LAX-SEA-IAD-LGA-JFK-LHR-MXP-FLR-FCO-LHR-LAX
Nov 30, 1999, 10:26 am
#1
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Join Date: Jun 1999
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LAX-SEA-IAD-LGA-JFK-LHR-MXP-FLR-FCO-LHR-LAX
(Very long Trip report, filled with minutae)
Yikes! Let's Go to Rome the Hard Way...
I have a policy of always being out of the U.S. on Thanksgiving week, which I have adhered to 100% since 1993. I told my girlfriend that if she could still stand me by Thanksgiving, I would take her anywhere in the world she wanted to go. She picked a longtime favorite of mine, Italy.
Because of work schedules and other conflicts, we were both only available to fly out Sunday night. So, I went to SEA to pick her up...
LAX-SEA UA 3:41pm
This was a 727, pretty clapped out. I was in FC, seated next to a Captain who had just flown in a 757 IAD-LAX. Told me an interesting story... seems the original captain for the flight he had brough in was delayed elsewhere, so his boss found him at IAD and asked him to take the flight. He was originally scheduled to fly IAD-SEA. He agreed, if his boss would get him positive space in FC on LAX-SEA. So he did! Someone didn't get upgraded at the airport. Full flight, with an unusually exciting takeoff, noted and discussed with the captain next to me. LAX was very gusty, and we were getting pushed around very hard on the takeoff roll. As we broke ground, we hit a hard gust that pushed the left wing down pretty hard, and we started crabbing left. The pilot had to lower the nose, and we flew with a sideways crab just off the runway almost full length before picking up enough speed to climb out. It really was near the limits of the airplane, and was one of the two or three scariest takeoffs I recall. Even my seatmate noted that it felt a little more eventful than his preference.
This was a 330pm flight, and lunch was nice, a rollup of some undistinguished sort. Landing was uneventful, and on time.
SEA-IAD UA 10PM
Met my girlfriend at SEA. She is an unbelievably good sport about the series of flights I have planned for the next week, and humors my airplane obession with a level of grace I hope to return someday. This is the only SEA overnight nonstop to the east coast, and is an A320, with the older FC seats. The service is low key, as befits an overnight flight. A nice sandwich board with various salads rolls through First Class, water glasses are filled, and we land on time, in a thick fog that makes me wonder about the rest of our day. One interesting note: Tossing and turning, my girlfriend loses a ring in the seat, not even noticing it is gone. The flight crew finds it, pages us at the next gate at IAD, and agrees to mail it back to her. Very cool, United! Let's see if it turns up in Seattle.
IAD-JFK (or LGA) UA Express 7AM
Oh-oh! Gate hold on the JFK flight, for weather. We are booked on the 915AM JFK-LHR, so this is a biiiiigggg problem. My girlfriend looks very impressed as I negotiate with the gate agents. They hold an about to depart IAD-LGA flight, and transfer our bags, which we will have to pick up at LGA, and cab over to JFK. But they goof up, and only my bag makes it. GF's bag shows up in London a day later. Flight was utterly predictable on one of the new CRJs. Will we make the flight to LHR/ Gonna be close....
LGA-JFK-LHR 915AM UA
Land at LGA at 750am, and have my bag by 805. File the report for GF's bag, and get in a cab. "Sir, I need to be at JFK in 30 minutes or will miss a flight to London. Can you do it?" You betcha... well, sorta. Traffic on the BQE, and we go bolting in the front door at JFK at 850AM. Convincing them to take my bag and get us on was entertaining. But, we prevail again. I am exhausted already, and we aren't even as far as London yet.
We are in Business on the 767-300. It is about half full on this morning flight to Heathrow. The seats are the latest generation of BC seats, with noise reducing headsets that work, and lumbar support that doesnt. We also have the in-seat individual movies, which I have started growing rather fond of with all the long haul travel over the last 30 days.
Takeoff is smooth and on-time, and the first meal service is a decent hot breakfast, the exact compostion of which esapes me utterly at this point. That may not be a bad thing. Coffee, water, Frappucino... I drank a lot of beverages, and they were very attentive with a light load. Dinner was served 2 hours before landing, and we got in on-time. I expected a light load at immigration, especially with UA provided fast track VIP service, but there were a ton of people in the fast track line, and only one officer, who was not amused at the airlines' handing out the invitations to just everyone, as she put it. We collected my bag, and took the always efficient, but still too expensive Heathrow Express in.
