Part 1 – Memories from STL/"Up in the Air" (BUF-ORD-STL-LAX)

It was a weird way to end my junior year in college.
My journey didn’t really feel like it was starting at home, it felt like it was starting earlier at a faraway place. But without explaining my pre-trip before the real trip, it just won’t feel right to type up this trip report in the first place. So after completing 3 exams in 3 days before the mini-trip, here was my crazy weekend before my real trip.

Trip Parts
#1 - Memories from STL/"Up in the Air" (BUF-ORD-STL-LAX)
#2 - LAX for the Star Mega DO 2 launch event and rush home for the last party of junior year (LAX-JFK-YYZ)
#3 - Exam and the AA ORD-PEK slot issue/reticketing
#4 - Woohoo! CX883 LAX-HKG First Class (Part of a YYZ-LAX-HKG-PEK routing)
#5 - HKG Lounge Hop and time in PEK
#6 - Going Back home, JL J/AA F PEK-NRT-DFW



Mini-trip Idea
-Head to LAX for the Star Mega DO 2 launch event on Friday night.
-Fly out Saturday morning from LAX to get back home by 9pm to start my last drinking weekend of the term with my college friends
-Study like hell on Sunday
-Monday 9am exam then fly out to Dallas by 3pm.

With that in mind, it takes me an hour to get to either Buffalo or Toronto Airport and the shuttle that’s drives me to the airport picks me up 4 hours before my flight.

Apr 23, 2010 – Friday

AA 3943 BUF-ORD 6:30am - 7:15am (ER4/Y)
AA 325 ORD-STL 9:00am -10:10am (S80/F)
AA 1661 STL-LAX 1:40pm – 3:40pm (S80/F)

Start of the pre-trip, shuttle gets to my door at 2am. I guess I was the only one passenger that morning so here we go. Get to the Fort Erie border station, border guard doesn’t quite understand why I’m flying to LAX and back on one day but at least he did believe me, so after some typing and moderate questioning, I’m off to Buffalo airport. Now here’s why I hate the shuttles, I got drop off by 3:30am, ticket counters don’t even open until 5 am. So here I am, bored beyond belief, but then I remember to study so here comes out all the study notes.

The rest was pretty smooth, finally saw BUF has decided to put up a premium/first class security line , got some breakfast at the new food court and onto regional jet I go.

AA 3943
Buffalo to Chicago O’Hare
6:30am – 7:15am, 1 hr 45 min flight
Economy Class, Seat 12B (exit row)
Food – Beverage Service
Aircraft – Embraer 145 Regional Jet by American Eagle

Being an YYZ/BUF based flyer, I’m used to regional jets, I don’t hate it, I get them going to BOS, LGA, and ORD and it’s part of life really. As AA EXP, I get 1 free alcoholic drink and a snack (trail mix or almonds), but who in the right mind drinks at 7am in the morning????
So I just stick to my usual Dr. Pepper and almonds, then pass out for some much needed sleep. My blessing that morning was that 12C, was empty so I pretty much had a regional first class seat. Close to landing, I learn that 12A was also an EXP, DFW based in fact and of course we talk about miles. At the end of the flight, the FA announced connections including one for HNL, simultaneously both of us EXPs awed and in fact the ones going to HNL were directly behind us, and we told them that it would be a long 9hr ORD-HNL flight and to buy some food because AA no longer serves complementary food on domestic flights.

Off to Chicago H/K Admiral’s Club, I desperately needed that shower, what a blessing a club membership for anyone travelling a reasonable amount. Was even thinking changing my ORD-STL-LAX to ORD-LAX but it won’t be a Flyertalker way especially going to an event, AAngels even could’ve got me a 1st class seat on a friday flight as a standby surprisingly.

AA 325
Chicago O’Hare to St. Louis
9:00am – 10:10am, 1 hr 10 min flight
First Class, Seat 5F
Food – Beverage Service
Aircraft – McDonnall Douglas MD 80

I was really tired having not slept the previous night, so I immediately passed out and start to gain some sleep, short flights are really uneventful. I was excited to get to STL, go check out the filming scenes of our favorite movie “Up in the Air”, so some quick snooze

Landed at STL, here comes all the TWA memories from childhood, now all gone, AA finally torn down the remnants of the STL hub which was always expected. It was just outright depressing in STL, the place is just empty, check-in desk, concourse, club, even security. Having nothing to do, I went around the airport taking some pics then back into the lounge for some work, travel work that is

STL pics

STL Terminal Structure


Check-in area Departure Screen


C Concourse


STL Admiral's Club






My Circle Pacific ticket was needing work once again, it's so annoying to get it re-price every time after a change. Finally, down to the C concourse for my pre-flight Venti no-whip Caramel drizzle Java Chip frap at Starbucks then finally onto LAX.




AA 1661
St. Louis to Los Angeles
1:40pm – 3:40pm, 4 hr flight
First Class, Seat 5B
Food – Snack/Brunch
Aircraft – McDonnall Douglas MD 80

McDonnall Douglas MD 80 First Class Seat



Get on the plane, the plane having been about 20 mins late inbound
Blast #1, why won’t my carryon fit on the left side, it usually does
Blast #2, why isn’t the coffee doing anything, I’m still as crazy sleepy as before
Blast #3, this Mad-Dog doesn’t have wi-fi, ahh!!! Why didn’t I check it at the club, damn! How am I supposed to contact the other flyertalkers?

This is why I find Mad-dog flights fun, many people, not enough luggage space, combine with a young person in 1st while others in the back and you can see some fun in it, for me there is anyway.
Unfortunately I only had 5B for an aisle that day so you can also feel there is definitely less pitch than my previous flight in 5F.

AA 1661 Snack/Brunch
To Start
Hot Nuts

Main Meal
Chicken Parmesan with Green beans
or
Salmon Salad

Sides
Pita chips with hummus
Side Salad with pepper and radish on Italian Vinaigrette

Dessert
Coconut Cranberry Cookie



Another average mid-con flight.
Right after the meal, right back to sleep, I’m so tired.
Got 2 hours on the plane, nice, was never a good sleeper on a plane usually.
Finally land at LAX and off to Mega DO launch event!