Earlier this year I did a couple trip reports on a trip where I flew to BRU, and made the comment that I intended to fly back to BRU when the AA 777 was on the route. I don't often take these comments too seriously, but I managed to fulfill that goal. The purpose of the trip was to go to the Paris Air Show. Earlier in the year I actually had confirmed tickets on Air France IAH-CDG-IAH, but AF discontinued the second daily Air France flight, which I was booked on, so I got a refund and just decided to nonrev it to Paris, as the summer was looking to be more lightly booked than normal.

I had planned to leave on either Wednesday or Thursday of that week, but found out about 6 days in advance that I was going to Chicago for work on Tuesday of the Paris Air Show week. I decided to take an extra day or so of vacation and leave from ORD. The Paris and London flights were full, but the ORD-BRU had seats available in both First and Business class. I decided to fly to BRU and make my way to Paris eventually by the weekend. AA88 ORD BRU was overbooked in coach, but had about 12 open in J and about 6 open in F.

It was a great feeling when I broke off from my group I was traveling with for work in the ORD airport at the G gates as they turned toward the H/K gates to get back to DFW, I went toward Terminal 2 and said goodbye to them! (I stored my bags at the Hilton ORD).

So I checked in for AA 88 ORD-BRU at the Self-Service kiosk and actually checked a bag this time. I was going for a week and that's a bit much to do in a carryon. After getting checked in, bag checked and through security (none of which took any time) I went to the Delta Lounge over near gates L1-L4. I used the computer there to try to decide where I was going when I landed! I didn't have huge plans, but had settled on flying to MRS and visiting Avignon. I'm a big fan of the history of the Middle ages.


Walking toward the gate, I assumed this was my plane, which it wasn't! I was at K12 and this was the 777 at K16 going to London.

Then I made it to the gate, where a fellow a.netter Lfutia handed me my boarding pass for seat 4J. Thanks Leo!

4J always has a nonrev in it. I've sat in 4J several times over the Atlantic. It's considered the most undesirable F seat due to the proximity of the galley, with some light and noise issues. I never mind it much, being on standby in first class on a 777! AA provides eye shades and Bose QC3 headsets to offset any problems with light or noise.

Leo also kept me updated on the flight, since it was 4:45pm and still no airplane at the gate for this 5:05pm departure. ORD was having really bad weather, so everything was delayed. My plane was leaving the International Terminal and was taxiing over to T3. It arrived the gate at about departure time for Brussels. I was already getting nervous about my 90 minute connection that I was shooting for. I'd have to clear immigration, claim a bag, clear customs, go to Brussels Airlines and check in with enough time to make the flight. I knew it was a chance, but if I missed it, I missed it. No big deal. I'd go somewhere else!


Here's my plane! N798AN (7BG) my first time on this one. My 13th AA 777. Also having flown 5 BA 777s and 1 DL 777.


Docking at the gate. See how rainy it is?


I said bye to Leo and boarded after they announced first class. This is one of my favorite moments, when I get to walk onto a plane and turn left to get to my seat! They somehow managed to get the jetbridge affixed so that the passengers didn't get soaked as they boarded in the downpour.


The view from 4J. I love the AA's first class looks It looks better than the diagonal look of some airlines business class.


The window with about an inch of rain on it.

I don't actually remember now why, but we were at the gate more than an hour after we boarded dealing with some maintenance problem. At about 6:00pm after we boarded the captain, with a perturbed voice, mentioned that the plane that was pushing behind us snapped the tow bar and they had to attend to that, and while attending to that problem, we were blocked in our gate.

At about 6:45pm the captain announced that the plane behind us had been moved and we were about to push. Once we pushed it was a very slow 90 more minutes until we took off. It was obvious to me I wasn't going to make my MRS connection, so I gave up on that! I thought I'd stay in Brussels one night and do some sightseeing before going to France.

I boarded the plane at 5:00pm and we took off at 8:15pm, which is probably miserable for most, but I tolerated it rather well in first class!

Click here for the rainy bad weather takeoff!

