PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 14992 times:
Pacific Coast Jaunt: PDX-SEA-SJC-LAX on
Skywest EMB 120, Alaska 737-800 & American Eagle ERJ 140
Intro
A three-airline journey along the US Pacific coast is featured in Part 2 of my latest trip report series. The hops between Portland, Seattle, San Jose and Los Angeles were operated by Skywest Airlines' Embraer EMB 120 (United Express), Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737-800 and American Eagle's ERJ 140.
After booking my flights to Portland and from Los Angeles in September I started searching intensively for interesting connections between both cities. Flights on the desired Alaska Airlines 737-900 were either badly timed or too expensive, so I had to find satisfying alternatives. I knew that the US West Coast is the perfect area to get the Embraer EMB 120 and the rare ERJ 140 - and after a few hours of searching I was successful. I chose a connection offered by orbitz.com, consisting of PDX-SEA on Skywest's EMB 120 and SEA-SJC on Alaska's 737-800. Then I went to aa.com and added a SJC-LAX flight on American Eagle's ERJ 140. Now all I still needed was a hotel at SJC - which was not hard to find.
Background
In early September 2009 it was time to book another enthusiast trip. Flights to the United States were quite cheap in mid-October so I started searching for interesting combos. My plan was to get as many new airlines and aircraft types as possible on a five- or six-day trip. The destinations did not matter really much, I only tried to include LAX in order to meet my friend The777Man again. Some days later, after spending countless hours on airline and travel websites, my itinerary was complete:
Munich (MUC) - London (LHR) on British Airways
London (LHR) - Houston (IAH) on Continental
Houston (IAH) - Portland (PDX) on Continental
Portland (PDX) - Seattle (SEA) on United Express, operated by Skywest Airlines
Seattle (SEA) - San Jose (SJC) on Alaska Airlines
San Jose (SJC) - Los Angeles (LAX) on American Eagle
Los Angeles (LAX) - Atlanta (ATL) on Delta
Atlanta (ATL) - Houston (IAH) on Continental Express, operated by ExpressJet
Houston (IAH) - Newark (EWR) on Continental
Newark (EWR) - Frankfurt (FRA) on Continental
Frankfurt (FRA) - Munich (MUC) on Lufthansa
I booked all Continental flights together on the carrier's website - connections on both British Airways and Lufthansa were included in the combo. After that I separately added the flights on United Express, Alaska Airlines, American Eagle and Delta. The itinerary included five new airlines, five new aircraft types and four new airports - I was quite satisfied in the end after getting all the confirmation emails.
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Portland (PDX) - Seattle (SEA)
United Express UA5757, operated by Skywest Airlines
13:51-14:40 (13:48-14:38)
Flying time: 00:34 (hrs)
Economy Class, Seat 10A
Embraer EMB 120ER Brasilia
N223SW (s/n 291)
Delivered in 03/1995
1st flight on N223SW
1st EMB 120 flight
83rd airline
About four hours prior to departure I took the Rodeway Inn shuttle to the airport and entered my data into a check-in kiosk. I had already reserved my seats at the time of booking so there wasn't much to do. However, I had to pay United's baggage fee of USD 20 - at least it was valid for both the Skywest and the Alaska flight. As expected, the United machine didn't print a boarding pass for the Alaska flight, but I would have enough time to pick that up at Seattle. Due to long queues it took about 25 minutes to pass security.
My flight was scheduled to depart from concourse E, but viewing opportunities were better at concourse C on the opposite side of the airport. The weather was quite bad and traffic was rather low, so I only got 14 new registrations in about two hours. About 45 minutes prior to departure I went back to my gate E7. Several Skywest EMB 120s were parked on the apron, but my plane hadn't arrived yet:
Boarding was started about 20 minutes prior to departure and I had to walk through the rain. The plane turned out to be N223SW, delivered in March 1995 and still painted in United's former dark gray scheme:
A cheerful middle-aged female flight attendant welcomed me on board and I walked down to my seat 10A. The cabin was in good shape and absolutely clean. Interesting layout:
The old-style leather seats were quite comfortable...
