For this trip report I have a lot of information about the flights, but if you have a suggestion for my next trip report you can post it.  

A couple months before Spring Break my sister, my mom, and I wanted to go somewhere warm. My dad didn't want to come because he already had his vacation in LAS and Palm Springs. We looked at air fares to HNL, Mexico, and Florida. SY had a good fare and good schedule from MSP to PIE. We booked our flight. My old suitcase had a broken zipper so I bought a new suitcase. Unfortunately three days before the flight I got a small cold, but I got better on the second day in Florida.

March 30, 2008

MSP-PIE

SY flight 371

Aircraft: 737-800

Registration: PH-HZC

Scheduled departure: 3:20 p.m. local time

Scheduled arrival: 7:40 p.m. local time

Seat: 20F

Gate: H5

Weather at MSP: partly cloudy

My dad took us to the airport. Check-in was fast, going through security was fast, and we had a lot of time before we would board. We bought turkey and cheese sandwiches, water, and soda for breakfast at the airport. I didn't like the sandwich and I explored the Humphrey Terminal. I played video games at the arcade. I played an arcade game where you're in a fighter jet and every time a fighter hit you it would make a noise that sounded like a gun so I was worried security would run to the arcade and ask what I'm doing but no one got scared of the noise. Then I walked around the terminal and saw many SY flights, YX, and Champion Air. I noticed a FL flight going to RSW, but I thought FL flew MSP-TPA. What was more interesting was that the flight number was 870 which was for the MSP-TPA flight.    Then a NW 747 took off on runway 4/22 right in front of the terminal.

Soon our flight to PIE arrived at the gate and boarding started about 20 minutes after. We took off on 12R/30L and take off was short. My dad and my dog were at the airport dog park and saw our plane take off. I didn't try the audio entertainment because I thought my I pod headphones wouldn't work. About 30 minutes after take off lunch was given out. When the flight attendant said cheeseburger a lot of people looked surprised.   I had a cheeseburger, sun chips, and a coke. The meal was the best airline meal I've ever had. During the rest of the flight I listened to my I pod and looked out the window. An aircraft (looked like an A320) was following us for awhile. A 757 flew past us and it looked really close to our plane. There was some turbulence but I wasn't worried. One thing I forgot to bring was my Nintendo DS.

I could see the Gulf of Mexico and we started our descent. We landed on runway 17/35 at PIE. The landing was a little bumpy but we got to Florida safely. My ears were popping a lot and my ears hurt every time I yawned. It was my first time getting off the airplane on stairs. We went to baggage claim and our bags came fast.

Non-aviation part: In Florida we went to the beach, the pool, fished but didn't catch anything, and watched a manatee swimming in the bay next to our condo/hotel. The shops and restaurants were also good.

April 3, 2008

PIE-MSP

SY flight 372

Aircraft: 737-800

Registration: PH-HZI

Scheduled departure: 8:30 p.m. local time

Scheduled arrival: 10:55 p.m. local time (arrived 20 minutes early)

Seat 20F

Gate: 4

Weather at PIE: thunderstorms

We took a taxi to the airport. Check-in was fast but security took awhile. A man in front of us at the security line was late for a flight to CLE and asked a TSA worker if we would get on the flight. He did get on the flight to CLE but that flight (USA 3000 flight 471) was still at the "gate" when our SY plane to MSP arrived but it parked at a different "gate". I saw a couple of USA 3000 flights, a G4 flight, and CanJet 737 going to YYZ. A thunderstorm was coming towards the airport and I saw lightning. About 30 minutes after our SY plane arrived we boarded. Taxiing to the runway took awhile but we finally took off. I believe we took off on 17/35. We flew away from the thunderstorms but later in the flight we were close to some thunderstorms. When sandwiches and beverages were given out I had a ham and cheese sandwich, sun chips cheddar flavor, and coke. The meal was good and I liked that the sandwich was warm. For the rest of the flight I listened to my I pod, tried the audio entertainment but there was only music (my friend said that you could here the pilots, is that true?). There was some turbulence but I actually thought it was cool. We started our descent and we flew over Edina and I could see Southdale mall. We landed on 12R/30L and landing wasn't bumpy. I looked around at the gates one last time and then went to baggage claim and our bags came fast.

MSP-PIE flight ranking (1 bad-5 good)
Crew: 5
Meal: 5
Service: 5
Overall: 5

PIE-MSP flight ranking
Crew: 4
Meal: 4
Service: 5
Overall: 4

[Edited 2008-04-04 10:13:26]