. A quasi-express, the trip took just under an hour and cost around $5.
The local transit operator in South Bay runs a bus line connecting the Santa Clarita Cal Train station with the airport as well as the local light rail line. A nice surprise upon arrival in Santa Clarita was that this route is free of charge. The bus ride from the train station to the airport was only about ten minutes, making the hike through the parking garage to the terminal @ SJC seem just as long.
Jun 2, 2008, 9:31 pm
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
SJC-SNA
AA 3122
Scheduled 10:05am-11:30am
Actual 10:00am-11:14am
I arrived @ SJC a few minutes before 9. The security line was non-existent, allowing me to partake of the SJC AAdmiral’s Club for a bit. I could tell the club was designed for more flights than AA has currently, but it provided a nice respite from the terminal.
Everything was running on-time this morning, so I headed down to the gate area about 9:30am and boarding soon began.
The flight was nearly full and I had reserved the “First Class” seat on the Embraer 140 – 1A. Thankfully the FA allowed me to put my carry-ons in the storage closet at the front door. I’ve had mixed experiences with this – some FAs have no problem with it while others insist it is for crew bags only requiring you to use the overheads which begin at row 3 on the B/C side only.
We pushed back a few minutes early and taxied for a southerly departure – a first for me from SJC. We were soon airborne heading to the southeast running roughly parallel and west of I-5 to the LA area. Not much to see this morning as there was a low cloud cover due to the marine layer. The flight attendant was quite good, making a full beverage service plus refills on the short flight.
The landings at SNA are, in my experience, quite interesting when approaching over the ocean with a sharp U-turn leveling off very soon before touchdown. This flight didn’t seem as bad as usual leading to an arrival close to 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
Checking my phone on arrival, it appeared the plane for my SNA-ORD flight was running about 40 minutes behind schedule, enough to make me worry about my 55 minute connection back home.
With at least an hour and a half to spare, I headed to the SNA AAdmirals Club. I like this club from my previous visits last year on OAK runs. It’s on the second floor overlooking the concourse and features my favorite AC snack – tortilla chips with mini-cups of salsa. They are SO AAdictive ;-)
The inbound flight from ORD arrived about 12:40pm. By the time I arrived at the gate area shortly before 1, it looked like deplaning had been delayed. The gate agents seemed to be in no hurry whatsoever to turn the flight around.
AA 3122
Scheduled 10:05am-11:30am
Actual 10:00am-11:14am
I arrived @ SJC a few minutes before 9. The security line was non-existent, allowing me to partake of the SJC AAdmiral’s Club for a bit. I could tell the club was designed for more flights than AA has currently, but it provided a nice respite from the terminal.
Everything was running on-time this morning, so I headed down to the gate area about 9:30am and boarding soon began.
The flight was nearly full and I had reserved the “First Class” seat on the Embraer 140 – 1A. Thankfully the FA allowed me to put my carry-ons in the storage closet at the front door. I’ve had mixed experiences with this – some FAs have no problem with it while others insist it is for crew bags only requiring you to use the overheads which begin at row 3 on the B/C side only.
We pushed back a few minutes early and taxied for a southerly departure – a first for me from SJC. We were soon airborne heading to the southeast running roughly parallel and west of I-5 to the LA area. Not much to see this morning as there was a low cloud cover due to the marine layer. The flight attendant was quite good, making a full beverage service plus refills on the short flight.
The landings at SNA are, in my experience, quite interesting when approaching over the ocean with a sharp U-turn leveling off very soon before touchdown. This flight didn’t seem as bad as usual leading to an arrival close to 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
Checking my phone on arrival, it appeared the plane for my SNA-ORD flight was running about 40 minutes behind schedule, enough to make me worry about my 55 minute connection back home.
With at least an hour and a half to spare, I headed to the SNA AAdmirals Club. I like this club from my previous visits last year on OAK runs. It’s on the second floor overlooking the concourse and features my favorite AC snack – tortilla chips with mini-cups of salsa. They are SO AAdictive ;-)
The inbound flight from ORD arrived about 12:40pm. By the time I arrived at the gate area shortly before 1, it looked like deplaning had been delayed. The gate agents seemed to be in no hurry whatsoever to turn the flight around.
Jun 4, 2008, 11:37 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
SNA-ORD
AA 1058
Scheduled 12:35pm-6:50pm
Actual 1:29pm-7:19pm
By the time everyone was boarded, we pushed back almost an hour late. So much for a 55 minute connection in Chicago! Luckily, the taxi was short as is usually the case in Orange County.
This is a “lunch” flight but I’ve realized over the past several months that there is no difference between “lunch” and “snack” – only “dinner” is different. Service began with warm nuts and beverages. I stuck with my usual airplane drink of Cranapple & Vodka with a lime. I’ve learned over time that it’s easier to go for a mixed drink over wine since the wine glasses they use are so small!
The meal choice was the usual eastbound mid-con offerings of a Turkey & Cheese Croissant and a Salad with Chicken of some sort. Having had the Croissant the other day, I opted for the salad which included nuts (pecans?) and raisins. Not bad, but I liked the BBQ Chicken Salad offering in April much better. This is all followed up with warm chocolate chip cookies.
I think I tried to doze for a little bit – you know, it gets harder to write these trip reports once you approach a month after a non-descript domestic flight.
Arrival into Chicago began just before 7pm and I sensed the chances of my connection slipping away. The usual zig and zag approach was in full use today and we ended up arriving on 9R (well, that’s the old name.. I’m not sure what it’s called now that they have renumbered the runways @ ORD in preparation for the expansion this year… either way, it was the southern of the two east-west parallel runways) which left us fairly close to the AA gates.
A quick check of the Flight Information via the phone indicated my connection was, of course, operating on time. We were due in at K13 with my connection leaving out of H11B.
AA 1058
Scheduled 12:35pm-6:50pm
Actual 1:29pm-7:19pm
By the time everyone was boarded, we pushed back almost an hour late. So much for a 55 minute connection in Chicago! Luckily, the taxi was short as is usually the case in Orange County.
This is a “lunch” flight but I’ve realized over the past several months that there is no difference between “lunch” and “snack” – only “dinner” is different. Service began with warm nuts and beverages. I stuck with my usual airplane drink of Cranapple & Vodka with a lime. I’ve learned over time that it’s easier to go for a mixed drink over wine since the wine glasses they use are so small!
The meal choice was the usual eastbound mid-con offerings of a Turkey & Cheese Croissant and a Salad with Chicken of some sort. Having had the Croissant the other day, I opted for the salad which included nuts (pecans?) and raisins. Not bad, but I liked the BBQ Chicken Salad offering in April much better. This is all followed up with warm chocolate chip cookies.
I think I tried to doze for a little bit – you know, it gets harder to write these trip reports once you approach a month after a non-descript domestic flight.
Arrival into Chicago began just before 7pm and I sensed the chances of my connection slipping away. The usual zig and zag approach was in full use today and we ended up arriving on 9R (well, that’s the old name.. I’m not sure what it’s called now that they have renumbered the runways @ ORD in preparation for the expansion this year… either way, it was the southern of the two east-west parallel runways) which left us fairly close to the AA gates.
A quick check of the Flight Information via the phone indicated my connection was, of course, operating on time. We were due in at K13 with my connection leaving out of H11B.