Our itinerary was:
March 7 (Saturday) depart Boston 12:55pm, DL flight 641, arrive Cincinnati 3:21pm. equipment: MD-88. seats 12D&E depart Cincinnati 4:15pm, DL flight 697, arrive Seattle 5:56pm. equipment: 727-200. seats 12D&E (switched to 14A&B) March 16 (Monday) depart Seattle 12:15pm, DL flight 328, arrive Salt Lake City 3:05pm. equipment: 757. seats 21D&E depart Salt Lake City 4:35pm, DL flight 1898, arrive Boston 10:52pm. equipment: 757. seats 20B&C (switched to 24A&B)
We were scheduled BOS-CVG-SEA, departing BOS at 12:55. I had received conflicting reports of the meal (if any) from BOS-CVG. DL's website said (basically) "shit nothing in coach". EasySabre and the Amex Travel Guide said "Snack in both cabins". I rang DL who said "yes, snack in back", but I decided to play it cautiously and planned for us to grab a snack at BOS before departure. We had L class tickets and thus had no shot at an upgrade.
We arrived BOS about 1100 (early as planned), checked our luggage (2 bags, we don't usually carry this much stuff, but 2/3 of one suitcase was wedding stuff), and shared a romantic (ha!) lunch for 2 at Burger King. After sharing some Chicken Tenders and fries, we proceeded to our favourite American magazine stand, tucked away in the corner of Terminal C (before security, near gates 11-19 checkpoint). It's practically European in its selection (and I don't mean _Le Monde_ or _FT_, although they did carry both). We bought the newest "Games World of Puzzles" and USA Today-Baseball Weekly (with Randy Johnson on the cover. We can never resist Indians or Mariners on the cover). We then spent a nice 15 minutes watching the ball sculpture in the "kidport" (with a great view of the ramp, btw, it's next to the Legal Seafood restaurant), and proceeded to security.
Sometimes when we clear security, the agents ask us to turn on our computer. Not this time. Nor did they ask us to explain some odd looking (on the x ray) lumps. They were just batteries (AA's), but better security agents would rather make sure.
We were leaving out of gate 29 - on the right hand side of the hammerhead that is DL's main home at BOS. The quipment was MD88. When we got to the gate we found that the plane was in DL's new livery! This is our first flight on a DL plane in new livery, even though they've been operating it for about a year.
While we were awaiting boarding, another MD88 pulled into the next gate over - N905DL. It had a Western Airlines decal on the side (it said "Western Airlines, the only way to fly"), and had a Wally Bird. My husband was amused (he flew Western PHX-SLC-SEA when he was a kid). I also made a pit stop. Ugh. I hate the lav on airside in this part of Terminal C. It's always awful and the taps NEVER have warm water.
Boarding comes. Yes, it's SkyDeli. Roast Beef & Cheese (NOT TURKEY!!!), potato chips, cookie, apple, water. [I will note later about how this sandwich being not turkey threw everything out of kilter on this trip]. I ate the sandwich immediately after boarding (I was hungry!). We had seats 12D&E - the pair. My husband immediately got his GPS ready for use (although he didn't turn it on at the gate, he waited until the seatbelt light was out. sigh). Delta now actually has on their website the rules & regs specifying that GPS may be used on board. Previously you had to ask Captain's permission. (Rules at http://www.delta-air.com/baggage/rules.htm).
The takeoff was smooth and so was the climb, although the captain was one of those paranoid types. Some seem to turn off the seatbelt sign right around 15,000 (on a clear day). We were a good 20 minutes (with just one or two bumps) before the light was turned off. Hubby wanted to turn his GPS on but that's technically a nono until the seatbelt sign goes out (well, "may not be operated when the aircraft is at the gate or in taxi, takeoff, initial climb, approach or landing phases"). It really stinks with conservative captains (like this one).
There were a few bumps after takeoff. I finished the rest of my SkyDeli bag (which is one reason I *like* the SkyDeli bag!). The FA from First took our drink orders (the plane was perhaps 2/3 full). We ask for ice in a glass as we'd brought our own Dr Pepper (well travelled stuff - we'd hauled it with us from San Antonio), our preferred caffeinated beverage.
