(SORRY, THEY ARE MAKING IT HARD FOR ME TO POST, SO WILL BE IN SECTIONS)

PART 5
MAN-LGW, LGW-CDG, PAR

Ok, I appreciate everyone's patience. I am sorry for writing so much. Obviously I have written many things
before, as so many people want to know different things and aspects of the service.
I am wrirting this for FT but also for my aviation friends and penpals.

After a night of rain-Manchester, which I actually enjoyed, to be honest, as we don't get alot here in LA. I watched some planes come in and then had to check out the breakfast buffet, not bad. I stared through the window in the hotel resto into the offices of Terminal 2, could have been nicer. (i.e. T2 blocks one's view of anything good, oh well, the food was good). I checked out the pool at the SAS Radisson, but too many people in it and wanted to move on. So, I toured Terminal 2, picked up a few goodies from the airline counters, and kept an eye on the security check at the US airlines. Def. more laid back than at Heathrow, which works for me. It was the first time that I had even seen a USAirways timetable, so I took several and Ryan Air also gave me several.

Then came the dreaded load up the bags, found a cart in the lobby, checked out, with a smile , and did the lug the bags thing to Terminal 3. 1 and 2 are not bad, but for some reason, the trip to Terminal 3 using the pedestrian access and with bags is somewhat of a pain and wouldn't care to do it again. I will say that it was good to go through T1 with people in it, unlike the night before when it was empty.

I checked in for the BA flights to LGW and CDG and the agent couldn't have been nicer. Again, one of those Britts that I just love. Was fast and easy and then the queue for the security check. As I was on a domestic leg, had to smile for the security camera. Then when you go to the gate, they check the same pic and let you board, very clever. It allows the mixing of the domestic and int'l passengers in the int'l/airside of the terminal and hence, you get all the shops and lounges. This, if I am correct, is done throughout the UK, save Heathrow, and I have to accord our British cousins alot of credit for this idea. I prefer if over the Continental Europeans doing away with their borders altogether, bad for security.

Ok, BA Terraces lounge and was very nice. Compared to my last visit, the place was dead empty. The staff here are very friendly and warm. Sandwhiches and other goodies are out, plus the needed sparkling water. Took a seat by the window and watched some interesting planes come and go, one being a Russian something TU-154, love to see those! Most of the planes are oddball charters, much like LGW, and a ton of BA Embraer jets, which now I have flown, :-P. The boarding announcement came and off I went.
I did a quick perousal of the shops, not too much to look at like at Gatwick, then to the domestic gates, vs. the int'l ones.

Smile for the camera and you are back in Britain. No customs or anything, love it!
Unlike my flight to Heathrow last time, where the gate was right there, I had really pushed my luck by doing the last minute thing as the Gatwick flight may as well have left from Gatwick. All the way down to the end of the hall, down some stairs(why stairs??? Manchester likes stairs for some reason!), and then the last gate in oblivion. They were paging my name and that of a few others and we were waived on board. I had made a polite, but to the point remark about the plane leaving from the last gate. Tons of empty gates and all that walking for nothing. I don't mind the walking, but bad if I cut it to the last minute thinking it was one of the front gates.

It was a BA 737-300. Crew were very friendly, smiling, seats are comfy, and I had 3 seats to myself with no one in front of me, very nice! So, I knew that I could atleast grab 3 safety cards off this plane, was a start.
It would be easier if you just handed me a stack, I'll tell ya . I have so many people waiting for these cards, oh, the pressure .

Take off with a good view of the airport and terminals and into those big and nasty clouds. I was able to sneak a quick trip to the loo, half the time I do it just to get up and look for things to nick(take, borrow, as you prefer ). Also feels good to stand up.




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Michael
AA PLT,1 MLN Miles+
Hilton Gold
Sheraton Gold
Marriot Silver