Notes From The Overfed: What's Cookin' at AS & NW This Month
Jul 28, 2002, 10:51 am
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Notes From The Overfed: What's Cookin' at AS & NW This Month
I thought about entitling this report Air Namibia First Class: Frankfurt to Windhoek just to give some of you a mild case of Marty Feldman Eyes as you opened your pages to Trip Reports. That would be cruel, however. Still, anyone bored with reading yet another report on domestic First Class service should be able to find plenty of other fine reading in Trip Reports. As for this report, it is just one more amongst many that will either stand or sit on its own merits. For those of you who’d like me to write a report on the aforementioned Air Namibia flight, might I suggest you start a collection now. I promise you all a thorough and entertaining report if you’ll throw for the ticket!
Even though I work in Denali National Park, it’s amazing what one can do with a couple of days off. This month I’ve managed two mileage runs to Houston via Detroit and one trip to an airline collectibles show in Los Angeles. Combined, they comprised 20 flights (18 of them First Class) offering 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 6 dinners. In the process, I was able to examine some burning issues: How does a dinner on Alaska’s West Coast service compare with those on their longer SEA-ANC flights? Has Alaska made any improvements to their mediocre First Class luncheon service? What’s all the excitement about over at Horizon Air’s SEA-PDX shuttle? And finally, how might a First Class dinner aboard Northwest’s 2,890 mile, 6 1/2 hour DTW-ANC service compare with a MSP-SEA service that’s half the distance and flying time? If nothing else, with all that food I figured some folks might be interested in a trip/meal report. So, here’s what’s been cooking this past month at Alaska and Northwest. Bon apetite!
04 July
FAI-ANC Alaska 180 First Class * Beverages
737-790 N627AS Seat 1F
310p-407p Flight time: :44
After five straight days of rain, we finally have a beautiful sunny day in Fairbanks. I spent last night visiting with my old friend Jay before calling it a night at 3:00am and retiring to the comfort of my truck. I keep a full mattress in the back, under a Glasstite canopy. With a couple of pillows and a good book back there, I sleep as comfortably as I would in any hotel bed. Jay has an extra bed in his cabin but as he is near 70 years old, he prefers to keep the inside temperature a bit warmer than I like.
I spent the morning running errands right up until it came time to head out to the airport. I’d considered parking at my friend Tundra Rich’s place. He lives not far from the airport and I could save $20.00 in parking fees. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to reach Rich on the phone for a couple of weeks. He cooks at the Denny’s Restaurant in town (The Farthest North Denny’s In The World, no less.) and seems to work different shifts every week. Rich has been at Denny’s for almost two years now – quite an accomplishment considering the average employee there lasts anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. A fair percentage of the Fairbanks Denny’s work force is either on loan from or recently released from the Northstar Center, the local halfway house serving Fairbanks and the Northstar Borrough. Recidivism is fairly high though – at least amongst Denny’s employees. Rich was just commenting recently about how when spring comes and the temperatures get warmer, many of the cooks return to lives of crime. Earlier this week, the newest member of Denny’s culinary force, a parolee from Fairbanks Correctional Center, was unable to get to work on his second night because he had neither a car nor a ride. To rectify this minor inconvenience, he did the most logical thing. He stole a car. He was arrested after his shift while hanging out down on south Cushman Street and is now back in FCC. Meanwhile, Richard, being the reliable and steady type that he is, has often worked not only his shift but also covered for many of the truant or arrested cooks. As such, when he gets home he turns his phone off and sleeps. Rich works hard and I didn’t want to wake him when my total parking fee would amount to about four or five beers in most any local bar.
With its northern latitudes and perceived year-round frigid temperatures, Fairbanks has never been a favorite amongst radical Islamic terrorist groups. Since September 11th, not even one terroristic threat has been received at the International Airport. Yes, a few Ulu knives have been confiscated from absent minded visitors, but otherwise we have enjoyed a peaceful if somewhat isolated existence from the rest of the world. As such, the decision was recently made to re-open the Close-In parking lot. Remote parking (50-150 feet farther out) costs $9.50/day whilst Close-In parking runs a whopping $10.00/day. I decided to splurge and treat myself to the Close-in parking for only $1.00 more. I can easily offset this added expense the next time I visit the Gold Spike Saloon by making my first beer a domestic instead of a micro or import.
Despite Alaska’s super-low fares for those folks willing to travel on July 4th, this flight was only about 20% full. I settled into my seat 1F aboard the 737-700 and marveled as we became airborne after a take-off roll of only 17 seconds! Minutes later, I had a can of MacTarnahans Ale and a couple of packets of cashews at hand as we headed south over the Alaska Range and down to Anchorage. Out of Fairbanks, I always sit on the right hand side of the airplane in hopes of enjoying a nice view of Denali. Unfortunately, high clouds gathered soon after we took off so I saw nothing until our approach into Anchorage. Later, as we were disembarking, I overheard a lady comment that she and her husband had come to Alaska a week ago hoping to see Mt. McKinley but now would leave without having done so. Alas, the mountain is only visible about 15% of the summer. If you want guaranteed views, come spend a week in the winter sometime.
ANC-SEA Alaska 90 First Class * Dinner
737-990 N306AS Seat 1A
500p-900p Flight time: 2:49
Alaska’s Boardroom was closed early today so the staff could celebrate July 4th. I wandered around the airport bookstore for awhile, then grabbed a coffee and checked out the big bears mounted at the end of the B Concourse until boarding was finally called for our flight.
I haven’t flown many 737-900s – only 10 so far – so I’m still moderately excited at the prospect of flying one if only to fly aboard an aircraft I’ve not yet flown. I’ve flown all but seven of Alaska’s 737-400 fleet and most of their 737-700s and MD-80s. Alaska has six or seven –900s in its fleet but somehow I keep getting stuck with the same three – ships 305, 306 and 309. Today was no different as ship 306 awaited us at Gate B-5.
I’ve flown these early evening flights out of Anchorage four times since May, and each time we’ve had loads averaging 15%. Once, back in early May, the load was F:2 Y:4. Tonight’s load was me and a big bearded guy in overalls up front, and about 25 people in the back.
We pushed back 5 minutes early and without further ado taxied briskly out to the runway and immediately took off to the north. Climbing out, we had a nice view of the Anchorage basin and the Cook Inlet before gathering clouds forced me to turn my attention to my book of the week, a PT Deutermann thriller entitled Hunting Season. The book was described as an “explosive tour de force with enough techno and black ops to satisfy Clancy fans”, etc. etc. OK, I’ll bite. It’ll be a nice change from boning up on wildlife behavior and interpretation, Denali geology, etc.
Pre-dinner drinks were offered and I settled for a Bloody Mary, extra vodka. It’s not the alcohol I like so much as the vodka flavor. If you like your Bloody Mary’s the way I do, it is wise to limit yourself to just one or two. Tonight I also had the foresight to bring along a 5oz bottle of my favorite hot sauce – Cowboy Caliente Sauce out of Shell Beach, California. That sauce puts most all of the mainstream store brands to shame and I’d swear it even contains a mild hallucinogen! Great stuff and perfect for spicing up a Bloody Mary.
Dinner tonight was as follows:
Anchorage to Seattle
DINNER
To Begin
Crisp romaine lettuce accompanied by shredded carrots and cabbage, radishes and a tomato slice.
Dinner Roll
** ** **
Main Courses
Pesto Crusted Salmon with Classic Béchamel Sauce
Accompanied by Anna Potatoes Parmesan and Sugar Snap Peas
Herbed Breast of Chicken
Presented with Israeli Cous Cous and Chuck Wagon Corn
** ** **
Dessert
Wedding Cake with Kiwi Fruit garnish
No menu was presented – I simply took the liberty of presenting the choices in menu form. I chose the salmon figuring it to be a good choice since I was flying out of a state that’s known for its salmon.
Dinner service began with a white linen draped tray bearing a colorful salad, a roll and real salt and pepper shakers. After years of endless mesclun greens on United and more recently British Airways, Alaska Airline’s salads are a welcome change. Over the past two months aboard Alaska flights, I’ve been served four different types of salad – all of them good. Alaska also scores points for serving their salad on a plate instead of in a bowl. This salad tasted every bit as good as it looked! My only complaint is that it wasn’t a bit larger.
The entrée consisted of a large salmon fillet topped with a wonderful green pesto “crust” and accompanied by a good sized serving of what looked like scalloped potatoes and a medley of sautéed red onions and snap peas. Though I did not detect any Parmesan in the potatoes, the Béchamel sauce was a delicious addition to the salmon. I complimented this meal with a glass of Round Hill 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon. C’etait magnifique!
Across from me, Mr. Overalls was dining upon or rather tearing into the chicken entrée with considerable gusto. Although he appeared to be well fed – caloricly challenged even – he ate as if it were his first meal in days! A discreet glance revealed that the chicken breast appeared to have been dusted with a good amount of herbs and spices before being grilled. The chuckwagon corn looked a bit dusty as well but with the cous cous this was a decent sized entrée. Still, I highly recommend that Pesto Salmon to any and all. It is certainly one of the better First Class entrees I have ever had on any airline, domestic or international! You can find a picture of it over at http://www.airlinemeals.net under Alaska Airlines. You’ll also find a picture of one of Alaska’s pretty decent dinner salads.
Alaska’s First Class wine selections this month are as follows:
White Wines
Raymond Estates 1999 Chardonnay
Ripe pear and apple aromas are prevalent in the nose of this wine. The body shows crisp acidity, a smooth texture and clean, soft finish. Hints of vanilla and toasty oak compliment the ripe fruit aromas and flavors.
Sebastiani 1999 Sonoma County Chardonnay
This chardonnay has a medium golden color with aromas of green apple, lemon zest, vanilla and roasted nuts – the result of oak aging. A medium bodied wine, it has a soft finish with hints of caramel and bread toast.
Red Wines
Round Hill 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon
A bouquet of spicy, toasty oak is complimented by hints of cherry, cassis and dried plums. The varietal complexities of Cab. S. are readily apparent, with rich, full flavors. This wine has roots in California’s prime growing areas, including the Sierra foothills and the Central and South coasts.
Pacific Estate Vineyards 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon
Seven different Columbia Valley vineyards contributed to this wine. The complex varietal characteristics of the cabernet sauvignon grape are revealed in the raspberry, cassis and tobacco aromas.
After dinner, I had a nice chat with the First Class FA. We talked about some of Alaska’s new routes and future plans and I mentioned my contention that if Alaska intended to jump into the trans-con market and/or challenge airlines like United and American on other routes, it would have to invest in some form of inflight entertainment system. He heartily agreed and told me that Alaska may be adding some 737-800s soon that were originally destined for CO or AA. These –800s would of course include the IFEs as ordered by the original buyer.
The clouds began to clear about halfway down Vancouver Island and we were treated to a very pretty view of the city of Vancouver from 30 some odd thousand feet in the late evening sun. Shortly thereafter we began our descent into SeaTac and had a beautiful approach past Lake Washington and over the downtown district before landing to the south. The landing was smooth enough but we sure had a bumpy roll off the runway and onto the taxiway.
Chalk up another fine flight with the Happy face bunch.
SEA-DTW Northwest 924 First Class * Beverages
757-251 N537US Seat 2A
1050p-555a Flight time: 3:44
I had an excellent view of the fireworks exploding behind the Doubletree Hotel before boarding. This flight was only half full and I briefly considered wandering back into Economy to see if I could grab a row to myself. Still, my First Class seat was pretty comfortable so I stayed put and managed to sleep through most of the flight. Approach into Detroit coincided with sunrise. It was a beautiful clear morning, the kind that makes you feel happy and fortunate to be living on such an incredible planet.
July 05
DTW-IAH Northwest 1819 First Class * Breakfast
A319-114 N339NB Seat 2A
640a-836a Flight time: 2:15
Beautiful mornings notwithstanding, three hours of sleep simply is not sufficient. As soon as I settled into Seat 2A, I fell back asleep. I have no memories of take-off. I do remember awaking with only about a half hour left in the flight and flight attendant asking me if I’d like anything at all to eat. Though it was a bit to late to heat up a full entrée, she’d be happy to bring me a bagel, a muffin or a fruit plate. I opted for the fruit plate and was not disappointed. In a small glass bowl were three or four orange slices, a couple of big strawberries and two slices of honeydew melon. It was quite sufficient and after a cup of coffee I felt like a new man.