Captain (Mr Paranoid - or so I thought until our *next* flight) said we were due in a few minutes early - 1510 or so (scheduled 1520). We were due to depart CVG-SEA at 1615 on 727-200.
Our GPS says we were travelling at 462mph (ground speed), altitude of 26,000 (low, we typically cruise above 30,000 - usually at 35,000 or higher. Perhaps there was weather. Don't you love it when they say that? There's ALWAYS weather - except in San Diego :-).
The flight wasn't particularly choppy but neither was it smooth. It was just like going down a road perhaps 6-12 months away from repaving. Mr Paranoid kept turning the seatbelt sign on & off. Lucky for me, since I'd used the horrible lavs at Logan, I didn't have to get up.
One of the oddest things I noticed towards the end of the flight was that first class had empty seats! 14 F seats on DL MD88and 6 or 7 were empty. If DL allowed L class upgrades, even just at the gate, at least 2 of those seats would be taken up.
The landing was scheduled for 1520, actual was 1505 (terminal by 1510). We didn't even have very far to go (arrive B26, depart B19). Typical - they save the B26 to B2 jaunts for when we only have 20 minutes to connect. Murphy strikes again. We landed northbound, which is VERY odd for CVG (typically we land southbound). I swear, it's the karma given off by the roast beef SkyDeli sandwiches.
We checked to see if we could switch seats on the CVG-SEA leg (not into F - I wish!). Just to a pair of seats next to a window so my husband could use his GPS. We did - from 12D&E to 14A&B.
We spent a few minutes walking around the terminal checking out the Waterstones bookstore, and CONSIDERING checing out W.H. Smiths. Ugh. It was packed. There went my dream of buying a tin of Cincinnati Chili! Probably for the best - it was $4.50/can for Skyline (the best stuff). I can get it mail order for $40 for 12 cans.
Back to the gate, where I heard the magical word "volunteers" (the dream of every frequent traveller). I asked, but no such luck. Turns out I'd heard it for the flight from the next gate over (from CVG to TPA). I did see a note behind the counter that the plane was weightlimited. Winds? I dunno, there was no mention. I don't even know what the weight limits of these 727-232 advanced planes are. I suspect CVG-SEA is at the very limit of its range. I was hoping that if we were weight limited that the plane wouldn't be packed. "Wouldn't it be nice....".
We board. 1605 arrives and the most horrible part of waiting begins. Will the seat next to us (aisle) be blocked off or not? In retrospect I should have sat in the aisle seat and left my husband in the window and then if the rightful owner showed up, moved.
Some noxious (and large) smelling guy walks by & asks "is this seat taken?". I'm not giving up my empty seat that easily! (I say "I don't know". He asks "Well has anyone sat in it yet?" to which I respond "not yet, but the flight hasn't closed so somebody could still sit here"). My luck was not to be (roast beef karma again?). A woman and seatless infant got on board. The FA asked a guy in 10C to please move to another seat. He came back and sat next to me. Well, I figured, at least he wasn't noxious (I found out later that he was flatulent. Why is it always me?).
This 727 had baggage closets, but it certainly didn't seem to help the carryon situation. The overheads were overflowing anyways. I saw loads of people in CVG who come April 15 will have to change their carryon habits. One guy had a garment bag, rollaboard, and TWO laptops. Now that's going overboard (ha ha).
The noxious guy was walking up & down looking for a better seat. The FA's were nice but firm. They were nicer than I would be (I thought I was firm without being nasty. But I wouldn't have been able to be nice to a guy who wanted to squash me for the 4.5 hour flight to SEA).
This 727 was nice & retrofitted. No 70s style fabrics (read: no oranges & yellows). Leather blue seats in F (which was full, btw), blue & grey cloth seats in coach (although they did have the old GTE airphones which required you to use a credit card (or any other hard card, like my school ID :-) to pull the phone out of the slot. I appreciated the back support as I hurt my back earlier in the day.
I thought the last guy had Mr Paranoid as Captain. This Captain must have been his teacher! He halted cabin service twice, and only oncehave we experienced anything other than little bumps (and that was only about 30 seconds of "moderate chop"). He upset the passengers by halting cabin service in the middle of dinner, so the people who hadn't been served were jealous and the people who had been just wanted their trays out of the way.
