FlyerTalk Forums - FIRST FT TRIP REPORT AA/BA

PART 8, FINAL
Ok, here we go. Let's wrap this thing up. Thanks to everyone for your comments and support, whether it be vocal or silent. I can tell that I have made people think, which is a good thing. I will work on making these shorter next time, as this was my first on here, the opposite of other sites where you get edited to death.

Woke up at the JFK Radisson, morning news, with the sun glaring. Could see a few planes at JFK, not too much action at the AA area, which is under construction.

Breakfast is included in the room, nice. Full buffet, very NY. Huge bagels and cream cheese, lachs, French toast, etc... All good and pretty much had the place to myself, though USA Today was my bkst companion, and a good one at that, getting the full domestic edition.

I had to time it right to get over to JFK, check in at the earliest window, then do my long awaited tour of the new IAB(Int'l terminal) at JFK. I have so long wanted to see this thing.

Thinking I had an easy check out, nah ah. Check out was easy, no shuttle, so I stand there while the doorman, very NYish, if you will, is chastizing these 2 limo drivers. Ok, I eavesdropped and enjoyed it. Most places wouldn't allow this sort of thing in public, but in NY, different. It was unprofessional to chastize them in front of the guests, ok, the place was pretty much empty besides me and one other.
I guess people don't like to stay by JFK. The doorman needs to take a few lessons in tact. I swear they need more hotels at that airport.

The skycap was very inquisitive why I was checking in so early, tried to get me to take an earlier flight. Nah ah! I want to see JFK and I don't come into LA during heavy traffic, ok, that is most of the day, smile.

I am assuming it was the early check-in, that would make you a terrorist for sure!!!, but I had to get my bags X-rayed, no biggie. Just curious for the reason. So I had to follow him to the massive machine, dang, catscan and all for those bags.....One bag, the one from France with most of the "Airport Shopping", cringe, got red flagged. They did a quick hand check, she called it books, works for me, and it was sent on. Yeah! Now hope to see it in LA in a few.

9-11 got me with Admirals. Since the lounge at Terminal 9 is landside, no baggage storage. UGH I was planning, as I usually do, leaving a bag filled with mineral waters, etc., nothing valuable in the storage area. So much for that. Painfully tossed some of them, too much to carry. One of the joys(ah, sarcasm here) is taking the freaking airline connections bus at JFK. They are always out of order, they are full, and the 20 stops at Delta just does you in. Sometimes a rental car or hotel shuttle will take you part way. So, there I went.

Finally, after a long wait, I got to see the new IAB. For those of you who don't know, the IAB-Int'l Arrivals Building at JFK has always been an aviationists playground, def. no exception now... I will miss the segmented check-in areas, was always mad at how they had made everything pax only. UGH
I got into the Swissair entry by saying I needed a timetable. Well, I did, then moved on upstairs, smile.

The new terminal is beautiful, well decorated, good light, and was a relief after finally visiting the new terminal at SFO which I don't like, too plain and ugly. I wish that they had more individual airline representation. Just the same generic counters with airline stickers on the background. LAX Bradley, for the most part, each airline has its own area. That has to make it easier.

I did the full walk in arrivals, one side to the other, then upstairs. Yeah, I pretty much hit every nook and cranny, long live tennis shoes!!!

The Aer Lingus agent gave me a heads up on the lounges.

The Terminal went the complete opposite in going from absolute privacy and secrecy(segmentation by airline) to openess. I would have selected something in between. This is bad, but I always like to watch the ELAL security check, a fun experience. The plane was leaving too late to watch.

Air India had a mess in front of it, and Kuwait, the rest was decent. I was expecting more crowded, more planes, more people, more, more, more!

To my delight, I do well with lounges at JFK, IAB. There are, that I know of,
5 main lounges: ELAL, Swissair, Swissport, Northwest, and Aer Lingus, going from right to left. Yes, I looked into the LY lounge, but closed. Needless to say, I want to raid it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif I can use miles and fly them Business, so I could get access.

If I fly Swissair out, I have access with my AA Platinum card, it is nice. They let me take some Swiss chocolates, but she had attitude.
With Priority Pass(just renewed, YEAH!), I have access to Swissport(which handles pretty much everyone else) and Northwest Worldclub.
Swissport is nice, large, open, and spacious. They have large windows looking out to the field, plus, full windows and views of the terminal.