Approach into Houston was through haze and high humidity. Thankfully I would have less than an hour at IAH, just enough time to buy a paper and another cup of coffee before continuing on to Minneapolis.
IAH-MSP Northwest 1804 First Class * Breakfast
A319-114 N339NB Seat 2A
925a-1215p Flight time: 2:17
I reboarded the same aircraft that had taken me into IAH from Detroit. The A319 is a nice little jet in Northwest’s configuration – 16 seats up front and quite a few more in the back. Very nice. I’m used to United’s version that offers only 8 seats up front. C’mon UA! If you aren’t going to offer decent inflight service on domestic flights under five hours, at least consider expanding your First Class cabin to offer your loyal frequent flyers other than 1Ks and deadheading pilots a chance at a more comfortable flight!
Take off was quick and it was refreshing to climb above Houston’s haze and head into the crisp clear air above 30000 feet as we turned north towards Minneapolis. I was pleasantly surprised when our flight attendant appeared and offered not just coffee but also a choice of breakfast entrees. Given the post 9-11 service cutbacks, I was surprised that we were offered anything more than a snack, if even that.
Today’s breakfast choices were described as either “Eggs or Cereal”. So, would those eggs be fried, scrambled, Florentine, Benedict or some kind of omelet? “Uh, scrambled, I think – lemme check.” Scrambled they were, served with a couple of link sausages and some grilled potatoes. This entrée was accompanied by bagel and a fruit plate exactly like the one I’d had on the flight into IAH. I washed it all down with a couple of cups of coffee served in Northwest’s full sized coffee cups. Northwest claims to serve a name brand coffee like Seattle’s Best but it tastes rather plain to me. So far, the best coffee I’ve ever had on an airplane was aboard British Airways.
We had a beautiful approach into MSP. I think the city looks much better from the air than it does from the ground. Now for any of you from MSP, I don’t mean that in as bad a way as it might sound. I think Minneapolis and Minnesota are amongst the more impressive cities and states in the Union. And, you’ve got a kick-... home town band in The Big Wu, one of my all time favorite jambands! Since the Vikings aren’t likely to give anyone much to cheer about this season, why not go on down to the Fitzgerald Theater or the Cabooze and celebrate just being alive with The Wu and their family! Check ‘em out at www.thebigwu.com.
MSP-SEA Northwest 159 First Class * Lunch
757-251 N505US Seat 2A
121p-302p Flight time: 3:14
I spent an hour in the big WorldClub between the F and G Concourses before heading down to my flight at F-8. The aircraft for this flight was 757-200 N505US, one of the oldest in the fleet. Although the 757 turned 20 years old this year, that’s only middle aged by Northwest’s standards. The cleaners did a nice job of rejuvenating the interior however. I’ve flown aboard younger planes aboard third world carriers that looked and felt much older. I settled into Seat 2A and accepted a preflight glass of ice cold James Page Ale. Mmm.
As we pushed back from the gate and taxied out to the runway, I perused a copy of Northwest’s inflight magazine “World Traveler”. The cover indicated that this was a Commemorative Issue celebrating Northwest’s 75 years of service. As I read on, I discovered that exactly 75 years ago today, July 5th, 1927, St. Paul businessman Byron Webster became Northwest’s first ticketed passenger, paying $40.00 for a 12 ½ hour, one-way flight from Minneapolis to Chicago. Happy Birthday, Northwest!
Lunch today was Northwest’s old stand-by - Pesto Chicken with Orzo and Capers or Ham and Sweet Potatoes. Northwest has been serving this chicken entrée regularly since at least December. Is it just coincidence that I get it so often out of Minneapolis or is the flight kitchen here somewhat limited in its scope and capabilities? I am reminded of the old Far Side cartoon that shows two dogs being fed dinner and one of the dogs thinking “Oh Boy! Dog food again!!”
I had a bad experience with ham and sweet potatoes back in fourth grade so I’ve avoided both since. The chicken entrée consisted of a breast of chicken that appeared more poached than grilled. It was garnished with a slice of lemon and accompanied by orzo, broccoli and baby carrots. I never did detect any pesto. The orzo had a bit of cheese blended in and was quite good. On the side was a small salad consisting of mixed greens, feta cheese, two pear slices and a sprinkling of sliced olives which I carefully removed. There was also an appetizer: Two 6” long strips of beef marinated in a teriyaki type sauce. I’ve had this appetizer before on Northwest and found it quite good. The chicken however could’ve done without the lemon, which made it taste more like halibut than chicken.
Dessert was a chocolate and strawberry ice cream sundae, always a nice ending to an inflight meal. The only thing missing was the whipped cream.
Now I’m languishing over a hot coffee and Baileys whilst typing this report high over west central Montana. It is beautiful down there. Except during the winter, every time I’m flying over the American West, I always wish I were down there amongst its mountains, canyons, deserts and valleys instead of up here in this airplane. Those high rocky mountains and deep green valleys definitely call out to me.
SEA-ANC Alaska 85 First Class * Dinner
737-4Q8 N755AS Seat 2F
430p-700p Flight time: 3:23
I had an hour and a half layover in Seattle so I paid a quick visit to Alaska’s Boardroom. About half the original lounge has been lost to the remodeling effort and what’s left of it is usually jam packed. Today however it was only about a third full. I celebrated the extra space with a MacTarnahans Ale and a bag of nuts while settling in to watch some baseball on ESPN.
My flight to Anchorage was conveniently located right next door at gate D1. The aircraft, Boeing 737-4Q8 N755AS was one of seven in the Alaska 737–400 fleet that I’d not yet flown. I’ve been logging my flights since I was but a wee lad growing up in Colorado. And, since I also note the N-Numbers, I would know stuff like this. For all the good it does me. Ah well, only 6 more to go!
Amazingly, for an early evening Seattle-Anchorage flight, we were not sold out in First Class. Nine of the twelve seats up front were occupied while back in economy the load was perhaps 80%. We pushed back on time and took off to the south. Mt. Rainier was clearly visible out the port windows while off to starboard was a nice view of the Olympic Range. We made our turn to the north over Gig Harbor as I reclined my seat and looked forward to an ice cold MacTarnahans and the view of Vancouver Island.
Dinner tonight was as follows:
Seattle to Anchorage
DINNER
To Begin
Endive lettuce with red and yellow peppers and Jicama slices. Garnished with sliced red and yellow tortilla strips
Dinner Roll
** ** **
Main Courses
Shrimp Stir-Fry
Ginger-soy marinated shrimp and vegetables served over noodles
Southern Chicken Breast
Presented with polenta and spinach
** ** **
Dessert
White Chocolate Cake with layers of marion berry sauce. Garnished with kiwi fruit
Meanwhile, back in economy the announced choices were:
Hungarian Beef over Noodles
or
Chicken Fajita Stir Fry
Having just had chicken for lunch on my flight into Seattle, I opted for the shrimp. The salad came first and was… OK I reckon. The tortilla strips looked better than they tasted. In fact, then entire salad looked better than it tasted. It wasn’t bad. It was just plain. Perhaps some onions and mushrooms might spice things up a bit. As for the entrée, not bad, not bad. There were four decently sized shrimp that were flavorful and not too dry. In all a pretty tasty entrée though I’d much prefer rice over noodles. If you’re hungry however, go for the chicken. The guys across from me both ordered it and their plates were brimming with food whereas the shrimp and noodles portion was a bit on the small side. Finally, dessert. The cake was delicious! I wouldn’t know a marion berry from a DC politician but the sauce and by extension the entire cake were delicious!
Clouds covered most of the land between Port Hardy and Cordova but the final twenty minutes coming into Anchorage was typically spectacular with memorable views of the Knik Glacier and the ragged peaks of the Chugach Range. We landed on a beautiful summer evening in Anchorage – clear and 65 degrees. Life is good.
ANC-FAI Alaska 123 First Class * Beverages
737-490 N793AS Seat 1A
730p-823p Flight time: :42
What a difference 42 minutes makes! We took off out of Anchorage and enjoyed beautiful views of the Cook Inlet and the Knik Arm before turning north over Wasilla whereupon we encountered clouds the rest of the way up to Fairbanks. We descended through light chop and medium rain before landing heavily in Fairbanks. With no baggage to collect, I picked up my trusty Mazda out in the airport parking lot, gave the attendant $19.00 and headed down the road to Denali – two hours distant.
July 19th
FAI-ANC Alaska 98 First Class * Beverages
737-490 N794AS Seat 2F
830a-928a Flight time: :46
As I entered the Fairbanks terminal this morning, I had to negotiate my way through and around a huge line of passengers waiting to check in for Northwest’s morning departure to Minneapolis. I don’t believe I’d ever seen a line this long at FAI, even at Christmas! Northwest serves FAI only during the summer season and then only because they got the contract to transport Princess cruise passengers to or from Alaska. Apparently the scene is like this three or four times a week. Over at Alaska’s counter, the MVP and First Class lane was wide open.
My routing today is FAI-ANC-SEA-PDX-LAX.I decided it would be prudent to check my suitcase only as far as Seattle, then recheck it from there on down to LAX. I had an hour and a half layover at SeaTac and four flights between FAI and LAX was asking for misplaced or delayed baggage that I couldn’t afford as tomorrow morning I would need that bag and its contents for my table at the Southern California Airline Collectibles Convention.
Upstairs, the scene at Security was chaotic. People were lined up out past the Security area and well past the top of the escalators. It soon became apparent that this line was growing so large because people were being processed through Security far slower than they were arriving in line. I waited patiently with everyone else but with departure time for my flight quickly approaching, I excused myself from line and went down to the Alaska counter to inform them of the situation. Finally, an Alaska agent came up and managed to get all the Northwest passengers, whose flight left 30 minutes after ours, to step aside for the twenty or so of us on AS 98.
I selected a seat on the right side of the cabin in order to get a glimpse of Denali and the Park if it were clear. It was clear but for this flight the pilots secured approval from Anchorage ATC allowing us to divert around The Mountain. For first timers, this is really a special treat. Mt. McKinley or Denali as the mountain is called locally is not only the tallest mountain in North America but also one of the largest mountains in the world in terms of sheer mass. At its top, the distance between the North and South peaks is about 3 miles by air. That would be the pointy end of the mountain. 3 miles. It’s a big’un! There were lots of oohs and ahs amongst the passengers as we slowly cruised past the summits and over the West Buttress. Had this been in the middle of May, we would have been able to see some of the hundreds of climbers that attempt to climb the mountain each spring. As of last week however, NPS informed us that there were only 56 climbers still on the mountain. Most of them ought to be off or well on their way down the mountain by now. This is a dangerous time of year to be up there due to the warmer weather. Snow melts, and as it becomes heavy with moisture is more prone to avalanches on the steeper slopes. As well, crevasses become far more of a danger than in colder weather. But I digress.
While everyone else was ogling Denali, I had a great view of Mt. Foraker – at over 17000 feet no small hill either. Twenty minutes later we were at the gate in Anchorage.
ANC-SEA Alaska 94 First Class * Lunch
737-990 N303AS Seat 1A
1045a-307p Flight time: 2:49
I arrived to gate B-5 to find 737-990 N303AS assigned to this flight. My eleven flights aboard Alaska’s –900s have been limited to just three aircraft (305, 306 and 309) so I was happy for the added variety. After all, who needs Dale Carnegie or Charles Atlas when I can win the admiration and respect of friends and colleagues merely by pointing to most any Alaska jet at most any airport and proudly say “I’ve flown that plane!”
This flight was almost completely full. After loading a few connecting flight stragglers, we pushed back about 10 minutes late. The captain told us not to worry – tailwinds would actually have us into SeaTac a bit early. Flight time was projected at 2:53.
