Check in
Usually the board would be full
N665BC at gate 6. It had arrived from Philly, 3 hours earlier
American Eagle “Piedmont” 4814
Syracuse, NY (SYR) – Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
Embraer E145
N665BC
Seat 17A
Scheduled Departure Time – 3:30pm
Actual Departure Time- 3:32pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 4:39pm
Actual Arrival Time- 4:15pm
43 minutes
Boarding
17A
This flight was pretty full, since it was one of the few flights AA had. We pushed back at 3:20pm, 10 minutes ahead of our scheduled departure time. Once the engines were started, we quickly taxied to runway 10 and took off.
We climbed up to 16,000ft for a little bit. A few minutes later we went down to 12,000ft for a few more minutes. The flight attendant did not do any service, and the flight went by quickly. We descended straight in from the north, and landed on runway 17 at 4:15pm. It was quick taxi to gate F29, after landing.
Descending
Final runway 17
Pulling into the gate
N665BC’s next flight, was down to Roanoke
The airport was busier than when I was at ORD in April, but it was still pretty quiet. Most of the flights were leaving by 6:00pm.
American 324
Philadelphia, PA (PHL) – Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
Airbus A321
N179UW
Seat 12A
Scheduled Departure Time – 6:00pm
Actual Departure Time- 6:05pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 8:21pm
Actual Arrival Time- 7:45pm
4 hours 40 minutes
N179UW arrived earlier in the day from Charlotte
Boarding started at 5:20pm. This flight was not full. There were only about 40 people on this flight, so by 5:40pm everyone had boarded, and we were ready to go. A few of the flight attendants on this flight were pretty miserable. There was a pilot a few rows ahead of me, who was commuting to PHX. He was sitting in the window, near the door. One of the flight attendants told him to move to the middle or the aisle, because “There is no need for you to be sitting near the emergency exit, when there is no one next to you.” Once she left, he rolled his eyes and moved over. Another person asked her if they could move, to an open row. Without turning around, she said “whatever”. Another flight attendant came through to close the bins, and was slamming them down really loudly. A few minutes later this same flight attendant came through with Purell wipes, and was practically throwing them at people.
Boarding
12A, next to N581UW that had just arrived from Phoenix. It did not leave for another two days, to Charlotte
The door was closed at 5:45pm, and we pushed back two minutes later. Once the engines were running, we started the taxi towards 9L.
Pushing back next to N912DE. It had flown up the day before, from Atlanta. It was still here a few days later, when I was at PHL again. It ended up sitting in Philly for 10 days, and was retired a week after that
Taking off
Once we were in the air, we made a left turn to the north, before making another turn back to the west
Climbing out of PHL
We climbed through a few cloud layers, before leveling off at 38,000ft, where we stayed for the entire flight. Other than some weather over Indiana and Illinois, it was a smooth and uneventful flight out to Phoenix. The plane’s Wi-Fi was not working. I forgot to download some stuff on my phone, so it was a long and boring flight. The flight attendants did not do any service, and walked through periodically to collect any trash people had. The woman in the row ahead of me at one point rang her call bell. No one came, and she waited a few minutes before ringing it again. One of the rude flight attendants came up, and said “you know you only have to ring it once”. She asked for a water, and the flight attendant headed toward the back. It was probably another 5 minutes, before she came back with a bottle of water.
Another empty cabin
Cruising
The sun started to set, about an hour before landing
Descending on the EAGUL6 arrival
Final runway 26
We came in a little high and it was a steep descent, as we turned final
Touchdown
After landing, we came to a stop while we were taxiing. It was about 10 minute wait, for our gate to open up
N179UW at gate A13. It spent two days in Phoenix, before flying back to Philadelphia
I spent the next day packing up my apartment. The following day I was moving. I was supposed to be flying out late that night, on a redeye to CLT. The flight was supposed to be on a 737-800, which was different. Almost always the CLT redeye flights out of PHX are on the A321, or occasionally an A320. The night before, the moving company called me. They were going to be coming earlier in the day, then I was hoping for. I would be done with the move by the early afternoon. My apartment was empty, and I did not have my car. It was over 100 degrees, so there was not much to do outside, and most places were closed anyway. So I called AA, and explained my situation. They allowed me to switch on to a flight that left earlier in the evening, but had an extra layover at LAX. With this flight I only ended up having to kill time until the flight at 8:30pm. As opposed to my original flight, that was not leaving until 1am. After checking in and dropping my bag, I went up to the top of the parking garage, to watch my plane land.