We only were staying in London one night, and leaving for Italy at 2:45pm the following afternoon, so I picked the Stakis (now Hilton) Metropole, very close to Victoria Station. The room was remodeled and pleasant, and we slept like logs. I took GF on a tour of London Tuesday AM, and after a quick lunch at Fortnum and Mason, off on the Express back to Heathrow. By the way, it is amazing how many interesting places you can go in 5 hours in London, if you use your time well.
LHR-MXP-FLR 230pm AZ
An Alitalia connecting flight from London to Milan, and on to Florence. We picked up GF's bag in Heathrow at United (a hassle), and walked from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2. Check in was fast and efficient in London at Alitalia, an even that would not be repeated on the return flight from Rome. The plane was an A321, which seats 180 people, and it was about 2/3 full. We were on time in departure, and had a light meal of roll, Italian Salami and Cheese, and lots of Espresso. Landing in Milan is on time, and we have a fairly close connection to the Florence flight, so no time to dawdle, regrettably. The Milan to Florence leg is a commuter fight, and it is about 30 minutes late in leaving. It is completely full with about 50 people, and even though the flight is just 30 minutes long, the sole attendant manages a coffee and cookie service.
Florence's Amerigo Vespucci airport is tiny, and even at 930 pm, there is a long line for a cab. They arrive at the airport just one at a time. Takes 30 minutes to get one... next time I will spring a few extra dollars for a car service.
Our hotel for the next few nights is in the hills outside Florence, and is rather renowned... Torre di Bellosguardo. It is a 15th C. villa renovated to 14 rooms. Cost was about $225 a night. Our room is amazing... huge, with a beamed ceiling, antique bed and furniture, an amazing view over the old city, and a bathrrom larger than several entire rooms I have had in Italy. Only problem was, with all of the room, it was hard to keep warm enough. Staff was incredibly accomodating, and with the exception of typically Italian usurious Breakfast prices ($30 each, pass thanks) it was a great value relative to the city hotels. It was a 10 minute ride to Piazza di Spagnia each morning.
All too soon, it was time to leave for Rome, vis Eurostar Train. FC seats, a nice beverage and newspaper service, and arrive at the Termini right on time in under 2 hours.
Our hotel in Rome was Sole al Pantheon, which was available at 40% discount to rack rate, which made it about $240 a night. It is a very old 31 room hotel, compeletely renovated, and was on Piazza de la Rotonda, literally facing The Pantheon. Our room was fine, but I was spoiled after Torre di Bellosguardo. More than made up for with the perfect location. Staff was not nearly as accomodating.
Well, I am a Rome lover at heart, so the next several days were spent revisiting my favorite hidden haunts. We had a marvelous time. Anyone looking for a wonderful retaurant in Rome, visit my old favorite, Ristorante Lillo al Piedone, at Pie di Marmo 28, and tell them Brian from Los Angeles sent you. As usual, after dinner, the owner came to sit with me with a bottle of Italian Liquid Rocket Propellant, and he and I and GF toasted liberally the wonders of Italy and good food. It took till 10 am to wake her the next morning.
Well, our return was on Alitalia to London, then United to Rome...
FCO-LHR 745am AZ
I knew that with an early flight, we would need to be at FCO early, and was I ever right. The Alitalia CSRs were unbelievably slow, and it took over 45 minutes to check in. Most of the shops were closed till 7am, so we only had a few minutes to do a mad shopping dash for Limoncello, Olio, and so on. Yum.
The flight was another A321, about 3/4 full. Brakfast was very similar to the snack on the earlier Alitalia flight. AZ321's have a sneaky feature that can be very nice... if you are in economy, and get a seat in the D-E-F seats, the middle (E) seat is about 1.5 inches wider than D or F. I have noticed this before on Alitalia Airbuses. For some reason, it doesn't seem to hold on the A-B-C seats. Coffee was regular coffee, not esperesso, and truly horrid. Arrival was on time, we cleared cutsoms, collected bags, and walked over to the UA terminal.