After waiting for the post take-off winds from an Asiana 747-400F to die down, we turned onto the runway and took off to the south. The Anchorage basin was mostly clear today and the couple behind me ooohed and aaahed as we were treated to spectacular views of the Cook Inlet along with Turnagain and Knik Arms. As we headed south down the coast past the Chugach Mountains, those of us on the left side of the aircraft had wonderful views of the many mountains, glaciers and inlets that make flying out of Anchorage on a clear day one of the world’s more scenic and memorable flights. As we flew past Cordova, Yakutat and Sitka the water below was so calm that it clearly reflected the puffy clouds above.
I haven’t been on an Alaska luncheon flight since back in February so I was curious as to whether or not Alaska had made any improvements to its First Class luncheon service, long renowned for its mediocrity amongst discerning clientele.
Drinks were offered – coffee for me, double Jack Daniels for my seatmate. He was flying down to Seattle from Fort Yukon to attend his daughter’s wedding in Federal Way. It’s been quite warm in Alaska of late and as Fort Yukon holds the Alaska state record for the highest temperature ever recorded – 100 degrees – I asked him how hot it had been the past couple of days. In the high eighties, he replied. He was looking forward to hopefully cooler temperatures in Washington.
Today’s luncheon choices were:
Cobb Salad with Sliced Chicken Breast
or
Barley Soup served with Couscous Salad
I, my seatmate and everyone within earshot ordered the Cobb Salad. Hmm… The soup was described as just barley, not beef barley. Part of the problem may also be that there are still a good number of people in this country for whom couscous, millet, quinoa, amaranth, bulger, etc. are foreign words. Rice, potatoes, corn – now you’re talkin’.
In any event, my Cobb Salad was actually quite tasty. It was served in a large clear glass bowl and consisted of romaine lettuce, a chicken breast, bacon bits, tomatoes and plenty of croutons. Dessert was a little chocolate mint no bigger than a peyote button. Even the old Ghirardelli chocolates AS used to offer were larger.
I found it interesting that back in economy both of the sandwich choices were hot:
Ham and Cheese
or
Chicken Breast with Havarti Cheese
On flights from Anchorage these sandwiches usually include a small side salad such as pasta or carrots. Dessert is usually a cookie.
My complaint with Alaska is not about food quality but rather entrée choices. Remember now, we’re talking about First Class, a more expensive product that traditionally offers more and better food, especially on longer flights. The meal we were offered on this flight would have been very appropriate for a flight of 1000 miles or less. For a 1400 mile, three-hour flight, at least one hot entrée should have been offered. Dessert should have been more substantial as well. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Alaska’s superior breakfast and dinner service. Even Northwest, never highly regarded for their inflight service, outdoes Alaska on flights of this length. (See the recent MSP-SEA flight)
SEA-PDX Horizon 2281 Coach Class * Beverages
DHC-8-200 N356PH Seat 1D
430p-519p Flight time: :35
After rechecking my bag onwards to LAX, I stopped off at a Starbucks kiosk (The coffee of the day was Sumatran, my favorite!) then headed out to my Horizon gate where boarding was just commencing.
Our flight attendant was an amiable character named Jeff. He began the preflight safety briefing by introducing himself as a retiree from the fire department, now working as Horizon’s resident golf pro. After a humorous briefing, we taxied briskly out onto the runway and got this little flight underway.
Portland is all of 129 air miles south of Seattle so there’s not time for much of a service. Even so, we all received packets of water crackers and a surprisingly tasty peppercorn-parmesan cheese spread. This was followed by a pass with the beverage cart. Horizon has long promoted Oregon’s many microbreweries by offering complimentary glasses of fine ale to all passengers over 21. Today’s beer: Full Sail Pale Ale, an old favorite of mine.
Thirty five minute flights on props don’t get much better than this.
PDX-LAX Alaska 414 First Class * Dinner
DC-9-83 N948AS Seat 2A
628p-853p Flight time: 1:56
I had about an hour’s connection in Portland, more than enough time to visit Alaska’s new PDX Boardroom. Now located between gates C4 and C6, this club is far more convenient than the old one. It’s a bit larger and offers more work stations along with two computer terminals offering internet connection at 25 cents per minute. At one end of the room was a big screen TV. Golf was on – fun to play but boring to watch. I tossed my pack down at a desk, then wandered over to check out the beer selections. Miller and Miller Lite. With MacTarnahan’s being brewed right nearby, I would have thought – ah, whatever! I opted for a Club Soda instead and spent the next half hour slaving over this trip report.
I finally got my MacTarnahans about 25 minutes out of Portland, southbound to LAX aboard an MD-80, one of my favorite planes in the Alaska fleet. From a First Class perspective, I think the seats are much more comfortable than on the 737s, especially in Row 1 which offers plenty of legroom behind the brightly carpeted bulkhead.
Dinner tonight was described as Pasta with Italian Sausage and Alfredo Sauce. There were no alternate choices. Unlike the SEA-LAX or longer services, there was no salad course. My tray was delivered bearing both a salad and the main pasta course. Neither the salad nor the pasta were anything special though both were imminently edible. The pasta had slices of Italian sausage along with asparagus spears and pieces of green and red peppers. The “Alfredo” Sauce was pinkish in color and not very thick though it was decent enough in taste. As for the salad, I broke my knife while trying to saw through one of the thick slices if jicama. Jicama is pretty bland tasting and I would recommend Alaska replace it with carrots or purple cabbage. And toss in some mushrooms and broccoli while you’re at it!
After the trays were cleared, we were presented with coffee and a two layered chocolate cake for dessert. On the side were sliced strawberries which complimented the cake well. When one considers that the competition on the PDX-LAX run serves no food at all in either class, this meal scores an A.
July 20th
LAX-SEA Alaska 287 First Class * Beverage
DC-9-83 N972AS Seat 2F
252p-522p Flight time: 2:03
I sold almost three hundred dollars worth of cards and menus at the LAX Airliners show – not a bad day considering I had to leave the festivities two hours early in order to catch my flights back to Fairbanks. I’m scheduled to drive the 930 Eielson run tomorrow morning so this’ll be a long trip back home this afternoon – LAX-SEA-ANC-FAI followed by the 120 mile drive back down to Denali. Remind me to stop by Starbucks in SeaTac and pick up a pound of Sumatra.
I stopped by Alaska’s Boardroom at LAX which is actually an American Admiral’s Club. It’s nothing special. The Admiral’s Club in T4 is much nicer. I had a glass of 7-Up and made a couple of calls before heading down to the gate.
This morning’s fog and haze had dissolved into a beautiful sunny afternoon in the Los Angeles Basin. After a slight delay while we waited for both nose wheel tires to be replaced, we pushed back and taxied past an impressive array of 747-400s from Thai, KLM, JAL, Virgin, Air NZ and Qantas, then took off to the west and climbed through clear blue skies as we headed out over the Pacific before turning back over Malibu and heading North.
The Captain announced our flight time as 2:03 and promised us a smooth ride up to Seattle at 31000 feet. Beer was served (and other beverages as well) accompanied by a large plastic container of mixed nuts. In recent years this flight rated a full snack. Oh well. Dinner awaits on the flight up to Anchorage. I savored a couple of cold ones and watched with envy as we flew over Cedar Grove, the eastern terminus of Hwy. 180 in King’s Canyon National Park. How I’d like to be down there right now! I love working in Denali but King’s Canyon National Park is far and away the most beautiful place I have ever backpacked through. It was neat to see from my window seat where the Bubbs Creek trail split off from the Paradise Valley trail and climbed up to the crest of the Sierras where it met with the Pacific Crest Trail at Vidette Meadow. Anyone who’s ever spent a night or two in Vidette would no doubt agree that more beautiful places on this planet would be few and far between. To the south lie Forrester Pass (13,200’ – the highest on the PCT) and Mt. Whitney (14,495 – the highest mountain in the Lower 48). To the north lie Rae Lakes, followed by Pinchot, Mather, and Muir Passes along with the amazing Dusy and Evolution Basins. We’re talkin’ Heaven On Earth. Some pictures of the area are provided via this site I just discovered. Check out the day by day links for some really good pictures:
http://www.kevingong.com/Hiking/RaeLakesLoop.html
I am reminded of one of my favorite poems by the Chinese poet Li Bai:
QUESTION AND ANSWER
You ask me:
Why do I live
On this green mountain?
I smile
No answer
My heart serene
On flowing water
Peachblow
Quietly going
Far away
This is another earth
Another sky
No likeness
To that human world below
SEA-ANC Alaska 189 First Class * Dinner
737-400 N778AS Seat 1F
615p-847p Flight time: 3:17
By happenstance I met up with an old friend in the terminal. We rehashed old adventures and future plans over a cold beer right up until final call resulting in my being amongst the last to board. As I settled into my seat our Flight Attendant appeared and asked me in so many words if I’d at all mind having the pasta entrée for dinner as nothing else was left. Why ask? What difference would it possibly make if I don’t really have a choice anyway? Oh, right. Just being polite. Pasta would be fine I replied, though I must admit I was a bit peeved that dinner orders had been taken so early. Ah well, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. What was the other entrée, I asked. Beef Wellington. Oh, mannnnnnn….
The pasta was described as featuring a basil and Béchamel sauce along with sausage. My salivary glands were not aroused as this sounded suspiciously like what I’d eaten last night. When the meal was delivered however it was immediately apparent that tonight’s version was much better prepared than last night’s. The pasta had first been tossed in pesto, then topped with sliced Italian sausage, veggies and the sauce. It looked every bit as delicious as it ultimately was.
Later, our FA stopped by to chat and I told her of last night’s pasta and the Alfredo Wannabe Sauce. Don’t you guys get a full description of the entrees? I asked. Generally only a very basic description of them was her reply. It seems to me any chef with a sense of pride in his or her meals would want to ensure that their entrees were properly described as well as presented. I know, I know… it’s airline food but still! It wouldn’t take much to have, say, a small card printed up for the FA’s to read from. One with a nicer more accurate description of the potential culinary delights to come, complete with evocative adjectives like “zesty”, “delightful” or even “golden brown”! OK! OK! It’s airline food! US airline food, no less. I just thought – Oh forget it!! Lovey! Another Mai Tai, please!!
Other’n that, it was the usual fine summer evening with the usual spectacular views – blah, blah blah… I had a two hour layover in Anchor Town during which I met up with my old friend Dave T.. Clever individual that Dave is, he’s come up with a unique and effective way to discourage visits from religious tract toting Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists or similar societal pests. He found a doormat down at the local Value Village that once belonged to a family named THE TUCKERS. Dave carefully trimmed off the left top side of the T and glued it underneath the right side of the T, creating an F. Since installing this new weapon in his war on mindless religious proselytizing, he’s had no further problems.
ANC-FAI Alaska 199 First Class * Beverages
737-490 N794AS Seat 2A
1115p-1205a Flight time: :43
This trip ended aboard the same aircraft upon which I began my journey yesterday. I had a Club Soda and dozed most of the way up to Fairbanks.
July 25th
ANC-SEA Alaska 90 First Class * Dinner
737-990 N305AS Seat 2A
500p-920p Flight time: 2:48
I arrived at Gate B-6 to find 737-990 N305AS, also known as the plane that launched the 737-900 into revenue service back in May 2001. This is my fourth flight aboard this aircraft.
First Class was completely full tonight and coach was close to it. As I squeezed past my seatmate into 2A, I decided that from now on, when flying Alaska’s 737s, I’ll try to book seat 1A. Yeah, it’s a bit of a pain not having quick and easy access to my carry-on but the added space up there is enough to offset the inconvenience of no seatside storage.
Takeoff was to the east. The Captain informed us that the same tailwinds that had delayed the inbound flight would speed us down to Seattle in only 2hours, 38 minutes. Cruising altitude was a lofty 37000 feet and an on-time arrival at SeaTac was promised.
Dinner tonight was as follows:
Anchorage to Seattle
DINNER
To Begin
Spinach salad accompanied by sliced mushrooms, bacon and shaved Parmesan cheese
Dinner Roll
** ** **
Main Courses
Stuffed Pork
Pork tenderloin stuffed with prunes and apricots, topped with Madiera Sauce and accompanied by roasted potatoes and a medley of Zucchini, squash and red peppers.
Chicken Diablo
Breast of chicken topped with a spicy black bean sauce accompanied by fried rice and ginger carrots.
