All alone in first class?
 

I'm taking a rare early Sunday AM flight, both as a segment run and to get to a conference that starts late Sunday afternoon.

We're less than two days out and I'm all alone in first. Checked the economy seat map and there are no "P" seats occupied and appears to only be 9 seats occupied in economy.

I wonder if that means I'll be getting a full snack basket all to myself?? :p

Does NW have a tendency to cancel flights because of low passenger loads?

Anyone else ever had the entire first class cabin to themselves?

I once flew an early Sunday morning flight from PHL-PIT on USAirways and was the only person in first on a 757 (when they had the 24 seats up front, not the 8 they have now). It was pretty awesome, but unfortunately it was only a 40 minute flight. The flight attendant up front literally told me to just help myself to the snack basket which she put on the tray table in the seat next to me.

I'm curious what route you're on that's so empty... Enjoy it!

STL-DTW, so we're only talking 70 minutes in-flight max and on a -9, but still beats an RJ.

Once LAS-MSN redeye on a mileage run. It was very nice, made even better by our depature from LAS. We took off to the west, and then turned to the north directly over the strip. It was a great view from the right side of the plane!

Gosh, it's too bad that the armrest doesn't go up on in FC. It'd be nice to put the armrest up and make a little bed. :)

I had a Sunday morning flight GRR - HOU - MFE last Sept. that got cancelled. The last leg was connect with CO. Well he NW was cancelled by the time I got to GRR. NW rebooked me on a CO flight all the way through a couple of hours later. This was fine but the problem was I was in FC on NW with three checked bags, two with equipment at the 70 lbs. limit and the third at the 40 lbs. limit. Needless to say CO couldn't get me in FC and wouldn't honor weight and quantity of my checked luggage. So $130 later I was on my way.
Thanks CO.

Once from MEM-DTW on an Avro. I felt really bad, but I got the whole snack basket and unlimited refills

Yep, CLE-DTW.

F/A watched me intently during my personal safety demo and I paid rapt attention. We both completely cracked up.

Alone in First
 

Happened twice:D First time MSP-MKE. Flight was 2 hrs late and most went on earlier flight which had a guage upgrade from DC-9-30 to 757! Other time was put on 757 which was added at last minute from DTW to MSP to cover MSP-LAX flt which had mechanical problems.^ First flt had about 25-30 in back, second flt had 5!!! Just for the H-ll of it, I was tempted to sit in every seat on the second flt which was not catered except for a drink cart in First. The FA's gave out free drinks to all six of us, but did not "upgrade" the 5 in the back! FA's were very friendly on both flts since they were not overworked;)

Did you request for reimbursement from NW?

My record is five people on the plane -- albeit a Saab and on a Friday morning, they moved us around to balance the load.

Second lowest is 12 people on a Useless Air MD80 on a Sunday night over Labor Day weekend for a flight from Scranton to Pittsburg and the flight back to DTW was oversold -- which is one reason I avoid that airline.

Bob H

Seems like they don't cancel only due to low load factors - but yesterday (12/7) they went to a smaller plane on my MDW - MSP run. (NW1280) Was originally booked on a 757, dropped down to an A319. (180 or so seats versus 120 or so)

8 F seats in a 757? After 24 on a NW 757, that sure sounds like a hard-to-get-to F section!

The emptiest F I've been on was 8 on a 320.

Steve B.

I've had the whole plane to myself. I was flying FSD to MSP and was late to the gate. There was no one at the gate, but the jetway was open. (Before 9/11). I walked down the jetway and the FA said "oh, there you are". No other passengers on the plane. It was the last flight of the day and they said they would fly it empty to have it at MSP. It was weird.

Last year, when NW was still flying Avros MEM-SHV, I was alone once in F and one of two in F. It's a short flight - 42 mins - but I miss the Arvo on that route. I can see, though, why they pared it down to a CRJ.

And now the Avro is gone for good.:(

Last year in Septeber or October, DTW to BGR, I was the only person in the first 8 rows on the RJ85. Total load of six people I think. Fantastic service on my last-ever Avro flight. Farewell :(

Alone in first class
 

Several years ago, when NW still had First Class service internationally, I was the only passenger in the FC section (a 12-seat section on the upper deck of a 747) on a BOS-LGW flight.

The flight attendant had expected a full flight, and had started preparing the meals before the plane took off. As a result, she told me not to bother making a choice among the three or four appetizer courses; she gave me all of them so I could sample them. Similarly, I was given two main courses to sample.

