Hotel: Travelodge, Chicago.
For the first part of the stay, a downtown location was picked, thanks to a special offer care of Formula 1 and Expedia.
On East Harrison, its not a bad hotel. The Green/Orange line is a bit annoying, but the rooms are clean comfortable and reasonably sized . I’m not arguing much there. In addition there is a little Thai restaurant downstairs and a Dunkin donuts over the road.
My planning may suck sometimes, but this is one of those few times where it came all together.
Internet access was quite frankly so up and down it resembled me having one too many hot curries.
Not bad for par for course. Put in some double glazing into the room, and I’d be REALLY be happy to cut the noise down a bit.
Hotel: Crown Plaza, O'Hare (well Rosemont - close enough the same difference)
You'll forgive me if i don't write too much about this hotel as I was stuck in a corner shooting pictures all weekend of people. Ah the joy of being a jobbing portrait photographer (and holding a special Sunday Sale entitled “The Kip Hawley Fire Sale” – I have nothing if a sense of irony)
As a Priority club member, I had my free internet access, although I was annoyed at the jammers in the ballroom areas which prevented access to the room WiFi networks. This was a royal pain up the backside.
The room itself was fine, but like all the rooms, the aircon were handling cold, but not the humidity. Sunday dinner was at the hotel bar, and oh dear. They forgot our food order totally, and after profuse apolgies with provision for desert and extra drinks, a Rack of Ribs and Salad appeared. Nicely cooked, but the service was lousy. However, they 1) apolgised and 2) Made up for the error. This scored some extra brownie points.
Hotel: Red Roof Inn, E Ontario Ave, Downtown Chicago
My friend insisted we spend an extra day shopping in Chicago, and I wasn’t prepared to pay the extortionate rates that the Crown plaza wanted. Nor was happy stuck in Rosemont (it’s a conference and hotel dump – with as many things to do as I have Gold memberships on all my programmes – none), so it as back downtown – this time into the heart of the city. My friend was very happy with me as this was one of the few smoking rooms I found in Chicago. The room itself was a bit pokey, but again was clean, plenty of power sockets, and the bed was comfy for the job, Good enough for me!
Now for a couple of special reviews – FOOD! 
Cheesecake Factory, under the John Hancock building (My Evil Empire HQ) .
It’s dark, with odd accents, but the service was reasonably quick. I went for a “tons of fun burger with fries”.
Lets put it like this – its one of the few burgers I’ve ever used a knife and fork to dissect. Very tasty and filling – and a steal at $10.95.
Pizzeria Due, East Ontario
It is said by that ask 10 Chicago people what their favourite pizza joint is, you’ll get 10 different answers. Here’s my answer to that question
This is one pizzeria I do use as it really feels like a bit of Chicago hidden away, with real people who enjoy their city. We went for a Medium Sized Numbero Uno Pizza with pepperoni, sausage, tomato and cheese – DEEP.
The term “mmmm” applies here. And for two people with drinks and ice cream for under $35, defiantly worth it (with two slices left over – enough for breakfast for both of us the next day.
Ok enough of food and hotels – Back to flying
Part III - The Voyage Home
Parting Chicago is sometimes a sad affair alas. Good friends and good times had by all... as well as some business. But now the serious business of getting home now comes to the fore.
Trips via Chicago have one important diversion. The ORD Shop. Yes, I am sad and I collect aircraft models of what I've flown or been on. However, shock and horror, it’s closed. Not good. How the heck am I meant to geek with someone about model planes before I go home any more?
Check-in
After popping back upstairs check in completed, with bags tagged to London and one bag marks “Heavy – 52Lb” and both baths tagged with priority tags (for the first time this journey). After making sure the TSA didn’t wreck the bag again at the baggage screening point, it was time for my friend to have one last smoke, and through to the TSA shoe fetish carnival. Again, priority lanes were completely ignored.
After a short wait (well for Chicago), we were through and at the gate 50 minutes before flying. With the luggage carnival, that’s not bad going at all.
US Airways US1571 , ORD-PHL, 6C, 16:25CST Departure, 19:20EST Arrival
Boeing 737-400
And boy this little tin can showing its age. Normally I'm one to loosen my seat-belt once the plane seat-belt sign goes off. Not on this old tin can. (I would had actually pushed for a nice EMB-195 or another 'bus... but instead, we get this pile of plane).
The plane was painted up in US airways white, and looking all pristine on the outside. However, if first impressions ever counted, this plane would defiantly be left at the bar all evening. The seats were worn, and the plane had definite throwbacks to when it was last refurbished, and the old onboard phones plated up . Load factor was 100% (something that was pretty common with all the internal flights), and boarding was quick.
