I would like to publish my first trip report there on flyertalk; it describes my journey to United States.
The idea of going to Chicago placed interesting AirFrance-KLM fare with routing Vienna – Chicago – Vienna with change plane at Paris on way to Chicago and in Amsterdam on way back. Three domestic routes Chicago – San Francisco, San Francisco – Las Vegas, San Diego –Chicago operated Southwest Airlines.

Vienna-Paris, OS411, A321
As I live in Czech Republic – at south of Moravia, we went to Vienna by car, we arrived at Schwechat airport some when after 5 o’clock at morning, as our flight departed at seven. First problem occurred at check-in on Austrian’s kiosk, the system just couldn’t find two friends, going with us. Hopefully, Austrian lady came and she has sent us to counter. After maybe half hour waiting in line we got to counter. But the problem continued – those two friends have same name – father and son and the reservation system of Austrian thought its double booking so they merged reservations.
It was finally solved by checking-in one normally and for another one they issued, with help of KLM employee, new paper ticket.
We could finally proceed to gate. In Vienna, security check is at gate and there was disgusting line – seems at morning, Vienna is quite busy, big lines were at every gate. After passing security, we got to plane – Airbus A321 registration OE-LBB.
When after 15 minutes of scheduled push-back captain announced (for first time) another 15 minutes of waiting due to lines at security, I started to be nervous – we had connection time at Paris CDG just 1hour and 10minutes. But some when at 7:40 we took off to Paris. It was 2hours un-eventful flight, I was bit disappointed about Austrian, cabin crew came just one time with cup of juice and something like croissant. There wasn’t so much space, but maybe it was caused by sitting in last row. But pilots have offset some delay and to terminal 2D we got at about 15minutes later than scheduled.



Upon exit the aircraft, we walked to terminal 2E, I have been at CDG for first time and I’ve heard a lot of bad information, but it was quite okay. And pretty good sings. After passing TGV station, we’ve been at passport control at 2E; employee took my passport, got over by scanner and returned without any word with kind a bored face. Then security check – everywhere were big, really big lines (not as in Vienna, bigger), but after showing our boarding passes, we have been taken to one with short line. Then we could finally go to gate E41, where was departing our flight to Chicago. Terminal 2E with red carpets is quite nice, its good decoration. Agents at boarding were confused, that we don’t need VISA and ESTA is enough, where is that Czech Republic actually located?


Paris – Chicago O’Hare, AF664, A340



I have been finally seated at the end of aircraft in quite „worn“ Airbus A340 F-GLZR (with registration, I found out that its 11 years old, not so much). During taxi to opposite side of airport, I’ve seen a lot of planes of AirFrance and Delta, A380 Singapore Airlines, B777 Eva Air and a lot of other aircrafts. After climbing to 32000feet, we have got printed menu, non-alcoholic drinks and some peanuts. For lunch there were two options – chicken or Lasagne, I was thinking of Lasagne, but when lady came to my seat, she said „Sorry, no more Lasagne “... so chicken again: D.
Flight was at about 9 hours, I was sleeping 2-3hours over Atlantic Ocean. In plane, there was bar with coke and other drinks in cans or juice. Almost whole flight, especially over Canada, there were big turbulences. Before landing at Chicago we flown over down-town then turn-around and landing at O’Hare airport half hour later then scheduled. Air France made me enjoy flight, there was good service on board, pretty AirFrance ladies and a lot of announcements and good food.





Passing US customs and border protection was easy, employee asked my standard questions , „Why I am going to USA“, „How long I will stay“, took photo, fingerprints and stamp to passport „admitted“.
All our 4 bags arrived okay, what is success for me, for 1hour transit at CDG. And probably no-one was browsing them – one friend told me, in his bag, hair-curlers was mysteriously added during transit at CDG .



