I've been spotting at <acronym title="San Francisco - International (SFO / KSFO), USA - California">SFO</acronym> for over 10 years and have only seen 01R arrivals once. There was a stiff east wind that morning (a rarity in the Bay Area) and I assume that was the reason, along with VFR conditions. I...
Jump to postGreat report - very amusing. Your crab idea reminds me of a recent BOS-SFO trip. I go to BOS (from SFO) about once a quarter on biz and every trip through the terminal on the way to the gate I pass the same guy selling live lobsters. With all the fresh shellfish available in San Francisco, I ususall...
Jump to postAs with many other phobias, most psychologists would recommend some form of behavioral/cognitive therapy. The logic is straightforward. The cognitive part involves providing yourself with as much information as possible about your fear. So, as was suggested by numerous people, read up on the mechani...
Jump to postAA uses the MD90 on the SFO-SNA run. I've taken it many times. Takeoff at SNA in an MD90 is incredible; I'll be flying that route again in May but AA's site says it will be a 737-800. Too bad.
Marc
I do the SFO-SNA-SFO run at least once a month, sometimes on UA, sometmes on AA. I love 757s but takeoff at SNA, in my opinion, is more intense on the MD90. Last week, the woman sitting next to me was completely freaked out by the rate of climb and then the sudden power reduction. She turned pale bu...
Jump to postMy biz takes me to SNA a great deal (from SFO), and takeoff is quite a ride. Some pilots make the "takeoff will be a little different from what you're used to" speech and some don't. Last week on an AA MD-90 we shot into the sky and the woman sitting next to me began to really panic, especially afte...
Jump to postAdd my voice to the chorus! I'll be there.
Marc Levine
San Francisco, CA
After a long work week in Boston it was time to head home to the SF Bay area. I had arranged to cash in 5000 miles to upgrade to business class, thinking that after a long week I'd appreciate free drinks and a more comfortable seat, especially for a 6 hour flight. I finished my meetings at around 2:...
Jump to postI've flown National many times on the SFO-LAS-SFO run. Nothing but good experiences. The planes are clean, the ground staff is uniformly friendly and professional and you get the sense that they are on the upswing. They are always cheaper than United and it's nice to fly the 757 on such a short hop....
Jump to postI would recommend United for this flight. I flew a United 777 from SFO-CDG last winter and it was a great experience. The 777 was a treat, the service in coach was very good and the price was right (less than $600).
A funny addendum to this story--well, maybe not so funny. A big deal was made out of this on local news stations here in San Francisco. Seems any time any aircraft enroute or departing from SFO has any problem at all the local news folks go rabid. Anyway, KCBS, the local all-news station, was interv...
Jump to postI'm a loyal United customer but I will not fly them until this work slowdown is over. Last week I flew American on a SFO-DFW-RIC-DFW-SFO run and, after not flying American domestic for over 5 years, I found it to be about the same as United, perhaps even a bit better due to the increased leg room. F...
Jump to postSince my travel plans in the upcoming weeks will take me to both RIC and BOS (from SFO), I rang up my travel agent to see what deals are available. I've dealt with her for many many years (she's been in business since the 70s) and through her numerous contacts she is certainly "in the know." She adv...
Jump to postOAK-SNA I had a lunch meeting to attend in Newport Beach. Normally, I'd take my usual United flight out of SFO but timing was crucial. I was only going to be down there for a few hours and I absolutely could not be late. I wasn't particularly worried about United but I was very worried about possibl...
Jump to postIn the mid-eighties I took an JFK-SFO flight on United. I was lucky enough to be sitting in first class and when I boarded who did I see but Joltin' Joe DiMaggio sitting across the aisle from me. Everyone knew who he was and respected his privacy, well, at least until the end of the flight when 3 or...
Jump to postWell, I had to spend the night at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam back in the early 80's. I was in my late teens and after a few months backpacking through Europe (how cliched, eh?) I had absolutely no money left in my pocket for my last night in Amsterdam. I was booked on a morning flight to JFK so I...
Jump to postPlans for new runway configurations for SFO are moving along. I read recently that the Airport authority has narrowed the design options considerably and also that they are actively attempting to persuade the powers that be to shorten the Environmental Impact Report process. Yes, the environmentalis...
Jump to postI've flown National three times on the SFO-LAS route and they are, without doubt, my first choice to Vegas. The planes are roomy, all of the staff (both on the ground and in the air) act professionally and show a service orientation, and their fares always seem to be lower than their competitors. On...
Jump to postMine was on a KLM flight (AMS-JFK) in the mid-eighties. I had just spent a week in Amsterdam partying and it was time to get back home. Shortly after takeoff I began to feel seriously ill to my stomach. It was nothing I ate on the plane just, I figured, the cumulative effects of a week of non-stop c...
Jump to postI think the short- and long- term survival of the airline depends on public perception. Is the airline perceived as a party interested in doing all they can for the families and assisting investigators in any way possible? Or are they perceived as more interested in shifting blame, and denying any c...
Jump to postIf they're the easiest to control then why the need for enhanced measures? I'm not sure I follow the slippery slope from airport security to the erosion of civil liberties (but I'm sure you'll explain it to me in your reply).
Jump to postHmmm...hands down I'd be off to Paris. Nothing can really compare to Ville Lumiere. Of course, United's 777 SFO-CDG service wouldn't be a bad way to start the trip. The missus and I would stay in a beautiful apartment in the St. Germain area, hit the food markets in the morning, the art museums in t...
