What was your first trip/flight after 9/11/2001?
Feb 8, 2006, 3:20 pm
#31
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
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Originally Posted by ACB
Hi there....long time lurker, first time poster
Needless to say, I had to drive back from Louisville (luckily I already had a car rental reservation, or I would have been stuck for days).
Needless to say, I had to drive back from Louisville (luckily I already had a car rental reservation, or I would have been stuck for days).
I can sympathize about driving back home. I was not stranded on 9/11 as I was attending a trade show only 120 miles from home and had my own car, but...
one of my sales reps was in Detroit, lived near Denver. He soon realized that the only way to get home was to grab a rental car ASAP. Well, this poor guy got what was available. Since rentals were getting scarce, he took it. This fella is about 6' 5" and weighs at least 300 lbs. He ended up driving from Detroit to Denver in a Ford Focus. Yikes!
Feb 8, 2006, 3:29 pm
#32
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September 20, 2001
i had a planned reservation sfo-phx (ua shuttle) to visit a high school friend who moved there from bos w/his family. i didn't cancel it as i wouldn't give those ba$tards the pleasure and this trip was extra special as the first time i saw his daughter was when i held her at 10 days old and in 2001 she was 18 so it was great! now, to make it even better, i brought a photo of me holding her and my friend/her dad took a picture of me holding her at 18 with her holding the photo of me holding her at 10 days old.
the other nice thing about that trip is that i bought a little silver ring encircled with the phoenix (phoenixes?) and haven't stopped wearing it since.
the other nice thing about that trip is that i bought a little silver ring encircled with the phoenix (phoenixes?) and haven't stopped wearing it since.
Feb 8, 2006, 5:17 pm
#34
Join Date: Aug 2002
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I was stuck in New Orleans and decided to hang out there rather than drive home. I can't remember which day they finally opened MSY (Friday or Saturday), but I got out that day and was on one of the first planes to land at EWR post- 9/11.
The next week I had to speak at a conference in Nantucket- never encountered so much paranoia as at ACK. On the way home they apologetically confiscated a small bottle of wine (I had only carry-on). They made us get off the plane while they serviced it at MVY. The following week my husband and I flew to Scotland- had planned it long before and weren't going to let the terrorists win by chickening out. We bought duty-free alcohol at EWR and they brought it right onto the plane, of course- obviously they hadn't talked to the people in Nantucket. We had a great trip- have been back to Scotland twice since.
The next week I had to speak at a conference in Nantucket- never encountered so much paranoia as at ACK. On the way home they apologetically confiscated a small bottle of wine (I had only carry-on). They made us get off the plane while they serviced it at MVY. The following week my husband and I flew to Scotland- had planned it long before and weren't going to let the terrorists win by chickening out. We bought duty-free alcohol at EWR and they brought it right onto the plane, of course- obviously they hadn't talked to the people in Nantucket. We had a great trip- have been back to Scotland twice since.
Feb 8, 2006, 5:39 pm
#35
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Not being from the US, I suspect it's rather different...
I flew the same day, from AMS-LGW, having just watched the second tower collapse on the television in the bar on D-pier. It was a strange, tense journey.
I also flew the following Friday, LHR-CDG. At that time, they were not letting you take any hand luggage on board whatsoever. Unless you kicked up a fuss...
I flew the same day, from AMS-LGW, having just watched the second tower collapse on the television in the bar on D-pier. It was a strange, tense journey.
I also flew the following Friday, LHR-CDG. At that time, they were not letting you take any hand luggage on board whatsoever. Unless you kicked up a fuss...
Feb 8, 2006, 5:43 pm
#36
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September 18 from Hartford to Atlanta. Hartford was a very quiet place. I was upgraded to FC and you could cut the tension with a knife in the cabin. Everybody was eyeing everybody else and if anyone got up to go to the lav, we all watched his or her movements step by step.
But that was nothing compared to the atmosphere in Atlanta. I have never seen an airport so empty, especially one as normally busy as ATL. It was unsettling, to say the least.
My first flight out of LGA after 9/11, several weeks later, was another story. First, I cried when I was crossing the Whitestone Bridge and there was no twin towers of the World Trade Center. You could still see the smoldering smoke. It was even worse when we flew over Manhatten and saw quite clearly, the gaping hole and the smoke still rising. I wasn't the only one on that flight crying as we flew over the site.
