27 August: I took the New York Airporter from the Port Authority bus terminal because I was leaving work straight for JFK (Why is Catman going out of JFK instead of his beloved EWR? Well I had a birthday party to attend near JFK so this was most convenient.)

The driver was a nasty little man who when I asked if this was the bus was going to JFK three times he ignored me. All he asked was if I had a ticket (DUH! Of course I would. Some old man on the bus didn't and the driver was holding up the bus until the man got the ticket.) I waited by the area to put my bag in the underbelly of the bus, he walked by so I took both bags on the bus. (roll away and Harrod's cat bag with birthday gifts for my friends Maryann and her husband John, who the party was having the surprise party for.)

Arrive at terminal three at JFK, which is nicely renovated but outside looks like something out of the 50's (I'm expecting to see the Stepford wives walk around the terminal waiting for thier hsubands.) Wait ten miles for check-in and that line goes faster than the Medallion. Get ticket in under a minute and the guy asks if I'm checking bags. No I say and he says "OH GOOD because the luggage ticket machine is broken."

Trying to remember the rules for Delta Crown room and United Red Carpet and reciprocal I go to the Crown Room and am told by the nice Lady I cannot get in there with either Red carpet or my Priority Pass (seems stupid that the JFK Crown Room is NOT on Priority Pass.) She says it's not even worth it trying to get to the U-A Red Carpet in terminal 8 so she says it's not a bad wait for my flight downstairs at the Delta Connection area. She also suggests I can find a nice brew pub near by.

So I go walking and MIRACLE OF MIRACLES: A SAM ADAMS BREW PUB. It's bigger than most and I saddled up to the bar and had one then a second because this guy heading to Moscow was threw back two Jack Daniels and was babbling about looking forward to seeing his girlfriend in Moscow. He told me to go to Russia.

Nicely buzzed from the beer I went downstairs to the Delta Connection boarding area for the flight where I talked to this security woman about our mutual allergy problems. Every very very nice here.

OK OK!!! NOW the Flight report! (WAKE UP GUYS!)

Delta FGT 6967: the little shuttle bus takes us to a dinky little prop plane that's older than most of the FlyerTalkers here. It's actually a Trans States Airline plane run by Trans World Airlines (TWA) It's small and even worse the F-A tells us "OH the ground air conditioning unit does not work so we can't put the a/c on until we're in the air."
Everyone is so hot. I was ready to get sick.

Delay ten minutes while the pilots try to start the engine, which finally works (I say to myself "Not De-LAY-Tah again!"

No beverage service (alhtough my ticket says I was to get something.) Then I need to use the rest room and buzz the F-A who says "OH we're landing in five minutes. You can wait.)

Five minutes turns to 15 once landed because of air traffic. I high tail it to the rest room (if this is too graphic I'll delete it!)

Now stay tuned for my "getting to the hotel" horror story!

For the next time might I suggest: AMTRAK !?

Holy cow, Catman... You flew on "Waterski" and survived?!?

(For those who don't already know, "Waterski" is the ATC call sign for Trans States Airlines, which does the feeder service for TWA and DL at JFK.) Did my flight from hell on them way back in December.

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AlphaSigOU
Causa latet vis est notissima - the cause is hidden, the results are well-known.

Catman ~ They should have let you in the CRC with your RCC card, we have reciprocal privileges now (CRC and RCC) on the day of a flight ...