LHR-LAX 1145AM UA
My GF was flying to SEA through Chicago, and I was originally scheduled to fly on to LAX through Chicago. But the flights ORD-LAX were so full that I had a 3 hour connection there. A ticketing agent at UA took pity on me (not at the 1k counter, that woman was snippy and unaccomodating), and put me in business on the LHR to LAX nonstop. This cut my travel time by litrally 8 hours, but meant leaving my GF in Heathrow, rather than Chicago. Being an amazing and remarkable woman, she did not even blink at this, insisted I do so, and I felt guilty about not travelling the last leg with her all day, despite her complete approval. Amazing woman.
This was the typical UA 777, with the older BC seats, no noise cancelling headphones, and no in-seat video, which was a let down. Lunch was very nice, starting with sliced duck breast in Mango Chutney, and a fresh salad with good blue cheese dressing. Main was a Stuffed Pork Chop (with Chorizo Stuffing) and a maple glaze that was delectable. Also had haricort verts and some other veggies. Wine was the same Cote Rhone I have enjoyed frequently on UA lately (E. Guigal '94) and it was predictably delicous.After lunch, a nice but still too small cheese service with Port, and Chocolates. I would say about average for UA International Business.
Headwinds made for a bad route... flight time was planned at 11 hours.
Two movies on the big screens, 6 magazines, and a nice snack service (hot beefsteak and cheese sandwich with onions on a delicious crispy roll), and we landed 45 minutes past scheduled arrival because of the winds. I blasted through customs and immigration in 15 minutes flat (including getting my bag), and was on my way home.
My girlfriend is a 10, UA was a 7.5-8, and Alitalia a 6. That works for me!
[This message has been edited by Brian (edited 11-30-1999).]
Yikes! Let's Go to Rome the Hard Way...
I have a policy of always being out of the U.S. on Thanksgiving week, which I have adhered to 100% since 1993. I told my girlfriend that if she could still stand me by Thanksgiving, I would take her anywhere in the world she wanted to go. She picked a longtime favorite of mine, Italy.
Because of work schedules and other conflicts, we were both only available to fly out Sunday night. So, I went to SEA to pick her up...
LAX-SEA UA 3:41pm
This was a 727, pretty clapped out. I was in FC, seated next to a Captain who had just flown in a 757 IAD-LAX. Told me an interesting story... seems the original captain for the flight he had brough in was delayed elsewhere, so his boss found him at IAD and asked him to take the flight. He was originally scheduled to fly IAD-SEA. He agreed, if his boss would get him positive space in FC on LAX-SEA. So he did! Someone didn't get upgraded at the airport. Full flight, with an unusually exciting takeoff, noted and discussed with the captain next to me. LAX was very gusty, and we were getting pushed around very hard on the takeoff roll. As we broke ground, we hit a hard gust that pushed the left wing down pretty hard, and we started crabbing left. The pilot had to lower the nose, and we flew with a sideways crab just off the runway almost full length before picking up enough speed to climb out. It really was near the limits of the airplane, and was one of the two or three scariest takeoffs I recall. Even my seatmate noted that it felt a little more eventful than his preference.
This was a 330pm flight, and lunch was nice, a rollup of some undistinguished sort. Landing was uneventful, and on time.
SEA-IAD UA 10PM
Met my girlfriend at SEA. She is an unbelievably good sport about the series of flights I have planned for the next week, and humors my airplane obession with a level of grace I hope to return someday. This is the only SEA overnight nonstop to the east coast, and is an A320, with the older FC seats. The service is low key, as befits an overnight flight. A nice sandwich board with various salads rolls through First Class, water glasses are filled, and we land on time, in a thick fog that makes me wonder about the rest of our day. One interesting note: Tossing and turning, my girlfriend loses a ring in the seat, not even noticing it is gone. The flight crew finds it, pages us at the next gate at IAD, and agrees to mail it back to her. Very cool, United! Let's see if it turns up in Seattle.
IAD-JFK (or LGA) UA Express 7AM
Oh-oh! Gate hold on the JFK flight, for weather. We are booked on the 915AM JFK-LHR, so this is a biiiiigggg problem. My girlfriend looks very impressed as I negotiate with the gate agents. They hold an about to depart IAD-LGA flight, and transfer our bags, which we will have to pick up at LGA, and cab over to JFK. But they goof up, and only my bag makes it. GF's bag shows up in London a day later. Flight was utterly predictable on one of the new CRJs. Will we make the flight to LHR/ Gonna be close....
