SMF to BWI and then DC
Oct 22, 2001 | 2:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 140
SMF to BWI and then DC
Planned a trip to Oregan using the earned Free weekend nights from Starwood in Sept. However due to the terriost attack on Sept 11, Sept 13 no plane out of SMF. So we had to change our plan.
We decided to take the opportunity of the CO airfare sale for BWI from SMF for $129+few cents so we both would make to Platinium with CO. I was only about 300 miles away and husband was a few thousand miles away.
Tuesday night received email for confirmed upgrade for Friday flights from SMF to IAH and IAH to BWI. I called CO to split the reservation to increase chances for both of us to get upgrades on the way back. Thursday night both of us received emails for confirmed upgrades. Friday morning 5:15am we arrrived at the airport for our flight depart out of SMF at 6:35 am (usually before the Sept 11, we will not get to the airpor a hour ahead, we are the people like to cut close so we can sleep a few more minutes), there was a long line at the AmericaWest (CO uses HP counter at SMF). Luckyly with the elite card and first class upgrade, we went straight to the elite/first class line. No one in the line. The HP SMF operation manager was at the line. She was very friendly and helpful. I noticed there was check-in agent on every single counter space HP had. The check-in was quick. She asked the usual two questions. We checked in our two small usually carry-on bags to avoid any delay at the security after I saw on the news and heard from others whose bag was searched. We have nothing to hide but I do not like the fact that a stranger search through my stuff. 5:20 am we are on our way up to the escaletor to the security check point. There was a line of 20 or so people. Not too bad. 5:25 we were on our way to the gate. There were two national guards on the other end of the security check point stand behind the security staffs. They had guns with them. Our last trip to Rome last Octorber was the first time I saw soliders equiped with guns in the airport. One even came to our departure gate right before boarding started. I never thought I would see one right front of me in an airport in US. I have a mixed feeling towards soliders in an airport. If there are some crazy ones want to use force to get through security with weapons, the soliders probably gives them a hint not to try. But seeing a solider standing right there, I felt that I am not in a safe country any more. I also wonder if any of these soliders was given the order to shot if there was a person or a group of people try to force in security or if they are just there to show there is a sense of force and order present. The terminal were busy than I ever seen in this early in the morning. There were lines on every food and coffee stands. 6:00 am, boarding started at the gate for 6:35 departure. 6:35 we were on our way to take off. The time took us to check-in and to get to the gate was not more than usual. Breakfast was served on the flight. All utensils were plastic on the first class. First class were full. There were plenty passengers in the coach as well. We arrived IAH on time. The terminal of IAH was full as a weekend day in Disneyland before the Sept 11 event. I travel through IAH many times, this is the busiest I have ever seen. One thing I did notice in SMF and IAH was that people looked more serious. There were more people watching CNN news. In SMF there were three passengers got their names called for futher security check. Their carry on bags were searched. In IAH a passanger was picked from the line waiting for boarding and his bag was searched and he was scanned again. We boarded without any delay. Snack was served with metal spoon, folk, and plastic knife. Snack was Japanese noodle with salmon and chicken. The spicy source was good. The flight attendants were very efficient and friendly. We arrived BWI on time. We knew from our past experience travel to BWI the luggage is always slow to get out. We went to the information desk and rental car counter. I reserved car with Dollar rental for $17/day for compact using its website. We were hoping to use public transportation, but found out it was more expensive and less convinient than rental car. During weekend (Friday after 6:30 pm till Sunday) most of the street parking in DC is free. It was a challange to find one since most of the parking garages were closed for Sat and Sun. Hotels offers valet parking for $25 or so. The St Regis we stayed at charges $26. I always have a concern if the valet had an accident what happens. After we got our rental car contract, we went to the luggage carosel and got our bags. The dollar staffs were friendly and helpful and not pushy like the Alamo agents.
We arrived in DC in an hour drive. It was about 7 pm we checkin at the St Regis. The staff was friendly. She tried to accomdate us to a nicer room. We got the top floor king room. The hotel lobby was nice decorated. The room was not very big however was very classical looking. There was a fitness room in the hotel. There were security guards in the front of the hotel, in the lobby, and also on the floor we were at. There were not there all the time, but we saw several of them from time to time during our stays. We found out later there was a international conference hosted there and that probably explained the securities.
The hotel has a great location. It is only a couple of blocks (big blocks) from White house. Even though the President is not at his house, there were three police cars on the Penn and New York ave (both were closed around white house), uniformed securities walking around the block. There were also police cars sit around the blocks by the white house. We also walked to the Washington Monument and Lincoln memorial. Lincoln memorial was open (till 10 pm) and there were park rangers there. I only saw one police car. There were police cars with policeman sat around the Washingto Monuments. I also saw a helocopiter flew around the Washington Monuments. You can see planes decending and taking off from National airport at the Washington Monument and Lincoln memorial.
We have been in DC before. The museums are all so great. It is hard to pick which one to re-visit in such as a short trip. So we decided to visit the Arlington cemetory which we did not visit in our previous trip. It seemed a right time to pay respect to the soliders who fought for this nation's freedom and are still fighting for our peaceful life at this moment. There were a lot of people there. We saw the change of guard ceremony at the unknown solider tomb. There were hundreds people there but you could hear a pin drop.