...and legroom was sufficient, too:
Very generous exit row seat pitch:
Cabin view from my seat:
Nice EMB 120 logo overhead:
After engine start-up I was surprised about the lower-than-expected noise and vibration level - I really started to like that small turboprop aircraft. We left the gate early and passed a United 757 and a jetBlue Embraer 190:
It wasn't very busy in the early afternoon so the plane could directly roll onto the runway and accelerate. Again, the noise level was lower than expected:
Horizon CRJ 700s - very common aircraft at PDX:
A new 737NG waiting to get painted at Boeing's Portland painting facility:
The Glenn L. Jackson Memorial Bridge:
Climb through thick clouds:
About ten minutes after takeoff the flight attendant passed through the cabin and took drink orders. I was surprised to hear that not just water and juice were available, but also coffee and soft drinks - as well as alcoholic drinks for USD 6. Of course I ordered ginger ale - what else?
Just after the drink had arrived we already started descending and it became very bumpy on the way through thick clouds. I quickly finished my drink and was hoping that other passengers would be able to keep the coffee cups in their hands...
Tacoma Narrows Airport:
Wide right turn for final approach from the north:
Parts of Downtown Seattle:
The Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge:
Gear out over Boeing Field:
The Museum of Flight...
...with the famous Boeing 747-121 N7470 "City of Everett" and Concorde G-BOAG:
Horizon Dash 8-400 and Hainan Airlines A330-200 ready for takeoff:
We touched down 34 minutes after takeoff and rolled to a remote stand belonging to SEA’s North Satellite. It wasn't raining so I took some more pictures of that fine little aircraft:
Transfer at Seattle
I had almost 2,5 hours for the transfer so there was no reason to hurry. First of all I wanted to pick up the boarding pass for the flight to San Jose. I couldn't find an Alaska Airlines transfer desk in the North Satellite so I took the train to the main terminal building. While waiting for the next train I noticed water dropping from the ceiling - not a very positive impression. Ten minutes later an Alaska Airlines agent handed out the boarding pass to me and I found out that AS330 would also depart from an N gate. Viewing options are good there so I took the next train back to the North Satellite. It started raining again, but spotting was still possible. Within 1,5 hours I got 26 new registrations, mostly Alaska and Horizon planes.
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Seattle (SEA) - San Jose (SJC)
Alaska Airlines AS330
17:05-19:12 (17:18-19:24)
Flying time: 01:53 (hrs)
Economy Class, Seat 28F
Boeing 737-890
N506AS (s/n 2627)
Delivered in 06/2008
About 45 minutes prior to departure N506AS arrived at gate N2 - a 737-800 delivered in June 2008. Like most other aircraft in the fleet, N506AS wears the "Proudly All Boeing" lettering below the cockpit windows.
When I stepped on board I noticed that most flight attendants were quite old, but they were very friendly which was a nice surprise. The plane was equipped with comfortable leather seats and I also liked the carpet design and the bulkhead decoration.
Legroom was absolutely sufficient, too:
However, the aircraft hadn't been cleaned properly. A real genius had apparently disposed of some chips on the floor:
Just as the next flight attendant passed I pointed at the floor and told her: "I didn't do that." She was quite surprised by the mess and immediately apologized: ”Oh, we would have cleaned it if we had seen it." I told her it would be ok because the stuff was dry. "Are you sure?”, she asked and I confirmed.
While boarding was continuing I watched the movements outside. Parked next to us was another Alaska 737-800 – one of the few aircraft with a Hawaiian lei added to the tail - that was introduced when the company started flying to Hawaii.
Usually I'm not very interested in the (often boring) standard announcements during boarding but this time I noticed a difference - the (older) male purser spoke with clear voice, added a personal touch and some humor, he sounded very motivated. Well done!
Some minutes later, after boarding had been completed, that very purser stopped some meters in front of my row and startled me as he loudly addressed a male passenger: "You are off this airplane!" The man replied something and the purser added: "Your behavior is not tolerable!"
I couldn't hear every word, but I guess that guy had used foul language against another flight attendant or a passenger. After a short discussion the purser finally said: "Will you promise to be a gentleman for the rest of this flight?" Apparently the guy agreed and the plane was finally ready for departure. Even though the flight was quite full, the seat next to me remained empty, so I could stretch out.
We left the gate 13 minutes late, passed the cargo ramp...