Just writing it about it now brings back those sad feelings.
But that was nothing compared to the atmosphere in Atlanta. I have never seen an airport so empty, especially one as normally busy as ATL. It was unsettling, to say the least.
My first flight out of LGA after 9/11, several weeks later, was another story. First, I cried when I was crossing the Whitestone Bridge and there was no twin towers of the World Trade Center. You could still see the smoldering smoke. It was even worse when we flew over Manhatten and saw quite clearly, the gaping hole and the smoke still rising. I wasn't the only one on that flight crying as we flew over the site.
Just writing it about it now brings back those sad feelings.
Feb 8, 2006, 6:28 pm
#37
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I took my regularly scheduled SFO-PIT flight at 1pm on Fri., 9/14 - one of the first flights out of SFO.
I'll never forget the long wait to check in and the near complete, eerie silence in the entire airport the whole time.
I'll never forget the long wait to check in and the near complete, eerie silence in the entire airport the whole time.
Feb 8, 2006, 6:57 pm
#38
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Paris, EU
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Sept 16 SGN-TPE BR391
Sept 17 TPE-CDG BR87
The only event was an unexpectedly long stopover in TPE (should have been same day connection), as the TPE-CDG flight was delayed due to typhoon Nari passing over TPE on the night of the Sept 16th.
Sept 17 TPE-CDG BR87
The only event was an unexpectedly long stopover in TPE (should have been same day connection), as the TPE-CDG flight was delayed due to typhoon Nari passing over TPE on the night of the Sept 16th.
Feb 8, 2006, 7:26 pm
#39
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
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Posts: 164
I was also flying on September 11th. Not on a commerical airliner, but a corporate jet. I was with 6 other co-workers and we took off from EWR at 7:40am. We were instructed to land immediately as well at about 9:05am because of the 2nd WTC attack. We were very close to CLE so we landed there. It was very scary to watch the attack on screen in the airport.
The next commercial flight I took was I think on the 19th to SFO from ORD.
The next commercial flight I took was I think on the 19th to SFO from ORD.
Feb 8, 2006, 7:32 pm
#40
Join Date: Nov 2005
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I was ticketed to fly from ORF to JAX on the 13th. Obviously that didn't happen and I drove down. Weird with no planes in the skies.
Got to JAX and flew out Sat or Sun, through PHL to BOS. Planes were empty, less than 20% full max. National Guard troops stationed in the airports (being VERY serious) was strange. Everyone flying felt they were in the same boat though and everyone was cooperative and subdued.
Flew from ORF to LGA the next week and saw the void in Manhattan - still smoldering. Still with me.
Got to JAX and flew out Sat or Sun, through PHL to BOS. Planes were empty, less than 20% full max. National Guard troops stationed in the airports (being VERY serious) was strange. Everyone flying felt they were in the same boat though and everyone was cooperative and subdued.
Flew from ORF to LGA the next week and saw the void in Manhattan - still smoldering. Still with me.
Feb 8, 2006, 7:38 pm
#41
Join Date: Sep 2005
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I was scheduled to fly to SFO on 9/11 but was watching the morning news before heading to the airport for my 10:15am flight. I don't normally watch TV in the mornings at home, and I usually took the 7:30am flight. For some reason, this morning was different.
Due to the travel concerns, my client in California postponed my on-site work for more than a month. It was the first time in more than four years that I stayed home for more than three weeks. By mid-October, I had a bad travel itch. Delta offered double miles on all flights (in addition to my Plat bonus), so I booked a long weekend to Madrid on Oct 26. CAE-ATL-MAD in Y for $330, and it earned about 30K Skymiles. Seating was on a 767, and I had the three center seats to myself in both directions. The load both ways was about 50%.
Shortly after that, my business travel picked back up. I traveled nonstop for work and vacation on Nov 6 - 25. Was one of two pax on a CRJ from CAE to CVG to start my big trip. That flight was booked in full fare Y for about $450, and combined with the rest of my trip totalled 17K miles and 11 segments for $2000. Got upgrades on all two-cabin DL segments (including to/from HNL), a departure from DFW on the morning that AA had an A300 lose its engines out of JFK (and the DFW CRC staff refused to turn up the volume for the TV news broadcast), and several hours spent outside for the first post-9/11 airport evacuation in ATL on 11/16/01. I had to change hotels nearly every day of the trip.
