cargord From United States of America, joined Nov 2009, 7 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 7101 times:
Hello All,
I've waited almost a year to do so, but here is my first trip report! I've tried to follow the examples of previous posts and trip reports that have inspired me to journal my future travels.
Since I waited so long to post the report, I don't have alot of specifics on the flight (flight and a/c reg.numbers) but I will try my best to recollect from memory what transpired.
Again, please forgive me for the lack of detail associated with my first submission!
Outbound Flight:
MSP-AMS
11/24/2009
Airbus A330-300
Seat: In the 30's?
My wife and I decided to spend our Thanksgiving holiday overseas in Amsterdam. This was really exciting for me, since it was my first trip to Europe, and I was going to travel on one of my favorite planes to watch soar over my apartment building in Minneapolis, the A330. Truth be told, I was actually looking forward to the flight and the experience onboard more than sightseeing in The Netherlands!
So, arriving at MSP a few hours early, I was able to do some plane-spotting...
Assistance please; Is this an A321? I've seen this plane several times at MSP, and before someone says it, I know it's a dumb question! =)
A321?
Before long, boarding began and we made our way to the front of the queue where I snapped a pic of our ship to AMS.
I was really excited to fly on a NWA painted ship for a final time before everything went to DL livery. My wife really didn't understand the significance, but I know my fellow A-Netters will!
My glorious view for the next 9+ hours
Sorry for the pic size above...I couldn't get this one to upload properly...
A procession of 757's....
We sat at the gate for around 45 minutes while a replacement tug (our original was down for the count) was brought into place. I didn't mind at all, I was thrilled to be on my first A330 and about to embark on my first transatlantic trip!
When we finally departed it was close to sunset, making for a beautiful scene once we broke through the dense cloud layer that covered the Twin Cities.
About 1.5 hours into our flight, meal service began. Below are a few pictures of the meal which I recall as being quite filling and of good quality.
An aspect of the experience that I was impressed with was Delta's IFE system. I was worried about a lack of choices, but I was able to fill most of the flight with movies I had wanted to see, but didn't have the time to watch.
The flight crew was top-notch, I was sincerely worried about some of the horror stories I had heard with regards to the quality (or lack thereof) in legacy carrier flight crews. This uneasy notion was quickly put to rest however, I felt as though the FA's truly enjoyed their jobs and serving Delta's customers. It was very refreshing to see!
Customs/Immigration was a breeze at AMS; we arrived just after 6:00 local time, so the lines were minimal.
I will post Part 2 to this trip in the very near future. In the meantime, any comments, suggestions, or questions can be posted.
Thanks so much for reading my first (of many) trip report!
Continental From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 5476 posts, RR: 21 Reply 1, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 7090 times:
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): Assistance please; Is this an A321? I've seen this plane several times at MSP, and before someone says it, I know it's a dumb question! =)
Absolutely an A321. But I'm not sure how long it has been since it began regularly scheduled service to MSP.
usflyer msp From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1784 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (2 years 7 months 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 6419 times:
Quoting Continental (Reply 1): Absolutely an A321. But I'm not sure how long it has been since it began regularly scheduled service to MSP.
US has been flying MSP-PHX with A321's for a little over two years. US is scheduling an A321 on MSP-PHL for short time in November as well.
BA319-131 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 8258 posts, RR: 56 Reply 4, posted (2 years 7 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 5943 times:
Nice 1st TR, thanks for posting.
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): Assistance please; Is this an A321? I've seen this plane several times at MSP
- Yep, is indeed.
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): About 1.5 hours into our flight, meal service began. Below are a few pictures of the meal which I recall as being quite filling and of good quality.
- Well the quantity seems ok though hope it tasted better than it looks!
Indeed as mentioned above. What gives it away are the big doors in front and aft of the wing. The a320 has 2 smaller doors over the wing (and the a319 and a318 have one small door over the wing).
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): I was thrilled to be on my first A330 and about to embark on my first transatlantic trip!
I can imagine, I still haven't flown the a330. Very high on my to-fly list!