...and climbed out after a powerful takeoff roll. Nice light effects:
Goodbye, Seattle/Tacoma Airport, hope to see you again soon!
Half an hour after takeoff the friendly flight attendants handed out pretzel bags and offered free drinks (alcoholic drinks available for USD 6). So what did I order? Ginger ale, of course:
I wasn't hungry, but curious about Alaska's Northern Bites Anytime Picnic Packs offered for USD 6. The regular snack pack contained salami and applesauce (allergy) which didn't attract me, so I ordered the vegetarian version. I got chips, hummus dip, cheese, a fruit & nuts and a snack mix, chocolate and candy - not a culinary delight, but definitely an interesting combo:
The sun was slowly sinking into the Pacific Ocean and I enjoyed the beautiful light effects:
After we started the approach to San Jose the purser made some more nice announcements. He didn't just express the usual "Please turn off your electronic devices now." but chose to say "Please turn off your electronic devices for landing. But one more song would be ok." Nice!
We touched down at San Jose Airport after a flying time of 1 hour and 53 minutes and arrived at a remote stand 12 minutes behind schedule. After leaving the aircraft via stairs I asked a ground crew member whether it's ok to take a picture of the aircraft. He confirmed and even offered to take a picture of me together with the aircraft's nose. Another nice surprise!
Sunday, 18 October 2009
San Jose (SJC) - Los Angeles (LAX)
American Eagle AA3175
08:20-09:30 (08:20-10:03)
Flying time: 00:55 (hrs)
Economy Class, Seat 14C
Embraer ERJ 140LR
N831AE (s/n 616)
Delivered in 07/2002
After spending the night at the nearby Fairfield Inn I returned to the airport early in the next morning. Checking in at a kiosk was a matter of two minutes, but I still had to pay the usual USD 20 fee for my checked luggage. Then I joined a long queue at security - and I noticed that the airport is not just outdated, but also lacks space.
My gate was still deserted, so I kept reading until the desired ERJ 140 arrived from Los Angeles. The aircraft was N831AE, delivered in July 2002:
An announced boarding delay due to a "computer problem at the gate" lasted only a few minutes and I could soon enter the aircraft. In contrast to the cheerful crews on Skywest and Alaska an unlikeable middle-aged female flight attendant served on this American Eagle aircraft. She wouldn't show a single smile throughout the whole flight and appeared to be quite indifferent about her job.
The cabin was equipped with hard leather seats...
...and legroom was tight:
The flight was full and my seat neighbor was not only tall - reducing my personal space on that cramped ERJ even more - but also grumpy. I was glad that this flight would be short - at least that's what I thought at this point of time.
Parked next to us was American MD-83 N9617R - and I noticed that the fog around us was becoming more dense:
Despite the short boarding delay we left the gate exactly on time and started taxiing into the fog:
However, after a few minutes the plane stopped and the engines were shut down. A few moments later the captain explained the situation: ”We need a visibility of 1600 feet which we don't have. If it doesn't get better within 30 minutes we will return to the gate. Yesterday it took until 10." Wow, being stuck in that cramped seat was quite frustrating - at least I didn't have to get a connecting flight. I was hoping the delay wouldn't last too long and I sent a text message to The777Man who would pick me up at LAX.
After 15 minutes the captain informed us that visibility had improved from 1200 to 1400 feet. Luckily, another 15 minutes later, we were cleared for takeoff. We broke through the fog shortly after liftoff...
...and I could enjoy great views:
The grumpy flight attendant offered drinks and I ordered ginger ale, as usual:
Time passed quickly and we soon started approaching LAX - which is always a special pleasure for me.
Countless warehouses:
The Los Angeles skyline partly covered by clouds (at the far right):
Only a few more moments to go:
We touched down after a flying time of 55 minutes and arrived at the remote American Eagle satellite terminal 33 minutes behind schedule. One more shot of N831AE:
I took the next shuttle to Terminal 4, grabbed my luggage and called The777Man who showed up only a few minutes later.