We were planning to see the pentagon afterwards. However I missed the exit and the confusing signs and constructions on the 395 and highway 1 forced us to give up the idea and head back to Baltimore. We stayed in the airport hotel at BWI since our flight out of BWI was at 6:15 am. We both are a big fun of the Band of Brothers so we watched that on the HBO in the evening. It is a very good time for HBO to broadcast this mini serias. I think it is important for us to realize how much this country has gone through and coming out stronger than ever and how much soliders sacrifized for the nation and everyone of us to keep the peace at home.
Sunday morning 5:35 am we arrived at the BWI. There was no one at the CO counter. We checked in at the Echeckin machine. The agent was not very pleased about we wanted to check in two small carry on bags. The agent told us to line up at the short line. We went up to the security check point. There were two LONG lines. An agent waring Southwest airlines unform stand behind the sign of security check point. I went to ask her where was the short line. She pointed at one of the long lines. When we were in line, another Southwest agent walking down the lines asked people to surrender any knifes, nail clippers, lighters, or any sharp object. When we got closer to the security scanner, a security agent told us we had to take our jacket off and put it through security scanner. It seemed somewhat disorganized at the actuall security scanners. 6:05 am we got to the gate and there was a line there. A guy front of us had a few more beers than he probably should have. He was in a chatting mood. When he showed the gate agent his ID and ticket, the agent asked another agent if he was on a list. He was not. We went on to board the plane. A few minites later, this guy was escorted out of the plane by two flight attendants. Besides this little excitement, the flight was very smooth. IAH was not as busy as Friday. One passenger from the flight was picked out and searched at the gate. This time the agent scanned him and asked him to remove things from his pockets whenever the scanner beeped. We had breakfast again on the IAH to SMF. Plastic knife again. There were wine served in all the flights we took. The flight crews except the SMF to IAH portion were all in good sprit and friendly.
The trip was short but pleasant and smoother than I expected. No delays at three airports and on time on every leg of the trip. This was my first flying trip after the Sept 11. I had concerns before I started my trip. Now I was surprisingly pleased. There are a few inconvinience such as to get to the airport earlier than I used to and do not bring a nail clipper. I found no nail clipper rule very silly. I do not think we should try to terrior ourselves. It is good to take precautions but it is bad to be paranoid.
I am a terrible speller. I want to thank you all for putting up with my mis-spellings.
Enjoy your trips. If you have not planned any trip yet, do not miss the opportunities of low fares and low hotel rates and promotions to get more miles and points for hotel stays.
We decided to take the opportunity of the CO airfare sale for BWI from SMF for $129+few cents so we both would make to Platinium with CO. I was only about 300 miles away and husband was a few thousand miles away.
Tuesday night received email for confirmed upgrade for Friday flights from SMF to IAH and IAH to BWI. I called CO to split the reservation to increase chances for both of us to get upgrades on the way back. Thursday night both of us received emails for confirmed upgrades. Friday morning 5:15am we arrrived at the airport for our flight depart out of SMF at 6:35 am (usually before the Sept 11, we will not get to the airpor a hour ahead, we are the people like to cut close so we can sleep a few more minutes), there was a long line at the AmericaWest (CO uses HP counter at SMF). Luckyly with the elite card and first class upgrade, we went straight to the elite/first class line. No one in the line. The HP SMF operation manager was at the line. She was very friendly and helpful. I noticed there was check-in agent on every single counter space HP had. The check-in was quick. She asked the usual two questions. We checked in our two small usually carry-on bags to avoid any delay at the security after I saw on the news and heard from others whose bag was searched. We have nothing to hide but I do not like the fact that a stranger search through my stuff. 5:20 am we are on our way up to the escaletor to the security check point. There was a line of 20 or so people. Not too bad. 5:25 we were on our way to the gate. There were two national guards on the other end of the security check point stand behind the security staffs. They had guns with them. Our last trip to Rome last Octorber was the first time I saw soliders equiped with guns in the airport. One even came to our departure gate right before boarding started. I never thought I would see one right front of me in an airport in US. I have a mixed feeling towards soliders in an airport. If there are some crazy ones want to use force to get through security with weapons, the soliders probably gives them a hint not to try. But seeing a solider standing right there, I felt that I am not in a safe country any more. I also wonder if any of these soliders was given the order to shot if there was a person or a group of people try to force in security or if they are just there to show there is a sense of force and order present. The terminal were busy than I ever seen in this early in the morning. There were lines on every food and coffee stands. 6:00 am, boarding started at the gate for 6:35 departure. 6:35 we were on our way to take off. The time took us to check-in and to get to the gate was not more than usual. Breakfast was served on the flight. All utensils were plastic on the first class. First class were full. There were plenty passengers in the coach as well. We arrived IAH on time. The terminal of IAH was full as a weekend day in Disneyland before the Sept 11 event. I travel through IAH many times, this is the busiest I have ever seen. One thing I did notice in SMF and IAH was that people looked more serious. There were more people watching CNN news. In SMF there were three passengers got their names called for futher security check. Their carry on bags were searched. In IAH a passanger was picked from the line waiting for boarding and his bag was searched and he was scanned again. We boarded without any delay. Snack was served with metal spoon, folk, and plastic knife. Snack was Japanese noodle with salmon and chicken. The spicy source was good. The flight attendants were very efficient and friendly. We arrived BWI on time. We knew from our past experience travel to BWI the luggage is always slow to get out. We went to the information desk and rental car counter. I reserved car with Dollar rental for $17/day for compact using its website. We were hoping to use public transportation, but found out it was more expensive and less convinient than rental car. During weekend (Friday after 6:30 pm till Sunday) most of the street parking in DC is free. It was a challange to find one since most of the parking garages were closed for Sat and Sun. Hotels offers valet parking for $25 or so. The St Regis we stayed at charges $26. I always have a concern if the valet had an accident what happens. After we got our rental car contract, we went to the luggage carosel and got our bags. The dollar staffs were friendly and helpful and not pushy like the Alamo agents.