Chicago (Midway) – San Francisco, WN585, B737NG

After spending 2 days at Chicago, time to move west came. We chose direct flight at 8:20AM, spending one night in San Francisco and next day at evening, move to Las Vegas.
We left hotel in Chicago half past five, actually it wasn’t problem to wake up early, with not-completely changed time. Midway is in comparison to O’Hare smaller, going there 17milions per year and most of flight are Southwest flights.
There are kiosks at the Southwest counters, so we checked-in there (without problem with same names) and gave our luggage to check-in lady. Then again through passport check, where TSA agent wrote maybe signature to my boarding pass. On security, there was need to take off shoues – interesting.
Boarding on southwest is like – first checked in, first boarded. Because online check-in is available 24hours prior to departure, we have not used it. So we were almost last boarding passengers, never mind.
There was plenty of space in aircraft – at least more than in Austrian flight to Paris. And pretty friendly cabin crew.
At time of scheduled departure, there has been announcement – there is heavy storm at Chicago, so all flights directing west must wait. For a moment it looked good, we moved to the holding point of runway but then another announcement about cancel of our clearance. Behind us were maybe 10 Southwest planes with same problem. Every 15 minutes, pilots told us they don’t have new information. After 2 hours of waiting, cabin crew started serving some peanuts and drinks – the case of Ryanair, when passengers had to wait few hours at ground without chance to buy any drink due some regulations came to my mind.
After 2.5 hours, we returned to gate – it has been possible to exit aircraft, but I stayed in plane and went to cockpit, pilots were totally okay with it, I sat at captain seat. They told me about problem of weather – reason of our delay; we’ve talked about Czech and so on.



Half hour after, we pushed-back, rolled to runway and finally, after 3 hours of waiting, captain announced „We have got a new clearance for departure. It’s okay, you can cheer now“and we have departed.
Rest of flight was uneventful, just some cabin crew jokes. We have landed at San Francisco in fair weather (after one hour, it became extremely foggy). After landing, one flight attendant told „Uff, we made it. “And sang Southwest song, passengers have enjoyed it.
Southwest made pretty good impression for first time, with not so formal acting and friendly crew and pretty good price for that long flight.

San Francisco – Las Vegas, WN385, B737NG



After one night at San Francisco, we arrived at SFO airport again. Almost every flight has been delayed for one-two hours, but our flight was just half hour delayed. Check-in at counter was the same as on flight to Chicago. From domestic part of airport, I have seen international terminal with A340 Air France, 747 KLM, and 747 Cathay Pacific etc. staying there. A lot of Southwest planes and Alaska have been there too (not in international part).
In gate we found out, after our flight, there are two another flights to Vegas, but scheduled departure of those was before our flight.



Option to take later flight for a refund was possible, but we will get to Vegas late enough, so we haven’t used it.
In 8pm we were sitting in plane. I took windows seat at the end of aircraft – pretty lucky as plane was full.
Flight was 1 hour approx. It was nice show – approaching Vegas in night – city full of lights, rest of our route it was completely dark and uneventful flight. Cabin crew wished our pleasant stay with saying. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”.
Upon exit plane, I saw where we are, playing machines at the airport, what have been worse – big, really big line for cabs. Maybe 200 people were staying there. But cabs were ready for this, so it’s maybe normal there.



Following day, we have returned to airport for pick-up our car. We have rented car at Dollar platinum Rental Company. We rented SUV – we wanted Jeep Grand Cherokee, but finally it was Ford Explorer, pretty similar car. During 9 days, we drove over Hoover Dam, Zion and Bryce canyon in Utah, then Grand Canyon and through „ghost cities“and Kingman to California, there Joshua Tree Park and over Los Angeles to our final destination San Diego doing at about 1300miles.

San Diego – Chicago (Midway), WN2310 , B737NG

Last day at west coast of USA, we have returned car to Dollar platinum, located maybe 1.5miles from terminal in San Diego. We got to rental company so so, in fuel tank, there stayed maybe one gallon. Rental company is located in axe of runway, se it was interesting view of landing planes above city park. So I have walked to terminal instead of using shuttle. San Diego looks quite small, but domestic traffic is pretty good, just no big machines.



