Got up at 0550 for my 0730 NW ATL-MEM-MKE flight-decided to drive (it's a business trip). Economy parking had space (amazingly cheap at $5/day in ATL.

Got to counter at 0650 and waited about 10 mins. I had called (at 0230 ) for upgrade and was granted. Went out to D-16--surprised to see the CO pres club didn't open 'til 0715.

Got on DC9--light load on the 30-series. F/C 1/2 full, coach only about 30 people. Took off right on time--pre-take-off drinks, more drinks in the air, but nothing else--no nuts,pretz, anything.

Arrived MEM a few mins. late. Off to World Club--fine and not very crowded. Sat across from guy heading all the way to Shanghai...

Walked to D9 for the flt to MKE. Boarded on time, pulled away to a recording "we need to hold for a few minutes--bad fog at MKE, and runway work means that we need additional visibility to land (needed 1/4 rather than 1/8 mile). Flight equally uncrowded. We sit on the plane for about 1/2 hour, then I decide to get off, get newspaper, etc. Charlie the gate agent is a real character--the neighboring gate agent came over to spell him (mainly manning the door to the jetway so it was latched after people got on and off) to get a smoke. Anyway, after about an hr they decided to xl the flt. I decided I didn't want to sit around until 2 pm (this being 10:30) so asked to be put onto UA into ORD. A relief agent did that for me--they were giving out amenity packs (6 minute phone card, $5 in food, etc). So I got one, and decamped for UA with assurances that they'd forward my luggage.

UA was deserted, and I showed my PremEx card and upgraded no sweat. F/C 1/2 full, coach 40% full, snack plate. We were a bit late (sequencing) into ORD--gate held for 1/2 hour but were only 13 mins behind schedule. This was a super flight--cheery f/as, pax were pleasant, (3 of us drained 2 botttles of champagne...) Hertz rental for the day.

Tomorrow drive to MKE for a flight to YYZ on AC, thence on CP to MXP, thence to ZRH.

[This message has been edited by jamiel (edited 12-04-1999).]

greetings from the CP lounge in YYZ. I do like having computers available .

MKE-YYZ
Drove up to MKE through some sleet and snow--arrived about 40 mins before flt time. I like MKE airport--rental cars under cover, walk over to the terminal. AC handled by UA at MKE--she was unsure about whether she could tag my bag all the way thru to MXP on CP. She did it, then asked and was told that I'd have to carry it thru customs . Flt on CRJ was nice--AC really has them fitted nicely so you don't feel like it shouts "COMMUTER", as in the US. Surprised to see 2 flt attendants, 22 people on board. Passed snack basket. Arrived into the CRJ terminal at YYZ-that is a strange arrangement. Walked right thru customs, and they wouldn't transfer my bag--said 1 1/2 hrs wasn't enough! So I schlep onto the bus (I now have seen more of YYZ airport than I ever had before!)

CP checkin was not crowded for bus class, but seemed kind of wooden/mechanical--not especially welcoming. They directed me onto the int'l terminal (that is a long walk) to the lounge.

Lounge seems quiet for a Sunday PM. The nextdoor is for BA, so it might be livelier. Not much to eat--a few grapes, some cheese, some already portioned Japanese rice crackers getting soggy...you get the idea.

Oh--called Swissair to book a different MXP-ZRH flight and was told that the Smart car promotion featured in the timetable was only for Qualiflyer members (DL ffs don't count), and that they couldn't help me since the QF desk was closed. Boo hiss--I still may rent one just to see what it's like.

All for now.

JL

I am now in AC's Maple Leaf lounge so we are/were not far apart.

Thanks for intro reports. Toronto is not the best layout I agree but at least the lounges give some respite.

Have a great trip Jamiel. I know you will have a great time in Rudi's home town.

