DCA-MBJ-DCA all on AA (where I have no status and few miles)

12/25 Arrive at DCA with six checked bags (3 for my family and 3 for my parents who have already been in Negril for 2 weeks and need more stuff) at noon for a 1:15 flight. After 40 MINUTES in the check-in line, we are pulled out of line because departure time is so near. We are checked in ove at the 1st class line. Swing by Admirals club to pick up gift from Ken, but the darn placed closed at noon for xmas .

DCA-MIA
Straight onto 757 and we are seated 21 ABCD on a fairly full flight. As we shuffle onto the plane, the pilot spied my 6 year old and invited her into the cockpit. Stupid dad has no camera, so he can’t preserve her wonderment at the complexity of all the lights and switches. At our row, the 5 and 6 year olds immediately start fighting over the window seat and dad ends up in middle seat between the kids while mom is on opposite aisle with baby in lap. Leave on time, arrive 30 mins early, meaning a 15 minute wait on tarmac in MIA for our arriving gate to clear.

MIA-MBJ
Connection time is short, despite our early arrival, so we hightail it to our gate where boarding commences forthwith. We are on the jet way (and the plane is about half full) and there is a strong smell of gasoline when we are told to reverse direction immediately and quickly. The plane is de-boarded. We go to the large window and look out to see aviation fuel spewing out of the plane’s right wingtip. There is no announcement from the podium until the gate agent sees the entire flight staring out the window at the leaking 727. Then he explains that the plane was overfueled and what we are seeing is the plane’s automatic overflow pumps expelling the excess fuel. He goes on to say that policy requires that ALL fuel now be pumped out of the plane, after which the plane would be refueled. 45 minute delay. After finally boarding, both kids are invited into the cockpit where my (observant, it turns out) 6 year old says “This looks much older than the other one.” Dad, meanwhile, is quizzing the 3 cockpit crewmembers about whether the story we heard from the gate agent was the whole truth. They claim it was and that it happens “all the time when there’s a new guy fueling the plane.” Plane is only 2/3 full, and I have an empty seat next to me to lay the baby down. He sleeps the whole way making dad look like a hero

MBJ-Negril. Anyone who has taken this drive in the past knows what a pain it is. But “progress” has come to the island, and a new “highway” is being built. What does this mean? Well, during the 4-10(+) year construction process, the old road is a complete mess. We’re talking one 2 mile stretch where you’d think it was a mule path, not a road. It used to take 1.5 hours to make the trek. When they are all done the trip is supposed to be cut down to 1 hour. With all the construction, it took 2.25 hours to drive. As my wife pointed out, the cure seems to be worse than the disease.

Negril: What can I say? 11 days of sun, red stripe, dragon stout and daiquiri time promptly at some undefined point every afternoon. Stayed at our regular villa with my parents, sister and brother. My father took lots of digital photos and promised to put up a web site…we’ll see (they will be there through the weekend). Annie actually convinced me to parasail against my better judgment, so we went up together in a double harness. But she made it up to me by granting me 30 minutes on an 1100 horsepower jet ski.

1/6
MBJ-MIA total of 3 AA agents checking in two lines of 40 or so groups each leads to ANOTHER long wait in line to check in. The immigration process for AA in MBJ is to take the immigration card and rescan carryons at the gate, leading to further frustration. Air Jamaica and Usairways get that stuff out of the way at checkin, a much more reasonable process. The A-300 feels like a flying greyhound. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a widebody as much as the next person, and the 4 across middle section is perfect for our family, but I would hate to fly across the atlantic or pacific on one of those old tacky things. Have I mentioned the AA coach food yet? Well, it stinks. Does AA call this international service??? While at least we were fed (even on the 1.25 hour trips between miami and mo bay) the chicken was all tasteless and dry (a chicken breast, no sauce, no nothing. Just a plane old chicken breast and a roll!!!!!!) As usual from JA, we are sniffed by dogs on the exiting jetway. At veeeeeery crowded MIA customs, I spy a customs agent holding a clear bag that looked to contain about 5 pounds of pot amid the chaos of randomly changing baggage carousels. He was smiling broadly, but the fella his buddies were taking into custody seemed less enthusiastic.

Once through, we had 2 hours and decided to make our way to the RCC over in pier F. It was worth the walk for the peace and quiet and the free self serve bar...not to mention the big screen tv tuned to the cartoon network (who enjoyed that more: dad or the kids????)

MIA-DCA
Back at Pier C for our flight home. Rushing to get on the Super 80, I missed the fact that it was a Bistro Bag flight (woo-hoo!!!). The chicken wrap was dreadful, but the sweet and sour sauce in the packet was so good, it made the thing palatable. The FAs gave the kids AA wing pins and we had a nice peaceful flight home.

Despite my griping here, I'd give AA a 6.5 out of 10 for the flights. After all, I was in coach, no status, etc. I hated the long wait at check-in (here I admit I am spoiled rotten) and hated the food (which is a cliche anyway). On the up side, I prefered the cbs programming to UA's nbc fare, especially the 60 minutes stories, and the FA's were nice enough. But again, my expectations were low and now I appreciate 1K status on UA all the more

Now I’ve got to wade through the 192 e-mails and 16 voice mails that I have here at the office not to mention a friday afternoon staff meeting But I suppose its worth it...

Two questions for AA people on this board:
1) All my tickets said “Premium” next to “no smoking” and “coach.” What does this designation mean? That I paid too much for the ticket?

2) What’s the difference between an AA “Vip lounge” (in Mo bay) and an "Admirals club" (everywhere else)????


[This message has been edited by kokonutz (edited 01-07-2000).]