** ** **
Dessert
Polar Bear Pie
I’d had the Stuffed Pork back in May so I opted for the Chicken Diablo. This was a good choice! A large chicken breast – far more meat than the pork entrée - was covered with a mildly spicy black bean sauce and served with steamed rather than fried rice. On the side was a pile of sliced carrots and gracing the rice were two stalks of asparagus. This entrée was both delicious and filling. What more could one ask of airline food? Well, OK… perhaps a spicier sauce!
The Polar Bear Pie was rich and tasty, consisting of a four layered slice of almonds, caramel, cheesecake and chocolate. A cup of Seattle’s Best (Starbuck’s or Tully’s are much better IMHO) washed it all down.
Back in Economy Class, the dinner choices were announced as either Chicken or Pasta w/ Pesto. No further descriptions were offered – at least not over the PA – though the chicken was announced as sold out very soon after.
Clouds cleared around Juneau and I watched as we flew past first Sitka and then Ketchikan. Very pretty views down the coast. Saw two cruise ships.
SEA-DTW Northwest 924 First Class * Beverages
757-251 N537US Seat 2D
1050p-555a Flight time: 3:41
I lucked out and got upgraded into the last First Class seat. Once the man two rows back finally stopped talking, I managed a good three hours of sleep on this flight.
July 26th
DTW-IAH Northwest 1819 First Class * Breakfast
A319-114 N341NB Seat 1A
640a-836a Flight time: 2:26
Though I was still quite tired, it was only through sheer dedication to the task of writing a full and detailed report on Northwest’s breakfast offerings this morning that I willed myself to maintain consciousness until after the meal.
Now, if only I could remember what was offered…
IAH-DTW Northwest 1832 Coach Class * Beverages
A319-114 N307NB Seat 7F
900a-1247p Flight time: 2:29
I was originally booked in First Class on the 1155a departure but decided to try to get into Detroit earlier in hopes that I might find a seat on the earlier 3:24p DTW-ANC flight. First Class was sold out but I happily accepted a seat back in steerage where I proceeded to sleep through the whole flight.
DTW-ANC Northwest 841 First Class * Dinner
757-251 N542US Seat 1A
715p-1000p Flight time: 6:26
Alas, my attempt to get on the 3:24pm departure to Anchorage was unsuccessful. The flight was oversold in Coach and though I was ultimately offered a seat in the back, I opted to retain my confirmed First Class seat on the 7:15pm departure. After all, I’d promised you all a comparative description of Northwest’s First Class dinner service on this – their longest domestic flight not including Hawaii services. This means I won’t arrive back in Anchorage until 10:00pm local time. I then have a 240 mile drive ahead of me back up to Denali where tomorrow morning I’m scheduled to report to dispatch fresh and ready for the 134 mile drive out to Eielson Visitor Center at 9:00am. I’ll probably get up on the north side of Trapper Creek, crash in the back of the truck, then get an early start tomorrow morning and pull into the Park at about 8:52am – just enough time to change and then hit the road. But that’s a different trip report.
Four more hours in the Detroit Airport – not a pleasant scenario unless one has entry into any one of Northwest’s three World Clubs spread out along Northwest’s new A Concourse. These new World Clubs are World Class! They are at once spacious and inviting with polished stone floors and walls accented by dark wood, large potted plants, subdued yet complimentary artwork and large picture windows overlooking the tarmac. There are two smaller clubs – one on each end of the terminal, and one much larger one located at the midway. All three are conveniently located near the train which quickly and quietly whisks passengers from one end of the concourse to the other with an intermediate stop in the middle for connections to other concourses. Amenities in each club include an open bar featuring spirits as well as Miller and Heineken beers, Expresso/Latte/Cappuccino machines, a TV room featuring a large screen TV, and business centers offering ample desk space as well as faxes and copiers. The large central club also offers a computer terminal equipped with Microsoft Word. Plenty of cookies, pretzels and biscotti are available all day while cheese, fruit and Danishes are put out at appropriate hours. A fridge in the bar area is stocked with yogurt and juices. Domestic airline clubs anywhere just don’t come any finer than this. I encourage anyone with a layover in DTW to go in and check out any one of these great clubs. You don’t even have to be a member – just say you’re considering membership and wanted to have a quick look.
I left the South club a half hour before departure, walked all the way down to Gate 34 and essentially walked right on board the airplane. There was no line at all. Although First Class was almost full, coach was maybe only a third full. If only that earlier flight had been like this, I’d be just a couple of hours out of Anchorage by now. Oh well.
I gave up my original seat so that a young couple could sit together and moved up to the empty Row 1. Nobody else came into First Class so I had the whole row to myself. Fantastic! I accepted my usual starter of ice cold James Page Ale and settled in for the projected 6 hour and 39 minute flight.
I’ve been on shorter flights than this across the Atlantic. I wondered if Northwest catered any more elaborately for this longer flight. For sure, the aromas emanating from the galley certainly promised something good.
Preflight beverages came first – another James Page, thanks. A basket containing a selection of peanuts, pretzels or shortbread cookies was offered. I chose a couple of packets of nuts and savored my beer while admiring the big cumulo-nimbus clouds off to the south. A hot towel was offered followed by the long anticipated dinner choices: Chicken or Ham and Sweet Potatoes. To be honest, I wasn’t overly surprised. This is Northwest I’m flying. Still, there’s always hope. Then again, as Woody Allen so adroitly put it, perhaps hope is the thing with feathers. At least in Northwest’s case.
Here is the dinner in menu form – my menu, not NW’s.
Detroit to Anchorage
DINNER
To Begin
Salmon lox served with cream cheese, caviar, potato slices and lemon wedges
Salad
Mesclun greens accompanied by sliced tomatoes, yellow peppers and a mushroom
Dinner Roll
** ** **
Main Courses
Baked Chicken
Baked chicken breast served with rice risotto and braised green onions
Baked Ham
Ham steak presented with a generous portion of sweet potatoes
** ** **
Dessert
Ice Cream Sundae Cart
Your choice of strawberry or chocolate topping with chopped walnuts
Although there was plenty of time to present this meal course by course, we were instead handed a tray bearing everything but dessert.
I was surprised by the salmon lox appetizer, especially the smidgen of caviar atop each dollop of cream cheese. Although I’d never seen lox and cream cheese served with sliced potatoes before, I tried each of them together atop a slice of potato and found it all quite edible.
The chicken was done differently from past Northwest flights. Tonight’s example was a roasted breast with a partial wing attached. It did not appear to have been seasoned in any way nor was there any gravy. Even so, this chicken was about as finely cooked as one can possibly cook chicken either in a plane or on the ground. It was both moist and tender. Perfect. I wish I could say the same for the risotto but until I’d asked the Flight Attendant what exactly it was, I was prepared to list it as either polenta or rough corn pone. The braised green onions were pretty good – I only wish there’d been more of them.
Northwest offers four different wines in Domestic First Class this month. Here they are with descriptions:
Coastal Ridge California Chardonnay 1999
This is a Chardonnay oozing tropical fruit, green apple aromas and a full cornucopia of fruit flavor, especially tangerine flavors that go on and on. It’s full bodied in character, and balanced with crisp, bright fruit acidity.
Rosemount Diamond Shiraz/Cabernet 2001
This fabulous blend is packed with bright, fresh fruit aromas and flavors, combining the rich, plummy, spicy characteristics of Shiraz with the fresh berry fruit character of the Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s rich in blackberry and plum flavors on the palate, and nice currant spice on the finish.
Monterra Monterey Chardonnay 1999
The fruit selected for this wine was harvested from some of the oldest vineyard blocks on the San Bernabe Vineyard in southern Monterey County. The aroma is of fresh pears, ripe green apples, and tropical fruits encompassing an enticing butterscotch foundation. In the mouth the wine is full bodied, rich and silky and reminiscent of pineapple, coconut and lemon peel. The long, rich finish is enhanced by hints of spicy oak.
LaPlaya Merlot 1999
This Bordeaux-like Chilean Merlot offers a pleasant black raspberry and dark chocolate nose, a medium-bodied palate with subtle smoke, plum, tobacco and vanilla flavors and polished tannins framing the forward fruit. This is an easy drinking wine.
The two wines I really wanted to try, the Coastal Ridge Chardonnay and the Rosemount Shiraz have never been stocked on any of my Northwest flights this month. Pity. I found the LaPlaya pretty basic, as one might expect from a $9.00 bottle of wine.
Overall, not a bad dinner by post 9-11 domestic airline standards. Still, for a flight of over six hours I think at the very least a menu would have been appropriate along with a course by course service. One can only hope, if only naively so, that if and when the airlines start to make a bit of money we might begin to see the return of some of these services that were standard only a short time ago.
And now, to quote the great Bugs Bunny: “That’s All, Folks!” If you’ve managed to read this far, you either really like reading about domestic airline food or it’s late at night, you can’t sleep and nobody’s talking about anything interesting on the chat board. In any event, thanks for your perseverance and I’ll look forward to reading YOUR reports as they come out.
P.S. The breakfast choices on NW 1819 were, and I quote:
“Omelette or Cereal?”
“What kind of omelet?”
“It’s an egg omelet.”
(Well d-uh!) “No, I mean what’s in it?”
“Uh…”
“Never mind. I’ll take it!
The omelet turned out to be a fairly decent (by US domestic airline standards) cheese and salsa omelet. It was accompanied by a smattering of Potatoes O’Brien and a thick slice of either Canadian Bacon or summer sausage. The meat had an odd texture but was nonetheless tasty. On the side was a what looked like a bagel in size, shape and color but actually tasted like poorly baked bread shaped into the form of a bagel. The fruit plate consisted of a large strawberry, a ring of grapefruit, a slice of papaya and two slices of honeydew melon. It was delicious! I really should look into whether or not Northwest offers just a large fruit plate breakfast entrée like United. That’s always a good choice.
[This message has been edited by Seat 2A (edited 08-19-2002).]
Even though I work in Denali National Park, it’s amazing what one can do with a couple of days off. This month I’ve managed two mileage runs to Houston via Detroit and one trip to an airline collectibles show in Los Angeles. Combined, they comprised 20 flights (18 of them First Class) offering 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 6 dinners. In the process, I was able to examine some burning issues: How does a dinner on Alaska’s West Coast service compare with those on their longer SEA-ANC flights? Has Alaska made any improvements to their mediocre First Class luncheon service? What’s all the excitement about over at Horizon Air’s SEA-PDX shuttle? And finally, how might a First Class dinner aboard Northwest’s 2,890 mile, 6 1/2 hour DTW-ANC service compare with a MSP-SEA service that’s half the distance and flying time? If nothing else, with all that food I figured some folks might be interested in a trip/meal report. So, here’s what’s been cooking this past month at Alaska and Northwest. Bon apetite!
04 July
FAI-ANC Alaska 180 First Class * Beverages
737-790 N627AS Seat 1F
310p-407p Flight time: :44
After five straight days of rain, we finally have a beautiful sunny day in Fairbanks. I spent last night visiting with my old friend Jay before calling it a night at 3:00am and retiring to the comfort of my truck. I keep a full mattress in the back, under a Glasstite canopy. With a couple of pillows and a good book back there, I sleep as comfortably as I would in any hotel bed. Jay has an extra bed in his cabin but as he is near 70 years old, he prefers to keep the inside temperature a bit warmer than I like.
I spent the morning running errands right up until it came time to head out to the airport. I’d considered parking at my friend Tundra Rich’s place. He lives not far from the airport and I could save $20.00 in parking fees. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to reach Rich on the phone for a couple of weeks. He cooks at the Denny’s Restaurant in town (The Farthest North Denny’s In The World, no less.) and seems to work different shifts every week. Rich has been at Denny’s for almost two years now – quite an accomplishment considering the average employee there lasts anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. A fair percentage of the Fairbanks Denny’s work force is either on loan from or recently released from the Northstar Center, the local halfway house serving Fairbanks and the Northstar Borrough. Recidivism is fairly high though – at least amongst Denny’s employees. Rich was just commenting recently about how when spring comes and the temperatures get warmer, many of the cooks return to lives of crime. Earlier this week, the newest member of Denny’s culinary force, a parolee from Fairbanks Correctional Center, was unable to get to work on his second night because he had neither a car nor a ride. To rectify this minor inconvenience, he did the most logical thing. He stole a car. He was arrested after his shift while hanging out down on south Cushman Street and is now back in FCC. Meanwhile, Richard, being the reliable and steady type that he is, has often worked not only his shift but also covered for many of the truant or arrested cooks. As such, when he gets home he turns his phone off and sleeps. Rich works hard and I didn’t want to wake him when my total parking fee would amount to about four or five beers in most any local bar.
