Maiden DONE4

[Stoopidsteve]

And so to bed. Good night dear fellow frequent flyers.Only remains to ask if anyone else sees an inherent contradiction in this picture?

 

[JohnM]

And so to bed. Good night dear fellow frequent flyers.Only remains to ask if anyone else sees an inherent contradiction in this picture?
View attachment 7916

It's only to confuse the baddies :mrgreen:.

 

[amaroo]

Love your work.

If you could get a photo doing a pre-flight inspection on a 737 - you'll get full marks

 

[Stoopidsteve]

If you could get a photo doing a pre-flight inspection on a 737 - you'll get full marks

Not a 737, but here I am with a 747 wheel....



and making sure we haven't caught any birds.....

 

[Stoopidsteve]

and they obviously knew I was coming....

 

[SeatBackForward]

and they obviously knew I was coming....
View attachment 7920

Where's the hat?

Sent from my HTC Desire using AustFreqFly

 

[k3nnis]

Hi Steve,

What do you work as?

 

[moa999]

Love it.
Love the Beanie.
Gladto see the upgrade came thru. Assume WP by the end of all of this!

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Saturday 16th June:
A successful couple of days work, then ugh. 0430 alarm call again. Remind me, whose silly idea was it to do a status run after Washington to get to WP? Oh yes, that’s right, me. CURSE YOU AFF for opening my eyes to the joys of status runs. Before I started reading here I would have been happy to fly direct there and back, but no, now I cannot fly direct when there’s a connector, or a sector unused on a xONE4….

OK, back to resuming the day’s excitement.
The advantage early flight is the quick and easy cab ride DC-BWI (you’ll recall I used the AMTRAK to get BWI to DC on Wednesday rush hour). Cab left hotel at 5am, at BWI within 35 min.
Kerbside checkin gets boarding passes…which show OW Ruby. I went to the desk, where a nice lady tried removing and putting QFF number back in, but no joy. Oh well, I’ll keep an eye on points and SC to check they get credited correctly.

Having been excited by the additional SC of flying to BWI over IAD, I now find the downside…no lounge. OH NO, WOE IS ME. Do they expect me to sit with the great unwashed now I’ve reached the exalted but unacknowledged heights of Gold? (and yes I’m being facetious). BWI at this time of morning is quiet, clean, relaxed. A pleasant leisurely breakfast, a bit of people watching, and life is good.

I went for a run around the Mall yesterday, passing Capitol, and multiple memorials: Jefferson, Washington; Roosevelt, taking a break at Lincoln, and taking time to read the “four score and seven…” speech, and the second inauguration speech. A walk to the Vietnam and WWII memorials…and a contemplative jog back to the hotel past Michelle and Barack’s little pad. Contemplation in which I remind myself that any importance I attach to my own life, any problems I think I have, any contributions I’m making to the world, all pale into insignificance compared to the sacrifices made by each and every person commemorated in those memorials, the milestones those leaders oversaw and brought into being: in the face of such greatness and such simple sacrifice I can be nothing but humble.

Two phrases run around my mind

We stand on the shoulders of giants…

Lest we forget…

I'm reminded of this as AA1298 boards with maybe 25 uniformed service personnel boarding that flight, with some returning from overseas deployment.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

AA 1298 0705 BWI-DFW

This flight is very pleasant. Greeted on board by genuinely happy FAs (youngish) who maintain their good humour all the way. They actually appeared to love their job and be happy to be at work. And of course tickled by the obligatory pic...one of them saw the Hi-vis and asked if I work for American and am doing checks on them..



Seat 3E is nice, front row on the MD-80, nice leg room.

Boarding started 0635, I got on early as I had the two standard rollaboards (no questions asked), and doors closed at 0700. We took off a few minutes late, but still arrived 0855 (about 25 mins ahead of schedule).

Got to AC in A section of DFW and immediately sent email to AA complementing the FAs.

Next flight soon...

 

[Maca44]

Love the beanie
Love the TR
Love your work, keep it going. It's great to read things about a beanie that has been to places I haven't.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

AA 621 DFW-SEA 1045
SEAT 3E
Boarded 1025, push back 1047. Again no questions about the two standard size hand luggage, so obviously not a problem in F.

FA’s efficient and smart rather than exceptional on this flight.

