Chicago O'Hare to Los Angeles (ORD-LAX) First Class on AA 757
I like the AA ORD lounges better than the LAX ones and was so ensconced in what I was doing that I suddenly realised boarding had already begun at the gate at the end of the other pier. So I quickly packed up, thanked the staff and ran down the length of the pier, across and up the other one for the gate. There was some confusion - the monitors said gate H15 while the lounge staff had scrawled gate H12, and the monitors said a flight to Indianapolis (IND) was leaving from gate H12 at the same time as my flight. Gate monitors at both H12 and H15 were out of order and both in process of boarding. I tried gate H15 to find it was H12. So I head to the other gate to join the queue and grab my seat.
It seems I wasn't the only person confused since the FA kept saying over the PA - "This aircraft is going to Los Angeles. If your destination is not Los Angeles please leave the aircraft now."
It is a full flight and I am lucky to get overhead bin space near my seat.
This is my first time on AA's 757. I had read comments on the American/AA forum where popular opinion seems to be first on the 757 is worse than on the MD80. Admittedly based on only one flight I disagree. I was more easily able to stretch out (although pitch is not great compared with true first, more like shorthaul business on NZ A320). The seat seemed to be wider. The centre arm rest is of decent size - plenty big enough for a glass of wine, a glass of water and a book (plus my seat mate's things). There is some IFE - 10 channels of audio plus a mainscreen movie.
Food was the same as the previous day - choice of chicken and pasta or pizza. No pre-departure drink this time though. Perhaps the larger cabin meant the FA's felt they didn't have enough time to do this?
I also managed some sleep (yes again!) so no scenery reports. (Apparently it was fairly cloudy over the interesting bits anyway.)