With its northern latitudes and perceived year-round frigid temperatures, Fairbanks has never been a favorite amongst radical Islamic terrorist groups. Since September 11th, not even one terroristic threat has been received at the International Airport. Yes, a few Ulu knives have been confiscated from absent minded visitors, but otherwise we have enjoyed a peaceful if somewhat isolated existence from the rest of the world. As such, the decision was recently made to re-open the Close-In parking lot. Remote parking (50-150 feet farther out) costs $9.50/day whilst Close-In parking runs a whopping $10.00/day. I decided to splurge and treat myself to the Close-in parking for only $1.00 more. I can easily offset this added expense the next time I visit the Gold Spike Saloon by making my first beer a domestic instead of a micro or import.
Despite Alaska’s super-low fares for those folks willing to travel on July 4th, this flight was only about 20% full. I settled into my seat 1F aboard the 737-700 and marveled as we became airborne after a take-off roll of only 17 seconds! Minutes later, I had a can of MacTarnahans Ale and a couple of packets of cashews at hand as we headed south over the Alaska Range and down to Anchorage. Out of Fairbanks, I always sit on the right hand side of the airplane in hopes of enjoying a nice view of Denali. Unfortunately, high clouds gathered soon after we took off so I saw nothing until our approach into Anchorage. Later, as we were disembarking, I overheard a lady comment that she and her husband had come to Alaska a week ago hoping to see Mt. McKinley but now would leave without having done so. Alas, the mountain is only visible about 15% of the summer. If you want guaranteed views, come spend a week in the winter sometime.
ANC-SEA Alaska 90 First Class * Dinner
737-990 N306AS Seat 1A
500p-900p Flight time: 2:49
Alaska’s Boardroom was closed early today so the staff could celebrate July 4th. I wandered around the airport bookstore for awhile, then grabbed a coffee and checked out the big bears mounted at the end of the B Concourse until boarding was finally called for our flight.
I haven’t flown many 737-900s – only 10 so far – so I’m still moderately excited at the prospect of flying one if only to fly aboard an aircraft I’ve not yet flown. I’ve flown all but seven of Alaska’s 737-400 fleet and most of their 737-700s and MD-80s. Alaska has six or seven –900s in its fleet but somehow I keep getting stuck with the same three – ships 305, 306 and 309. Today was no different as ship 306 awaited us at Gate B-5.
I’ve flown these early evening flights out of Anchorage four times since May, and each time we’ve had loads averaging 15%. Once, back in early May, the load was F:2 Y:4. Tonight’s load was me and a big bearded guy in overalls up front, and about 25 people in the back.
We pushed back 5 minutes early and without further ado taxied briskly out to the runway and immediately took off to the north. Climbing out, we had a nice view of the Anchorage basin and the Cook Inlet before gathering clouds forced me to turn my attention to my book of the week, a PT Deutermann thriller entitled Hunting Season. The book was described as an “explosive tour de force with enough techno and black ops to satisfy Clancy fans”, etc. etc. OK, I’ll bite. It’ll be a nice change from boning up on wildlife behavior and interpretation, Denali geology, etc.
Pre-dinner drinks were offered and I settled for a Bloody Mary, extra vodka. It’s not the alcohol I like so much as the vodka flavor. If you like your Bloody Mary’s the way I do, it is wise to limit yourself to just one or two. Tonight I also had the foresight to bring along a 5oz bottle of my favorite hot sauce – Cowboy Caliente Sauce out of Shell Beach, California. That sauce puts most all of the mainstream store brands to shame and I’d swear it even contains a mild hallucinogen! Great stuff and perfect for spicing up a Bloody Mary.
Dinner tonight was as follows:
Anchorage to Seattle
DINNER
To Begin
Crisp romaine lettuce accompanied by shredded carrots and cabbage, radishes and a tomato slice.
Dinner Roll
** ** **
Main Courses
Pesto Crusted Salmon with Classic Béchamel Sauce
Accompanied by Anna Potatoes Parmesan and Sugar Snap Peas
Herbed Breast of Chicken
Presented with Israeli Cous Cous and Chuck Wagon Corn
** ** **
Dessert
Wedding Cake with Kiwi Fruit garnish
No menu was presented – I simply took the liberty of presenting the choices in menu form. I chose the salmon figuring it to be a good choice since I was flying out of a state that’s known for its salmon.
Dinner service began with a white linen draped tray bearing a colorful salad, a roll and real salt and pepper shakers. After years of endless mesclun greens on United and more recently British Airways, Alaska Airline’s salads are a welcome change. Over the past two months aboard Alaska flights, I’ve been served four different types of salad – all of them good. Alaska also scores points for serving their salad on a plate instead of in a bowl. This salad tasted every bit as good as it looked! My only complaint is that it wasn’t a bit larger.
The entrée consisted of a large salmon fillet topped with a wonderful green pesto “crust” and accompanied by a good sized serving of what looked like scalloped potatoes and a medley of sautéed red onions and snap peas. Though I did not detect any Parmesan in the potatoes, the Béchamel sauce was a delicious addition to the salmon. I complimented this meal with a glass of Round Hill 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon. C’etait magnifique!
Across from me, Mr. Overalls was dining upon or rather tearing into the chicken entrée with considerable gusto. Although he appeared to be well fed – caloricly challenged even – he ate as if it were his first meal in days! A discreet glance revealed that the chicken breast appeared to have been dusted with a good amount of herbs and spices before being grilled. The chuckwagon corn looked a bit dusty as well but with the cous cous this was a decent sized entrée. Still, I highly recommend that Pesto Salmon to any and all. It is certainly one of the better First Class entrees I have ever had on any airline, domestic or international! You can find a picture of it over at http://www.airlinemeals.net under Alaska Airlines. You’ll also find a picture of one of Alaska’s pretty decent dinner salads.
Alaska’s First Class wine selections this month are as follows:
White Wines
Raymond Estates 1999 Chardonnay
Ripe pear and apple aromas are prevalent in the nose of this wine. The body shows crisp acidity, a smooth texture and clean, soft finish. Hints of vanilla and toasty oak compliment the ripe fruit aromas and flavors.
Sebastiani 1999 Sonoma County Chardonnay
This chardonnay has a medium golden color with aromas of green apple, lemon zest, vanilla and roasted nuts – the result of oak aging. A medium bodied wine, it has a soft finish with hints of caramel and bread toast.
Red Wines
Round Hill 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon
A bouquet of spicy, toasty oak is complimented by hints of cherry, cassis and dried plums. The varietal complexities of Cab. S. are readily apparent, with rich, full flavors. This wine has roots in California’s prime growing areas, including the Sierra foothills and the Central and South coasts.
Pacific Estate Vineyards 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon
Seven different Columbia Valley vineyards contributed to this wine. The complex varietal characteristics of the cabernet sauvignon grape are revealed in the raspberry, cassis and tobacco aromas.
After dinner, I had a nice chat with the First Class FA. We talked about some of Alaska’s new routes and future plans and I mentioned my contention that if Alaska intended to jump into the trans-con market and/or challenge airlines like United and American on other routes, it would have to invest in some form of inflight entertainment system. He heartily agreed and told me that Alaska may be adding some 737-800s soon that were originally destined for CO or AA. These –800s would of course include the IFEs as ordered by the original buyer.
The clouds began to clear about halfway down Vancouver Island and we were treated to a very pretty view of the city of Vancouver from 30 some odd thousand feet in the late evening sun. Shortly thereafter we began our descent into SeaTac and had a beautiful approach past Lake Washington and over the downtown district before landing to the south. The landing was smooth enough but we sure had a bumpy roll off the runway and onto the taxiway.
Chalk up another fine flight with the Happy face bunch.
SEA-DTW Northwest 924 First Class * Beverages
757-251 N537US Seat 2A
1050p-555a Flight time: 3:44
I had an excellent view of the fireworks exploding behind the Doubletree Hotel before boarding. This flight was only half full and I briefly considered wandering back into Economy to see if I could grab a row to myself. Still, my First Class seat was pretty comfortable so I stayed put and managed to sleep through most of the flight. Approach into Detroit coincided with sunrise. It was a beautiful clear morning, the kind that makes you feel happy and fortunate to be living on such an incredible planet.
July 05
DTW-IAH Northwest 1819 First Class * Breakfast
A319-114 N339NB Seat 2A
640a-836a Flight time: 2:15
Beautiful mornings notwithstanding, three hours of sleep simply is not sufficient. As soon as I settled into Seat 2A, I fell back asleep. I have no memories of take-off. I do remember awaking with only about a half hour left in the flight and flight attendant asking me if I’d like anything at all to eat. Though it was a bit to late to heat up a full entrée, she’d be happy to bring me a bagel, a muffin or a fruit plate. I opted for the fruit plate and was not disappointed. In a small glass bowl were three or four orange slices, a couple of big strawberries and two slices of honeydew melon. It was quite sufficient and after a cup of coffee I felt like a new man.
Approach into Houston was through haze and high humidity. Thankfully I would have less than an hour at IAH, just enough time to buy a paper and another cup of coffee before continuing on to Minneapolis.
IAH-MSP Northwest 1804 First Class * Breakfast
A319-114 N339NB Seat 2A
925a-1215p Flight time: 2:17
I reboarded the same aircraft that had taken me into IAH from Detroit. The A319 is a nice little jet in Northwest’s configuration – 16 seats up front and quite a few more in the back. Very nice. I’m used to United’s version that offers only 8 seats up front. C’mon UA! If you aren’t going to offer decent inflight service on domestic flights under five hours, at least consider expanding your First Class cabin to offer your loyal frequent flyers other than 1Ks and deadheading pilots a chance at a more comfortable flight!
Take off was quick and it was refreshing to climb above Houston’s haze and head into the crisp clear air above 30000 feet as we turned north towards Minneapolis. I was pleasantly surprised when our flight attendant appeared and offered not just coffee but also a choice of breakfast entrees. Given the post 9-11 service cutbacks, I was surprised that we were offered anything more than a snack, if even that.
Today’s breakfast choices were described as either “Eggs or Cereal”. So, would those eggs be fried, scrambled, Florentine, Benedict or some kind of omelet? “Uh, scrambled, I think – lemme check.” Scrambled they were, served with a couple of link sausages and some grilled potatoes. This entrée was accompanied by bagel and a fruit plate exactly like the one I’d had on the flight into IAH. I washed it all down with a couple of cups of coffee served in Northwest’s full sized coffee cups. Northwest claims to serve a name brand coffee like Seattle’s Best but it tastes rather plain to me. So far, the best coffee I’ve ever had on an airplane was aboard British Airways.
We had a beautiful approach into MSP. I think the city looks much better from the air than it does from the ground. Now for any of you from MSP, I don’t mean that in as bad a way as it might sound. I think Minneapolis and Minnesota are amongst the more impressive cities and states in the Union. And, you’ve got a kick-... home town band in The Big Wu, one of my all time favorite jambands! Since the Vikings aren’t likely to give anyone much to cheer about this season, why not go on down to the Fitzgerald Theater or the Cabooze and celebrate just being alive with The Wu and their family! Check ‘em out at www.thebigwu.com.
MSP-SEA Northwest 159 First Class * Lunch
757-251 N505US Seat 2A
121p-302p Flight time: 3:14
I spent an hour in the big WorldClub between the F and G Concourses before heading down to my flight at F-8. The aircraft for this flight was 757-200 N505US, one of the oldest in the fleet. Although the 757 turned 20 years old this year, that’s only middle aged by Northwest’s standards. The cleaners did a nice job of rejuvenating the interior however. I’ve flown aboard younger planes aboard third world carriers that looked and felt much older. I settled into Seat 2A and accepted a preflight glass of ice cold James Page Ale. Mmm.
