Should we have a "definite assuming ride" category? If so, then I'm definite.

Someone hasn't kept up on his South Park. ;)

Nah. Used to stick with it, not anymore. I don't find myself watching too much TV, and I used to be a news junkie.

Do you guys think there is any value in calling the reward desk to see if they show any F availability to IAH from SAN, SNA, ONT, LGB, BUR, or LAX that is at the standard level? I've looked at CO, NW, and DL sites and no one shows anything that gives me a decent time on Friday. The best I could find was a 5:35PM arrival from SNA, and that seems a bit late considering the festivities that evening.

For all the SPG people here in the box, I just reserved the Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental $81.75 a night ^

What code did you use? That's about $15 better than I did. I reserved at the same place.

Also, this is not something I'm used to seeing in SAN. Looks more like spring in IAH or DFW.

ZBT
Here is the promo page for the special rate under hotel offers, but I kept getting an error message
Tomorrow is looking up - for every night you pay regular rate, you can get the next for 50% off. Simply stay 2 nights or more...your tomorrows will be that much better.
Arrive Thursday - Saturday now through March 31, 2009.
To make a reservation click Book Now or call 1-866-716-8134 and mention promo code ZBT. Rates are pre-paid and non-refundable. 50% is taken off the best available non-restricted rate.



just go to SPG.com and book it from there

Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent.

Not really. Sometimes it means a better car, but that's mostly at smaller locations where you have to pick up the car at the counter. There are a few airports out there with an Executive Elite Aisle separate from the regular Executive Aisle, but I can count on one hand the number of airports I've seen with that.

Box Brunch
 

Count me in for the brunch. I may have a +1 as well — need to check on that after he returns from Europe. I will have a car and will be able to provide transportation between the airport and brunch (round trip).

This is like booking a vacation package with the option to add on round trip airport transfers :D:D:D

I survived, but it wasn't all that awesome
 

Sorry, CO 1E, but it wasn't all that awesome. Not terrible, but not awesome.

First flight wasn't bad at all. Newish A-319, good crew, comfortable seat but could have used more pitch. Interior had been updated with new blue leather seat covers in F and Y. Left on time and arrived early.

Second flight was almost excellent. Brand spanking new A-321. Beautiful interior. Seriously, I was impressed. LED lighting throughout, nice brand new leather seats in F and Y. Same crappy F pitch as the 319. Friendly crew. F had no closet, but there were coat "racks" like what UA has on its 737s and Airbus fleet behind the last row of F on the bulkhead. However, with no hangars, FAs couldn't hang coats. The aircraft arrived at PHL from PHX late, so we were late boarding, but the flight was so empty that it only took about 10 minutes to board. I had an empty seat next to me. We pushed back about 20 minutes late, then did the usual PHL wait for 40 minutes to takeoff. Despite all that, we arrived at our gate at CLT only about 2 minutes late. Overall an excellent flight.

Third flight was getting back to the old US I remember. 734 that still had its original interior, and it was showing. F seats were comfortable, but the pitch was even tighter than on the two Airbus planes. Oddly, row 2 had not one, but two passenger service units above it on both sides of the aisle. There were six reading lights and six air vents above me, and the same odd thing existed on the other side of the aisle. This was probably a good thing, as only four of the six lights actually worked above my pair of seats. This flight was PACKED, and several late boarding passengers had decided to carry everything they owned on board the plane. One lady boarded with a roller bag, enormous purse that should have been considered luggage as opposed to a "personal item." She also had a computer bag, and two empty pet carriers, one of which she banged into the head of the guy in the left side aisle seat in row 1. A flight attendant took the pet carriers and put them in a closet, since they were way too big to fit in the overhead bins. Her husband followed closely behind with almost as much crap, and a smaller pet carrier with a guinea pig in it. Seriously. Who the hell travels with a guinea pig??? One of the flight attendants got a little nasty during boarding. He was obviously frustrated with the pet carrier lady and all her crap she was trying to haul on the plane. But after we took off he sweetened up. That was the only incident I witnessed where a customer-facing US employee was anything less than extremely friendly and pleasant. Maybe I was just lucky, but honestly, the US employees I dealt with on three flights and at three different airports were all stellar. Even with the chaotic boarding and full plane, we pushed back from CLT on time, were airborne less than five minutes after pushback, and arrived at IAH about 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

So, overall, it wasn't bad. I'm sure I was probably lucky and the US horror stories are true. But it was generally a better experience than some of my UA flights this year have been. I could do without the long announcement about the credit card deal, but fortunately I only heard it once; the crews on the second and third flights didn't bother to make it. The plastic cups in F are cheesy and should go away, but I appreciated being given the full can of mixer and two minis when I ordered a cocktail. I think US is at least trying to improve on some of its customer service issues, and it shows. However, I still wouldn't want to fly them in Y, and I don't see myself feeling the need to fly them again for a long time. This was my first trip on them since 2001, and while it wasn't horrible, having flown in domestic F on CO, NW, DL, AA, and US this year, I can honestly say that US is the worst domestic F product I've encountered. For the same price on CO I could have flown nonstop on a flight that included a pretty decent meal, seat with more leg room, and possibly even IFE.

Saturday I'm mostly on UA, with one segment on US. It will be interesting to see how UA performs. Lately I've had horrible luck with them, and for the most part my US flights were better on average than my flights with UA have been this year.

Please count me +1 in for brunch as I'll have a friend joining me. I'll have to see if the gf wants to go to the DO, haven't asked her yet, so if she does, i'll post an update.

We'll need rides for sure.

I finally pulled the trigger for my flights to the DO/Thing/Meet.

I am taking the Bolt Bus form NYC at 730am to Phila.

I am flying in on 2/6/09 from PHL CO657 at 12:05 pm.


Now I just have to decide how I am getting home on Sunday. I have a ticket to PHL for $110 on hold. 5 pm dep, gets me in at 9pm. I would have to take Amtrak home for $45 + subway, so we are talking maybe $165 all in.
I also have another ticket on hold for sunday that gets me into my home airport, but I think I would be breaking the rules and am slightly nervous about that.