I purchased four round trips on NW from Was to Las for $145.8 each. This is the third of three that had identical outbound itineraries.
Scheduled:
Sa NW 0673 dep Dca 1430 arr Msp 1612 DC9s seat 02B
Sa NW 0781 dep Msp 1725 arr Las 1852 B757 seat 01C
Sa NW 1194 dep Las 2230 arr Dtw 0515 B757 seat 01D
Su NW 0260 dep Dtw 0630 arr Dca 0756 B757 seat 04B
Actual:
Sa NW 0882 dep Dca 1710 arr Mem 1834 A320 seat 03B
Sa NW 0525 dep Mem 1950 arr Las 2129 A320 seat 04D
Su NW 0670 dep Las 0100 arr Dtw 0920 A319 seat 01D
Su NW 0228 dep Dtw 1029 arr Dca 1151 A319 seat 04B
My travel this time was not "eligible for online at home check in". So I proceeded quickly to the check in kiosk at NW as soon as I arrived at Dca terminal "A", where I was greeted by name by the machine. It told me, "We were unable to assign you a seat. Proceed to the gate for seat assignment". Well excuse me, I received my upgrade to first class and seat assignment a week ago.
I made my way through the security screening process and found a line at gate "4" one hour before departure. I joined a line of about a dozen pax. I learned quickly that the gate agent was looking for 28 volunteers to come off the plane due to a weight problem. It seems that our elderly DC9 flight to Msp would face fierce headwinds and could not carry a full load of pax nonstop.
Two agents worked frantically trying to sort out the mess. Many potential volunteers were turned away by the prospect of spending the night in a hotel near the airport and then flying on the next day. There were no more seats to Msp available the rest of the day. When my turn came I requested a routing via Mem. The friendly agent advised me that my ground time in Las Vegas would narrow from three hours to thirty minutes and asked how long I would like to stay. She offered to have me fly home on Monday, the holiday. If I didn't already have plans here involving others I would have accepted. I asked for an interesting routing that would still keep me in first class. She booked me on a Sunday 1 a.m. departure to Dtw with an intermediate stop at Mke and gave me a three hundred dollar voucher and wished me good luck at the slots.
I had two hours to kill so I just hung around terminal "A" and watched the departing flights. AirTran had hung a "we are overbooked" sign out regarding their next departure to Atl and when that plane had pushed back I watched the agent process paperwork for those who did not go. I watched a NW departure for Ind and another for Dtw. Spirit launched flights to Fll and Dtw.
My flight to Mem was not full - even in first. We were offered pre flight beverages. I had an empty next to me. First class was about half full. The flight was comfortable and the cabin service was friendly and attentive. We landed at Mem after dark.
I always try to check upon deplaning where the aircraft is headed next. Lucky me. The same aircraft would carry me to Las in about an hour. The next thing I noticed in the boarding area was a shirtless man and lots of people looking at him. The airport police arrived in a few minutes and were directed to him by the gate agent.
Here is the story. His girl friend related that they were returning from a vacation in the Caribbean where he had become severely sunburned. During this change of planes she had purchased some lotion and had applied it to his back and he would put his shirt back on once the lotion dried. Apparently that was not fast enough for the airport police. They did not leave until he had put a shirt back on. End of drama.
My flight to Las was full in first class but we had a few empties in coach. Boarding began about forty minutes before departure but there was no time for pre flight beverages which did not sit well with a few pax who complained. Then fueling began. We left Mem about one hour late. Still no time for pre flight beverages.
Our flight was comfortable and cabin service was friendly and efficient. Arrival into the Las Vegas area was as beautiful at night as ever. I could see every casino on the Strip from the Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere on approach to the field.
Once on the ground I left the secure area and printed my boarding docs at the NW ticketing area from a machine. I went back through security and relaxed and people and plane watched during my two hour visit.
My flight to Dtw (via Mke) was listed on the departure monitor as departing from gate D14 so that is where I waited. At fifteen minutes to departure I walked around the concourse because I was concerned by the lack of an aircraft at gate D14 which was still listed as our departure gate. I discovered my flight in the final boarding stages at gate D7. There had been no announcements by Northwest. I boarded. We left on time and took off to the west followed by two right turns which gave us socko views of the Las Vegas Strip. I slept all the way to Mke.
I was surprised at the NW presence at Mke: a bunch of Airbus 319/320's and two B757's. The flights to Mco and Fll looked quite busy. But then it was one degree below zero F. here so I understand why. I enjoyed a good cup of coffee while I waited. We were required to leave the aircraft during our layover. I was happy to get the chance to stretch my legs.
Our flight on to Dtw took only 38 minutes yet we had pre flight beverages at the gate at Mke and a full beverage service in the air. Service was very good.
Upon landing at Dtw I learned that my departure gate was just a short walk away. Another cup of coffee and soon it was time to board. Again, first class was half full, coach less than that. Another good flight with friendly, attentive service. We landed at Dca from the north.