As we pushed back from the gate and taxied out to the runway, I perused a copy of Northwest’s inflight magazine “World Traveler”. The cover indicated that this was a Commemorative Issue celebrating Northwest’s 75 years of service. As I read on, I discovered that exactly 75 years ago today, July 5th, 1927, St. Paul businessman Byron Webster became Northwest’s first ticketed passenger, paying $40.00 for a 12 ½ hour, one-way flight from Minneapolis to Chicago. Happy Birthday, Northwest!
Lunch today was Northwest’s old stand-by - Pesto Chicken with Orzo and Capers or Ham and Sweet Potatoes. Northwest has been serving this chicken entrée regularly since at least December. Is it just coincidence that I get it so often out of Minneapolis or is the flight kitchen here somewhat limited in its scope and capabilities? I am reminded of the old Far Side cartoon that shows two dogs being fed dinner and one of the dogs thinking “Oh Boy! Dog food again!!”
I had a bad experience with ham and sweet potatoes back in fourth grade so I’ve avoided both since. The chicken entrée consisted of a breast of chicken that appeared more poached than grilled. It was garnished with a slice of lemon and accompanied by orzo, broccoli and baby carrots. I never did detect any pesto. The orzo had a bit of cheese blended in and was quite good. On the side was a small salad consisting of mixed greens, feta cheese, two pear slices and a sprinkling of sliced olives which I carefully removed. There was also an appetizer: Two 6” long strips of beef marinated in a teriyaki type sauce. I’ve had this appetizer before on Northwest and found it quite good. The chicken however could’ve done without the lemon, which made it taste more like halibut than chicken.
Dessert was a chocolate and strawberry ice cream sundae, always a nice ending to an inflight meal. The only thing missing was the whipped cream.
Now I’m languishing over a hot coffee and Baileys whilst typing this report high over west central Montana. It is beautiful down there. Except during the winter, every time I’m flying over the American West, I always wish I were down there amongst its mountains, canyons, deserts and valleys instead of up here in this airplane. Those high rocky mountains and deep green valleys definitely call out to me.
SEA-ANC Alaska 85 First Class * Dinner
737-4Q8 N755AS Seat 2F
430p-700p Flight time: 3:23
I had an hour and a half layover in Seattle so I paid a quick visit to Alaska’s Boardroom. About half the original lounge has been lost to the remodeling effort and what’s left of it is usually jam packed. Today however it was only about a third full. I celebrated the extra space with a MacTarnahans Ale and a bag of nuts while settling in to watch some baseball on ESPN.
My flight to Anchorage was conveniently located right next door at gate D1. The aircraft, Boeing 737-4Q8 N755AS was one of seven in the Alaska 737–400 fleet that I’d not yet flown. I’ve been logging my flights since I was but a wee lad growing up in Colorado. And, since I also note the N-Numbers, I would know stuff like this. For all the good it does me. Ah well, only 6 more to go!
Amazingly, for an early evening Seattle-Anchorage flight, we were not sold out in First Class. Nine of the twelve seats up front were occupied while back in economy the load was perhaps 80%. We pushed back on time and took off to the south. Mt. Rainier was clearly visible out the port windows while off to starboard was a nice view of the Olympic Range. We made our turn to the north over Gig Harbor as I reclined my seat and looked forward to an ice cold MacTarnahans and the view of Vancouver Island.
Dinner tonight was as follows:
Seattle to Anchorage
DINNER
To Begin
Endive lettuce with red and yellow peppers and Jicama slices. Garnished with sliced red and yellow tortilla strips
Dinner Roll
** ** **
Main Courses
Shrimp Stir-Fry
Ginger-soy marinated shrimp and vegetables served over noodles
Southern Chicken Breast
Presented with polenta and spinach
** ** **
Dessert
White Chocolate Cake with layers of marion berry sauce. Garnished with kiwi fruit
Meanwhile, back in economy the announced choices were:
Hungarian Beef over Noodles
or
Chicken Fajita Stir Fry
Having just had chicken for lunch on my flight into Seattle, I opted for the shrimp. The salad came first and was… OK I reckon. The tortilla strips looked better than they tasted. In fact, then entire salad looked better than it tasted. It wasn’t bad. It was just plain. Perhaps some onions and mushrooms might spice things up a bit. As for the entrée, not bad, not bad. There were four decently sized shrimp that were flavorful and not too dry. In all a pretty tasty entrée though I’d much prefer rice over noodles. If you’re hungry however, go for the chicken. The guys across from me both ordered it and their plates were brimming with food whereas the shrimp and noodles portion was a bit on the small side. Finally, dessert. The cake was delicious! I wouldn’t know a marion berry from a DC politician but the sauce and by extension the entire cake were delicious!
Clouds covered most of the land between Port Hardy and Cordova but the final twenty minutes coming into Anchorage was typically spectacular with memorable views of the Knik Glacier and the ragged peaks of the Chugach Range. We landed on a beautiful summer evening in Anchorage – clear and 65 degrees. Life is good.
ANC-FAI Alaska 123 First Class * Beverages
737-490 N793AS Seat 1A
730p-823p Flight time: :42
What a difference 42 minutes makes! We took off out of Anchorage and enjoyed beautiful views of the Cook Inlet and the Knik Arm before turning north over Wasilla whereupon we encountered clouds the rest of the way up to Fairbanks. We descended through light chop and medium rain before landing heavily in Fairbanks. With no baggage to collect, I picked up my trusty Mazda out in the airport parking lot, gave the attendant $19.00 and headed down the road to Denali – two hours distant.
July 19th
FAI-ANC Alaska 98 First Class * Beverages
737-490 N794AS Seat 2F
830a-928a Flight time: :46
As I entered the Fairbanks terminal this morning, I had to negotiate my way through and around a huge line of passengers waiting to check in for Northwest’s morning departure to Minneapolis. I don’t believe I’d ever seen a line this long at FAI, even at Christmas! Northwest serves FAI only during the summer season and then only because they got the contract to transport Princess cruise passengers to or from Alaska. Apparently the scene is like this three or four times a week. Over at Alaska’s counter, the MVP and First Class lane was wide open.
My routing today is FAI-ANC-SEA-PDX-LAX.I decided it would be prudent to check my suitcase only as far as Seattle, then recheck it from there on down to LAX. I had an hour and a half layover at SeaTac and four flights between FAI and LAX was asking for misplaced or delayed baggage that I couldn’t afford as tomorrow morning I would need that bag and its contents for my table at the Southern California Airline Collectibles Convention.
Upstairs, the scene at Security was chaotic. People were lined up out past the Security area and well past the top of the escalators. It soon became apparent that this line was growing so large because people were being processed through Security far slower than they were arriving in line. I waited patiently with everyone else but with departure time for my flight quickly approaching, I excused myself from line and went down to the Alaska counter to inform them of the situation. Finally, an Alaska agent came up and managed to get all the Northwest passengers, whose flight left 30 minutes after ours, to step aside for the twenty or so of us on AS 98.
I selected a seat on the right side of the cabin in order to get a glimpse of Denali and the Park if it were clear. It was clear but for this flight the pilots secured approval from Anchorage ATC allowing us to divert around The Mountain. For first timers, this is really a special treat. Mt. McKinley or Denali as the mountain is called locally is not only the tallest mountain in North America but also one of the largest mountains in the world in terms of sheer mass. At its top, the distance between the North and South peaks is about 3 miles by air. That would be the pointy end of the mountain. 3 miles. It’s a big’un! There were lots of oohs and ahs amongst the passengers as we slowly cruised past the summits and over the West Buttress. Had this been in the middle of May, we would have been able to see some of the hundreds of climbers that attempt to climb the mountain each spring. As of last week however, NPS informed us that there were only 56 climbers still on the mountain. Most of them ought to be off or well on their way down the mountain by now. This is a dangerous time of year to be up there due to the warmer weather. Snow melts, and as it becomes heavy with moisture is more prone to avalanches on the steeper slopes. As well, crevasses become far more of a danger than in colder weather. But I digress.
While everyone else was ogling Denali, I had a great view of Mt. Foraker – at over 17000 feet no small hill either. Twenty minutes later we were at the gate in Anchorage.
ANC-SEA Alaska 94 First Class * Lunch
737-990 N303AS Seat 1A
1045a-307p Flight time: 2:49
I arrived to gate B-5 to find 737-990 N303AS assigned to this flight. My eleven flights aboard Alaska’s –900s have been limited to just three aircraft (305, 306 and 309) so I was happy for the added variety. After all, who needs Dale Carnegie or Charles Atlas when I can win the admiration and respect of friends and colleagues merely by pointing to most any Alaska jet at most any airport and proudly say “I’ve flown that plane!”
This flight was almost completely full. After loading a few connecting flight stragglers, we pushed back about 10 minutes late. The captain told us not to worry – tailwinds would actually have us into SeaTac a bit early. Flight time was projected at 2:53.
After waiting for the post take-off winds from an Asiana 747-400F to die down, we turned onto the runway and took off to the south. The Anchorage basin was mostly clear today and the couple behind me ooohed and aaahed as we were treated to spectacular views of the Cook Inlet along with Turnagain and Knik Arms. As we headed south down the coast past the Chugach Mountains, those of us on the left side of the aircraft had wonderful views of the many mountains, glaciers and inlets that make flying out of Anchorage on a clear day one of the world’s more scenic and memorable flights. As we flew past Cordova, Yakutat and Sitka the water below was so calm that it clearly reflected the puffy clouds above.
I haven’t been on an Alaska luncheon flight since back in February so I was curious as to whether or not Alaska had made any improvements to its First Class luncheon service, long renowned for its mediocrity amongst discerning clientele.
Drinks were offered – coffee for me, double Jack Daniels for my seatmate. He was flying down to Seattle from Fort Yukon to attend his daughter’s wedding in Federal Way. It’s been quite warm in Alaska of late and as Fort Yukon holds the Alaska state record for the highest temperature ever recorded – 100 degrees – I asked him how hot it had been the past couple of days. In the high eighties, he replied. He was looking forward to hopefully cooler temperatures in Washington.
Today’s luncheon choices were:
Cobb Salad with Sliced Chicken Breast
or
Barley Soup served with Couscous Salad
I, my seatmate and everyone within earshot ordered the Cobb Salad. Hmm… The soup was described as just barley, not beef barley. Part of the problem may also be that there are still a good number of people in this country for whom couscous, millet, quinoa, amaranth, bulger, etc. are foreign words. Rice, potatoes, corn – now you’re talkin’.
In any event, my Cobb Salad was actually quite tasty. It was served in a large clear glass bowl and consisted of romaine lettuce, a chicken breast, bacon bits, tomatoes and plenty of croutons. Dessert was a little chocolate mint no bigger than a peyote button. Even the old Ghirardelli chocolates AS used to offer were larger.
I found it interesting that back in economy both of the sandwich choices were hot:
Ham and Cheese
or
Chicken Breast with Havarti Cheese
On flights from Anchorage these sandwiches usually include a small side salad such as pasta or carrots. Dessert is usually a cookie.
My complaint with Alaska is not about food quality but rather entrée choices. Remember now, we’re talking about First Class, a more expensive product that traditionally offers more and better food, especially on longer flights. The meal we were offered on this flight would have been very appropriate for a flight of 1000 miles or less. For a 1400 mile, three-hour flight, at least one hot entrée should have been offered. Dessert should have been more substantial as well. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Alaska’s superior breakfast and dinner service. Even Northwest, never highly regarded for their inflight service, outdoes Alaska on flights of this length. (See the recent MSP-SEA flight)
SEA-PDX Horizon 2281 Coach Class * Beverages
DHC-8-200 N356PH Seat 1D
430p-519p Flight time: :35
After rechecking my bag onwards to LAX, I stopped off at a Starbucks kiosk (The coffee of the day was Sumatran, my favorite!) then headed out to my Horizon gate where boarding was just commencing.
Our flight attendant was an amiable character named Jeff. He began the preflight safety briefing by introducing himself as a retiree from the fire department, now working as Horizon’s resident golf pro. After a humorous briefing, we taxied briskly out onto the runway and got this little flight underway.