For whatever reason I didn't take as many pictures, especially of food, as I normally do on a flight like this, so I'll try to compensate with a bit more description. I think I was run down due to a long day dealing with crewmembers on a PR mission (my job that day for work) and then the 3.5 hour delay. When I'm tired I don't take as many pictures as I would have liked and always regret it. You'd think I would learn!

After takeoff I got settled in and stretched out. The flight attendants were some of the best I've had in years, seriously! The one I dealt with the most was very good on attention to detail and just overall very pleasant, even though were were nearly 3.5 hours late!

So, quickly we started off with the after takeoff cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. I had a Glenlivet, neat, and a glass of water as well. Then as an hors d'oeuvre I had the marinated cheese antipasto, which was nice, and drizzled with olive oil and colored with bits of red pepper.

I generally read more than I watch movies/tv on planes, but during a meal I'll watch the TV as it's inconvenient to read. I watched a couple episodes of Two and a half men, then some documentary on how birds evolved from dinosaurs featuring a beast of a nasty bird running around scaring all the animals. Then to relax my brain I watched Paul Blart Mall Cop! That was very mind-numbing and helped me sleep after the meal.


The place setting with some bread and name brand olive oil.

Anyway, the appetizer cart came by, and I had some smoked salmon with the usual accompaniments. They had a champagne bottle on the cart, but I didn't take any!


The smoked salmon

Next came the salad cart, which is always great. I got the salad with all the added veggies they have but didn't take the grilled chicken breast. That's just too much food to add chicken to it and then have an entree after! Nice of them to offer though!

LE MENU
(Entree Choices)

Beef Fillet
Seared fillet of beef featured with a mango chili demi-glace, blue cheese potatoes and glazed carros

Seared Chicken
Savory chicken breast with a balsalmic white chocolate sauce, offered with tomatoes, grilled asparagus and pumpkin cranberry rissole.

Red Snapper with Aji Cream Corn Sauce
Sauteed red snapper topped with an aji cream corn sauce, served with crab ceviche and black bean refrito (A signature Stephen Pyles dish)

Cheese Ravioli
Semolina pasta filled with four cheeses, offered with a mushroom tomato cream sauce, sauteed shallots and sliced mushrooms

I chose the Snapper. They were out of one of the dishes by the time they got to me, but I usually order fish on planes for whatever reason, and it was a good choice!


The snapper, as described above.

And of course I had to choose the ice cream sundae for dessert, along with some cordial they had on the tray. I think it was an Amaretto.


There it is. And the movie credits were rolling. What timing!

Shortly after cleanup the flight attendant presented everyone with on open box of chocolates. Then she came out with bottles of water for everyone.

I read for a bit and didn't have much trouble getting to sleep. I fell alseep over about Deer Lake and woke up approaching Ireland.

The breakfast was surprising. I took the hot dish, which was cream cheese and chive omelette served with filet mignon and O'Brien potatoes. I really wasn't expecting a big steak with my breakfast, but I ate it, even though I wasn't hungry for it! Overall it was a great breakfast with a fresh fruit assortment including mango and grapes. Plus a yogurt and a croissant.


When I finished breakfast, we were here over Wales, but it was too cloudy to see anything until we reached London, which I actually did see. We went right over the city.


I do love the maps.


Route of flight!


Near London


Here's the chilled sparking water with a slice of lemon to wake me up before landing!


Leaving the UK


Across the channel


A shot of part of my "cabin"


Downwind approaching Brussels


Shadow shot!

Here's my landing video that starts off with a good cabin shot!


Here's a shot of some of the planes at the gate as we taxi in.


Taken from the upstairs restaurant above the check-in area.


More shots of BRU


It's a bad picture, but you can see the MD11 climbing out over the approach end of the runway. That's an EVA Cargo MD11 that did a go-around!


A Fokker!

As I mentioned earlier, I had planned to visit Avignon, but chose a different medieval city to go visit. I took a train for a day-trip to Brugge, Belgium. Here are a couple of pictures from Brugge.


I hate when a large tourist (or any tourist) walks into a shot like that!! Wish I had noticed at the time!


So I'll end it on this one.

Thanks for reading! More to come as I have time. I'm a bit behind on writing trip reports, but I'll get to the missing ones eventually!

Matt