I wonder if they did this so security can keep an eye on us. Dunno.
The staff were very nice, and like the other lounges here, and contrary to AA, they had a luggage holding area, and this is before security. So many contrasts in this industry.

They had decent snacks, not too much in the way of magazines, and I was sufficiently bored after a bit http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif. So, left the bags(nothing valuable), and on I went. They had suitcases there, fyi. While the Northwest Worldclub is nextdoor, have to go all the way around, with an alarmed door between them. I know, just want to say the heck with it and hit the alarm, he he he. NW staff were ok, typical Worldclub, though again, nice and spacious. NW always has cookies, smart, so they get a point. Since 9/11, I haven't been to a Worldclub, can't get to them with the pax only rule, I miss them. The Admirals Clubs are a joke. I can't imagine why anyone would pay for Admirals, UGH! Northwest Worldclubs are the best lounges for any US airline. I used to belong pre-Priority Pass, but I don't have access to the Int'l ones, like the ones in Asia. Again, done this, bored, what is next?

The remaining lounge is Aer Lingus, there have got to be more lounges there!? Never expecting to get in, I went to visit Aer Lingus. I showed her my boarding pass, Plat. card, she gave me that funny look, but she let me in.
AA bugs you when you are only flying domestically, but on an int'l ticket, and they make it seem like a big favor to let you in. The other members of Oneworld don't have such a stupid restriction, hence, I actually benefit by their generosity, though they are usually airside int'l and can't get to them, save at JFK.

The EI Gold Circle Club is VERY, VERY NICE. They have a beautiful conference area, table, fireplace, library, all in 1. Good windows. Internet access, finally!, usually just Delta where I can do that, but slow and won't allow you to respond, just read. Oh well. They have a decent bar but they need ice! Americans like ice!!! hmmmmmmm Had an OJ. A fork, accidentally http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif, fell into my pocket, dang, and was done. Thanked her for letting me in. Sorry, had to have the fork. This stuff is too rare. They also had a very comfortable sitting/tv area. EI put some money into this place. I give the Irish much credit for a job well done. Now, let's fix up those Dublin lounges.

With that, spent some more time at Swissport, not too much plane action.
I did check out the shops and eateries downstairs, nice, but for some reason I had expected more. Someday in the eternities the US Airports will learn the concept of a shopping mall in the airport, like every European and Asian Airport, they will be amazed when they try it. They had one Duty Free Shop,
UGHHHHHHH

There are no hallways, atleast for now, between the concourses. I have been inside one of them when I flew SR a couple years back and that area had been completed, so done that. I am sure I was being watched as I was looking everywhere, whatever.

I literally looked at every nook and crannie. It was fun.

I was amazed how easily I accessed a shuttle bus back to AA. During construction it was insane down there......whewwwwwwww

Because the walkway between AA Terminals 8 and 9 is out, I gave up on 8, the Int'l terminal for AA with a nicer Admirals. They have some temporary link. It sucks. It would suck even more in bad weather. This freaking Airport!!!

They actually compete with Heathrow for craziness. If you are changing terminals here, give yourself lot's of time. I have usually connected within one terminal, i..e Delta, Pan Am(miss them), and AA. That is fine. When we connected from AA to SR, my dad was just losing it on that bus, Mr. Patient, LOL. As all my friends know, ugh. JFK is working on a monorail like Newark, so it will be great when that is done.

I still need to get airside at the BA terminal, want to hit those Terraces Lounges!!! I will, don't worry.

I miss the old TWA terminal and lounge, all shut down. Their lounge-Ambassadors Club was very special, old, but special. I shall miss it.

Anyway, back to that ugly AA Terminal 9, tear the thing down now!
My upgrade hadn't yet come through and I said screw it, I don't feel like waiting at the gate for the worst seat possible and paying 5 upgrade certs for it. I asked her for a window and aisle in coach, not brain surgery here, and canceled the upgrade. Another drink at the bar, called mom, and was amazed as to the emptiness. No magazines, save some American Way, oh joy, like I ain't sick of that freaking thing, smile, and a couple of messy newspapers lying around.