Portland is all of 129 air miles south of Seattle so there’s not time for much of a service. Even so, we all received packets of water crackers and a surprisingly tasty peppercorn-parmesan cheese spread. This was followed by a pass with the beverage cart. Horizon has long promoted Oregon’s many microbreweries by offering complimentary glasses of fine ale to all passengers over 21. Today’s beer: Full Sail Pale Ale, an old favorite of mine.
Thirty five minute flights on props don’t get much better than this.
PDX-LAX Alaska 414 First Class * Dinner
DC-9-83 N948AS Seat 2A
628p-853p Flight time: 1:56
I had about an hour’s connection in Portland, more than enough time to visit Alaska’s new PDX Boardroom. Now located between gates C4 and C6, this club is far more convenient than the old one. It’s a bit larger and offers more work stations along with two computer terminals offering internet connection at 25 cents per minute. At one end of the room was a big screen TV. Golf was on – fun to play but boring to watch. I tossed my pack down at a desk, then wandered over to check out the beer selections. Miller and Miller Lite. With MacTarnahan’s being brewed right nearby, I would have thought – ah, whatever! I opted for a Club Soda instead and spent the next half hour slaving over this trip report.
I finally got my MacTarnahans about 25 minutes out of Portland, southbound to LAX aboard an MD-80, one of my favorite planes in the Alaska fleet. From a First Class perspective, I think the seats are much more comfortable than on the 737s, especially in Row 1 which offers plenty of legroom behind the brightly carpeted bulkhead.
Dinner tonight was described as Pasta with Italian Sausage and Alfredo Sauce. There were no alternate choices. Unlike the SEA-LAX or longer services, there was no salad course. My tray was delivered bearing both a salad and the main pasta course. Neither the salad nor the pasta were anything special though both were imminently edible. The pasta had slices of Italian sausage along with asparagus spears and pieces of green and red peppers. The “Alfredo” Sauce was pinkish in color and not very thick though it was decent enough in taste. As for the salad, I broke my knife while trying to saw through one of the thick slices if jicama. Jicama is pretty bland tasting and I would recommend Alaska replace it with carrots or purple cabbage. And toss in some mushrooms and broccoli while you’re at it!
After the trays were cleared, we were presented with coffee and a two layered chocolate cake for dessert. On the side were sliced strawberries which complimented the cake well. When one considers that the competition on the PDX-LAX run serves no food at all in either class, this meal scores an A.
July 20th
LAX-SEA Alaska 287 First Class * Beverage
DC-9-83 N972AS Seat 2F
252p-522p Flight time: 2:03
I sold almost three hundred dollars worth of cards and menus at the LAX Airliners show – not a bad day considering I had to leave the festivities two hours early in order to catch my flights back to Fairbanks. I’m scheduled to drive the 930 Eielson run tomorrow morning so this’ll be a long trip back home this afternoon – LAX-SEA-ANC-FAI followed by the 120 mile drive back down to Denali. Remind me to stop by Starbucks in SeaTac and pick up a pound of Sumatra.
I stopped by Alaska’s Boardroom at LAX which is actually an American Admiral’s Club. It’s nothing special. The Admiral’s Club in T4 is much nicer. I had a glass of 7-Up and made a couple of calls before heading down to the gate.
This morning’s fog and haze had dissolved into a beautiful sunny afternoon in the Los Angeles Basin. After a slight delay while we waited for both nose wheel tires to be replaced, we pushed back and taxied past an impressive array of 747-400s from Thai, KLM, JAL, Virgin, Air NZ and Qantas, then took off to the west and climbed through clear blue skies as we headed out over the Pacific before turning back over Malibu and heading North.
The Captain announced our flight time as 2:03 and promised us a smooth ride up to Seattle at 31000 feet. Beer was served (and other beverages as well) accompanied by a large plastic container of mixed nuts. In recent years this flight rated a full snack. Oh well. Dinner awaits on the flight up to Anchorage. I savored a couple of cold ones and watched with envy as we flew over Cedar Grove, the eastern terminus of Hwy. 180 in King’s Canyon National Park. How I’d like to be down there right now! I love working in Denali but King’s Canyon National Park is far and away the most beautiful place I have ever backpacked through. It was neat to see from my window seat where the Bubbs Creek trail split off from the Paradise Valley trail and climbed up to the crest of the Sierras where it met with the Pacific Crest Trail at Vidette Meadow. Anyone who’s ever spent a night or two in Vidette would no doubt agree that more beautiful places on this planet would be few and far between. To the south lie Forrester Pass (13,200’ – the highest on the PCT) and Mt. Whitney (14,495 – the highest mountain in the Lower 48). To the north lie Rae Lakes, followed by Pinchot, Mather, and Muir Passes along with the amazing Dusy and Evolution Basins. We’re talkin’ Heaven On Earth. Some pictures of the area are provided via this site I just discovered. Check out the day by day links for some really good pictures:
http://www.kevingong.com/Hiking/RaeLakesLoop.html
I am reminded of one of my favorite poems by the Chinese poet Li Bai:
QUESTION AND ANSWER
You ask me:
Why do I live
On this green mountain?
I smile
No answer
My heart serene
On flowing water
Peachblow
Quietly going
Far away
This is another earth
Another sky
No likeness
To that human world below
SEA-ANC Alaska 189 First Class * Dinner
737-400 N778AS Seat 1F
615p-847p Flight time: 3:17
By happenstance I met up with an old friend in the terminal. We rehashed old adventures and future plans over a cold beer right up until final call resulting in my being amongst the last to board. As I settled into my seat our Flight Attendant appeared and asked me in so many words if I’d at all mind having the pasta entrée for dinner as nothing else was left. Why ask? What difference would it possibly make if I don’t really have a choice anyway? Oh, right. Just being polite. Pasta would be fine I replied, though I must admit I was a bit peeved that dinner orders had been taken so early. Ah well, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. What was the other entrée, I asked. Beef Wellington. Oh, mannnnnnn….
The pasta was described as featuring a basil and Béchamel sauce along with sausage. My salivary glands were not aroused as this sounded suspiciously like what I’d eaten last night. When the meal was delivered however it was immediately apparent that tonight’s version was much better prepared than last night’s. The pasta had first been tossed in pesto, then topped with sliced Italian sausage, veggies and the sauce. It looked every bit as delicious as it ultimately was.
Later, our FA stopped by to chat and I told her of last night’s pasta and the Alfredo Wannabe Sauce. Don’t you guys get a full description of the entrees? I asked. Generally only a very basic description of them was her reply. It seems to me any chef with a sense of pride in his or her meals would want to ensure that their entrees were properly described as well as presented. I know, I know… it’s airline food but still! It wouldn’t take much to have, say, a small card printed up for the FA’s to read from. One with a nicer more accurate description of the potential culinary delights to come, complete with evocative adjectives like “zesty”, “delightful” or even “golden brown”! OK! OK! It’s airline food! US airline food, no less. I just thought – Oh forget it!! Lovey! Another Mai Tai, please!!
Other’n that, it was the usual fine summer evening with the usual spectacular views – blah, blah blah… I had a two hour layover in Anchor Town during which I met up with my old friend Dave T.. Clever individual that Dave is, he’s come up with a unique and effective way to discourage visits from religious tract toting Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists or similar societal pests. He found a doormat down at the local Value Village that once belonged to a family named THE TUCKERS. Dave carefully trimmed off the left top side of the T and glued it underneath the right side of the T, creating an F. Since installing this new weapon in his war on mindless religious proselytizing, he’s had no further problems.
ANC-FAI Alaska 199 First Class * Beverages
737-490 N794AS Seat 2A
1115p-1205a Flight time: :43
This trip ended aboard the same aircraft upon which I began my journey yesterday. I had a Club Soda and dozed most of the way up to Fairbanks.
July 25th
ANC-SEA Alaska 90 First Class * Dinner
737-990 N305AS Seat 2A
500p-920p Flight time: 2:48
I arrived at Gate B-6 to find 737-990 N305AS, also known as the plane that launched the 737-900 into revenue service back in May 2001. This is my fourth flight aboard this aircraft.
First Class was completely full tonight and coach was close to it. As I squeezed past my seatmate into 2A, I decided that from now on, when flying Alaska’s 737s, I’ll try to book seat 1A. Yeah, it’s a bit of a pain not having quick and easy access to my carry-on but the added space up there is enough to offset the inconvenience of no seatside storage.
Takeoff was to the east. The Captain informed us that the same tailwinds that had delayed the inbound flight would speed us down to Seattle in only 2hours, 38 minutes. Cruising altitude was a lofty 37000 feet and an on-time arrival at SeaTac was promised.
Dinner tonight was as follows:
Anchorage to Seattle
DINNER
To Begin
Spinach salad accompanied by sliced mushrooms, bacon and shaved Parmesan cheese
Dinner Roll
** ** **
Main Courses
Stuffed Pork
Pork tenderloin stuffed with prunes and apricots, topped with Madiera Sauce and accompanied by roasted potatoes and a medley of Zucchini, squash and red peppers.
Chicken Diablo
Breast of chicken topped with a spicy black bean sauce accompanied by fried rice and ginger carrots.
** ** **
Dessert
Polar Bear Pie
I’d had the Stuffed Pork back in May so I opted for the Chicken Diablo. This was a good choice! A large chicken breast – far more meat than the pork entrée - was covered with a mildly spicy black bean sauce and served with steamed rather than fried rice. On the side was a pile of sliced carrots and gracing the rice were two stalks of asparagus. This entrée was both delicious and filling. What more could one ask of airline food? Well, OK… perhaps a spicier sauce!
The Polar Bear Pie was rich and tasty, consisting of a four layered slice of almonds, caramel, cheesecake and chocolate. A cup of Seattle’s Best (Starbuck’s or Tully’s are much better IMHO) washed it all down.
Back in Economy Class, the dinner choices were announced as either Chicken or Pasta w/ Pesto. No further descriptions were offered – at least not over the PA – though the chicken was announced as sold out very soon after.
Clouds cleared around Juneau and I watched as we flew past first Sitka and then Ketchikan. Very pretty views down the coast. Saw two cruise ships.
SEA-DTW Northwest 924 First Class * Beverages
757-251 N537US Seat 2D
1050p-555a Flight time: 3:41
I lucked out and got upgraded into the last First Class seat. Once the man two rows back finally stopped talking, I managed a good three hours of sleep on this flight.
July 26th
DTW-IAH Northwest 1819 First Class * Breakfast
A319-114 N341NB Seat 1A
640a-836a Flight time: 2:26
Though I was still quite tired, it was only through sheer dedication to the task of writing a full and detailed report on Northwest’s breakfast offerings this morning that I willed myself to maintain consciousness until after the meal.
Now, if only I could remember what was offered…
IAH-DTW Northwest 1832 Coach Class * Beverages
A319-114 N307NB Seat 7F
900a-1247p Flight time: 2:29
I was originally booked in First Class on the 1155a departure but decided to try to get into Detroit earlier in hopes that I might find a seat on the earlier 3:24p DTW-ANC flight. First Class was sold out but I happily accepted a seat back in steerage where I proceeded to sleep through the whole flight.
DTW-ANC Northwest 841 First Class * Dinner
757-251 N542US Seat 1A
715p-1000p Flight time: 6:26
Alas, my attempt to get on the 3:24pm departure to Anchorage was unsuccessful. The flight was oversold in Coach and though I was ultimately offered a seat in the back, I opted to retain my confirmed First Class seat on the 7:15pm departure. After all, I’d promised you all a comparative description of Northwest’s First Class dinner service on this – their longest domestic flight not including Hawaii services. This means I won’t arrive back in Anchorage until 10:00pm local time. I then have a 240 mile drive ahead of me back up to Denali where tomorrow morning I’m scheduled to report to dispatch fresh and ready for the 134 mile drive out to Eielson Visitor Center at 9:00am. I’ll probably get up on the north side of Trapper Creek, crash in the back of the truck, then get an early start tomorrow morning and pull into the Park at about 8:52am – just enough time to change and then hit the road. But that’s a different trip report.
