Welcome to my first Trip Report! I apologize for the lack of photos on the first segment as I was not originally planning to do a TR.
It was time for me to go visit some family in the NYC area and I would be traveling from northern Vermont. Looking at my options I had 4:
B6 to JFK
DL to LGA
AMTRAK
Megabus
I decided to book a very cheap fare on BTV-JFK and use my TrueBlue points on JFK-BTV. This turned out to be only a bit more than the cheapest option (Megabus).
I woke up at about 3:30am for a 6:00am departure for JFK. After a quiet one hour drive to BTV I went inside to check in (no curbside here). The friendly agent checked me in. She seemed surprised when she learned I was only going to JFK and not connecting elsewhere.
I proceeded to security where there was about a 15 minute wait. Between 5:30a and 7:00a there are 4 flights departing from the south concourse at BTV (DL CR7 to LGA, B6 E90 to JFK, DL CRJ to DTW & DL MD88 to ATL). I wonder how the new ATL service is doing since this flight has been on/off the past few years and is now running daily on mainline.
 |
| BTV rush hour. This DL CRJ would be heading to DTW later in the morning. |
I grabbed a coffee and muffin from the Skinny Pancake (new BTV post-security restaurant) and headed over to a busy Gate 15. Due to all the flights departing (see above) in a gate space designed for only about 150 people it was hard to find a seat, but BTV has large rocking chairs facing the windows and I scored one directly adjacent to gate!
A few minutes later the BTV ground crew began boarding (on time) with EMS passengers and pre-boarding (one really LOUD baby
. Then, rows 20-25 were called and being in 21A I boarded the E90. Unfortunately the loud baby was sitting behind me a was wailing during boarding, but fell asleep during taxi.
Jetblue Airways 233
Embraer 190
Departure (scheduled): 6:00AM
Departure (gate): 5:52AM
Departure (runway): 6:11AM
Arrival (scheduled): 7:21AM
Arrival (runway): 7:14AM
Arrival (gate): 7:19AM
Flight time:
Scheduled: 1 hour 20 minutes
Actual (gate to gate): 1 hour 18 minutes
Actual (wheels up-wheels down): 1 hour 3 minutes
Seat: 21A
Load: ~80%
Boarding was completed quickly and the BTV supervisor came on the PA to wish us safe travels and thank us for choosing Jetblue (nice touch). The door shut and we pushed back a few minutes early. But then it seemed like we just sat on the taxiway with the tug still attached for about 15 minutes. The Delta CR7 to LGA was already running late and now we were blocking the taxiway! I could see the DL ramp supervisor having a fit. Still don't know what was wrong. Everyone was wondering what was going on, but then tug brought us out and the B6 BTV Jetblue employees waved goodbye to us from the apron (again nice touch). We had a short taxi to the runway and took off toward the south.
I enjoyed the XM radio & DIRECTV on my PTV. There were two female FAs: one middle-aged and one young; they seemed to be enjoying their jobs and constantly came around asking if we needed anything. B6 runs an express drink/ snack service on their short flights. Today, choices were Dunkin Donuts Coffee/ OJ/ Water with a choice of cookies or peanuts for snacks.
 |
| Over the Southern Vermont |
 |
| Legroom is good here. |
Soon, we began our descent over New Jersey, passing over Yonkers and Pelham Bay, circumventing JFK and going back out over the Atlantic. Then we reemerged over Long Island flying parallel to Manhattan before turning right to land at JFK.
 |
| Descending over New Jersey. |
 |
| Approaching Long Island |
We had a smooth landing, passing a few other B6 jets and a UA 757. We taxied to T5 and deplaned. Our E90 would continue on to RDU.
 |
| Pulling up next to a busy T5. |
 |
| Another E90. This one would be going to BUF. |
I then hopped on the AirTrain, transferring to the MTA Subway and it was time to enjoy NYC!!