Dinner was no choice: chicken strips (about 4 or 5 of them, about 3" long, 1/2" thick), roast potatoes (mine were overdone, just the way I like them), peas & carrots, the obligatory salad (french dressing), roll (hard as a rock), and chocolate cake. I was half expecting the silly roast beef with potatoes au gratin that I had on my last two DL flights in coach (and my father-in-law had when *he* last flew DL in coach). That's twice today that DL shocked me with food - first with roast beef (and not turkey) - on a flight that according to their own timetable had no food at all! And then chicken instead of roast beef (which DL used to serve with tomato sauce - UGH!).
The FA's were in the middle of cabin service and complaining - pretty loudly(!) about Mr Super Paranoid. I guess it is for their safety that he halted service. Perhaps he was receiving erroneous weather reports (or DL has cautioned their captains due to the UA incident out of Tokyo).
Sanity at last! Cabin services resumes and the coach FAs do dinners while the first class FA helps us with trays on our laps clear them away. I thought I'd never get back to my puzzles!
I had hurt my back lifting a heavy suitcase that morning exacerbated by swimming the previous night (swimming doesn't hurt it but can make it sore). Flying with a sore back stinks, but what stinks even more is not being able to walk around to relieve it. The purgatory of the middle seat! It was at this point during the flight that the guy next to me fell asleep and became flatulent. UGH.
I wandered towards the lav once (doing incredible acrobatics - stepping on my own seat and climbing over the armrests). I noticed that the first officer on this 727 was a woman. This is only the second DL woman pilot I've flown with (the other was MD88 - also first officer). Anybody know how many (few?) women pilots DL has?
We landed in SEA a few minutes late (SOUTHBOUND - I cannot REMEMBER the last time we had anything but a northbound landing at SEA), and docked at gate B7. We went straight to the car rental counter and took care of that while the bags came out. By the time we got to the bag claim the bags had started arriving. We got the bags pretty quickly and went to the rental car pickup area.
While in the Seattle area, Boeing rolled out the 767 AWACS. We weren't at Boeing Field that day, but we did see one fly the day we were at the Museum of Flight (Thursday the 12th). There were 4 of them in the flight test area, sitting next to "Lumpy", the original 767-200. We also saw 777-300 in House (silver) colours. No idea which engines. Boy, is that sucker long!!
16 March, departure day, and we had our first real crisis of the trip. We had lost our beloved HP200LX palmtop!! After a quick search of my in-laws house and our rental car, we concluded that we must have left it on board the 727-200 from CVG to SEA. Yeep! I quickly called the DL Medallion desk who gave me the local number for baggage services in SEA. I called and luckily they had it - phew! We were heading up to SEA to fly out anyways, so we arranged to pick it up then. It was intact. I'll never leave it in a seatback pocket again - noxious man or not!
SEA-SLC, DL 328, N655DL.
We checked in early (1040 for 1215 flight) and then retrieved the HP palmtop (undamaged) from the DL baggage office. 1,000 resolutions are made to never put it in a seatback pocket, and also to put contact information on it.
We boarded even earlier than usual. 3 members of Christopher's family were on the same flight as us - sitting in the row behind us, even. His uncle (father's younger brother), paternal Grandmother and step-Grandfather. Grandma was in a wheelchair (she's fighting shingles, ugh!). Grandpa had a cane.
The plane next to us was 727-200 in new colours.
It was a SkyDeli flight (this flight used to be mealless in coach). Turkey sandwich, bag of chips, Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies, apple, bottle of water. Back to normal again. I think the odd SkyDeli meal choice warped the karma on the way out and forced the odd runway choices.
No odd runways so far. Traditional SEA-SLC. Southbound from Sea-Tac. All was right with the world.
The weather was a bit cloudy so we can't quite see my husband's hometown of Steilacoom (although we could just make out the Tacoma Narrows bridge). I was having a hard time seeing out the window (from the middle seat) so I can't quite see the landmarks. It seemed the girl in the window moved right in front of me every time I craned to see out the window. Perhaps it was my imagination?