Spotting at LAX The777Man and I went straight to the famous spotting spot at the In-N-Out restaurant. Two hours later we moved on to the spot at Imperial Hill where I took a few pictures:
One of the highlights for us 777 fans was Emirates Boeing 777-21HLR A6-EWC arriving from Dubai:
Later in the afternoon we went back to the In-N-Out spot again and made another visit to Imperial Hill in the evening. I got a total of 71 new registrations at LAX which was a real success. It was a great day - and I cannot wait to go back to LAX for another spotter meeting with The777Man.
Conclusion
Three new aircraft, two new types, three new airlines and two new airports for my flight log as well as 113 new registrations - days two and three had been excellent from an enthusiast's point of view. Flying Skywest Airlines was a real pleasure due to friendly staff and a (surprisingly) comfortable ride on the EMB 120. I was also impressed by the cheerful crew and the comfortable seating on Alaska Airlines. The lack of IFE wasn't a problem at all on my short hop, but it may be missed on longer flights, especially on services to Hawaii. In contrast, I was disappointed by American Eagle - the seating on the ERJ was tight and the flight attendant's attitude was unacceptable. Is there a good argument for flying American Eagle again? Well, the carrier’s ERJ 135 fleet…
Akhmad From Netherlands, joined Sep 2005, 2334 posts, RR: 53 Reply 1, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 14931 times:
Hi PH,
Great TR with interesting covering of Skywest and AS! AS looks great to fly with.
Nice to hear that you had a enjoyable A.net meeting with The777Man.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): A real genius had apparently disposed of some chips on the floor:
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Some minutes later, after boarding had been completed, that very purser stopped some meters in front of my row and startled me as he loudly addressed a male passenger: "You are off this airplane!" The man replied something and the purser added: "Your behavior is not tolerable!"
Gosh, did the passenger probably have anything to do with the mess?
Airbuseric From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 4015 posts, RR: 52 Reply 4, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 14893 times:
hi PH,
thanks for the interesting read again. Indeed, the Emb120 is difficult to get for us in Europe, so a good choice to hunt one in the States. And that ERJ140,.. statistically another aircraft type indeed, but I guess no difference from the 135/145 we have in Europe? Couldn't you get a seat on the left side on that AA flight, to avoid the seating situation with your neighbour?
Good pics, also of BFI. Really enjoyable.
Regards,
Eric
"The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going"
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 5, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 14865 times:
Quoting Akhmad (Reply 3): Anyway the purser took an adequate action for whatever happened.
Yes, indeed. He did a good job.
Quoting Airbuseric (Reply 4): Good pics, also of BFI. Really enjoyable.
Thanks, Eric!
Quoting Airbuseric (Reply 4): Indeed, the Emb120 is difficult to get for us in Europe, so a good choice to hunt one in the States.
Very true, I'm glad I got this one.
Quoting Airbuseric (Reply 4): And that ERJ140,.. statistically another aircraft type indeed, but I guess no difference from the 135/145 we have in Europe?
The ERJ 140 is based on the ERJ 145 with 96% parts commonality. Significant changes are a shorter fuselage, a slightly derated engine and an increased range. It's true, you don't feel a difference - but the same can be said about other derivatives, too.
Quoting Airbuseric (Reply 4): Couldn't you get a seat on the left side on that AA flight, to avoid the seating situation with your neighbour?
No, solo seats were not available when I checked in.
FlyingFinn76 From Finland, joined Jun 2009, 1705 posts, RR: 41 Reply 7, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 14748 times:
Hi PH,
An enjoyable read about your journey up and down the West Coast. The E120 is a type still missing from my log, and one that is very rare in Europe as well. The E140 is another rare subtype, thanks to it being a custom build for AE for the well-known reasons.
As I've mentioned before I flew AS ORD-SEA-SFO last February with the 737-900 and -400. The first flight was interesting, as I think I've never seen any BOB service on any flight that did such brisk business - the cart had a huge pile of things wrapped in aluminum foil which turned out to be hot cheeseburgers. I think at least half the cabin bought these - incredible. Both of my seat mates got these burgers, looked rather good to me as well. I settled just with an ice cold Alaskan Amber Ale for six bucks - an excellent brew. I guess a four hour flight with just two free beverage runs calls for some food service...
The leg down to SFO I don't remember at all as I was asleep from wheels up to wheels down - my full itinerary for that day was HEL-MAN-ORD-SEA-SFO and I was definitely running on fumes by that point
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): the (older) male purser spoke with clear voice, added a personal touch and some humor, he sounded very motivated. Well done! thumbsup
Sounds like the cabin crew you sometimes get on Southwest...