Julian773 From Australia, joined Aug 2009, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (2 years 7 months 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 5829 times:
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): Truth be told, I was actually looking forward to the flight and the experience onboard more than sightseeing in The Netherlands!
CaptainRed From Germany, joined Oct 2010, 578 posts, RR: 19 Reply 7, posted (2 years 7 months 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 5734 times:
Hey cargord,
thanks for this report and welcome to this forum. Well done!
Having also joined airliners.net only recently I know how hard and time consuming it is to write your first report.
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): and I was going to travel on one of my favorite planes to watch soar over my apartment building in Minneapolis, the A330
Yes, the A330 is definitely a nice airplane, I have logged some flights on it with USAirways a couple of years ago.
Quoting BA319-131 (Reply 4): - Well the quantity seems ok though hope it tasted better than it looks!
That were exactly my thoughts after looking at this picture
So how did you like Amsterdam, and Europe in general?
767747 From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 1748 posts, RR: 26 Reply 8, posted (2 years 7 months 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 5560 times:
Thanks for the good report! It's nice to see a report from MSP; as that is also my home airport!
US Airways has been utilizing the A321 on their MSP-PHX flight for quite some time; its nice to see in MSP as its the only airline that offers this service here.
I flew on a NWA A330-300 in early 2008 from MSP to LGW and the food service was very similiar .. I remember the pasta being good, but everything else was just ok.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6183 posts, RR: 79 Reply 9, posted (2 years 7 months 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 4785 times:
Nice first report!
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): Truth be told, I was actually looking forward to the flight and the experience onboard more than sightseeing in The Netherlands!
Sounds familiar...
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): I was really excited to fly on a NWA painted ship for a final time before everything went to DL livery. My wife really didn't understand the significance, but I know my fellow A-Netters will!
Of course we understand. And NWA colors look so much better than DL colors on the A330, don't they?
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): Below are a few pictures of the meal which I recall as being quite filling and of good quality.
The presentation is quite bad, but taste is more important anyway.
flightsimboy From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 848 posts, RR: 4 Reply 10, posted (2 years 7 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 4742 times:
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): Assistance please; Is this an A321? I've seen this plane several times at MSP, and before someone says it, I know it's a dumb question! =)
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): Indeed as mentioned above. What gives it away are the big doors in front and aft of the wing. The a320 has 2 smaller doors over the wing (and the a319 and a318 have one small door over the wing).
The biggest dead giveaway is the length of the aircraft. It's the longest of the baby airbuses..the A318 being the smallest. Give me a baby airbus to fly on anyday!!
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): was worried about a lack of choices, but I was able to fill most of the flight with movies I had wanted to see, but didn't have the time to watch
I keep on saying better to have a limited choice, and hopefully movies you do want to see, rather than something like Emirates ICE with countless movies where you usually land up watching nothing. lol
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): This uneasy notion was quickly put to rest however, I felt as though the FA's truly enjoyed their jobs and serving Delta's customers
I flew NW and I found their FAs to be really nice! I even remember an FA rushing out of the aircraft to the gate area to hand a stuffed toy to one of it's younger passengers who had left it onboard. (I'm usually one of the last to leave an aircraft). Also wouldn't these be NW FAs really on board this flight.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 9): The presentation is quite bad, but taste is more important anyway
That meal looks like a TV dinner thawed out, and that salad looks like it's out a bag lying out all day...just terrible, but it's the taste that matters I guess.
akhmad From Netherlands, joined Sep 2005, 2325 posts, RR: 53 Reply 11, posted (2 years 7 months 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 4589 times:
Hi cargord,
Nice first TR! I would say I am eager for more.
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): Truth be told, I was actually looking forward to the flight and the experience onboard more than sightseeing in The Netherlands!
I know that feeling.
Quoting cargord (Thread starter): When we finally departed it was close to sunset, making for a beautiful scene once we broke through the dense cloud layer that covered the Twin Cities.
Just from curiosity, did you capture the sunset view?
ATLflyer From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 704 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 4111 times:
Great start...next time try to include some pics of the IFE and the cabin. Then it would be excellent.
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