During this trip, I attended a good friend's wedding in Maui. It was my first time in Hawaii, and I spent just one evening in Waikiki and exactly 24 hours in Maui. Waikiki was very quiet, and I got a room at the Sheraton Waikiki for just $79.
CAE-CVG-(work)-LAX-HNL-OGG-(wedding)-HNL-LAX-DFW-(layover)-LBB-(work)-DFW-ATL-ORD-(cruise)
I priced the whole thing in such a way that it would cost me no more than if I had flown back and forth to my two client sites in IND and LBB. And yet a trip to HNL/OGG fit into the plan. It took me an entire afternoon to figure out an itinerary that kept the price down.
Due to the travel concerns, my client in California postponed my on-site work for more than a month. It was the first time in more than four years that I stayed home for more than three weeks. By mid-October, I had a bad travel itch. Delta offered double miles on all flights (in addition to my Plat bonus), so I booked a long weekend to Madrid on Oct 26. CAE-ATL-MAD in Y for $330, and it earned about 30K Skymiles. Seating was on a 767, and I had the three center seats to myself in both directions. The load both ways was about 50%.
Shortly after that, my business travel picked back up. I traveled nonstop for work and vacation on Nov 6 - 25. Was one of two pax on a CRJ from CAE to CVG to start my big trip. That flight was booked in full fare Y for about $450, and combined with the rest of my trip totalled 17K miles and 11 segments for $2000. Got upgrades on all two-cabin DL segments (including to/from HNL), a departure from DFW on the morning that AA had an A300 lose its engines out of JFK (and the DFW CRC staff refused to turn up the volume for the TV news broadcast), and several hours spent outside for the first post-9/11 airport evacuation in ATL on 11/16/01. I had to change hotels nearly every day of the trip.
During this trip, I attended a good friend's wedding in Maui. It was my first time in Hawaii, and I spent just one evening in Waikiki and exactly 24 hours in Maui. Waikiki was very quiet, and I got a room at the Sheraton Waikiki for just $79.
CAE-CVG-(work)-LAX-HNL-OGG-(wedding)-HNL-LAX-DFW-(layover)-LBB-(work)-DFW-ATL-ORD-(cruise)
I priced the whole thing in such a way that it would cost me no more than if I had flown back and forth to my two client sites in IND and LBB. And yet a trip to HNL/OGG fit into the plan. It took me an entire afternoon to figure out an itinerary that kept the price down.
Feb 8, 2006, 9:48 pm
#43
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
DCA-CSG on 9/11. I think we landed approximately at the time the first plane hit. 9/13 was CSG-LGA, but I only made it as far as ATL. The following weekend I made it to LGA. We flew the approach up the Hudson from the south giving a near perfect view of the still smoking site below. I don't think the captain or FO spoke on the PA until we were almost abeam of the battery. All he said was, "Manhattan on the right." Like many flights to NY in the days following 9/11, I don't think there was a dry eye on that flight.
Feb 9, 2006, 11:10 am
#44
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA, USA
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Posts: 304
In November of that year. We flew from DCA a few weeks after it had reopened and it was so quite. Our flight to ATL was packed, but many of the merchants in the airport were still closed and the concourse was very subdued.
Feb 9, 2006, 12:24 pm
#45
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A week or two after, AKL to MAD.
Interesting trip to say the least. Power cut at Auckland so manual pumping of fuel. Sitting on the crowded floor of the airport in the dark for hours. Eventually leave a few hours late. Then we have a very last minute go around at Sydney due to aircraft on the runway in front of us.
New security arrangements at SYD are chaotic.
Leave SYD late so arrive at BKK several hours late and expecting to misconnect. We get transfer a/c to a/c on the apron. Door closes right behind and take off straight away.
More chaotic security at FCO transit - lots of walking.
Get to MAD and no surprise bags not there.
Interesting trip to say the least. Power cut at Auckland so manual pumping of fuel. Sitting on the crowded floor of the airport in the dark for hours. Eventually leave a few hours late. Then we have a very last minute go around at Sydney due to aircraft on the runway in front of us.
New security arrangements at SYD are chaotic.
Leave SYD late so arrive at BKK several hours late and expecting to misconnect. We get transfer a/c to a/c on the apron. Door closes right behind and take off straight away.
More chaotic security at FCO transit - lots of walking.
Get to MAD and no surprise bags not there.