Jump to postThe arrivals screen did indeed say "see agent." Since this was an international flight, passengers could not be met at the gate but rather in the concourse of the international terminal where they would emerge after clearing customs. Local news reports last night indicated that public address announ...
Jump to postTry a consulting gig with one of the big accounting firms (e.g., Ernst & Young, Deloitte & Touche, etc). Every week you fly to the client site first thing Monday morning and you return late Thursday evening. Believe me, even for a flying enthusiast, it gets old, principally because you take the same...
Jump to postI flew LAX-SFO last week on a United B735 and our cruise altitude was 310. It took us 1hr and 20 mins due to a 20 minute holding pattern we were forced to fly because of, what else, low clouds at SFO.
Jump to postI am sitting in my office in San Francisco, CA, with a commanding view of Twin Peaks, Mt. Davidson and, behind that, the blue Pacific. It has finally stopped raining and we have hazy blue skies, which means things must be back to normal at SFO. Occasionally, I get to see some departing "heavies" hea...
Jump to postThanks for all the info. folks. I'd rather not risk an SFO-LAX leg to start our journey due to weather concerns. These flights are the first to get cancelled when low clouds or other wx is a factor at SFO. Right now it's still a toss up, but we're leaning toward the NRT connection so we can fly the ...
Jump to postI owe it all to my Dad, as seems to be the case with so many of us. Growing up, we lived only about a 10 minute drive from LGA. On Sunday mornings when I was still very young my Dad and I would go to IHOP for a pancake breakfast (thank goodness that didn't turn into an adult hobby) and then to LGA t...
Jump to postThe missus and I are in the planning stages of our annual vacation. This year it will be Thailand. We'll be departing from SFO on United. Looking at the flight schedules we basically have 2 choices, connect at NRT or HKG. Both trans-Pacific flights are on the 744, as is the HKG-BKK route. NRT-BKK is...
Jump to postNext time try National Airlines from LAX-LAS. Very competitive fares and 757 service.
Jump to postI have mixed feelings about the back-facing seats on Southwest. My first takeoff in those seats was an odd experience. Didn't much like the feeling of being pushed out of my chair. But once you're at cruise you don't really notice at all. I thought it would be good for legroom too but it wasn't. Bas...
Jump to post1L at SFO is a relatively short runway and in all my years of spotting I've never seen a 767 depart on it. You sometimes get the odd 757 but mostly its the 73s and MD80s, etc. and smaller. I do the SFO-LAX hop quite a bit and we almost always use 1L. Takeoff is usually followed by a hard left bank o...
Jump to postNever in what could be called an accident but a few scary experiences. An aborted takeoff on a snowy day at BUF on a (then) USAir DC9. Not good at all. We basically skidded to a stop, but at least we stopped or else we would have come to rest on the New York State Thruway. A scary go around in an Am...
Jump to postThough the hotel did renovate the parking lot area there are still about a dozen or so free parking spaces for those wanting to use the park. When you enter the driveway turn left. There are some benches alongside the bay and it's a great place to eat lunch and watch the birds land. Another place I ...
Jump to postI flew National Airlines on Christmas Eve from SFO-LAS. It was a 7:50pm departure and we pushed back right on time. I really like their whole operation. It's a treat to fly the 757 on such a short hop. The flight lasted 1 hour and 5 minutes and the descent into LAS was unusually smooth. Returning to...
Jump to postI've flown both El-Al and Air Canada to TLV. JFK-TLV on El-Al and SFO (via YYZ) to TLV on Air Canada. I also prefer the 747 to the 767 on trans-oceanic flights, (4 engines are better than 2 right?). The service on El-Al, however, is not the greatest. The FAs sometimes have a "why don't YOU go back t...
Jump to postThat would be great Jim, thanks. I think Radio Shack will be my first stop. Happy Holidays to you too.
Marc
I'm interested in buying a scanner so I can listen to ground and tower communications at SFO. Can anyone tell me where I can find a good one (online or otherwise)? What's a fair price? Any brands stand out? What features should I look for? Or is it as simple as going to Radio Shack and buying what t...
Jump to postOk, ok, ok, I admit it, I'm one of those folks who stands and unloads the overhead as soon as the bell chimes (never before though). Where are all you other "standers," I'm never the only one in the aisle. Here's the deal. First, I always sit on the aisle ( at 6'3" you can never have enough leg room...
Jump to postI'm flying SFO-LAS this weekend on National Airlines. I usually take the United Shuttle on this route but the notion of flying a 757 on this short hop appeals to me. That and a darned good fare. I'm wondering what to expect. I know they're expanding rapidly (which may not be a good thing) and that t...
Jump to postI do the SFO-SEA hop quite a bit and Alaska is, by far, my favorite option for that route. One of my most enjoyable flights ever was from SFO-PVR on an Alaska MD80. I was headed to Mexico for a week of vacation in the sun, as were most of the folks on board. The pilot apparently picked up on the fes...
Jump to postI do the SFO-SEA hop quite a bit and Alaska is, by far, my favorite option for that route. One of my most enjoyable flights ever was from SFO-PVR on an Alaska MD80. I was headed to Mexico for a week of vacation in the sun, as were most of the folks on board. The pilot apparently picked up on the fes...
Jump to postI flew CDG-SFO last week and the map feature was not working, even though all other video and audio channels were up and running.
Jump to postAs I'm sure many of you know, United allows passengers on its flights (per pilots discretion of course) to listen in on communications with air traffic controllers. Living in San Francisco, most of my flying is with United and I've come to really enjoy it. Returning home the other day (CDG-SFO), on ...
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