N411AN at gate A3, after arriving from Washington DC
N8302F pushing back, also going to Los Angeles
N974UY landing, from the same flight I took a few days before from Philadelphia
It was a nice night for flying
American 445
Phoenix, AZ (PHX) – Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Airbus A321neo
N411AN
Seat 9A
Scheduled Departure Time – 8:26pm
Actual Departure Time- 8:32pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 10:03pm
Actual Arrival Time- 9:36pm
1 hour 4 minutes
This flight, just like most were not full. There were 23 passengers on this flight. Everyone boarded quickly, and we were pushing by 8:20pm. This plane was brand new. It was delivered 2 and a half months, before the flight. The cabin was still clean and looked a lot nicer, then the Ex US A321s. Like the one I flew from PHL-PHX, a few days earlier.
9A, next to N776SK that flew the following afternoon to Lubbock
Taking off
Climbing out of PHX
We climbed up to 28,000ft, for the short flight over to LAX. Just like on all the other flights, the flight attendants did not do any service. The only thing that happened, involved the person behind me. Once we leveled off, he decided to go talk to the person a few rows back. By talk I mean, practically yelling. He was very loud, and obviously drunk. He was telling the person how there were 5 bars he was planning on going to in LA, once we landed. He also added that by the time the night was over, he would probably be in jail. A flight attendant came up to him, and told him to go back to his seat and be quiet. A few minutes later, he got up again. This time he was playing a harmonica, and being very loud and obnoxious. The same flight attendant came back up to him. She said if he got up again or caused any kind of disturbance, she would get the captain involved. She also added, that he might call the police to meet the plane when we landed. After this he was quiet, for the rest of the flight.
Descending
Touchdown
N411AN spent the night at LAX. It left the following afternoon, to DCA
As I was deplaning, the drunk guy was behind me. He asked the gate agent, “where is the closest place, I can get an alcoholic beverage.” The gate agent said they are all closed, and most of the state is on lockdown. I had 2 and a half hours, until my next flight. About an hour later, I saw the drunk guy walking around the airport. This time he had a guitar and apparently made a new friend, as they were wandering around the airport.
American 74
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
Airbus A321
N908AA
Seat 26A
Scheduled Departure Time – 11:55pm
Actual Departure Time- 12:19am
Scheduled Arrival Time – 8:04am
Actual Arrival Time- 8:07am
4 hours 48 minutes
26A, next to N816AA that had arrived earlier in the evening from Honolulu
This flight was actually pretty full. Most aisle and window seats were full. They had all the middle seats blocked out. There were a few people towards the back of the plane, that were concerned with the amount of people on the plane. All the rows in the back were full, with people in every window and aisle seat. We ended up pushing back a few minutes after midnight, and were in the air at 12:19am.
Pushed back
Taking off
Climbing out of LAX, on the OSHNN8 departure
Shortly after takeoff I fell asleep, and woke up about 3 hours into the flight. About 30 minutes before landing, the lights were turned on and an announcement was made. They were looking for a doctor or medical professional. Apparently, a woman on the plane was having chest pain. When we landed everyone had to stay seated. Police and paramedics met the plane at the gate. Once the woman was off, everyone else was allowed to deplane.
Cruising
Sun starting to come up
Starting the descent into an overcast Philadelphia
Final runway 9R
Touchdown
N908AA at gate C29. It had a few hours on the ground, before its next flight up to Boston
I had a few hours in PHL. I walked over to the F gates, and waited until my flight started boarding.
American Eagle “Piedmont” 4775
Philadelphia, PA (PHL) – Syracuse, NY (SYR)
Embraer E145
N699AE
Seat 18C
Scheduled Departure Time – 10:55am
Actual Departure Time- 11:22am
Scheduled Arrival Time – 12:13pm
Actual Arrival Time- 12:05pm
43 minutes
N699AE at gate F5. It had flown down from Albany, earlier in the morning
18C, next to N683AE about to depart to Greenville/Spartanburg
I had been sitting in 18A. The flight attendant on this flight, was also less then friendly. She said you need to move to the other side. I asked why? She said because I asked you. I preferred the other side, since it only had the one seat. But no one was on the aisle, and I didn’t care to continue the conversation with her, so I just moved over.
Taxiing
We taxied onto the runway, and then we taxied off. Taxied down a little bit, made a 180 and taxied back down to the full length, on the opposite side. The captain said a warning light came on, and they were working with maintenance to try and fix it. Luckily it was a quick fix. About 10 minutes later, we taxied back on the runway and took off.
Cruising
Turning final runway 10
Taxiing into the gate
Parking at gate 6
When I went down to baggage claim, I found my bag. Both the zippers were broken, and I was not able to close my bag. I had to fill out a report, and then bring my bag to the airport another day. They sent it to Dallas to be fixed. I got it back about a week later. It has definitely been different flying lately. It is crazy being on a plane with 196 seats, that only have 23 people on them. Hopefully things are able to turn around soon.
