From CMH: CO, NW, D?
Oct 7, 2006, 10:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington DC
Programs: United Mileage Plus, Hilton Honors
Posts: 935
From CMH: CO, NW, D?
I am sitting in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt in Santiago Chile. Wonderful hotel, by the way. I am awaiting my return flight to CMH on AA. Although I had a business class seat for the whole trip, the AA 767 was so uncomfortable that I have been suffering a back ache and pain in my hips for the last three days (I have an arthritic L5, so the AA seat only inflammed not - not the cause of the problem). Plus, no AVOD and some of the rudest FAs I have seen.
So, I am considering going back to Skyteam. Primarily to avoid ORD which is pure hell.
Most of my flying is to Europe. This year I am expecting: London (2), Lisbon, Vienna, Frankfurt and one trip to Hong Kong. Most of my domestic routes are: 1) MCO, 2) LA and SF, 3) EWR, 4) IAD or DCA.
So, I am leaning towards CO since I can route through CLE (although it seems a little pricey) and avoid EWR and Houston for the most part.
Delta, which I used to like, is unpleasant to fly on a regular basis. NW - I must be one of the few who actually likes NW IFF I get upgraded. And DTW is a great airport. But, NW may not survive.
So, Columbusites, which of the Skyteam do you recommend?
Another point in CO's favor is that the planes are usually very clean. Delta ... well, ... NW has that "North by Northwest" image (remember Cary Grant being rushed to the Grand Rapids on a Northwest flight?), so their aged fleet has a historic flair to it.
So, I am considering going back to Skyteam. Primarily to avoid ORD which is pure hell.
Most of my flying is to Europe. This year I am expecting: London (2), Lisbon, Vienna, Frankfurt and one trip to Hong Kong. Most of my domestic routes are: 1) MCO, 2) LA and SF, 3) EWR, 4) IAD or DCA.
So, I am leaning towards CO since I can route through CLE (although it seems a little pricey) and avoid EWR and Houston for the most part.
Delta, which I used to like, is unpleasant to fly on a regular basis. NW - I must be one of the few who actually likes NW IFF I get upgraded. And DTW is a great airport. But, NW may not survive.
So, Columbusites, which of the Skyteam do you recommend?
Another point in CO's favor is that the planes are usually very clean. Delta ... well, ... NW has that "North by Northwest" image (remember Cary Grant being rushed to the Grand Rapids on a Northwest flight?), so their aged fleet has a historic flair to it.
Oct 8, 2006, 9:52 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Delta - Gold; Starwood - Platinum; HHonors - Diamond & Avis Preferred
Posts: 10,869
Originally Posted by DrBeeper
I am sitting in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt in Santiago Chile. Wonderful hotel, by the way. I am awaiting my return flight to CMH on AA. Although I had a business class seat for the whole trip, the AA 767 was so uncomfortable that I have been suffering a back ache and pain in my hips for the last three days (I have an arthritic L5, so the AA seat only inflammed not - not the cause of the problem). Plus, no AVOD and some of the rudest FAs I have seen.
So, I am considering going back to Skyteam. Primarily to avoid ORD which is pure hell.
Most of my flying is to Europe. This year I am expecting: London (2), Lisbon, Vienna, Frankfurt and one trip to Hong Kong. Most of my domestic routes are: 1) MCO, 2) LA and SF, 3) EWR, 4) IAD or DCA.
So, I am leaning towards CO since I can route through CLE (although it seems a little pricey) and avoid EWR and Houston for the most part.
Delta, which I used to like, is unpleasant to fly on a regular basis. NW - I must be one of the few who actually likes NW IFF I get upgraded. And DTW is a great airport. But, NW may not survive.
So, Columbusites, which of the Skyteam do you recommend?
Another point in CO's favor is that the planes are usually very clean. Delta ... well, ... NW has that "North by Northwest" image (remember Cary Grant being rushed to the Grand Rapids on a Northwest flight?), so their aged fleet has a historic flair to it.
So, I am considering going back to Skyteam. Primarily to avoid ORD which is pure hell.
Most of my flying is to Europe. This year I am expecting: London (2), Lisbon, Vienna, Frankfurt and one trip to Hong Kong. Most of my domestic routes are: 1) MCO, 2) LA and SF, 3) EWR, 4) IAD or DCA.
So, I am leaning towards CO since I can route through CLE (although it seems a little pricey) and avoid EWR and Houston for the most part.
Delta, which I used to like, is unpleasant to fly on a regular basis. NW - I must be one of the few who actually likes NW IFF I get upgraded. And DTW is a great airport. But, NW may not survive.
So, Columbusites, which of the Skyteam do you recommend?
Another point in CO's favor is that the planes are usually very clean. Delta ... well, ... NW has that "North by Northwest" image (remember Cary Grant being rushed to the Grand Rapids on a Northwest flight?), so their aged fleet has a historic flair to it.