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): I wasn't hungry, but curious about Alaska's Northern Bites Anytime Picnic Packs offered for USD 6. The regular snack pack contained salami and applesauce (allergy) which didn't attract me, so I ordered the vegetarian version. I got chips, hummus dip, cheese, a fruit & nuts and a snack mix, chocolate and candy - not a culinary delight, but definitely an interesting combo:
I wonder why pretty much all the BOB stuff on North American carriers is always this unhealthy, weird snack stuff. I'd take a good salad of sandwich/wrap over this any day. Well, six bucks isn't too bad, especially for us eurofolks..
SXDFC From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 2012 posts, RR: 19 Reply 8, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 14726 times:
Great TR!! I enjoyed the story line, pictures everything! There is two things that I noticed though about the plane its self.
1.) The winglet seems to be borrowed from the Alaska Airlines.com 738 ( N548AS ).
2.) The plane seems rather worn out for being only 2 years old.
Again great TR!
ALL views, opinions expressed are mine ONLY and are NOT representative of those shared by Southwest Airlines Co.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 9, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 14547 times:
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 6): it seems, today´s a good day to follow some high quality reports.
And you´re story is definitely no exception.
Hi Markus, thanks for your feedback!
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 6): Nice pictures, a warm welcomed alternate against that long middle European winter here.
Yes, seeing all these pictures from California helps a bit to forget that white mess outside...
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 7): An enjoyable read about your journey up and down the West Coast.
Thanks, FlyingFinn.
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 7): I settled just with an ice cold Alaskan Amber Ale for six bucks - an excellent brew.
I have to keep that brand in mind.
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 7): The leg down to SFO I don't remember at all as I was asleep from wheels up to wheels down - my full itinerary for that day was HEL-MAN-ORD-SEA-SFO and I was definitely running on fumes by that point
Wow, quite a lot for one day.
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 7): I wonder why pretty much all the BOB stuff on North American carriers is always this unhealthy, weird snack stuff. I'd take a good salad of sandwich/wrap over this any day.
Delta offers some healthy stuff, but you never know whether the desired item is available.
Quoting SXDFC (Reply 8): Great TR!! I enjoyed the story line, pictures everything!
Thanks, Bobby! Good to hear you liked it.
Quoting SXDFC (Reply 8): 1.) The winglet seems to be borrowed from the Alaska Airlines.com 738 ( N548AS ).
Wow, very good observation. I hadn't noticed that. Would be interesting to know how that happened.
Quoting SXDFC (Reply 8): 2.) The plane seems rather worn out for being only 2 years old.
Well, the seatback in front of me looked worn, but the cabin in general didn't.
B747forever From United States of America, joined May 2007, 16575 posts, RR: 11 Reply 10, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 14479 times:
Great TR!
Your pics are really good.
Congrats on adding new aircraft and airlines to your log!
BA319-131 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 8267 posts, RR: 56 Reply 11, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 14322 times:
Hi PH,
Thanks for posting, really enjoyed - the EMB & ERJ your flew are also missing from my log, perhaps I should follow in your shoes, though will be 2011 at the earliesr me thinks.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): the famous Boeing 747-121 N7470 "City of Everett" and Concorde G-BOAG:
- It worries me these wonderful birds are exposed to the Seattle weather, they really need to be in a heated warehouse to help preserve them.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): the aircraft hadn't been cleaned properly. A real genius had apparently disposed of some chips on the floor
Contact Air From Germany, joined Apr 2001, 1154 posts, RR: 14 Reply 12, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 14271 times:
Hi PH,
great report and fantastic pictures as usually! Congratulations to two new rare aircraft types. I also like the Emb 120 - I was lucky enough to fly it on SkyEurope some years ago, when the airline had just started up. Just like you, I was also positively surprised by the cabin comfort, regarding the small size of the aircraft.