I slept a fair bit of the nearly 4 hour flight. Couple in 3A 3B obviously thought rules didn’t apply to them, had to be asked to turn off phones, and put bags up, and not stand up while seat belt sign on etc etc. Does that epitomise DYKWIA behaviour?



Pleasant enough chicken salad for brunch.

Decide I quite like 3E on this config, the gap to bulkhead is perfect distance for me to put feet up (took shoes off first obviously so as not to mark their beautiful wall…yes the socks have caught the stripey theme. I swear they were plain when I put them on this morning).



Arrived just a couple of minutes late in SEA, at gate 1249 vs 1245. Last Pax offloaded at 1300, and we started boarding again at 1310.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Thought I'd better prove I got off the plane...


NOT an eyelid was batted, no comment made as I said "Hello again" to the same FA I'd said goodbye to not many minutes before. No opportunity to trot out any of the lines from the "Compendium of SC run turnaround lines" ((C) AFF 2012 from all good bookstores).

AA523 SEA-DFW 1335
Seat 4B
Capt John Lewis again, and same FAs.

Disappointed not to get 3E again, but 4B allowed me to see what I couldn’t in 3E.. the backs of the seat in front. This revealed the leather seats are looking a little worn and tatty, particularly around the seat pockets. Not sure how old the MD-80 and super80 fleet is for AA?

Another full flight.

I’ve noticed on all these AA flights that there hasn’t been any policy of front toilets for first pax. An observation rather than a criticism, because there’s only been the occasional use, and no long queues.

More chicken for lunch.

The hat demanded another photo be taken



Listened to some music and slept some more before slightly late arrival back in DFW (at gate about 1945 vs 1930 schedule).

Short but expensive cab ride to hotel, and time for shower and dinner, to prepare for tomorrow's further adventures of a beanie.

 

[moa999]

Is your OW Sapphire status showing yet? DFW is great for lounge hopping. Jump on the train and visit them all (photos in each of course) - they are all quite different in styling.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Is your OW Sapphire status showing yet? DFW is great for lounge hopping. Jump on the train and visit them all (photos in each of course) - they are all quite different in styling.

no it's not. And I agree if I had time I'd have been checking them all out! Given they are all ACs, probably not quite as interesting as my HKG lounge hopping will be next week when hopefully WP status will show on boarding card.

 

[drron]

Going to make a big call-this TR is the visual equivalent of an Eightblack TR.
Still loving it.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Going to make a big call-this TR is the visual equivalent of an Eightblack TR.
Still loving it.

nowhere near that league, but I'm humbled by the suggestion. Thanks

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Today's flying is to be DFW-MIA-LHR-MAD-LHR

So what did I learn today? That sometimes AA DOES object to pax having two rollaboard, so had to check one in. It may have something to do with the shopping I rushed through this morning making bag 2 look decidedly pregnant. Oh well, at least I persuaded them to let me pick it up again at Miami.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

STOP PRESS: BEANIE SPLITS ON "ARTISTIC DIFFERNCES"

In a shock announcement, stripey beanie announced departure from recent internet hit Stoopidity. "I could never stand being paired with that stupid hi-vis" the temperamental head gear is alleged to have muttered before heading off alone.

"No worries, mate" said front man Steve, introducing his new South American edition. Some of you Eagle eyed spotters may also note a similar theme in the shirting.



AA 967 DFW-MIA, 757 Seat 1E. 1405 departure, due MIA 1815. Left approx on time, but landed 1728.

One announcement I hadn't noticed before for those in Y wanting to buy food, NO CASH. credit card only.

Oh, and OWS now showing of AA boarding passes.

Once again, efficient, polite FAs at the front on a full flight.


Wondered if I should see if I can get a seat even further forward than 1E...

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Miami Premium Lounge
Iberia/BA "also now serving Air Berlin" In E terminal

I haven't visited this lounge before. Nice, airy feel to the place, but lots of little nooks and cabanas to hang out in, as well as the central bar (no service there while I was in) but a self pour spirits. Freely available soft drinks from fridge (a la QC in BNE), and snacks.. sandwiches, wraps, and soup. Definitely one up from standard AC, and a pleasant enough place to while away an hour or so in preparation for BA flight to London.