---------------------
After a weekend in the Big Apple it was time to go back to BTV. I hopped on the Subway at about 8:30PM (10:45pm flight) and transferred to the AirTrain which brought me to T5 at 9:30.
 |
| Boarding the AirTrain |
 |
| Welcome to T5 |
Due to all of the merchandise I had purchased that weekend I decided to check my bag, but because I had checked-in and pulled up my BP on my phone I was directed to the Bag Drop and avoided the long line at the Full Service check-in. When I got to the podium the friendly agent could not scan my mobile BP, so she proceeded to print me a new one. I took this opportunity to switch my original seat, 16B, and asked for a window seat. No problem the agent said, and just like that 2A was my new seat
 |
| Check-In |
I breezed through TSA, grabbed a bite to eat and headed down to the gate, which would be 15.
 |
| T5 post-security and FIDS |
I arrived at the gate and the agent announced that we would be boarding on-time today, despite the rain falling outside. However, about 5 minutes before boarding she told us that our crew would be late coming in from CLT. The post-announcement mob surrounded the podium, but the agents could not give us a new ETD and ETA because "the system hadn't updated" . IMO the agents seemed more into talking about how they were going to change their shifts to avoid the bad WX this week than helping the passengers
 |
Anyhow, the CLT flight finally arrived and the crew boarded around 10:35. We boarded at 10:45 and everyone was on at about 11:00PM.
 |
| Boarding |
The door closed just past 11:00 and we sat at the gate for about 10 minutes until I saw the jetway moving back towards us. I immediately expected the worse and braced myself
. Luckily, about 5 more pax came onboard and the gate agents apologized, saying that we had some late connectors come on board. FYI, in 2006 when I traveled BTV-JFK-FLL, the same thing happened to me (plane at gate, but door closed) and they would not reopen the flight. Oh well. It was the last flight of the night and one of the pax had a baby with them. The safety demo was re-done.
The doors were re-closed, but once again we sat motionless for about 15 minutes until we pushed back.
Definitely some great aircraft on our taxi out to the runway: AF 777, EK A380, DL767, BA 744 and much more! Unfortunately there little spotting today as it was too dark.
But...
 |
| BA rush hour. A 744 and 777 going to LHR |
Jetblue Airways 234
Embraer 190
Departure (scheduled): 10:45PM
Departure (gate): 11:16PM
Departure (runway): 12:02AM
Arrival (scheduled): 12:01AM
Arrival (runway): 12:56AM
Arrival (gate): 12:58AM
Flight time:
Scheduled: 1 hour 16 minutes
Actual (gate to gate): 1 hour 42 minutes
Actual (wheels up-wheels down): 55 minutes
Seat: 2A
Load: ~90%
We sat in a long queue for about 35 minutes and then took off toward the south I believe.
 |
| Over New York near HPN. |
Unfortunately my XM Radio and Live Map had gone tech, but I was able to watch the DIRECTV. This was the second time my XM Radio was not working on a B6 flight. I can't wait for the WiFi to be installed.
FAs were two middle aged women who were very friendly. Inflight service was the B6 "express" service again. Drink choices were Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or water while we had a choice of chocolate chip cookies or Blue Chips for snack choices. I asked the FA if I could have some milk with my cookies and she happily gave me some!
 |
| Midnight Snack. Way to go B6! |
After a quick flight, the captain came on the PA and announced our descent into BTV. We came in over the airport flew out toward Grand Isle and came in from the north.
 |
| Approcaching BTV. |
We pulled into Gate 15 next to a DL CRJ just before 1:00AM
 |
| A rather bored and tired waited for us inside the jetway. |
 |
| BTV South Concourse. It is used by DL, B6 and PD (seasonal) |
Bags were out on the carousel soon after and I was on my way home!
----
Conclusion
Once again, B6 got the job done on this short segment. Great service across the board, save for the gate agents in JFK. Like other A-Netters have posted the same thing, I think that the B6 agents at JFK are still too "New Yorker" and aren't in touch with the B6 brand. The BTV staff and the inflight crew are great though. I'm looking forward to flying B6 soon and eventually earning Mosaic!
My next TR will be split up into 3 parts on DL:
FLL-ATL-SLC
SLC-SNA
SNA-ATL-FLL
Safe travels,
THEFLLFLYER