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6088 posts, RR: 56 Reply 13, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 14245 times:
Amazing and excellent report! Nice research with getting the names of the bridges ! Very impressive, that must have been somewhat difficult. Again, I'm very flatterred for being mentioned so many times in this report and expecially for you to stop by and visit me. It's very nice when you can combine flying new tyoes and visit a friend at the same time!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Just after the drink had arrived we already started descending and it became very bumpy on the way through thick clouds. I quickly finished my drink and was hoping that other passengers would be able to keep the coffee cups in their hands...
Must have been a bit unnerving flying thru turbulence in a smaller than normal plane ? Otherwise legroom looks really good on the EMB-120!
Surprising that the people who cleaned the AS 738 didn't notice that huge pile of crums on the floor! Hard to miss it seems.......
Strange that the legroom on the MQ ERD was so bad; I'm very happy that you only got delayed 30 mins or so. It does look very cramped and you are slightly shorter than me.......It will be intersting to compare with ExpressJet in your upcoming report.
Also curious about the Ginger Ale; did all the three carriers have the same brand ? I much prefer Schweppes Ginger Ale to Seagram's. What does your taste buds say ?
Quoting Akhmad (Reply 1): It was a great day - and I cannot wait to go back to LAX for another spotter meeting with The777Man
Yes, it was a great day! Like I've said, I hope to have my transplant soon and come and visit you and we'll do spotting in MUC for a day. Hopefully early in fall. Would love for you to come back here and do some spotting with me again! Always a pleasure to meet up with you, PlaneHunter!
Looking forward very much to the next part!
The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
BNE From Australia, joined Mar 2000, 3156 posts, RR: 13 Reply 15, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 13956 times:
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Conclusion
Three new aircraft, two new types, three new airlines and two new airports for my flight log as well as 113 new registrations - days two and three had been excellent from an enthusiast's point of view. Flying Skywest Airlines was a real pleasure due to friendly staff and a (surprisingly) comfortable ride on the EMB 120. I was also impressed by the cheerful crew and the comfortable seating on Alaska Airlines. The lack of IFE wasn't a problem at all on my short hop, but it may be missed on longer flights, especially on services to Hawaii. In contrast, I was disappointed by American Eagle - the seating on the ERJ was tight and the flight attendant's attitude was unacceptable. Is there a good argument for flying American Eagle again? Well, the carrier’s ERJ 135 fleet…
Thanks for the nice trip report, the trip report standard is getting tougher I have a few I should add. I love reading the trip reports where you choose the route for the aircraft and the airline.
So many different airlines; so many different planes. but so little time and money.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): I had to pay United's baggage fee of USD 20 - at least it was valid for both the Skywest and the Alaska flight.
You need to fly more LH to get star Gold so that way you can avoid those pesky baggage charges.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 16, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 13705 times:
Quoting BA319-131 (Reply 11): Thanks for posting, really enjoyed - the EMB & ERJ your flew are also missing from my log, perhaps I should follow in your shoes, though will be 2011 at the earliesr me thinks.
Hi Mark, thanks for your feedback! The Pacific coast is always worth a visit!
Quoting BA319-131 (Reply 11): - It worries me these wonderful birds are exposed to the Seattle weather, they really need to be in a heated warehouse to help preserve them.
I can only agree.
Quoting Contact Air (Reply 12): great report and fantastic pictures as usually! Congratulations to two new rare aircraft types.
Quoting The777Man (Reply 13): Nice research with getting the names of the bridges ! Very impressive, that must have been somewhat difficult.
It was easier than expected, I quickly found the bridges by using Google Maps.
Quoting The777Man (Reply 13): It's very nice when you can combine flying new tyoes and visit a friend at the same time!
Yes, simply perfect for us enthusiasts!
Quoting The777Man (Reply 13): Must have been a bit unnerving flying thru turbulence in a smaller than normal plane ?
It wasn't that bad, but I guess other passengers were more concerned...
Quoting The777Man (Reply 13): Surprising that the people who cleaned the AS 738 didn't notice that huge pile of crums on the floor! Hard to miss it seems.......
Indeed, very odd.
Quoting The777Man (Reply 13): Strange that the legroom on the MQ ERD was so bad; I'm very happy that you only got delayed 30 mins or so. It does look very cramped and you are slightly shorter than me.......It will be intersting to compare with ExpressJet in your upcoming report.
The flight on ExpressJet was definitely more comfortable.