LGA-JFK-LHR 915AM UA
Land at LGA at 750am, and have my bag by 805. File the report for GF's bag, and get in a cab. "Sir, I need to be at JFK in 30 minutes or will miss a flight to London. Can you do it?" You betcha... well, sorta. Traffic on the BQE, and we go bolting in the front door at JFK at 850AM. Convincing them to take my bag and get us on was entertaining. But, we prevail again. I am exhausted already, and we aren't even as far as London yet.
We are in Business on the 767-300. It is about half full on this morning flight to Heathrow. The seats are the latest generation of BC seats, with noise reducing headsets that work, and lumbar support that doesnt. We also have the in-seat individual movies, which I have started growing rather fond of with all the long haul travel over the last 30 days.
Takeoff is smooth and on-time, and the first meal service is a decent hot breakfast, the exact compostion of which esapes me utterly at this point. That may not be a bad thing. Coffee, water, Frappucino... I drank a lot of beverages, and they were very attentive with a light load. Dinner was served 2 hours before landing, and we got in on-time. I expected a light load at immigration, especially with UA provided fast track VIP service, but there were a ton of people in the fast track line, and only one officer, who was not amused at the airlines' handing out the invitations to just everyone, as she put it. We collected my bag, and took the always efficient, but still too expensive Heathrow Express in.
We only were staying in London one night, and leaving for Italy at 2:45pm the following afternoon, so I picked the Stakis (now Hilton) Metropole, very close to Victoria Station. The room was remodeled and pleasant, and we slept like logs. I took GF on a tour of London Tuesday AM, and after a quick lunch at Fortnum and Mason, off on the Express back to Heathrow. By the way, it is amazing how many interesting places you can go in 5 hours in London, if you use your time well.
LHR-MXP-FLR 230pm AZ
An Alitalia connecting flight from London to Milan, and on to Florence. We picked up GF's bag in Heathrow at United (a hassle), and walked from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2. Check in was fast and efficient in London at Alitalia, an even that would not be repeated on the return flight from Rome. The plane was an A321, which seats 180 people, and it was about 2/3 full. We were on time in departure, and had a light meal of roll, Italian Salami and Cheese, and lots of Espresso. Landing in Milan is on time, and we have a fairly close connection to the Florence flight, so no time to dawdle, regrettably. The Milan to Florence leg is a commuter fight, and it is about 30 minutes late in leaving. It is completely full with about 50 people, and even though the flight is just 30 minutes long, the sole attendant manages a coffee and cookie service.
Florence's Amerigo Vespucci airport is tiny, and even at 930 pm, there is a long line for a cab. They arrive at the airport just one at a time. Takes 30 minutes to get one... next time I will spring a few extra dollars for a car service.
Our hotel for the next few nights is in the hills outside Florence, and is rather renowned... Torre di Bellosguardo. It is a 15th C. villa renovated to 14 rooms. Cost was about $225 a night. Our room is amazing... huge, with a beamed ceiling, antique bed and furniture, an amazing view over the old city, and a bathrrom larger than several entire rooms I have had in Italy. Only problem was, with all of the room, it was hard to keep warm enough. Staff was incredibly accomodating, and with the exception of typically Italian usurious Breakfast prices ($30 each, pass thanks) it was a great value relative to the city hotels. It was a 10 minute ride to Piazza di Spagnia each morning.
All too soon, it was time to leave for Rome, vis Eurostar Train. FC seats, a nice beverage and newspaper service, and arrive at the Termini right on time in under 2 hours.
Our hotel in Rome was Sole al Pantheon, which was available at 40% discount to rack rate, which made it about $240 a night. It is a very old 31 room hotel, compeletely renovated, and was on Piazza de la Rotonda, literally facing The Pantheon. Our room was fine, but I was spoiled after Torre di Bellosguardo. More than made up for with the perfect location. Staff was not nearly as accomodating.
Well, I am a Rome lover at heart, so the next several days were spent revisiting my favorite hidden haunts. We had a marvelous time. Anyone looking for a wonderful retaurant in Rome, visit my old favorite, Ristorante Lillo al Piedone, at Pie di Marmo 28, and tell them Brian from Los Angeles sent you. As usual, after dinner, the owner came to sit with me with a bottle of Italian Liquid Rocket Propellant, and he and I and GF toasted liberally the wonders of Italy and good food. It took till 10 am to wake her the next morning.
