mre2b9

Took the shuttle: LGA-BOS-LGA. I was in 2A and then 3B.

The checkin at LGA has a special line for shuttle pax. Security line wasn't bad (no elite line). Gate was close.
There were literally 7 security people and a supervisor taking notes in the waiting area for the boarding of this flight. They did extra security checks on a few pax. (did not nab the first person).

They used a jet bridge (which obviously wasn't made for mating to a regional jet--the fit was a little awkward with a homemade ramp addition).

Gate area didn't have the full array of magazines like USairways/Delta shuttle areas but did have copies of nyt, wsj, ft and usatoday hidden on the jetbridge after they take yr boarding pass.

The BOS checkin was pretty much the same routine as at LGA.

Discovered that the best seats on this RJ are:

3B (aisle bulk head with lots of legroom)
3C (also bulkhead, but with encroaching wall of plane) (3A is not bulkhead and just normal seat)

However, even the EXP desk will not assign 3B and 3C seats; they told me that they were reserved for handicapped pax (this was two days before the flight). So I just took 3A so I could scoot over when no handicapped pax showed up, but I asked again at the checkin counter and they did give me 3B 30 min before the flight.

After 3B or 3C, then I would probably take the B seat in either of the exit rows which have a little more leg room, then the A or C seats in the exit rows.

1A is a bulk head seat that seems to be slightly better than the normal seat, but not as nice as 3B or 3C bulkhead seats.

The normal seats are terrible. I'm 6' and my knees were jammed against the seat in front of me; could not get comfortable. And the A and C window seats have foot space stolen by the curving in sides of the plane.

Breakfast from BOS was a drink and a bagel w/ cream cheese. Breakfast from LGA was a coke and a smile. (both had young and probably new FA, but professional and cheerful. (and non union on AA eagle right?))

One FA encouraged people in 1A and 2A to move to other seats, probably b/c otherwise the FAs have no privacy in the galley if people in those seats are looking at them all the time.

Its 183 status miles to LGA-BOS, then a round up to 500 then an elite double gives 1k miles to start, then the triple miles promotion gives another 1k; plus 500 for aa.com booking, all times two, and thats 5000 miles total round trip.

The plane wasn't bad--for a short flight it is bearable. But it still isn't as quick or as comfortable as the established shuttles (I miss all those magazines too), and after the triple miles promotion ends, I'd be very tempted to go back to the other shuttles.

[This message has been edited by mre2b9 (edited 10-01-2002).]

[This message has been edited by mre2b9 (edited 10-06-2002).]