Advice on a Freedom Airlines CRJ
 

Hi all,

It looks like for the next 6 weeks or so I may be on a Freedom Airlines CRJ from Vegas to Phoenix. Anyone got any advice for seats on this plane? I've never flown and HP CRJ so I'm not sure about much. Also what can you carry on to one of these guys? I usually only travel with my laptop backpack and my carryon for clothes. Any advice would be appreciated.

Lance

Do you mean Mesa? IIRC, Freedom hasn't worked w/ HP in a while.

Anyway, I prefer row 2 on those planes as I have stowage in the area in front of me. However, go with row 1 if possible. You'll want to be as close to the front as possible - even if I get offered exit rows I don't take it as it will take what seems like eternity trying to get off on landing as I am a tall guy and usually have to bend over when walking around inside.

It depends on the station you fly out of. I've found LAS to be the most forgiving, some stations (SLC) will seem to check anything except for a purse. However, you should be ok with your laptop case. If your clothes are in a wheeled carryon you may want to gatecheck them.

Make sure to get on as one of the first (if elite). If not, you may have the misfortune of getting stuck next to one of those special types of CRJ passengers who believes all of the overhead bin space on both sides belongs to them for some reason. :rolleyes:

You know I thought that too but it said it right on the americawest.com website. Thought it was Mesa only as well. You would think their own website would be updated.

Thanks for the info. I will definitely board with the elites. Shouldn't be bad to take as it's a short flight. I didn't think they would have this many CRJs running between LAS and PHX as usually I took this flight last year during this time and it was always packed on a 320/319

Lance

Oh how I miss Freedom. You know why? The best F seats in the world! Nothing was better than having a nice shiny, large, leather F seat on the left (one side) of the plane. It was like you were in your own personal learjet.

Didn't Mesa aquire Freedom? I thought they did and took Freedom's RJ's and yanked out the F seats. I could be wrong :eek:

Freedom was started by I believe one of the mesa founders so it could utilize non union crew. It was meant more as a scare tactic for mesa's unions and was quickly reabsorbed after the negotiations were done.

Freedom is back.

A handful of CRJs will fly for DL Connection. They must fly under Freedom instead of Mesa as the DL pilot contract does not allow connection carriers to fly aircraft with more than 70 seats.

Yeah I just found it odd that it still shows up like that on the Flight Schedules pages. Anyhoo..thanks for all the info guys. I don't care for the RJs but they are going to be a necessary evil for a while.

Lance

Even in the HP service? Was I incorrect in my above post?

I had not heard this.

Since the removal of first class, :( , I always go for the exit row. Yes, it takes you a few extra minutes to get off the plane, but I always gate-check a roll-a-board and it takes a few minutes for ground personnel to get all the bags plane-side or up into the jetway, so the timing works out about perfect. There is substantial extra legroom in the exit rows of many of the planes, which obviously matters if you're going to be sitting there for any length of time. Granted, PHX-LAS is a wonderfully short flight, but delays happen, so it might be worth it.

I indeed agree. For the first time yesterday I chose 2D for the RJ rather than the exit rows b/c I thought I would sacrifice leg room and get off the plane quicker. For some reason it seems like it takes FOREVER to disembark from an exit row on the RJ, however, the legroom is certainly worth it next time I'm on the jungle jet!

Thanks again for the extra info. I'll try to get Exit row. ALthough usually my main reason for picking a seat is usually to get off the plane as fast as possible, I realize it will take them a few minutes to get the bags off too and even for a 50 minute flight it might be nice for the legroom.

Lance

Both Freedom and Mesa Airlines have always been wholly owned by a holding company (Mesa Air Group?). America West dictated both the inclusion (and then the removal) of the F seats on the RJs. It had nothing to do with Mesa aquiring Freedom. I guess any additional F revenue from the 2-class configuration didn't offset the reduced number of seats.

And yes, I miss those F seats as well...

You want advice? Find a different carrier, one that doesn't use an RJ. (AKA Barbie Planes). I fly two or three times a week and I refuse to fly any route on any carrier that uses RJ's. They only make a miserable experience worse. You can carry on your wallet. That's about all that fits. I realise you have a short flight but even Southwest is better than an RJ. Try them. Fly safe.

I've flown Southwest from Vegas to Phoenix, was a fine short trip. I'm sure the RJ will be fine as well. I've flown to Calagary in Y on an RJ and it wasn't the worst thing in the world. I'm sure I"ll survive the 45 minute flight. My biggest fears are A) flying out of Vegas is always late and B) flying Mesa is always late (so I hear) and I wonder just how late I'll end up being :)

Lance