Safety demonstration was done by hand as there were no monitors.
Hey - Aren't I meant to be aboard the BMI plane back home??? 
After a short taxi past the international terminal, we were dumped into the Penalty box for 15 minutes, with the captain being quite chatty, explaining what had happened ^. It was then a nice roll down the runway and up for the journey to PHL.
Up and away!
Service was reasonable, with no adverts, and just a drinks service that I did not partake in, after which the crew disappeared, with the first class attendant working her herself well through the curtain.
See you Chicago!
After passing into Michigan, I zonked out until 30 minutes to PHL. At this point, the sun was setting, and the work was looking wonderful.
As dusk fell, we landed in PHL to be put into the penalty taxiway, with again the captain giving updates from the flight deck. After a 10 minute wait and with flights stacking behind us, we pulled into out gate on the C concourse for the long hike to A West concourse.
An Unexpected Club visit to the Envoy Lounge.
I had resigned myself to hanging around in the public terminal for the next hour and 15 minutes by the time I had dropped my friend off at the club. Then my mobile phone went off with an invite.
So here’s a quick Envoy club review!
Located in the back of beyond (or near gate A16), the envoy club is on a mezzanine level above this. Initially an offer was made for Envoy Sleeper for both of us if I upgraded, but I declined.
The lounge
The club itself had a selection of pasta based snacks and salads, a very good coffee machine and of course, a bar, where I partook of my usual flight/pre-flight tipple – Double Voddy and Diet Coke. With Absoult vodka. Urp.
Urp
A very relaxed lounge with big comfortable seats, and quiet work areas. The lounge itself was very quiet as the LHR flight is one of the last out of the evening. At just before 10pm, the flight was called from the lounge, and my friend and I slowly meandered to gate A23 for our connection. Boarding again was zoned, with pre-boarding, then zone 1 and Envoy, then zone 2 and 3 (where I entered the plane).
US Airways US728 PHL-LHR , 34A : 22:45EST Departure, 10:15 arrival BST
Airbus A330-300
At this point, my friend and I parted ways - after a bit of chatting to US, I secured her a GoEnovy upgrade. I wasn't really prepared to waste $500 (£280) to jump up to a business product for a short flight, and decided to be happy by myself down the back.
Now why all the way back in Row 34 you might ask? Before I checked in at ORD, I made the effort to check the seat map… and half of the plane was empty at the back. So after a bit a cajoling the agent at ORD, I shifted towards the back of the plane with the option of a spare seat next to me (and that’s how it remained for the flight – bonus!
)
The Two Seater Relaxyvous option
I did a little bag check, and low and behold, I discovered the TSA made a mistake – I had left a OPENED BOTTLE of WATER over 100ml/3fl ounces in my bag! Great screening TSA ORD T2
!
Oh agents of Kip!
After a short pushback we were guided to the runways which was quiet, lights were dimmed and it was up into the big black sky.
This wasn't alcohol induced. Honest.
PHL at night.
Service was sluggish but was done by hand at the back of the cabin which was a nice personal touch.
Food:
Food
Ok – From what I could work out, it was softish bread (throwing it would had only caused minor injuries to people), a green salad (it was fresh), Carrot cake (A square of cake) and from what I could taste, it tasted like beef in a black bean sauce with rice. Diet coke was served at the same time.
Although the portions were smallish, they were sized ok for a late night snack. The Beef was edible, but was the poor cow was defiantly hung, and quartered and sliced into lots of little quarters.
A coffee and drink service was done, with another shot of coffee to help get over the earlier double voddy, followed again 30 minutes later with another coffee (with one getting the joke that when turbulence hits – it is of course time for the HOT STEAMING COFFEE service
) .
After an hour of flight, it got quite choppy, and the Captain switched on the fasten seatbelt light, where it remained on for the majority of the flight. As Night turned into day if anything the chop got a lot worse, leading for the crew to remind people more than once that the seatbelt light was on, and that return to your seat was the order of the day.
Dawn
If anything, both TATL legs have been the choppiest I’ve been on – normally there’s only a little bit of chop each way – these two have had fairly solid chop both ways.
The crew was responsive to requests for drinks and the like – although no walkthroughs, they were amenable
Over the southern tip of Ireland, Breakfast was a single Apple Danish Pastry, served after with a drink. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Definitely a reheat job (granted it was hot) but not that large and to be honest – not that filling! In addition the drink cart was running a bit slow as people were waking up.