Didn't you already ask this question in this thread??
I don't believe we need multiple threads for the basically same question, you could have edited your post in the below thread.
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...oto=nextnewest
Last edited by KENNECTED; Oct 8, 2006 at 10:15 am
Oct 8, 2006, 3:13 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 106
I would suggest CO
I saw that you recommended either UA for upgrades or CO for quality. But you added NW and Delta to the mix.
Here is my take. If you go out west frequently, pick UA or US (via the old Amerika West). If you go to Europe frequently, pick Delta/AF. If you are concerned with upgrades, pick NW. If you want a better airline, pick CO (realizing that upgrades are hard to get).
DTW is the best hub in the midwest. Although I have good experiences with CLE and CVG as well. MUCH better than ORD for AA and UA. Or the dreaded PHL for US.
If NW wasn't on the brink, I would give them greater consideration. But I would go with CO if you don't care about upgrades.
Here is my take. If you go out west frequently, pick UA or US (via the old Amerika West). If you go to Europe frequently, pick Delta/AF. If you are concerned with upgrades, pick NW. If you want a better airline, pick CO (realizing that upgrades are hard to get).
DTW is the best hub in the midwest. Although I have good experiences with CLE and CVG as well. MUCH better than ORD for AA and UA. Or the dreaded PHL for US.
If NW wasn't on the brink, I would give them greater consideration. But I would go with CO if you don't care about upgrades.
Oct 8, 2006, 6:00 pm
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: SEA
Posts: 12,485
Where do you fly to? DL has the most non-stops destinations out of CMH and the most flights of any Skyteam carrier.
Oct 9, 2006, 4:22 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 1,380
I say, B6 to JFK and go from there 
Oct 9, 2006, 7:39 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington DC
Programs: United Mileage Plus, Hilton Honors
Posts: 935
Originally Posted by cptlflyer
I say, B6 to JFK and go from there
Oct 10, 2006, 12:53 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Columbus, Oh and Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: CO Gold Elite
Posts: 17
I want to preface this by asking you Dr.Beeper: Are you a professor at OSU? I believe I may have taken an English course from you a few quarters back, as your itineraries sound similar to some of the destinations you used to talk about visiting in our class...
As a frequent flyer out of CMH airport, I can tell you that it's not gonna be easy to take just one airline for all of the routes that you are planning. The addition of B6, while very convenient, will only be flying to JFK (probably my least favorite airport, next to SCE) and BOS as of Oct. 18th. I will try to break down by your destination list, as I have flown to a number of those places from CMH.
MCO: I fly Continental. I fly to MCO approximately 5 times a year. While I will either have a flight through CLE or IAH, at least I won't have to fly on Southwest where while it is a direct flight, you have about 40 kids on the plane, most of whom cry the entire trip. On top of the fact that you won't have to deal with small children jumping on your luggage and carry on bags (which I have had happen more than once). Its nice that you are usually on a 737-500 with the option of First Class. I can't remember the last time I flew to MCO on anything but Continental. Although cheaper, NWA routes you through Detroit, their planes and I hate running from terminal to terminal there EVERY TIME I go through. Their planes are very unkempt as well.
EWR: Obviously Continental. Non stop, usually not crowded depending on what time you fly. Always large planes, I rarely get stuck on a regional jet anymore. Most available flights, and you can usually snag the Continental $99 weekly special where they discount the flights on this route.
LAX/BUR: If you can fly into BUR as opposed to LAX, I love taking Jet Blue, has connecting service through JFK, although a longer flight. I do this when I fly from my home town in Pittsburgh, B6 started flying out of PIT earlier this year. I completely avoid USAirways/America West, as they route you through six different places it seems. Last time I flew US, my journey went CMH-PIT-PHX-BUR, when I could have routed through ONE city like some of the other airlines offer. LAX can be a headache, BUR is relatively easier to fly through, although my luggage has been lost twice flying through there - both times America West. If you prefer LAX, I fly CO, as I found a route where I can leave CMH around 6 AM and arrive in LAX by 1030-11. Though I am only at Gold Status, I'd imagine CLE-LAX route would offer a much better chance at an upgrade as opposed to EWR-LAX, although when I've flown that route, i've paid for FC.
SFO: I've only flown to SFO once, and I routed through IAH on CO. The only plus to CO is that they have minimal layover times at both CLE and IAH. I usually fly middle of the week, they most of the times have these convenient flights where I don't have to take a layover for an extended period (like the time I had a 7 hour layover at EWR, wanted to put my eye out.)
To London: I fly Continental (again, surprise), but usually it is so I can ensure status for the next year. I've flown Air France and British Airways previously, their first class set up in my opinion is very superior to any domestic legacy carrier that I have been on. AF and BA are hard to route through CMH, i've flown them out of PIT. Co does route through EWR, obviously, but their international terminal is more bearable to me then domestic departure gates.