Well, our return was on Alitalia to London, then United to Rome...
FCO-LHR 745am AZ
I knew that with an early flight, we would need to be at FCO early, and was I ever right. The Alitalia CSRs were unbelievably slow, and it took over 45 minutes to check in. Most of the shops were closed till 7am, so we only had a few minutes to do a mad shopping dash for Limoncello, Olio, and so on. Yum.
The flight was another A321, about 3/4 full. Brakfast was very similar to the snack on the earlier Alitalia flight. AZ321's have a sneaky feature that can be very nice... if you are in economy, and get a seat in the D-E-F seats, the middle (E) seat is about 1.5 inches wider than D or F. I have noticed this before on Alitalia Airbuses. For some reason, it doesn't seem to hold on the A-B-C seats. Coffee was regular coffee, not esperesso, and truly horrid. Arrival was on time, we cleared cutsoms, collected bags, and walked over to the UA terminal.
LHR-LAX 1145AM UA
My GF was flying to SEA through Chicago, and I was originally scheduled to fly on to LAX through Chicago. But the flights ORD-LAX were so full that I had a 3 hour connection there. A ticketing agent at UA took pity on me (not at the 1k counter, that woman was snippy and unaccomodating), and put me in business on the LHR to LAX nonstop. This cut my travel time by litrally 8 hours, but meant leaving my GF in Heathrow, rather than Chicago. Being an amazing and remarkable woman, she did not even blink at this, insisted I do so, and I felt guilty about not travelling the last leg with her all day, despite her complete approval. Amazing woman.
This was the typical UA 777, with the older BC seats, no noise cancelling headphones, and no in-seat video, which was a let down. Lunch was very nice, starting with sliced duck breast in Mango Chutney, and a fresh salad with good blue cheese dressing. Main was a Stuffed Pork Chop (with Chorizo Stuffing) and a maple glaze that was delectable. Also had haricort verts and some other veggies. Wine was the same Cote Rhone I have enjoyed frequently on UA lately (E. Guigal '94) and it was predictably delicous.After lunch, a nice but still too small cheese service with Port, and Chocolates. I would say about average for UA International Business.
Headwinds made for a bad route... flight time was planned at 11 hours.
Two movies on the big screens, 6 magazines, and a nice snack service (hot beefsteak and cheese sandwich with onions on a delicious crispy roll), and we landed 45 minutes past scheduled arrival because of the winds. I blasted through customs and immigration in 15 minutes flat (including getting my bag), and was on my way home.
My girlfriend is a 10, UA was a 7.5-8, and Alitalia a 6. That works for me!
[This message has been edited by Brian (edited 11-30-1999).]
Nov 30, 1999, 1:37 pm
#3
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
AND FOUR PAWS UP FROM THE CATS AND ME (Who send cat vibes that you and your girlfriend can be again, early and often, like an early gift from SANTA! 
One thing about yoru report though: if you factor in the cost of the Heathrow shuttle (about 15 dollars U-S) and the cab to your hetel, I think it's actually less than a cab from Heathrow. Yes, it's expensive (EVERYTHING in LONDON is!) but I liked it.
One thing about yoru report though: if you factor in the cost of the Heathrow shuttle (about 15 dollars U-S) and the cab to your hetel, I think it's actually less than a cab from Heathrow. Yes, it's expensive (EVERYTHING in LONDON is!) but I liked it.
Dec 6, 1999, 8:28 pm
#7
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 1999
Location: San Francisco UA1K; AA Gold
Posts: 937
Brian, there's another thread going on about how the acid test of a relationship is how well you travel together. I know that none of my ex's would have even considered flying home from London alone in order to let me save 8 hours. Your GF definitely sounds like a keeper...but after this trip, you've set yourself a hard act to follow next Thanksgiving!
Dec 6, 1999, 8:53 pm
#8
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I agree with you on all counts. She is a real keeper indeed. But right now, a long flight is not something she will consider for some time.
Next Thanksgiving... hm.... let's plan on no more than one connecting flight from SEA.
Next Thanksgiving... hm.... let's plan on no more than one connecting flight from SEA.