As we passed Southern Ireland, the plane begun it’s descent. Considering that we were due to stand at 11:05am, there was a very high chance that we would be in UK land/airspace by 9:35 and down by 10:15 (depending on LHR). Again, the ride of the Irish sea was very choppy.
Windsor Castle
After looping twice in one of the stacks, we passed over Windsor Castle, and touched down on the same runway this adventure begun on, and near enough the same gate we departed from. It was then a long hike through to immigration. At this point IRIS was closed, but the UK/EU citizen queue was… empty bar 1 person. Within seconds, I was through border control.
Over the M25 - Almost down.
After a quick break, it was off to luggage claim, where the LHR luggage handlers are as good as most of them ignoring any priority tags.
Once past Her Majesties Custom and Excise agents, I was “free” and back in the United Kingdom.
After bidding my friend farewell, it was time to me to make the long slog back to BHX. Normally at this point, I would be heading to a coach. But with an 10:15am arrival, plus I *really* wanted to stretch my legs, it would be better to catch a train....
Heathrow Connect (HEC)
Heathrow Central -> London Paddington
Class 334 EMU
HEC's are cheap in comparison to the Heathrow express (£6.90 vs £15 for an extra 10 minutes on a train – it’s a saving I’m happy to bear. As I have enough luggage to sink a small ship, I decided HEC over my normal mode of transport – the underground. Purchasing a ticket is relatively easy enough from a machine, and the journey itself wasn’t a problem. What I hadn’t realised is that I needed a ticket to exit Paddington. After playing hunt the ticket, it was found and after making odd faces, I was let through.
After getting off the HEC, it was a quick hop into a Cab to Marlyebone for the final leg of the journey
Chiltern Railways
London Marlyebone -> Birmingham Snow Hill
Class 168 DMU (£5 E-fare)
I normally use this route out of London on the grounds 1) its a cheap route and 2) although it takes slightly longer, its a pleasant enough journey. That tied with a £5 ($10) fare really sums it up. I had arrived an hour early for the train, and rather risk penalty fares or change fees, I just sat it out for an hour waiting for the train.
After nearly twisting my ankle and amazing people with how much its possible to carry, I secured a table which was shared with another person, plugged the laptop in and promptly closed my eyes until about half an hour from home.
Almost there
Home!
Closing comments
Well I made it home. Intact with everything.
Was I right to be scared with US Airways with all the nickel and diming that’s been going on? I think to a point I was, especially with the contents on the Buy on Board and $2 here and there for diet cokes to keep me going. The fact that we were buying food at airports (with equal variability) says a lot and US needs to improve its BOB product. With Star Silver recognised once, I think agents need to reminded that *S’s are people too.
Little things like amenity kits always help in Y, but again, nothing offered. Granted a cheap cutback, but anything to save the pennies – like the headphones it seems.
Another and geeky kind of moan is the distinct lack of Airshow. They have the Rockwell system and no AirShow? That is again, a bit cheap, but as I like track progress, very annoying when I’m try to work out where the hell I am…
The A330 LHR-PHL/PHL-LHR legs – I don’t honestly know if this service works really. The timings of it quite frankly are odd. Whilst they may work as a last minute East Coast > EU connection, I don’t think it works the other way, and maybe they should reconsider retiming the service so it runs slightly earlier and returns as such to give more of a day for people, and more. As US seems to be reducing Gatwicks role (ie closure of the club, some services going 757), US must work on a better plan for Heathrow and either introduce a Charlotte service or introduce more fortress hub links, otherwise the Heathrow plan will be left in disarray, and with almost nothing to fall back on in Gatwick.
The domestic legs – again, like any flight it was crew dependent – get a good crew or a good captain makes up for the odd nickel here and there. Get a crew that hides behind the curtain at every possible time and it goes sour and quiet quickly.
The biggest let down and annoyance was the TSA. Unsurprisingly, the TSA never got back to me with the complaint about what they trashed at Seattle, without so much as apology for the inconvenience caused. Disappointing so say the least and a right total annoyance.
The TSA needs to learn again how to 1) treat people with respect, 2) stick to the own regulations they make up, 3) enforce the priority lanes and management of them, 4) stick to their own silly rules and 5)
RESEPCT PEOPLE’S LUGGAGE AND PUT IT BACK AS THEY FIND IT (and if Chicago TSA can do it right, so can the Seattle lot!) .
Right. One day at work, and the flying doesn't stop here. Its off to San Francisco with me!
TO BE CONTINUED! (in another report)