CO flies direct to Lisbon and Frankfort out of EWR, but not Vienna. Lisbon and Frankfort are relatively easier to schedule with convenient layover times though. Vienna routes through CDG, which is an experience if you have never been....haha.
In response to your European Flights:
One of my favorite airlines in Europe has to be Lufthansa. Once you get to the UK, you can get anywhere on most major carriers. When I travel in Europe, if my monetary situation allows, I fly Lufthansa everywhere. When I travel with a companion, I have flown EasyJet and (gasp) RyanAir (how can you pass up just paying taxes on flights. 30-40 Euros anywhere in Europe??) but I love Lufthansa. I think last time I flew from Heathrow to Lisbon, it was relatively inexpensive at about 130 Euros, but that was last year at some point. While you can't do anything for your SkyTeam status, its such an enjoyable experience. I prefer to fly different airlines in Europe for the experience, rather than direct from the US.
I am not very knowledgable about Hong Kong, sorry there.
Hope I helped out...I usually check these boards once every other day, so any questions I can respond to fairly quickly.
As a frequent flyer out of CMH airport, I can tell you that it's not gonna be easy to take just one airline for all of the routes that you are planning. The addition of B6, while very convenient, will only be flying to JFK (probably my least favorite airport, next to SCE) and BOS as of Oct. 18th. I will try to break down by your destination list, as I have flown to a number of those places from CMH.
MCO: I fly Continental. I fly to MCO approximately 5 times a year. While I will either have a flight through CLE or IAH, at least I won't have to fly on Southwest where while it is a direct flight, you have about 40 kids on the plane, most of whom cry the entire trip. On top of the fact that you won't have to deal with small children jumping on your luggage and carry on bags (which I have had happen more than once). Its nice that you are usually on a 737-500 with the option of First Class. I can't remember the last time I flew to MCO on anything but Continental. Although cheaper, NWA routes you through Detroit, their planes and I hate running from terminal to terminal there EVERY TIME I go through. Their planes are very unkempt as well.
EWR: Obviously Continental. Non stop, usually not crowded depending on what time you fly. Always large planes, I rarely get stuck on a regional jet anymore. Most available flights, and you can usually snag the Continental $99 weekly special where they discount the flights on this route.
LAX/BUR: If you can fly into BUR as opposed to LAX, I love taking Jet Blue, has connecting service through JFK, although a longer flight. I do this when I fly from my home town in Pittsburgh, B6 started flying out of PIT earlier this year. I completely avoid USAirways/America West, as they route you through six different places it seems. Last time I flew US, my journey went CMH-PIT-PHX-BUR, when I could have routed through ONE city like some of the other airlines offer. LAX can be a headache, BUR is relatively easier to fly through, although my luggage has been lost twice flying through there - both times America West. If you prefer LAX, I fly CO, as I found a route where I can leave CMH around 6 AM and arrive in LAX by 1030-11. Though I am only at Gold Status, I'd imagine CLE-LAX route would offer a much better chance at an upgrade as opposed to EWR-LAX, although when I've flown that route, i've paid for FC.
SFO: I've only flown to SFO once, and I routed through IAH on CO. The only plus to CO is that they have minimal layover times at both CLE and IAH. I usually fly middle of the week, they most of the times have these convenient flights where I don't have to take a layover for an extended period (like the time I had a 7 hour layover at EWR, wanted to put my eye out.)
To London: I fly Continental (again, surprise), but usually it is so I can ensure status for the next year. I've flown Air France and British Airways previously, their first class set up in my opinion is very superior to any domestic legacy carrier that I have been on. AF and BA are hard to route through CMH, i've flown them out of PIT. Co does route through EWR, obviously, but their international terminal is more bearable to me then domestic departure gates.
CO flies direct to Lisbon and Frankfort out of EWR, but not Vienna. Lisbon and Frankfort are relatively easier to schedule with convenient layover times though. Vienna routes through CDG, which is an experience if you have never been....haha.
In response to your European Flights:
One of my favorite airlines in Europe has to be Lufthansa. Once you get to the UK, you can get anywhere on most major carriers. When I travel in Europe, if my monetary situation allows, I fly Lufthansa everywhere. When I travel with a companion, I have flown EasyJet and (gasp) RyanAir (how can you pass up just paying taxes on flights. 30-40 Euros anywhere in Europe??) but I love Lufthansa. I think last time I flew from Heathrow to Lisbon, it was relatively inexpensive at about 130 Euros, but that was last year at some point. While you can't do anything for your SkyTeam status, its such an enjoyable experience. I prefer to fly different airlines in Europe for the experience, rather than direct from the US.
I am not very knowledgable about Hong Kong, sorry there.
Hope I helped out...I usually check these boards once every other day, so any questions I can respond to fairly quickly.