BOS-LAX-BOS An AA Mileage Run
Nov 10, 2014, 2:47 pm
#1
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BOS-LAX-BOS An AA Mileage Run
Some highlights and low lights from a same day run on American in first class as part of a push to make Chairman's Preferred on US:
Flight 201 in the new 737-800. Really beautiful plane with great (looking) seats in first. The back-of-the-seat monitors were tremendous. USB and regular outlets for both passengers. I found the seat itself pretty uncomfortable.
Pre-ordered my breakfast -- it was an omelette-type thing -- decent meal except that the kiwi in the fruit salad was pretty bad. Never had that happen before. The biscuit was delicious. I think my second screwdriver was really a glass of orange juice.
Entertainment highlights -- Silicon Valley episode 5 (missing from the roster on a recent Delta flight), Draft Day, Neighbors, Begin Again.
Fantastic views of the Grand Canyon and even the Vegas strip very far away.
LAX stinks -- crowded with people who don't seem to know where they are going. Hot too.
Admirals Club there is really nice -- it's huge and, while busy, it's so big that easy to find a quiet place. Had to sign up and wait for 20 minutes but did take a shower and the water pressure and temperature were great. Watched some football and relaxed.
Tried to fly standby on an earlier flight. At 45 minutes before departure, the agents in the AA Club said 2 people had not checked in so I went down to the gate. May have waited too long to go to the gate as I was number one on the list and didn't make it; however, the second person on the list did clear and the gate agent gave a pilot a boarding pass as I stood in line as well. Some shenanigans? She did offer an aisle seat in coach but I worried about losing my class bonus on the ticket so passed. Also, I paid for first so should get first, right?
The flight back was in an older 737 -- quite a difference. Seats were older and you're left with the Samsung galaxy tablet. Ravioli was decent.
The real low light was one where I had to piece together what happened. Apparently the passenger in 4A was a drunken mess; he seemingly passed out but not before vomiting between the seat and the wall of the plane. 5A moved back to coach. 4B seemed completely oblivious to it. The guy in 4A could barely walk off the plane -- he was careening between the sides of the jetway. Can't decide if the crew handled it calmly or negligently - the only think I could pick up was when they had to get his galaxy off the floor and wondered if it was a bio-hazard. I got out of the airport to my car as fast as I could to make sure I wasn't on the road at the same time as the guy if he was driving.
Entertainment featured Veep, Chef and half of The Sound of Music.
Left the house at 5:30 am and home before midnight with an extra 7800 preferred qualifying miles in my account.
So, no pictures and not an exotic route but thought I'd share.
Flight 201 in the new 737-800. Really beautiful plane with great (looking) seats in first. The back-of-the-seat monitors were tremendous. USB and regular outlets for both passengers. I found the seat itself pretty uncomfortable.
Pre-ordered my breakfast -- it was an omelette-type thing -- decent meal except that the kiwi in the fruit salad was pretty bad. Never had that happen before. The biscuit was delicious. I think my second screwdriver was really a glass of orange juice.
Entertainment highlights -- Silicon Valley episode 5 (missing from the roster on a recent Delta flight), Draft Day, Neighbors, Begin Again.
Fantastic views of the Grand Canyon and even the Vegas strip very far away.
LAX stinks -- crowded with people who don't seem to know where they are going. Hot too.
Admirals Club there is really nice -- it's huge and, while busy, it's so big that easy to find a quiet place. Had to sign up and wait for 20 minutes but did take a shower and the water pressure and temperature were great. Watched some football and relaxed.
Tried to fly standby on an earlier flight. At 45 minutes before departure, the agents in the AA Club said 2 people had not checked in so I went down to the gate. May have waited too long to go to the gate as I was number one on the list and didn't make it; however, the second person on the list did clear and the gate agent gave a pilot a boarding pass as I stood in line as well. Some shenanigans? She did offer an aisle seat in coach but I worried about losing my class bonus on the ticket so passed. Also, I paid for first so should get first, right?
The flight back was in an older 737 -- quite a difference. Seats were older and you're left with the Samsung galaxy tablet. Ravioli was decent.