Finally, in those days, FC passengers were offered a choice of a CD of the selections on one on the music channels. She gave me the entire set!!

On another occasion, when TWA was flying 3-class service across the Atlantic, I was the only FC passenger on a FRA-JFK flight. The flight attendants went through the complete first class meal service: caviar course, salad cart, slicing the chateaubriand, and making me an ice cream sundae.

It's easy to get spoiled by treatment like that.

Not exactly related, but, since others are telling their stories . . .

Cheap ticket out of CMH (years ago) to the west coast . . . On the way home, redeye to CLE then CO-ATR flight to CMH. I was the only pax on the plane! - - Who would be flying from CLE to CMH first thing in the morning! The flight attendant sat in the aisle seat across from me and went over all of the emergency stuff!! He also told me that since there was nobody behind me to block in case of emergency, I was allowed to recline my seat even for takeoff and landing!! He said that was officially the rule but they can't ever tell you that! Has anyone else ever heard of that one?

going ROC to HPN once I was the only person in the beechcraft. I know I know no very exciting, but I do wonder how they make money on that flight with full Y tickets at $239 each way. Oh well

The flight does have the benefit of getting those folks who meant to say "westchester" and ended up in "rochester" and vice versa to their intended destination =)

There have been several times I've been in the back row of F and FAs have let me stay reclined during takeoff and landing while they've made a point of having others raise their seats.

All Byyy myself . . . . (lets sing it together)
 

My Greatest flight ever story is where I had the whole upper deck of a 747 to myself for a 7 hour 3,300 mile flight from SIN to NRT in 2000. Pilot was from Lansing (I'm from GRR). Flight has 2 meal service so there was all this food and just me so we opened up all the tables, took out the food and had a Buffet for the crew (the pilots one at a time) and myself. I got a pic of myself up there by meeeself also.

The funnest flight I've ever been on ! ! ! !

Mid-December 2004 AUS-DTW on a late Saturday afternoon (when they still served that route with an A319). Was upgraded as a silver and had FC to myself. Y was actually quite full.

Had three different dinner entrees to choose from and as many slices of chocolate cake as I wanted.

Also forgot to mention, earlier this year on MAN-KUL (operated by MH but on NW award ticket), Mrs. TrayflowinUK were the only two pax in F. There were only 8 in business class and something like 40-50 in Y. This was on a 747-400.

Twice- MSP-LAX, and GRR-ORD on UA
 

My best domestic FC experience was MSP-LAX on a 727. I was the only FC passenger on a dinner flight. After the dinner service, the flight attendent just set the whole bottle of wine on the adjacent tray table, and I sipped the wine while watching the sunset for three hours over the Badlands and the canyon lands. Beautiful flight!

Another time, I was booked in coach on a UA 727 GRR- ORD. As I was one fo only two passengers booked on the flight, the gate agent upgraded me to FC for the 40 minute flight. (The other passenger was a no-show.... 50% no-show factor that night!)

Happens a lot out of MHT
 

Just last week there were a whole two of us up front to DTW. My connection to was on a 757-2 and there were only 4 or 5 there. There is a small elite population out of MHT during non-typical business hours. Lots of tourist class travelers (Southwest effect) who are either not WP members or sub-elite level. I have noticed quite a few FT'rs who call MHT home so maybe that is changing.

Record holder
 

I believe i must be holding the record here. I was on NW flight from Louisville to DTW. i missed my original a.m. flight and was bumped to the noon flight. due to weather probs in MSP the flight arrived at 5pm. i was supposed to be the only passenger on FC, but after the 10mins of waiting in the plane alone. a lady passenger got in we were ready to depart. I asked the FA if were leaving anyone behind but she said, that we were the only two passengers on the flight. WOW!!!! this was a D9S. luckily for the other passenger, she had her seat changed to FC. pretty cool. we had lots of snacks and even got extra for our layovers.

Did i say this was on thanksgiving day. Yep, i ended up arriving Southbend after dinner.:mad: what an experience.

quite a few years ago when NW still had real FC internationally my partner and I checked in for the SFO-NRT flight and found that our preferred seats had been changed . . . it took some doing by the desk staff, but eventually after some apparent difficulty we got our seats back. Then when got on the 747 we found that we were the only ones in FC (downstairs front). A couple of years ago I was the only FC passenger on a MH KUL-AKL flight. They even gave me a bottle Dom Perignon to take with me!