We arrived in DC in an hour drive. It was about 7 pm we checkin at the St Regis. The staff was friendly. She tried to accomdate us to a nicer room. We got the top floor king room. The hotel lobby was nice decorated. The room was not very big however was very classical looking. There was a fitness room in the hotel. There were security guards in the front of the hotel, in the lobby, and also on the floor we were at. There were not there all the time, but we saw several of them from time to time during our stays. We found out later there was a international conference hosted there and that probably explained the securities.
The hotel has a great location. It is only a couple of blocks (big blocks) from White house. Even though the President is not at his house, there were three police cars on the Penn and New York ave (both were closed around white house), uniformed securities walking around the block. There were also police cars sit around the blocks by the white house. We also walked to the Washington Monument and Lincoln memorial. Lincoln memorial was open (till 10 pm) and there were park rangers there. I only saw one police car. There were police cars with policeman sat around the Washingto Monuments. I also saw a helocopiter flew around the Washington Monuments. You can see planes decending and taking off from National airport at the Washington Monument and Lincoln memorial.
We have been in DC before. The museums are all so great. It is hard to pick which one to re-visit in such as a short trip. So we decided to visit the Arlington cemetory which we did not visit in our previous trip. It seemed a right time to pay respect to the soliders who fought for this nation's freedom and are still fighting for our peaceful life at this moment. There were a lot of people there. We saw the change of guard ceremony at the unknown solider tomb. There were hundreds people there but you could hear a pin drop.
We were planning to see the pentagon afterwards. However I missed the exit and the confusing signs and constructions on the 395 and highway 1 forced us to give up the idea and head back to Baltimore. We stayed in the airport hotel at BWI since our flight out of BWI was at 6:15 am. We both are a big fun of the Band of Brothers so we watched that on the HBO in the evening. It is a very good time for HBO to broadcast this mini serias. I think it is important for us to realize how much this country has gone through and coming out stronger than ever and how much soliders sacrifized for the nation and everyone of us to keep the peace at home.
Sunday morning 5:35 am we arrived at the BWI. There was no one at the CO counter. We checked in at the Echeckin machine. The agent was not very pleased about we wanted to check in two small carry on bags. The agent told us to line up at the short line. We went up to the security check point. There were two LONG lines. An agent waring Southwest airlines unform stand behind the sign of security check point. I went to ask her where was the short line. She pointed at one of the long lines. When we were in line, another Southwest agent walking down the lines asked people to surrender any knifes, nail clippers, lighters, or any sharp object. When we got closer to the security scanner, a security agent told us we had to take our jacket off and put it through security scanner. It seemed somewhat disorganized at the actuall security scanners. 6:05 am we got to the gate and there was a line there. A guy front of us had a few more beers than he probably should have. He was in a chatting mood. When he showed the gate agent his ID and ticket, the agent asked another agent if he was on a list. He was not. We went on to board the plane. A few minites later, this guy was escorted out of the plane by two flight attendants. Besides this little excitement, the flight was very smooth. IAH was not as busy as Friday. One passenger from the flight was picked out and searched at the gate. This time the agent scanned him and asked him to remove things from his pockets whenever the scanner beeped. We had breakfast again on the IAH to SMF. Plastic knife again. There were wine served in all the flights we took. The flight crews except the SMF to IAH portion were all in good sprit and friendly.
The trip was short but pleasant and smoother than I expected. No delays at three airports and on time on every leg of the trip. This was my first flying trip after the Sept 11. I had concerns before I started my trip. Now I was surprisingly pleased. There are a few inconvinience such as to get to the airport earlier than I used to and do not bring a nail clipper. I found no nail clipper rule very silly. I do not think we should try to terrior ourselves. It is good to take precautions but it is bad to be paranoid.
I am a terrible speller. I want to thank you all for putting up with my mis-spellings.
Enjoy your trips. If you have not planned any trip yet, do not miss the opportunities of low fares and low hotel rates and promotions to get more miles and points for hotel stays.
