After another noisy night at the hotel I again had breakfast at the hotel restaurant before checking out and another 22 USD ride to the airport with a very chatty driver.

At the airport I went to check-in at the premium desk and the agent said I needed to have my bag screened first but took my PP and flight details said she would do the paper work for me.

I took my case for what turned out to be Aphis screening and after having the sticker applied to my bag joined the now long queue at the premium desk. After the agent had finished with a couple she called me over and gave me my boarding passes and tagged my bag through to LAX.

Security was swift and I went on down to the AC where again I was offered 1 drink chit.

The lounge has a nice view out over the runway and whilst there an AA 757 pulled up to the gate next to the lounge giving an up close view to those inside the lounge.


Admirals Club San Juan


Admirals Club San Juan


I again made my way down to the gate early but still not early enough as boarding had already started.

Flight AA 1393 SJU-DFW Seat 2A (Business)
Aircraft: B757
Departure time: 11:00

Once on board I turned left to the forward cabin and took my seat.

Drinks of OJ and water were offered prior to push back at 10:55. The captain announced a flight time of 5 hours and 2 minutes. We taxied out and I was amused to see two very small Fed Ex aircraft readying for take off. I am not sure but I think they were Cessna’s or something similar.

We took off out over the ocean with San Juan on our left and I had another great view of the city.

A hot towel was handed out after the gong and then the drink service. Ha ha you lost I didn’t order a scotch and dry I ordered a Bloody Mary this time. I was offered another drink before the meal that I accepted.


Bloody Mary & Warm Nuts


When I pre-booked my meals this flight and the following had exactly the same meal choice. I decided to go with one of each. What a stupid move that was.

For this flight I ordered the cheese lasagne. It came on a tray with the starter of prawns in some sickly sweet sauce and a salad of cheese and greens in quantity order.
I was offered white or wheat bread and some wine. This time I did try the red but regretted it.
The lasagne was 90% cheese and probably included my cholesterol allowance for the next six weeks. I couldn’t finish it.


Lunch Tray


Unlike the inbound flight the dessert was not on the tray but was offered by the crew after the tray had been removed. It was an apple tart and I asked for a coffee to accompany this. I saw the crew ask the senior who I then could see setting the coffee to brew.


Dessert


After I had finished my dessert and the coffee well and truly brewed the crew remember realised I hadn’t yet received my coffee. She came back a little later and pointed to her head and said sorry as she put the coffee down.

The rest of the flight was the usual ask and you shall receive standard.

We touched down at 15:12 and taxied forever until finally reaching our gate. It was A terminal again and my next flight also left from the A terminal. Off to the A terminal AC again where, yep you guessed it, I was given one drink chit.

They had some fire roasted vegetable soup and Mexican chicken & corn soup along with the usual fruit and snack items. I grabbed a bowl of the chicken soup and some water and settled down into the cell phone free zone for some quiet.

After an hour and half or so I decided to thwart the trend and went to the gate super early. Of course this backfired and they didn’t start boarding until after the printed time on my BP. You just can’t win.

Eventually they started boarding and I made my way down to the plane.

Flight AA 2477 DFW-LAX Seat 4A (First)
Aircraft: B737
Departure time: 18:25

I stashed my bag and settled in. Juice and water were offered again before push back. A flight time of 2 hours and 55 minutes was announced and we pushed back at 18:26 for a take off time of 18:36.

Once in the air the usual AA service ensued with the hot towel and then the drinks run. Yep back to the S&D for this flight.


S&D and Warm Nuts


I was offered another drink and accepted this time before the meal service began. The crew worked from the back of the cabin and I was asked what I would prefer without any acknowledgement that I had pre-booked. Thankfully I was able to avoid the cheese fest and instead got my pre-ordered meal of chicken tika masala. The crew described it as a chicken terriaki though.


Dinner Tray


Again the meal was served all on the tray with the salad and main only this time. I was offered sour dough or wheat bread and went with the former.

Now perhaps living Britain has clouded my tastes but this chicken tika was bland as could be. There barely any spice flavour and no kick at all, but better than the urrgh lasagne.

After the meal the cookies came around. It seems chocolate chip is the flavour of the month or AA no longer do other cookies like the white chocolate and cranberry I have had in the past.

We touched down at 19:32 and taxied up to the gate. I made my down to the baggage hall and waited 10 minutes or so for the bags to start spewing out. Mine was one of the first out – yippee priority bag tags do sometimes work.

I only had to wait around 5 minutes for the shuttle to the Westin at LAX.

I was given an upgrade to an executive level room and after settling in went to the executive club to see if they had anything to drink. The coffee machine was broken and the only beverage was an urn full of sliced citrus fruit and water.