CP 50 yyz-mxp
Boy do I like Canadian. Their biz class is great. I ended up in 5A (thanks for the advice) and the seat is great (according to the f-a that is the pilot's seat, and they wall it off with curtains on the S. American and Orient flights). They had 8 different wines on a trolley (unfortunately they mentioned on the menu a separate leaflet with the wine info but it wasn't forthcoming)--4 reds, 3 whites and a Champagne. Cold nuts in a ramekin. Started with cold crabcake appetizer (I really dislike salmon, so this is a good thing), with salad (one prepacked dressing). Dinner was fm trolley, salmon, chicken or beef. Salmon had great flavor but was a bit dry. The 'cherry onion compote' it was served with was delicious, but didn't have enough free moisture to sauce the fish, and was the color of a Marachino cherry (but didn't taste that way). Served with rice, potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli. Cheese from the cart, dessert was cappucino mousse or sorbet. The seat leans so far back it is really nice--I was actually able to turn over and rest on my side. I also really like the Video Walkman--can fast forward through the boring bits. Saw a funny funny movie from Australia--The Castle. Definitely a recommend--excellent plane fare.

Decided to skip b'fast (cold plate). Only irritation was that 1 hr 20 before landing (as they turn up the lights to start 2d service), they start a 10 minute video with sunlight, chickens crowing (on the PA system) so continuing to sleep isn't really possible.

Get off the plane and stand on the stairs for 10 minutes---it's CCOOLLD!!

Go into MXP from the bus and the transfer desk is right there, before immigration. Ask to change from AZ at 0940 to SR at 0800 (this being 0710--we landed abt 25 mins early). After some checking, she rebooks me, sending me through immigration and customs to pick up my bag for recheck. I wander upstairs, get rid of my bag and give them my DL number, then meander back downstairs to the bus docks.

SR MXP-ZRH

Take bus to plane, schlep up the stairs to my assigned 11C seat. A bit confused because the divider is at row 14. The head flt attendant comes on and says 'if you are in coach, please sit in the rear of the aircraft'--hello--I was assigned 11. They then figure out that they need to move the divider, which they do to row 8. In moving the divider, they manage to bump everyone's seat and head--very annoying. We take off and land on time--amazing that on a 35 minute flight coach got a warmed croissant and drink.

Painless deplaning at ZRH.

I had to try 3 different bank machines 2x each to find one to give me SFR. I don't understand--it seems like I need to 'wake up the system' before it will give me money.

Railway to HBf, taxi to Baur au Lac

Wonderful old historic type hotel, not particularly a business hotel (I type this from a corner of their reservation department) but nice nonetheless.

All for now...

JL

Greetings from the 4 Seasons London. I am not used to traveling Europe in such luxury (LOL)

We finished in Switzerland, taking the train on Tuesday to Bern, then going to a suburb (Guemlingen). Back at the hotel, I had a lovely present from Rudi (Thank you so much), but we were unable to get together. The Baur Au Lac is really a great place, very centrally located overlooking the lake. The tram is 1 blk away, and there are nice restaurants around. My associate and I had dinner at an interesting Italian restaurant that he had scoped out earlier in the trip.

Wednesday
Asked for wakeup call at 0615 to catch the 0810 BA flight ZRH-LON. Taxi was called for 0645--we end up with a hotel limousine (about a 20 year old stretch Mercedes--quite an interesting one, with jump seats!). Off to the airport--my associate was in business, I was in coach. Of course, this being Europe, the checkin position cannot take care of this, so they send me to the cashier, who takes my $105 and reissues my boarding pass (having eliminated my American number )

Off we go to get a cup of coffee. My associate, being diabetic, needs to eat promptly, so we go to the cafe to use up some SFR coins. I have a pretzel (they are soooo good).

Board the 757 about 20 mins early, and sit in row 5. Can't quite tell how far back b/c goes. Take off about 20 mins late--they pass a cart of newspapers, take coats, but no pre-take-off juice. They come around w/a menu (only one thing on it--cheese omelet with dry leathery ham and a tomato chopped compote). Tray full of cold stuff, then 20 mins later they come around w/the foil dishes of the hot stuff (clever how it nests in the bread plate). One last pass w/coffee/tea, and we're in the holding pattern.

