I had dinner in Long Beach and spent the next morning with some coworkers before heading back to LAX for my return trip. Again I had purchased the return flight a day prior to departure for $129. For the return I had manage to book a connection through SFO in order to grab some additional miles. I had checked in the day before in LAX using the kiosk, so I arrived about 35 minutes before flight time and headed straight to the gate, stopping to look at the 747 flight headed to Tokyo that I would be flying on in June.

The flight to SFO was on a regular 757. I was in the very last row, which I had to myself. Legroom seemed significantly smaller than on the PS 757 so I was glad I wouldn't be on this plane for five hours. Channel 9 wasn't turned on, but I ended up sleeping for most of the 58 minutes flight.

Connection time was 80minutes in SFO. As I was stuck in a middle for the return I asked the gate agent about getting out of that seat, and she said she would hold my boarding pass in case anything opened up. The one thing I noticed about the gate agents is they don't really seem particularly excited to talk to you. Nobody was nasty and they did attempt to fulfill any request I had, but I kept getting the feeling that coming up to speak with them was a burden. While I was waiting a grabbed some soup in the food court - I think SFO has some of the better food options of any airport in the country. After eating I spent a few minutes exploring the terminal and almost stopped for a beer in the Anchor Steam Bar, but opted against it.

I got back to the gate a few minutes after boarding had started and was quite disappointed to find that I'd be stuck in my middle seat. The row was empty when I got to it, and a larger gentleman came and joined me in the aisle seat. I was worried about being sardined into the middle, but to our great luck the window passenger never showed and I ended up with a window and open middle next to me! Flying time was scheduled at about five hours today, and Channel 9 was turned on and announced by the ca. Service was much the same as the flight out, and I passed on the buy on board options. I was disappointed when I ordered a cranapple juice and found out that it's a juice drink, only 10% juice. Seems picky maybe but why make a sugar based fruit drink? That's a bit off topic though.

Looking ahead this will probably be my last flight until my trip to Italy in two weeks. I'll be squished in the back for the 8 or 9 hour flight but I'll have a travel companion on this trip, so hopefully we'll be in a pair of two on the 777 (flights are full both there and back in Y, maybe a bump opportunity?) That roundtrip will put me to about 30,000 EQMs and into Premier, which doesn't get much, but at least I'll be ensured E+ seating, and I won't be sandwiched in a tiny seat on my eleven hour flight to Tokyo.

Positives: On time flights, SFO terminal
Negatives: Standard 757 legroom, LAX terminal, no channel 9 on the first flight.