Note: sorry for the quality of the pictures so far. My DSLR was stolen recently and I'm only just adjusting to using this point and shoot in low light.
Seattle to Dallas/Fort Worth – Sunday June 12, 2011
AA 1658
12:10-18:05 (3:55)
Boeing 737-800 New Configuration
Seat 4F
First Class 
At 12:15 on Saturday, when OLCI opened (didn’t work, as I expected), I wasn’t exactly prepared to fly 9,500 miles with enough crap to last 15 weeks in such disparate locations that I need be prepared for weather ranging from 0-50° Celsius and the expectations of conservative Riyadh and the beaches of Thailand. In fact, I didn’t even have a proper bag to check. A mad dash to REI with my mom ensued where she, I’m not joking, insisted I buy new underwear “because the stuff you have won’t wick well in the heat.” She’s probably right, but I couldn’t help laughing at such stereotypical harping mother behavior from a woman who is in no way a stereotypical mother. We left with a gargantuan rolling duffel which I’m using to carry my internal-frame backpack (for my more off-the-beaten-path destinations) as well as some liquids. Then I went to my fraternity (ΦΑ to any ΣΑΕs out there) to move all my possessions home for the summer. You can see I’m an extremely organized person. When done moving just after midnight, I went home to pack, which only took about an hour. Then back to the fraternity to say goodbye to some friends, an abysmal four hours of sleep, some final errands, and back home to get a ride to the airport from the ‘rents.
I arrived at Sea-Tac just about an hour before departure. There was one couple at the First Class counter, which was served by one agent with one station empty, but no line. After less than a minute I was helped. I handed the agent my passport and was asked where I was headed today. After answering Riyadh, she flipped through my passport to locate my visa before even typing anything into her computer. I was impressed by her knowledge!
Saudi transit visa
She put the newish AA priority tags on my bag. The security lines were abysmal (for SEA, suck it big cities) leading up to the doc checker, but PriorityAAccess had only one or two people ahead of me. I was ushered to a backscatter x-ray and opted out, as did the woman in front of me. After the screams of FEMALE ASSIST! MALE ASSIST! we were lead through the WTMD and given our “enhanced pat-downs.” For those of you who haven’t experienced this, I highly recommend it. Quite a titillating experience :
:. Nothing compares to having a stranger draw his fingers around your waste inside your underwear in the middle of a crowded departure hall.
Pain aside, I made it to the gate about ten minutes before boarding. I wouldn’t have made the first call if it weren’t for the PriorityAAccess security. After those with special needs were boarded, First, Executive Platinum, Oneworld Emeralds and Uniformed Military were called, consistent with AA’s new boarding order. I sat down in 4F next to a 85-90 year old gentleman who promptly introduced himself and shook my hand, though his name escapes me now. We went on to talk sporadically for much of the flight. He was in Seattle with a number of family members (who he ribbed endlessly as they passed on their way to coach) for his son’s wedding. When he saw me taking notes for this TR, he told me he was a pilot during WWII, and I responded that my grandfather was a navigator on a B-24 out of the Aleutians. (Fun fact, in 1944 the B-24 was put into service on Qantas Empire Airways’ trans-Indian Ocean route, which was at that time the longest nonstop route (PER-CMB) in the world, operated by a PBY Catalina in 27 hours. The B-24 flew an approximately 500 mile shorter route out of Learmonth, north of Perth. The flight was called the Kangaroo Service, and was the first time Qantas used the kangaroo logo.) We talked about life and this trip for most of the flight and I was able to miss the film, which was Beastly.
Qantas Kangaroo Service (1944)
The food and drinks service on this flight was decent. I was not offered a PDB (though I never have been in Seattle) but about 30 minutes after takeoff we were offered drinks and warm mixed nuts in a ramekin. I asked for my first gin and tonic of the day and it was promptly delivered.
Warm mixed nuts and a gin and tonic with lime
For lunch we were given the option of chicken enchilada or chicken Cobb salad with pepper cream dressing. I chose the salad, as I always do on AA lunch flights. There was a ridiculous amount of bacon on it, which was nice considering I was headed to the land-of-no-pork. It was also served with pita chips and hummus, which is typical of AA.
Chicken Cobb salad with pita chips, hummus and white wine
My seatmate ordered the enchilada, but I don’t think he understood what it was. He seemed to enjoy it. I drank the offered white wine, which was crappy as usual. My wine was refilled once and I was offered G&Ts at least four times after lunch, though I only had one more. Later in the flight we were offered warm toffee sugar cookies, which were delicious, and coffee or tea. My coffee was flavorless.
Toffee sugar cookie
Black coffee
I think AA has the best food service in domestic F, though I can’t compare it to AA and UA’s offerings on the New York – California routes. I can say that the food was comparable to what I got on a nighttime LHR-RUH in J on British Airways.
After lunch service a man came up from coach who looked very ill and stood by the aircraft door. The FAs were very accommodating and gave him water and a sickbag and put down the jumpseat. I think his situation must have deteriorated because a short while after he returned to his seat they rushed up and down the aisles with a first aid kit and stethoscope. There was no call for doctors, but when we arrived at the gate 10 minutes early there were paramedics standing by, though for some reason F was allowed to deplane first. I walked landside to smoke, which was a mistake as when I later found a smoking lounge in the D23 Admirals Club. Overall this was probably one of the most enjoyable midcons I've flown.