We land about 20 mins early--go through immigration (my associate travels the EU on an Irish passport, so he walks on through, while I get caught behind much of the Swiss contingent fm the plane). I meet him at luggage, where my non-priority tagged bags beat his priority tagged bags (there is some revenge). He talks up the Heathrow Express, so we schlep over to it. Only 2 of the automatic ticket machines are working, so, with him assuring me that they sell tickets on board, we go on board.

Although it is fast, new, and I see parts of London that I never have before, I'm not sold--it seems pricy.

We get off at Paddington, and join the taxi queue. 25 mins later, we finally work our way up to the front. The driver said that there was an accident on the main access road to the station that snarled traffic. (Truly, it was no faster than the tube, factoring in the taxi wait).

We are delivered to the 4 Seasons, where to much --welcome Mr. ________ )--my associate is a regular here, we find that since they were full the nite before, they have no rooms. My associate puts up a bit of a stink...he gets a suite with a rollaway that he pronounces is fine (it is quite nice, I must admit). We change clothes, and off to meetings...

more later

jl

don't read this tropicalflyer: TeuschAir ...

Good report, as usual, jamiel. You have a nice balance to your reports.

Interesting trip so far. I just landed at Heathrow on my way to Berlin. But I'll be back in London tomorrow if you want to get together. Send me some mail.

3 days of meetings in LON--a conference that turned out to be much better than we expected. It was a cellular operators conference, and my partner and I were the only ones from the USA--we really "held court" and dissuaded one attendee from using Greyhound from LAX-LAS--can you imagine....

Anyway, much good eating out but absolutely no time for shopping. I ask the concierge (Nigel) at the 4-S for a reservation out at LHR b/c I have a 0705 flight to GLA on Sat the 11th. He says "the only place to stay is the Hilton". Taking his word for it, he reserves for me 150 pounds a single there. I am not sure where it is, so I get off the LHR Express at the T 123 stop, walk upstairs to the Heathrow Hoppa (in the rain), and find no Hilton listed. Then I walk a little further to find directions to the LHR Hilton--attached to T4. AARGH. Back onto the train (I'd just missed one), off at T4, 10 min walk, and get to the hotel at appx 2300. Book taxi for 0610 the next AM (don't really want to reprise the journey). Bland, tiny room, really poor value for money. I had in mind to stay at the Ibis, and for 55 pounds or so would have been altogether better off.

LHR-GLA on British Midland
Checkin was painless--they allow me as a *gold to checkin at the Diamond Club line. Kind of retro, though, to have to queue for the ticket (39 pounds over the internet plus 20 pounds tax) then re-queue to get rid of luggage) and get a seat. End up w/middle seat. 1 hr 20 with full hot b'fast service is a revelation--got right in to GLA on time. My friend and his son (6) waiting for me with a big smile. We head off to their house for a pleasant 2 days. GLA is a pleasant city reminiscent of St. Louis or Cincinnati--big river thru the middle, somewhat seen better days but on the upswing. I want more time there!

One of the souvenirs I bought was a dozen crackers--which are party favors with a small explosive in them so they pop. I have them in a grocery bag and am not thinking much about them.

My friends drop me off at the airport 1 hr before flight time for GLA-LHR. I wander around a bit to look for interesting timetables (my downfall in collecting)--I pick up the BA Scotland timetable which will be fun to have. Anyway, get checked in and go through security, where they examine my crackers and say "you may not be able to keep them"--they call BD and are told "OK to carry on 12 in original pkg", so I'm OK (my friends intended to take a bunch more than that for home leave on the 27th--I need to let them know to check 1st).

Again, full flight, but full bar with sandwiches (amazing!)