I had an easy trip home on metro rail and bus.
Scheduled:
Sa NW 0673 dep Dca 1430 arr Msp 1612 DC9s seat 02B
Sa NW 0781 dep Msp 1725 arr Las 1852 B757 seat 01C
Sa NW 1194 dep Las 2230 arr Dtw 0515 B757 seat 01D
Su NW 0260 dep Dtw 0630 arr Dca 0756 B757 seat 04B
Actual:
Sa NW 0882 dep Dca 1710 arr Mem 1834 A320 seat 03B
Sa NW 0525 dep Mem 1950 arr Las 2129 A320 seat 04D
Su NW 0670 dep Las 0100 arr Dtw 0920 A319 seat 01D
Su NW 0228 dep Dtw 1029 arr Dca 1151 A319 seat 04B
My travel this time was not "eligible for online at home check in". So I proceeded quickly to the check in kiosk at NW as soon as I arrived at Dca terminal "A", where I was greeted by name by the machine. It told me, "We were unable to assign you a seat. Proceed to the gate for seat assignment". Well excuse me, I received my upgrade to first class and seat assignment a week ago.
I made my way through the security screening process and found a line at gate "4" one hour before departure. I joined a line of about a dozen pax. I learned quickly that the gate agent was looking for 28 volunteers to come off the plane due to a weight problem. It seems that our elderly DC9 flight to Msp would face fierce headwinds and could not carry a full load of pax nonstop.
Two agents worked frantically trying to sort out the mess. Many potential volunteers were turned away by the prospect of spending the night in a hotel near the airport and then flying on the next day. There were no more seats to Msp available the rest of the day. When my turn came I requested a routing via Mem. The friendly agent advised me that my ground time in Las Vegas would narrow from three hours to thirty minutes and asked how long I would like to stay. She offered to have me fly home on Monday, the holiday. If I didn't already have plans here involving others I would have accepted. I asked for an interesting routing that would still keep me in first class. She booked me on a Sunday 1 a.m. departure to Dtw with an intermediate stop at Mke and gave me a three hundred dollar voucher and wished me good luck at the slots.
I had two hours to kill so I just hung around terminal "A" and watched the departing flights. AirTran had hung a "we are overbooked" sign out regarding their next departure to Atl and when that plane had pushed back I watched the agent process paperwork for those who did not go. I watched a NW departure for Ind and another for Dtw. Spirit launched flights to Fll and Dtw.
My flight to Mem was not full - even in first. We were offered pre flight beverages. I had an empty next to me. First class was about half full. The flight was comfortable and the cabin service was friendly and attentive. We landed at Mem after dark.
I always try to check upon deplaning where the aircraft is headed next. Lucky me. The same aircraft would carry me to Las in about an hour. The next thing I noticed in the boarding area was a shirtless man and lots of people looking at him. The airport police arrived in a few minutes and were directed to him by the gate agent.
Here is the story. His girl friend related that they were returning from a vacation in the Caribbean where he had become severely sunburned. During this change of planes she had purchased some lotion and had applied it to his back and he would put his shirt back on once the lotion dried. Apparently that was not fast enough for the airport police. They did not leave until he had put a shirt back on. End of drama.
My flight to Las was full in first class but we had a few empties in coach. Boarding began about forty minutes before departure but there was no time for pre flight beverages which did not sit well with a few pax who complained. Then fueling began. We left Mem about one hour late. Still no time for pre flight beverages.
Our flight was comfortable and cabin service was friendly and efficient. Arrival into the Las Vegas area was as beautiful at night as ever. I could see every casino on the Strip from the Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere on approach to the field.
Once on the ground I left the secure area and printed my boarding docs at the NW ticketing area from a machine. I went back through security and relaxed and people and plane watched during my two hour visit.
My flight to Dtw (via Mke) was listed on the departure monitor as departing from gate D14 so that is where I waited. At fifteen minutes to departure I walked around the concourse because I was concerned by the lack of an aircraft at gate D14 which was still listed as our departure gate. I discovered my flight in the final boarding stages at gate D7. There had been no announcements by Northwest. I boarded. We left on time and took off to the west followed by two right turns which gave us socko views of the Las Vegas Strip. I slept all the way to Mke.
I was surprised at the NW presence at Mke: a bunch of Airbus 319/320's and two B757's. The flights to Mco and Fll looked quite busy. But then it was one degree below zero F. here so I understand why. I enjoyed a good cup of coffee while I waited. We were required to leave the aircraft during our layover. I was happy to get the chance to stretch my legs.
Our flight on to Dtw took only 38 minutes yet we had pre flight beverages at the gate at Mke and a full beverage service in the air. Service was very good.
Upon landing at Dtw I learned that my departure gate was just a short walk away. Another cup of coffee and soon it was time to board. Again, first class was half full, coach less than that. Another good flight with friendly, attentive service. We landed at Dca from the north.
I had an easy trip home on metro rail and bus.
He loves only gold. He loves gold. And platinum, too.
