Security at BWI was slow and unpleasant, for a change. I can
see why people who take rush-hour flights complain. It's not
that there was a glut of passengers, it's just that the TSA
people were slow and grumpy. I regretted yet again the
closure of both the United and US Airways clubs.

US 80 BWI LAS 0630 0833 320 2F

I find US Air, both East and West, to be less horrible than
others claim it is, at least from the service standpoint.
On the other hand, it fails on almost all other counts.
The equipment leaves much to be desired, the pricing is
astonishing, and the frequent flyer program has gone from
quite acceptable to horrendous in a relatively short time.

Another attentive crew, led by a quite dishy tall blonde
with unfortunately the most adenoidal voice I've heard in
a long time. The West plane was unattractive, with legroom
worse than Economy Plus, not-nice seats with headrests
whose wings collapsed immediately, poor lighting. There
was, for a change, audio on this flight, but the facility
at my seat was defective: too bad, as the Classical offering
on US Air is much better than that on United (but of course
United has Channel 9).

Breakfast: yogurt and granola (presented together in a
bowl) or a cheese omelet with little ham cubes strewn over,
herb-roast potatoes on the side. The omelet was not as
good as United's, but the presentation was more attractive.
A fruit appetizer of the standard sort was pretty good.

We landed in the A gates, and the next flight was in the
B gates. It's an easy transition, but I discovered to my
chagrin that the McCarran wi-fi doesn't extend into the
B gates.

Question. At most airports, there is a peer-to-peer
connection called "free public wifi" that occasionally
tries to highjack the signal. What's that all about?

US 351 LAS PHX 0945 1100 320 2A

A quite different kind of West seat, slightly superior I
think, but the difference between C- and D+ is fugitive.

Beringer Stone Cellars Cabernet is this overripe plummy
slightly sweet, not very Cabernetty experience. A pleasant
FA kept my glass full. My seatmate was an attractive woman
of about my age whose husband, apparently a silver, had
just been upgraded but who gave up his seat in the most
chivalrous manner. They are antiques dealers in the
unlikely setting of Morgantown, West Virginia, but they're
on vac, having been in Vegas and going to see relatives in
Phoenix. She mentioned something about how the wine smelled
good (she was ODing on water) and that her husband would
have liked some, so we got to talking. There was an empty
at 3D, so I asked the FA if something could be done. No,
in-flight upgrading is verboten. We came to the compromise
that the guy, banished to the wilds of row 7, would be
sent some Cranberry Nut Mix and a glass of wine. And so it
happened, but he had changed seats to accommodate a couple,
so it was more easily said than done. It is a sad day when
we are elated by slightly stale Cranberry Nut Mix, which as
one may recall replaced the cashews and was in turn replaced
by the cheaper and less nice Fiesta Snack Mix.

The flight landed way early, and US2790 wasn't for three
hours, and 621 was running way late, so I camped out at the
Phoenix A club while the agents tried to get me on the
delayed flight.

Meantime, the club is running a whiskey special - 2 bucks
for drinks made with Old GrandDad. Good deal for us lushes.
I had two just to take advantage of the bargain.

Good munchies here; not only the boring Sun Chips, but also
Cheetos, Boulder Canyon Totally Natural potato chips (pretty
good and quite fresh), fresh fruit, and good cookies, of
which I had a chocolaty chocolate chocolate chip.

Jay Jay at the desk got me on the delayed earlier flight,
and then, when some guy in 7 got upgraded, got me his seat,
working in tandem with the pleasant gent at the gate.