Got off, bused to terminal at LHR. Short wait for luggage--only weird thing was a group of 3 men who had been hunting transferred their pheasants (in full plumage...) between grocery bags in the luggage claim area. If I had kids, I would have been upset--they were pretty revolting to see.

At my partner's suggestion, booked the Hilton ParkLane Mews at 85 pounds/night that afternoon. Took the LHR express again and cab there to have them find no reservation, but they check me in anyway. Good value for money--my partner had said it was where all the high rollers used to stay--didn't appear so to me... Thought I could take in (in the rain) a show, but didn't check that on Sundays they only have matinees--end up at a Cruzefelt-Jacob disease memorial service at St. Martin in the Fields--interestingway to spend an early Sun. evening. Ate dinner at Fakredine (?)--middle eastern right near the restaurant.

Monday, cab to Victoria for the Gatwick express. I had a cheap fare LHR-MXP-YYZ-ORD-ATL that I ended up getting close to matching
on TW LGW-STL-ATL, so booked TW Y22 for appx $1100. Got to LGW, and TW said "$400 please for the upgrade". Spent about 20 mins arguing (I'm an elite and should not have been charged), but ended up giving in and will write a letter. Security was a mess with all the families leaving for Christmas in Florida (my friends above are very frustrated--they are American, grew up in the USA, and are da**ed if they're going to spend vacations back in the US, but it is so much cheaper than going to the sun in Europe.)

Went into the shared lounge for all of 5 minutes.

Got on board the 767-300. See my other posting on TW First--suffices to say it was an excellent flight. Joy, who was in the galley for the flight, did a super job with the food, and the service was great. In-seat VCR--saw Dick (again), Run Lola Run and Blair Witch (what was the big deal). 4 lunch selections plus a fast plate (lamb (signature), filet, escolar (which Joy explained was fish--she said no one had picked it), and some sort of poultry. Appetizers (foie gras or terrific stirfried prawns), on the cart. Salad, on the cart. Entree brought out individually plated in the Galley (next door a man ordered the lamb well done and it was, mine was delightful and pink), well sauced and moist. Cheese, off the trolley along with dessert. Ice cream mid flight. 1 1/2 hrs pre-landing, poached salmon or "welsh rarebit" sandwiches (which were great). Joy was very interesting talking about life at TW these days--their pullout of FCO, MAD, BCN, she maintained, was to break the contract rules in the cities (she said there were 85 employees in FCO alone--for one flight!)since they had been there for so long. (remember that S. Europe was TWA's while N. Europe was Pan Am's). She also said that re-entering a market got them out of the Icahn ticket selling situation. She said they might well be back in about a year. (I've got to wonder, though, about the NY based Spanish Language flight attendants who previously were accustomed to going to Europe now being redeployed to...Puerto Rico--probably not popular).

Anyway, I was off the plane in a flash, through customs in a jiffy, and had my feet up at the A-club. My ATL flight was 45 mins late, so got a little more time to relax. Quick flight, not very full, snack plate in first class.

Only quirk about TW was relatively skimpy daytime "comfort packs" (although the overnight ones might be better--I did see some of their overnight quilts/sheets which looked wonderful), and no moisturizer in the bathrooms. Very much comparable to any other US airline--I'd bet equivalent to DL, superior to NW, and not quite as good as CO (primarily due to CO's wider seats).

JL

Sounds like an interesting trip. I'd love to hear more about the cellular operators conference.

I very much enjoy BD's hot meals on short flights. I've had meals on 45 minutes flights with them before.

I recommend the Sheraton Skyline at LHR as the best hotel *if* you can get a good rate and a Starwood upgrade. Their rack rates are terribly expensive, but their executive club rooms are excellent.

I've seen a lot of strange things at LHR, but not dead pheasant repacking.

Ditto on the Sheraton Skyline, although the Sheraton Heathrow is good too, though very slightly less conveniently located, and featuring a diabolically-designed car park.

I'll be at the Skyline on the 25th on a mileage run, if any FT'ers around.