I've been all alone twice on MSP-GFK flights (though never the reverse).

The first time, it was a couple drink and snack services, but little else.

The second time... woooo.... I asked for a Skyy on ice upon boarding and it was refilled about four times before landing. Good thing I had a friend picking me up. ^

Flying out of SUX I know I have been the only one a couple of times over the years.

But last Aug I on the last flight out one Sunday night, there were only two of us on the Saab. And we were both supposed to connect to the flight to AMS. We landed just about the time that the AMS flight pushed back and we missed our connection.

Now that you mention it, the Mrs and I have been the only two people in F on this route at least twice as well. Don't think I've ever seen it full... I wonder if anyone's ever missed an EUA on MSP-GFK or reverse?

Funny I didn't think of these times earlier, but the Mrs. and I have also been by ourselves in F on LAX-DEN, and once to CLT but I can't remember if it was ex-MSP or ex-DTW. She swears we've been alone in F on CO as well, but not sure when.

It's a great feeling when you've got the cabin to yourself!

Once flying from CVG-DTW we had a mechanical where it was one of those iritating rolling delays. Yes, we as crew hate them too! All our pax were subsequently rerouted and now had no passengers. The flight was still a revenue flight and we were just running it late. A pax showed up for the next DTW flight and we were still there preparing for departure. They offered the pax a seat on our flight and he accepted. He ended up being the ONLY ONE ON THE PLANE!

I tailored all my announcements from the flightdeck to this guy. I got his name from ths spill and said "Mr. X , welcome aboard your private shuttle to Detroit." We all thought it was quite hilarious we were taking one guy to DTW.

Same thing on a LSE-MSP flight on a Saturday night. We only had 2 people, a married couple and the FAs spoiled them (as much as they could from MSP-LSE) on their "private shuttle."

AZJ

I had F to my self tow years ago, MSP to BNA it was DEC 23. The plane was packed. The FA said they had a couple of silvers that choose to sit in back wiht their families. I also once had a whole plane to myself ( saab). MLU to MEM. The flight was running late so every one else had a connection and was rebooked on other airlines.

I have yet to miss an EUA on GFK-MSP or vv. and I am a Silver. However, I am very, very nervous about an upcoming flight on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 5:00AM to MSP. The premium seats are booked to about 20. If I miss the upgrade I will actually feel awful! :eek:

My BF had a flight from MEM to JAN as the only guy in FC. No special attention though

Well sure, that's what he said... :D

The morning of the first flights after 9/11 and it was definitely a "work in progress" my flight MSP-SUX ended up with 5 passengers with me being the only one in FC -- the flight attendant invited the four in back to "come on down" and sit in front for this short flight.

Full Y no one in F
 

Good Friday a few years ago connecting in DTW from OMA, OMA late and we arrive at the same time that my flight to PVD is supposed to depart, it's about 9:30 at night. The FA tells me flight hasn't left yet. I run from B to the main terminal, luckily gate was one of the first ones when you come up the escalator. I had a full F tix, no one at gate, GA asks for my name, says yes we are waiting for you. I'm the only one in F but Y completely booked. Very weird and got off in PVD as fast as I could, didn't want the angry mob chasing me down for departing 30 minutes late. Great treatment from FA, all the wine and spinzels I wanted.

Back in my Star Alliance days, I had a USExpress Dornier 328 from TYS-DCA to myself. I was waiting for boarding and noticed that there weren't a lot of folks in the boarding area. When it was time to load up, the GA made the announcement and said, "Mr. Kreeft, whenever you're ready, come aboard." I assumed that I had missed an announcement, and I showed up to give him my boarding pass and was informed that I was the only one on the flight. FA sat next to me while we chatted and gave me about 10 small bottles of wine.

Another time I was along was on a Singapore 3 class 777 from SIN-NRT. I was the only one in F. The quite attractive FAs treated me like a king. It was glorious. It really would have saved them a lot of time if they'd left the bottle of Dom Perignon at my seat. All in all, service was excellent.

Last, I was on a MEM-DCA flight on Xmas Day a few years back where it was just me in F. Y was pretty full though.

On a DC-9? Still might be a bit tight <g>.

I was alone once in FC on an AVRO during a quick flight between Flint and Detroit. The FA didnt give me a pre Departure drink or a in flight drink... I thnk they didnt notice i was even there.