Four more hours in the Detroit Airport – not a pleasant scenario unless one has entry into any one of Northwest’s three World Clubs spread out along Northwest’s new A Concourse. These new World Clubs are World Class! They are at once spacious and inviting with polished stone floors and walls accented by dark wood, large potted plants, subdued yet complimentary artwork and large picture windows overlooking the tarmac. There are two smaller clubs – one on each end of the terminal, and one much larger one located at the midway. All three are conveniently located near the train which quickly and quietly whisks passengers from one end of the concourse to the other with an intermediate stop in the middle for connections to other concourses. Amenities in each club include an open bar featuring spirits as well as Miller and Heineken beers, Expresso/Latte/Cappuccino machines, a TV room featuring a large screen TV, and business centers offering ample desk space as well as faxes and copiers. The large central club also offers a computer terminal equipped with Microsoft Word. Plenty of cookies, pretzels and biscotti are available all day while cheese, fruit and Danishes are put out at appropriate hours. A fridge in the bar area is stocked with yogurt and juices. Domestic airline clubs anywhere just don’t come any finer than this. I encourage anyone with a layover in DTW to go in and check out any one of these great clubs. You don’t even have to be a member – just say you’re considering membership and wanted to have a quick look.
I left the South club a half hour before departure, walked all the way down to Gate 34 and essentially walked right on board the airplane. There was no line at all. Although First Class was almost full, coach was maybe only a third full. If only that earlier flight had been like this, I’d be just a couple of hours out of Anchorage by now. Oh well.
I gave up my original seat so that a young couple could sit together and moved up to the empty Row 1. Nobody else came into First Class so I had the whole row to myself. Fantastic! I accepted my usual starter of ice cold James Page Ale and settled in for the projected 6 hour and 39 minute flight.
I’ve been on shorter flights than this across the Atlantic. I wondered if Northwest catered any more elaborately for this longer flight. For sure, the aromas emanating from the galley certainly promised something good.
Preflight beverages came first – another James Page, thanks. A basket containing a selection of peanuts, pretzels or shortbread cookies was offered. I chose a couple of packets of nuts and savored my beer while admiring the big cumulo-nimbus clouds off to the south. A hot towel was offered followed by the long anticipated dinner choices: Chicken or Ham and Sweet Potatoes. To be honest, I wasn’t overly surprised. This is Northwest I’m flying. Still, there’s always hope. Then again, as Woody Allen so adroitly put it, perhaps hope is the thing with feathers. At least in Northwest’s case.
Here is the dinner in menu form – my menu, not NW’s.
Detroit to Anchorage
DINNER
To Begin
Salmon lox served with cream cheese, caviar, potato slices and lemon wedges
Salad
Mesclun greens accompanied by sliced tomatoes, yellow peppers and a mushroom
Dinner Roll
** ** **
Main Courses
Baked Chicken
Baked chicken breast served with rice risotto and braised green onions
Baked Ham
Ham steak presented with a generous portion of sweet potatoes
** ** **
Dessert
Ice Cream Sundae Cart
Your choice of strawberry or chocolate topping with chopped walnuts
Although there was plenty of time to present this meal course by course, we were instead handed a tray bearing everything but dessert.
I was surprised by the salmon lox appetizer, especially the smidgen of caviar atop each dollop of cream cheese. Although I’d never seen lox and cream cheese served with sliced potatoes before, I tried each of them together atop a slice of potato and found it all quite edible.
The chicken was done differently from past Northwest flights. Tonight’s example was a roasted breast with a partial wing attached. It did not appear to have been seasoned in any way nor was there any gravy. Even so, this chicken was about as finely cooked as one can possibly cook chicken either in a plane or on the ground. It was both moist and tender. Perfect. I wish I could say the same for the risotto but until I’d asked the Flight Attendant what exactly it was, I was prepared to list it as either polenta or rough corn pone. The braised green onions were pretty good – I only wish there’d been more of them.
Northwest offers four different wines in Domestic First Class this month. Here they are with descriptions:
Coastal Ridge California Chardonnay 1999
This is a Chardonnay oozing tropical fruit, green apple aromas and a full cornucopia of fruit flavor, especially tangerine flavors that go on and on. It’s full bodied in character, and balanced with crisp, bright fruit acidity.
Rosemount Diamond Shiraz/Cabernet 2001
This fabulous blend is packed with bright, fresh fruit aromas and flavors, combining the rich, plummy, spicy characteristics of Shiraz with the fresh berry fruit character of the Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s rich in blackberry and plum flavors on the palate, and nice currant spice on the finish.
Monterra Monterey Chardonnay 1999
The fruit selected for this wine was harvested from some of the oldest vineyard blocks on the San Bernabe Vineyard in southern Monterey County. The aroma is of fresh pears, ripe green apples, and tropical fruits encompassing an enticing butterscotch foundation. In the mouth the wine is full bodied, rich and silky and reminiscent of pineapple, coconut and lemon peel. The long, rich finish is enhanced by hints of spicy oak.
LaPlaya Merlot 1999
This Bordeaux-like Chilean Merlot offers a pleasant black raspberry and dark chocolate nose, a medium-bodied palate with subtle smoke, plum, tobacco and vanilla flavors and polished tannins framing the forward fruit. This is an easy drinking wine.
The two wines I really wanted to try, the Coastal Ridge Chardonnay and the Rosemount Shiraz have never been stocked on any of my Northwest flights this month. Pity. I found the LaPlaya pretty basic, as one might expect from a $9.00 bottle of wine.
Overall, not a bad dinner by post 9-11 domestic airline standards. Still, for a flight of over six hours I think at the very least a menu would have been appropriate along with a course by course service. One can only hope, if only naively so, that if and when the airlines start to make a bit of money we might begin to see the return of some of these services that were standard only a short time ago.
And now, to quote the great Bugs Bunny: “That’s All, Folks!” If you’ve managed to read this far, you either really like reading about domestic airline food or it’s late at night, you can’t sleep and nobody’s talking about anything interesting on the chat board. In any event, thanks for your perseverance and I’ll look forward to reading YOUR reports as they come out.
P.S. The breakfast choices on NW 1819 were, and I quote:
“Omelette or Cereal?”
“What kind of omelet?”
“It’s an egg omelet.”
(Well d-uh!) “No, I mean what’s in it?”
“Uh…”
“Never mind. I’ll take it!
The omelet turned out to be a fairly decent (by US domestic airline standards) cheese and salsa omelet. It was accompanied by a smattering of Potatoes O’Brien and a thick slice of either Canadian Bacon or summer sausage. The meat had an odd texture but was nonetheless tasty. On the side was a what looked like a bagel in size, shape and color but actually tasted like poorly baked bread shaped into the form of a bagel. The fruit plate consisted of a large strawberry, a ring of grapefruit, a slice of papaya and two slices of honeydew melon. It was delicious! I really should look into whether or not Northwest offers just a large fruit plate breakfast entrée like United. That’s always a good choice.
[This message has been edited by Seat 2A (edited 08-19-2002).]
Jul 28, 2002, 11:51 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: NW Plat (now they call it DL Diamond) 1MM, soon to be DL Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Dusit Gold
Posts: 2,706
Seat 2A.
Please be sure on your next visit to pay the parking lot attendant the $1 that you neglected to pay for your 2 day July 4 sojourn. After all you saved a 50 foot walk.
Please be sure on your next visit to pay the parking lot attendant the $1 that you neglected to pay for your 2 day July 4 sojourn. After all you saved a 50 foot walk.
Jul 28, 2002, 11:54 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: BOS
Programs: riding the lifetime status. DL MM / AA MM
Posts: 2,968
i also had the choice of chicken or ham out of MSP recently. fortunately i was in row 1. it went someting like this:
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"is ham ok?"
"uhh, i guess."
the chicken meal with the wing attached is good. i mix the green things with the rice, and that helps the rice. and the chicken itself is usually quite good.
my longest NW domestic flight was the old BOS-SEA nonstop with storms in WI/MN. 80%+ of the flight was over Canada (Ottawa and Calgary just shouldn't be mentioned in the route of a US domestic flight) for a total in-air time of 6h20. standard NW breakfast--at the time they had an egg sandwich that showed up everywhere in F.
i was doing IAH-DFW-MSP-BOS on 5JUL, but i got to IAH about half an hour after you left, so i can't quite say small world. someday i'll end up reclining into you. :-)
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"chicken or ham?"
"chicken."
"is ham ok?"
"uhh, i guess."
the chicken meal with the wing attached is good. i mix the green things with the rice, and that helps the rice. and the chicken itself is usually quite good.
my longest NW domestic flight was the old BOS-SEA nonstop with storms in WI/MN. 80%+ of the flight was over Canada (Ottawa and Calgary just shouldn't be mentioned in the route of a US domestic flight) for a total in-air time of 6h20. standard NW breakfast--at the time they had an egg sandwich that showed up everywhere in F.
i was doing IAH-DFW-MSP-BOS on 5JUL, but i got to IAH about half an hour after you left, so i can't quite say small world. someday i'll end up reclining into you. :-)
Jul 28, 2002, 2:53 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New York
Posts: 7,347
Thanks for the domestic meal reports and I read through the whole report, as I am sitting at the Qantas Club in Sydney right now... waiting for my flight to AKL in about three hours.
About AS lunch, it is still disappointing, but at least they are offering soups now.
About NW, a full dinner is already too much to ask from NW. As a side note, on the evening ORD-ANC flight, AS only offers a single dinner service as well. On these six hours flight, you will think that the US airline will have the decency to offer you a second snack service, especially the main meal offering is not that great these days.
Thanks,
Carfield
About AS lunch, it is still disappointing, but at least they are offering soups now.
About NW, a full dinner is already too much to ask from NW. As a side note, on the evening ORD-ANC flight, AS only offers a single dinner service as well. On these six hours flight, you will think that the US airline will have the decency to offer you a second snack service, especially the main meal offering is not that great these days.
Thanks,
Carfield
Jul 30, 2002, 8:18 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Agoura Hills, CA USA
Posts: 2,660
Sensational report. Although the food items are a bit less than sensational. I do not understand why US airlines continue to fall behind their international counterparts with regards to in flight catering?
Jul 31, 2002, 9:58 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: LAX
Posts: 82
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Seat 2A:
For those of you who’d like me to write a report on the aforementioned Air Namibia flight, might I suggest you start a collection now. </font>
For those of you who’d like me to write a report on the aforementioned Air Namibia flight, might I suggest you start a collection now. </font>
Aug 1, 2002, 4:09 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west of DFW airport
Programs: AA LT Gold 1.9 MM flying my way to LT PLAT
Posts: 11,074
Do I know you? Something familiar about your writing style. Perhaps we just tread the same trails.
You're not Brian are you?
Curious penny.
You're not Brian are you?
Curious penny.
Aug 1, 2002, 5:04 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Thanks for all the comments, gang! Looks like I've got a comment and a few questions to answer so here goes:
I got the hourly rate my second day and saved a dollar in the process. As a result, I'm still drinkin' the good stuff full time.
US carriers generally offer the world's lowest fares as well as the world's best and most comprehensive mileage programs. Those two things are far more important to most American flyers than are meals. The airlines, knowing this, have cut back accordingly. While I miss the superior service of bygone years, I do appreciate the lower fares and the ease with which I can upgrade into First despite my ultra low fare.
Hopefully Air Namibia will still be flying by the time the requisite funds are raised. Thanks, by the way! 
At present, I'm only planning to book Seat 1A on Alaska's 737s due to the minimal legroom in rows 2,3 or 4. Otherwise, Seat 2A remains my favorite seat.
Not me!
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Please be sure on your next visit to pay the parking lot attendant the $1 that you neglected to pay for your 2 day July 4 sojourn. After all you saved a 50 foot walk.</font>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I do not understand why US airlines continue to fall behind their international counterparts with regards to in flight catering?</font>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I'm in for $25. Anyone else?</font>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">One question though, does your change in seat preference to 1A also mandate a change of FT name?</font>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">You're not Brian are you?</font>
Aug 2, 2002, 11:51 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: MUC
Programs: LH Sen // HH Dia; Bonvoy LTTE
Posts: 3,205
I'm always surprised about the low fares out of Fairbanks. Airports with less/no competition have normally high ticket prices. The low prices are good for you (flying) and us (reading your reports). Thanks for keeping us up-to-date with Alaska Airlines + Northwest. I appreciate all the time you spend for writing these high-quality reports.