The real low light was one where I had to piece together what happened. Apparently the passenger in 4A was a drunken mess; he seemingly passed out but not before vomiting between the seat and the wall of the plane. 5A moved back to coach. 4B seemed completely oblivious to it. The guy in 4A could barely walk off the plane -- he was careening between the sides of the jetway. Can't decide if the crew handled it calmly or negligently - the only think I could pick up was when they had to get his galaxy off the floor and wondered if it was a bio-hazard. I got out of the airport to my car as fast as I could to make sure I wasn't on the road at the same time as the guy if he was driving.
Entertainment featured Veep, Chef and half of The Sound of Music.
Left the house at 5:30 am and home before midnight with an extra 7800 preferred qualifying miles in my account.
So, no pictures and not an exotic route but thought I'd share.
Nov 10, 2014, 3:30 pm
#2
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Nice writeup, thanks!
Sorry to hear about Mr. Vomit on the way back. People like that just...need to stay home or something. I don't blame 5A for moving, but I'd have been pretty perturbed had I been that individual. I wonder how the crew didn't spot Mr. Vomit's demeanor when he boarded.
Thanks again!
Sorry to hear about Mr. Vomit on the way back. People like that just...need to stay home or something. I don't blame 5A for moving, but I'd have been pretty perturbed had I been that individual. I wonder how the crew didn't spot Mr. Vomit's demeanor when he boarded.
Thanks again!
Nov 10, 2014, 3:40 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2014
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I wasn't going to read this, but I'm glad I did. "I think my second screwdriver was really a glass of orange juice" is one of the funniest lines I've come across in a while.
Nov 10, 2014, 4:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2012
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4B was completely oblivious to these events? LOL, I'm sorry if it's immature, but I thought that comment was hilarious. If I were in 5A, I'd be less than pleased; though, I'm a little surprised that there was even space to move to as I'd expect these flights to be pretty full.
From your review, it would seem that there's no real difference in service between transcon out of BOS and AA's flights that are +2.5 hours? We go out to Seattle a few times a year and usually connect through ORD as the fares in F are far more reasonable than Alaska's n/s from BOS to SEA and n/s is too much for the dog. I had briefly flirted with the idea of going from BOS to SEA via JFK, but suspect there's no difference and thus best to just continue with ORD connections.
I do agree with the seating assessment, the old seats are a little stiff. That said, the space is much better than US' airbuses; F, with the exception of the bulk-head is pretty bad.
Thanks for the report; very helpful for routing options considerations.
From your review, it would seem that there's no real difference in service between transcon out of BOS and AA's flights that are +2.5 hours? We go out to Seattle a few times a year and usually connect through ORD as the fares in F are far more reasonable than Alaska's n/s from BOS to SEA and n/s is too much for the dog. I had briefly flirted with the idea of going from BOS to SEA via JFK, but suspect there's no difference and thus best to just continue with ORD connections.
I do agree with the seating assessment, the old seats are a little stiff. That said, the space is much better than US' airbuses; F, with the exception of the bulk-head is pretty bad.
Thanks for the report; very helpful for routing options considerations.
Nov 10, 2014, 5:57 pm
#5
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Originally Posted by CHOPCHOP767
If I were in 5A, I'd be less than pleased; though, I'm a little surprised that there was even space to move to as I'd expect these flights to be pretty full.
Nov 10, 2014, 8:18 pm
#6
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Nov 11, 2014, 6:31 am
#7
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The real low light was one where I had to piece together what happened. Apparently the passenger in 4A was a drunken mess; he seemingly passed out but not before vomiting between the seat and the wall of the plane. 5A moved back to coach. 4B seemed completely oblivious to it. The guy in 4A could barely walk off the plane -- he was careening between the sides of the jetway. Can't decide if the crew handled it calmly or negligently - the only think I could pick up was when they had to get his galaxy off the floor and wondered if it was a bio-hazard. I got out of the airport to my car as fast as I could to make sure I wasn't on the road at the same time as the guy if he was driving.
Just FYI
Nov 11, 2014, 7:34 am
#8
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Bio-hazard is not anything that does not contain human blood or blood products or animal blood or blood products suspected of being contaminated with infectious agents known to be communicable to humans or Urine, feces, saliva, sputum, nasal secretions, sweat, tears, or vomitus, unless they contain fluid blood.
Just FYI
Just FYI