We landed normally, northbound, at SLC on C concourse. We helped hubby's uncle with the luggage & grandparents (going landside to do so) and then re-cleared security (MUCH more thorough than the idiots in BOS) for our final flight, DL1898 (again!).
757-232, N685DA, DL1898 SLC-BOS
The plane arrived late from LAX, so we boarded late. They preboarded first class but NOT Medallion. Many Medallion members were pissed off. The gate staff said "because of a full flight and because we're running late...". Sounded bogus to me!
We boarded and immediately noticed new PSUs (not Penn State University - Passenger Service Units!). The air gaspers are about the same but the lights are different (large bulbs, not small ones - and the bulbs seem to be FA changeable. At least I could remove the bulb cover :-). The lights were still immobile but seemed quite a bit brighter. I admit it was hard to tell because it was light out when I first tested it and later when it was dark I had nothing to compare it to. The monitors were new on the plane, too. The cases of them, at least.
The buttons (for the FA call button and the overhead lights) were different on the PSUs as well. Instead of rectangular push buttons that actually pushed *in*, the buttons were just barely raised with little pictures on them (light for light, a little FA for the FA call button - and oddly enough, there were *two* FA call buttons, one overhead by the window seat, one overhead by the aisle).
There seemed to be lots of people travelling on tickets marked "No FF credit". DBC? Family members who are employees? FF tickets? While SEA-SLC was probably 80% load factor (although F was full), 1898 was a crusher. F is (of course) packed. Damn shame they didn't call for DBC volunteers.
On the 757s we had SEA-SLC and SLC-BOS, neither of them had row 19. Is that something that's being instituted fleet wide or only in certain planes?
Once again I fell asleep right after takeoff for a few minutes.
The movie was John Grisham's "The Rainmaker". DL now bilks you $5 in coach for a movie. No thanks. Once I got home I found the movie selections are now on the web (they didn't used to be). Site: http://www.delta-air.com/trip_a2z/during/movies.htm
Dinner was the same as we had on the way out. For ages it seemed that DL was only serving one meal in coach (a different meal). It *still* seems that way (or perhaps they just alternate days - beef one day, chicken the next?). I really liked it better when DL had 2 meal choices on domestic coach so you could repeat if you liked it and get variation if you didn't (or if you were bored).
In addition to that, we had remnants of our SkyDeli food from the previous flight. My husband's family had fobbed a bunch of stuff on us so we had 3 apples, 2 bags of chips and some cookies, plus a few mini water bottles (I learned last flight when I was in the middle seat that having water with me was really nice when I was thirsty and my seatmate on the aisle was snoozing).
Unrelated coment: I have no idea why DL doesn't have carts for meals on the 757s. I know other airlines do.
Another note: my husband's family booked themselves in row 22 on a 757. I thought that was supposed to be the "Preferred Zone" (they booked the tickets about 2 months ahead of time). I asked Unc and he said that ITN let him select the seat. I've never booked using ITN. DL's website will only assign you seats, not let you pick.
There was light chop before dinner, so the captain put the seatbelt sign on and it remained on until after dinner was done (although I wouldn't call this guy Mr Paraniod :-). Then there was some chop during the movie and the sign came back on (although during dinner it was smooth, it's pretty obvious they had it on for convenience & not safety).
During the SLC-BOS leg, we made good use of my husband's GPS II+. We had procured some high altitude maps from a pilot shop on the east side of Boeing Field, and we followed our track across the country. Thanks to our GPS, we knew our ground speed (we were travelling about 660mph ground speed, or 200+ mph faster than we travelled BOS-CVG. There must have been some bitching head winds!) In fact, we knew that we would be arriving early long before anyone else (apart from the cockpit crew :-) did. We started descending at 2215 (scheduled arrival about 2300), and we broke 10,000 feet at 2230. The Captain rang final and most everybody who was still watching the movie were quite surprised! Away went the GPS and we watched the traditional over-the-harbour approach into Logan. Y'see - serve Turkey in SkyDeli and everything is ok. :-)
Landed at 2240, bags at 2247, cab at 2250, home by 2315.
Helen Rose
<hrose-web@ckdhr.com>
Last modified: Sun Nov 22 09:54:45 EST 1998