Quoting The777Man (Reply 13): Also curious about the Ginger Ale; did all the three carriers have the same brand ? I much prefer Schweppes Ginger Ale to Seagram's. What does your taste buds say ?
I also prefer Schweppes. Unfortunately, I didn't get the whole can on the other carriers, so I don't know which brand they had.
Quoting The777Man (Reply 13): Yes, it was a great day! Like I've said, I hope to have my transplant soon and come and visit you and we'll do spotting in MUC for a day. Hopefully early in fall.
Yes, I wish you all the best. Would be great to see you in MUC in fall!
Quoting The777Man (Reply 13): Always a pleasure to meet up with you, PlaneHunter!
And it's always a pleasure to meet The777Man!
Quoting Ryan h (Reply 14): I sometimes prefer the turboprops to the big stuff.
Hi Ryan. I usually prefer jets due to the lower noise and vibration level.
Quoting BNE" class=quote target=_blank>BNE (Reply 15): Thanks for the nice trip report, the trip report standard is getting tougher I have a few I should add. I love reading the trip reports where you choose the route for the aircraft and the airline.
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24929 posts, RR: 60 Reply 17, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 13592 times:
Nice report and photos. Good to see Domestic USA Trip reports are still easy to do .
Shame about the mess on the Alaska Airlines flight but I guess if they missed it they couldnt be blamed. The person who did it should be blamed. I hope it was a kid and not an adult who should know better. You never know these days.
The Ginger Ale looked good. Thats what I like about US flights you get things like Dr Pepper and Mountain Dew.
Regards
Philip
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
767747 From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 1750 posts, RR: 26 Reply 18, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 13555 times:
Planehunter,
Your reports are always excellent. What great detail and photos; I feel like I'm traveling along as well. Glad you had some nice flights with SkyWest and Alaska Airlines. I'd like to try AS; never done so before. I've been on SkyWest before and they were very good.
I spent a lot of time in my childhood looking at Air NZ's seatmaps and was amused at the extra seat in the last row in either the E110 or SF340 (can't remember which one it was so long ago - maybe both!). I never got the chance to fly on them..
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): A real genius had apparently disposed of some chips on the floor:
That's not very nice. I thought the cabin looked immaculate before I saw this picture!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Apparently the guy agreed and the plane was finally ready for departure
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The flight was full and my seat neighbor was not only tall - reducing my personal space on that cramped ERJ even more - but also grumpy.
Wouldn't have been pleasant.. Luckily I haven't flown beside a big person yet..
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Two hours later we moved on to the spot at Imperial Hill where I took a few pictures:
Great, now I know where to go! Thanks! I was able to pinpoint the exact location on Google Maps! Although I have a feeling I'll just stick to the In-N-Out area. It seems like it could be stretching the outer limits of my 300mm lens.
Can't wait for the next in the series, I'd better get onto my next one!
Quoting OA260 (Reply 17): Shame about the mess on the Alaska Airlines flight but I guess if they missed it they couldnt be blamed. The person who did it should be blamed. I hope it was a kid and not an adult who should know better. You never know these days.
That's true, you can meet crazy people everywhere.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 17): Thats what I like about US flights you get things like Dr Pepper and Mountain Dew.
Exactly, you never get that kind of stuff in Europe.
Your reports are always excellent. What great detail and photos; I feel like I'm traveling along as well.
Thanks a lot, nice to hear!
Quoting 767747 (Reply 18): I've been on SkyWest before and they were very good.
Was it United Express or Delta Connection? I'm wondering whether that makes a difference.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 19): Yet another interesting part to the series which was very enjoyable. Great pictures too.
Hi Nicholas, thanks for your feedback!
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 19): Interesting conversation I must say.
Yes, I'm glad the guy remained calm during the flight...
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 19): Great, now I know where to go! Thanks! I was able to pinpoint the exact location on Google Maps! Although I have a feeling I'll just stick to the In-N-Out area. It seems like it could be stretching the outer limits of my 300mm lens.
I recommend to go to Imperial Hill, too. Not just because of the sun - traffic is different on both sides.
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Wow, being stuck in that cramped seat was quite frustrating - at least I didn't have to get a connecting flight. I was hoping the delay wouldn't last too long and I sent a text message to The777Man who would pick me up at LAX.
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