Two surprises LAX-OGG today:

1) Personal recognition from FA who asked meal choice soon after I sat down after boarding near end of process. Was in 6E of a 753, so I appreciated getting the meal choice. Very underfilled flight - maybe 25 people in E-, 5 in E+, 23 in F - not a good flight for UA, money-wise.

2) Took the LAVAS approach into Maui today, passing much closer to Big Island than I have ever experienced on that one, before heading around south side of Haleakala. Individual observatories atop Mauna Kea could be seen. On a north-headed landing into Maui from mainland, it's the LNDHY approach 95% of the time (across the isthmus and U-turn), so a nice stir of the routine.