Security wasn't too bad. I remembered I had the Aer Lingus fork, not a ding, so worked. Was happy. Sometimes security at JFK can be messy, as a couple of people on FT have experienced. DANG!

This concourse, (with gate 44) and all, is just old, dirty, and messy, ready to get out of here. Some parts of JFK are depressing, sorry, but true.

AMERICAN 767-200 JFK -LAX (don't remember the flight #, sorry, to be honest, don't really care, smile)

Long line at boarding, saw them profile, thought of the fork. I sat and waited. When the time was right, snuck on and no profiling, fork goes home. :-P~~~
I would have been mad if they had taken that away from me. Even the lounge at Dublin doesn't have them. I had *CLR*, but they still pull you over.

To my disgust, the dear agent, and I had given her 2 SOS's, messed up and gave me an aisle in the middle. NO! I was not happy. I asked the F/A for help and she looked out for me. There were several sets of windows and aisles, each one filling up over time, cringe. One did come through, it was mine, and I was happy. I think I would rather have a window and aisle in coach than an upgrade, as the front is always full, takes away from the quality of the front cabin there are always so many people. I have sat next to some nasty people, especially on the LA-NY run, in Business. Rude, arrogant, and they know everything. They just love it when you get up to go to the bathroom/ or that long marathon walk around the plane. UGH

Anyway, quick push back, could see the Air France Concorde at Terminal 1, ( I have been on that, :-P~~~) , and it was an easy departure. I did ask for a free headset, being a Platinum, sometimes they do it, sometimes they don't, I think she just forgot.

We taxiied around T1, Delta, a small view of the IAB, then out on the taxiway that goes toward the beach, with a decent take off. We had the view of the coastline and I thought of the AA Airbus that crashed near there, poor souls.
God bless them.

Had a great view of Philadelphia and then later Pittsburgh, incredible! You could see the whole city. Full moon, very clear.

They did the usual dinner, with all plastic, of course. Usual AA fare, which I like. I had bought some pretzel dogs back at JFK, so that supplemented. Unfortunately, sorry, I don't remember what the food was. Probably tells you how much I care. smile. After I get back I go and hit my fav. haunts, mostly Asian food which I miss while in Europe. LA has some of the best Asian restos on earth, serious.

I wanted to sleep and they had a bunch of dear sweet little girls http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif running around, oh joy! 2 of them sat behind me, literally yacking all the way, with others running around the plane. Made sleep difficult. I tried.

I kinda wish the crew would do something about them. The F/A's were nice, older, but nice. I was mad that she had forgotten my headset. UGH, more the principle. I am an American Airlines Platinum and you know what!? on the airplane, IT MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! DEAD SERIOUS. Though United goes the opposite way with their elites, and Northwest upgrades them, I miss that.

As I couldn't sleep, too much noise and rackett, we had a clear flight across the country. What drove me crazy was not having a flight map like on the 777, this was a 767-200, so I had to guess where we were.

The drink service was good, actually, all the service was good. They were attentive and kept an eye on us, appreciated. I did sneak a peak into Business, packed to the gills. I'd rather be in an empty economy, DUH! I actually have more room to move around, have the window, and can get up when I want...... DUH!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif In a few months, remember, this is January, this plane will be full, then it is back up front.....Also, AA's generous program of more legroom is wonderful! One of the reasons I am with them, among others. Their Frequent Flier program is simply the best on the earth!

Ok, the usual approach into LAX, landed on the South side. There is always a wonderful feeling to coming home. I can't explain it, just seeing LA, LAX, it gives you a feeling a " A FAIT ACCOMPLI", if you will....Love seeing all the lights, Palos Verdes, beloved Redondo( Thai Thani-YUMMM), and all, to the South.
To the north, the list is too long. You can see where Malibu is and hate thinking of the drive. But so nice when you see the Malibu(paradise http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ) sign.

The arrival was easy, the baggage claim was packed. Could feel that LA feel, LOVE IT!

I won't bore you with the home procedures, caught a shuttle, great to be home, and DONE!!! YEAH!!!

Hey, thanks everyone for your kind words and support.
I will do better on future reports. Less details and shorter.

Please tell me what you think. Thanks............