DAY 2 - TO THE USA
28 Mar 17.
Following our usual policy of being where we need to be, we booked the Shuttle back to the airport at 0700. We were pleased to discover that as HHons Gold we weren’t charged the €2 each for the return journey … is this something new? And, at 0710, we were at DUB T2 … to find that the desks weren’t open yet! So we started to form a
ciu and waited … the AA staff started arriving at 0740! On later reflection, this was the only AA flight that day, so not really surprising. On our last trip, all the various American airline desks had been heaving at this time of day. Oh, well, lesson learned!
After processing, and a quick kerb-side cigarette or two in the “Designated Smoking Area” it was time again to ‘enter America’ through pre-clearance.
The usual DUB Security [up the escalator] was followed by a walk through the shops, and eventually down the long escalators to the US Border area, where we did Security again and the usual TSA Immigration checks [we had to wait a minute or two this time] before heading to the new Departure Lounge called
“51st and Green” … the website explains the ‘logic’ of the name! As this will be a not well-known facility, I shall elaborate a bit.
The Entrance corridor
General Views
Close to the action!
The [limited] offerings were, however, nicely presented and regularly topped up:
Who cares? Infinitely better than sitting on the metal benches at the Gate!
Bleak? Or Modern? Your call, but at least somewhere quiet and comfortable whilst waiting for your boarding call. And it does have some interesting views of proceedings - I particularly liked the guy in a truck outside, filling his service vehicle’s water tank while reading his magazine: it had been overflowing for nearly 5 minutes before he noticed [sadly no photo, it seemed rude!].
AA723, DUB-PHL, 1120-1345, A330, Business seats 1H/2H
We were called for boarding at 1030, and made our way back to Gate 404 where Group 1 boarding was just being called! So there we were … the first pax on board
We made our way to our favourite single window seats [we must try the A seats next time] and enjoyed our fizzy PDB, served by our very nice and friendly [mature] FAs.
The Business Cabin
The Seat
Somewhere to put my PDB and Kindle
The now-familiar comfy seat with lots of stowage spaces (unlike BA CW)
And … up and away, push-back at 1115, airborne at 1133 and with an expected flight time of 6h 37m [according to the Flight Deck, with whom I would not argue]. What else to say? Comfy seat, serviceable and visible IFE, and … food!
The Bread Plate
The cute new Salt and Pepper ^
The “Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Oxtail Ravioli” … Rare!!
Sadly, iWife’s same Main was a big FAIL. The meals were apparently delivered frozen, not chilled, and the crew struggled with their limited facilities to defrost/re-heat. Hers was served still frozen inside, even though mine was fine. What can you expect the crew to do with the minimal facilities they have? Honestly, I think they usually perform miracles under the circumstances. A further attack in the ovens restored hers to borderline edible status, but still not as good as mine [or the same meal on a previous trip]
Anyway, some hours later, we’re approaching Philadelphia, so what better choice of a 2nd meal than a liberal interpretation of a Philly CheeseSteak? “Barbecue Beef Cheese Toastie” … utterly [1] American, [2] Comes with a Health Warning, and [c] YUM YUM … Cholesterol Sandwich
Hello PHL, how are you? Oh, a bit grey and dull, but according to my re-set watch it’s now 14:20, or 02.20pm in AA terms!
Inevitably at Terminal A-West [A21?] so a refreshing walk for 5-10 minutes to the AAdmiral’s Lounge at the B-Gates. We admired PHL airport’s customer service for our 4-legged friends: can you imagine a UK airport taking that much trouble, and wasting retail space?
In the Lounge we duly hoisted the Ensign, gathered round a bollard and … waited until boarding started at 1520 at B6. Hmmm, no photos? Sorry, I must have been relaxed!
AA777, PHL-PHX, 1555-1821, A321, ‘First’ seats 2A/C
Oh, the luxury of a BP with “Group 1” in large letters on it
We relaxed [as much as we could] into the old blue seats, sipping our fizzy PDB, as we watched the rest of the Groups staggering on board. The old, the young, the inept, the whole panoply of society passed our eyes - innumerable grannies visiting kith and kin, years older than us. It was a full flight too, and delayed by some ‘last minuters’. While waiting for push-back, Coach were told that “We have limited stock of Buy On Board, and it’s Debit or Credit Cards only”. I had to convince myself I wasn’t on BA
And eventually Up and Away … all too tedious and uncomfortable for the next c. 5 hours to PHX. We had our pre-ordered “Chicken Thing”, and a glass or two, but we just wanted this to be over. A TATL and a almost-TransCon in one day is a bit hard on the old bones, and as I had to drive at the other end coping with alcohol was NOT an option!
Lunch ... a nice variety, and all very tasty! And not starting with Salad + more Salad!
OH, JOY … we have arrived at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. OK, PHX
Where are we? T4 … OK, a long walk to reclaim, which will stretch the legs nicely after that sector. As usual, the furthest belt, but at least there’s no Immigration or Customs to obstruct our walking! A quick kerb-side cigarette whilst waiting for the bags [step outside, about 200 yards on your left is the smoking zone] and then drag the bags across the roadways to the Shuttle to the Airport Car Rental Center [bus stop to your right on the far side]. Cases on board, OAP’s on board, let’s go for the 10 minute drive to the corporate Rental Center.
Now, at this point, I made my biggest travelling boo-boo of all time.
Seriously! We arrive at our destination. I’m standing on the bus near the luggage racks [no seat for Elders!] and got my backpack onto the shelf while digging into a pocket for my wallet for a couple of USD for the driver. A herd of people tries to board before we've even unloaded. Driver shoos them away and starts getting bags out. I have to move back out of his way. (You know where this is going). We get in the elevator down to the Avis Preferred desk … we reach the lower floor …
OMG. Take elevator back to Concourse Level,
run [yes, I can still run, just] back to where the bus dropped us off. He’s about to leave … he stops, and there is my bright yellow backpack on top of the dashboard! PHEW. I never lose contact with my backpack [in theory], and will certainly never do that again, even if the driver doesn’t get a tip.
Breathing heavily, I descent to the lowest level again to Avis Preferred desk, where I greet my namesake [same rare spelling] again. “Help yourself to anything in Row J”, he says. From a collection of about 8 SUVs, I pick a silver Nissan Rogue … nice
And so, at c. 1945, out of the parking lot, round the block and on to I-10 East, which at this spot actually heads South-ish … just an easy 10 miles down to Exit 160 and Chandler Bvd to the
Homewood Suites, Phoenix/Chandler again. Our "1 KING BED 1 BDRM FIREPLACE SUITE SMOKING" awaits! By 2000 we are unpacked, and heading for … ZZZZZZZ
BEING THERE
29 Mar - 10 Apr.
You don’t need the details of what we did and where we went, really. We did a bunch of essential US Retail, visited our friends frequently, enjoyed their wedding, quietly celebrated iWife’s birthday and enjoyed 2 weeks of blue skies and 30ºc weather. Enough said, really
The Ahwatukee Foothills, where our friends live.
Proceedings were slightly marred by the existence of the Phoenix Bike Fest **
http://www.phoenixbikefest.com** which resulted in a large number of Harley Davidson owners occupying our hotel and the Hampton next door. Now I enjoy hearing the rumble of a Harley along with the best of them, but NOT at 0400 on one night and 0200 the next night. For some reason [perhaps poor carburation?] it seem impossible to operate one, even when stationary, without perpetually blipping the throttle.
I understand some of the Hampton residents were actually evicted