We pushed back on-time, it was first flight with this company on-time (previous delays didn’t cause me some troubles, but but...). Flight was 4 hours and it was pretty boring, just when I have read in in-flight maganize that GPS receiver is not denied above 10 000feet, I pushed my TomTom to aircraft’s window and made my personal flight show. American lady next to me was looking at me as at terrorist for a while. But then she asked if it is gps. Then she said to her husband „Imagine, that we are going 860 miles/h“. I have explained her I’m from Europe and we don’t use US measurement.
We were landing to Chicago at night, just in Independence Day, so from plane it was nice to see fireworks. Midway was almost empty, so we moved to our hotel and stayed at terrace with Budlight as almost every other Chicago resident at this day.



Chicago – Amsterdam, KL612 , Boeing 747-400 combi

After great 14 days in USA, time to go home came. At the morning we went for buying to the city and at 1 o’clock to the airport. At check-in at O’Hare, there wasn’t any problem with same names of friends, - they had paper ticket from Vienna also to way back, but it took some time more than regular check-in.
At TSA agent, before me, there was some Mexican and he didn’t know what this big woman wants from him and why she is shouting to him so much. He was still giving her just boarding pass, finally he gave her driving license and he walked through. She shouted „Neext! “, so I gave her boarding pass with passport and it was immediately different person „Hey, how are you? “. We met one Czech at security; he was also going to Czech rep, but via Zurich with Swiss.
There was plenty of time, so I walked through whole terminal, international part - T5 seems not so big. Everywhere almost only European companies – British Airways, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, LOT,KLM,AF .. At our gate M09, there was already staying 747 KLM.



50 minutes before scheduled departure, business class passengers were invited for boarding, then rows 40 and higher, then other passengers. We seat at end of aircraft – well maybe 10 rows before end of PAX part. Third passenger for our triple seat didn’t come so we had some extra place.



Push-back was on-time, but we were staying at holding point of runway for 10 minutes, 4 planes landing during this.
After takeoff, cabin crew gave us some hot napkins and drinks. Then dinner, I chose beef. Our speed was almost whole flight bigger than 1000 km/h, max. Was 1130 km/h. Aircraft PH-BFS called Seoul had entertainment system, what made our flight even better. Great think on KLM AVOD is, you can choose your music and it is playing, whatever you do – for me flight show – this wasn’t possible on AirFrance entertainment system. Aircraft, 14 years old, but better than AF A340 – probably due reconstruction of seats regarding installation of entertainment system. It was red-eye flight, and my eyes were really red, I have not slept at all .

We were landing at Schiphol half hour earlier on the farthest runway from terminal. At morning, there is also heavy traffic – Singapore, Cathay, Malaysia and a lot of others. KLM made me great impression, nothing concrete, but everything was good, plane, cabin crew, announcement. For me KLM became better then AF. And it definitely wasn’t my last flight with this airline.






Our flight to Vienna was departing in 5.5 hours, so plenty of time. We decided to go at least to Schiphol plaza, we canceled our first plan to go to city, we were all too tired and I seen city month ago. At passport control, officer asked me if I’m at Holland for first time and what I will do there. I said nothing, just transit, he was staring at me, so I explained that we have plenty of time. No more questions. One hour hanging around restaurants and shops was enough, so we went to our departure gate to Vienna and slept rest time.
Amsterdam – Vienna, Embraer 190
15 minutes before departure, finally started boarding, I was among first passengers in plane, it was my first flight with Embraer and its just smaller 737, seating 2-2. Anyway that’s everything I remember from this flight, because I fell asleep immediately after saving seat belt and I woke up just before landing in Vienna.




If someone from you still reading, thanks and I’m looking forward to your trip reports.