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View Full Version : Big Sky, here I come! PICS Added!



stuart schechter
2007-06-30, 02:48 AM
till I start my trek to the unknown, Montana! And on NW no less. Hope I don't get delayed because of the pilots(wink Matt).

Departs: New York-La Guardia, NY ( LGA )
Arrives: Minneapolis/St. Paul-Int'l, MN (MSP)
Gate: G17
Scheduled: 6:15AM
Scheduled Arr: 8:11AM

(insert gate spotting)

Departs: Minneapolis/St. Paul-Int'l, MN (MSP)
Arrives: Bozeman/Big Sky/Yellowstone, MT ( BZN )
Gate: 1
Scheduled: 9:00AM
Scheduled Arr: 10:21AM

http://www.drunkpuppets.com/sticker.jpg

stuart schechter
2007-07-01, 08:45 PM
July 1st 0721

So I started my flight trip out at a welcoming 3:30 on Sunday morning! I am traveling out the Big Sky state, Montana, to visit a school friend. $630 later, here I am, sitting on a 752, over Ohio on my way to MSP. I arrived at the airport around 4:45. I had printed out my boarding pass online but the lines were still hell. I eventually found, with the help of my dad, the luggage tagging lines. Security was easy, no wait. Aside from the laptop being tested, my scanner was tested and my bag run through the x-ray a total of 3 times! Northwest 783, departing from concourse 1, gate 7 at 0615. Did some quick terminal spotting, nothing really came out. Boarded the flight and asked to speak to the pilots. I have been doing this since I was a little kid and have well over 3 pounds of paper, charts, maps, etc. of stuff from the pilots. I got denied access to the flight deck. First time in 9 years. I was quite surprised. Ill get it after the flight. Swam through the cabin of clueless people not realizing that they have to move out of the aisle when they get to their seat. I must have bad luck, or Northwest is earning their nickname, Northworst. My window was so clouded that I felt like I was a blind person when looking through it. If anyone knows who does NW’s ramp service at LGA, THEY SUCK!! 0615 turned into 0635 because our rampie was taking his sweet time on the loader. I am sitting over the door and as soon as it shut, we were pushing back. Takeoff was smooth and I just purchased a snack box. Time to eat some food…

July 1st 0935
Well the food was tasty and the rest of the flight was fine. Deplaning took longer than usual. As I was getting off of the plane, someone was bickering at the flight crew for not announcing connecting flights. The lady responded, “There are too many gate changes.” BS!!! The man started babbling about how the plane has a computer (ACARS) that can connect to the airport and tell the pilots where everything is. We arrived at MSP 20 minutes late, and I had to make a jog for my connection. It didn’t help that the flight was in a different concourse! I got to Gate D2 and was met by a very nice MSP based flight crew. Went up to the cockpit of our A320(N358NW). Got a little baseball card with some info on it about the A320. I also got a picture in the captains seat, their ACARS clearance, and the Minneapolis weather. The FO picked up a big yellow envelope, said he had to replace a lot of his Jep charts and said I could have the old ones! Sweet! I guess NW takes a while to get luggage on the plane anywhere, no matter how big the plane is. We were delayed about 5 minutes because of luggage too. The captain made a funny remark when introducing himself. It was something along the lines of “On behalf of the entire 30,000 remaining Northwest flight crews.” Takeoff was fine, a little turbulent on climbout. Rest of flight was uneventful. I am now safe in Bozeman.

nwafan20
2007-07-01, 10:34 PM
Well sounds like your first flight wasn't the best, but sounds like your second one was better. It tends to be a hit or miss with NW, Ive always gotten a hit. Good luck out there!

stuart schechter
2007-07-09, 08:11 PM
So I decided to stay a week longer now in Montana!!!

$113 change fee.

July 16

NW 1268
NW 512

nwafan20
2007-07-09, 08:51 PM
So I decided to stay a week longer now in Montana!!!

$113 change fee.

July 16

NW 1268
NW 512

Difference in fare plus $50.

hiss srq
2007-07-09, 09:14 PM
So I decided to stay a week longer now in Montana!!!

$113 change fee.

July 16

NW 1268
NW 512

Difference in fare plus $50.

The makings of a good customer service agent. ;)

nwafan20
2007-07-09, 09:31 PM
[quote="stuart schechter":5a2c6]So I decided to stay a week longer now in Montana!!!

$113 change fee.

July 16

NW 1268
NW 512

Difference in fare plus $50.

The makings of a good customer service agent. ;)[/quote:5a2c6]

Confused here, was that a jab at NW? If it was, almost every airline does it

hiss srq
2007-07-09, 09:59 PM
No it was a compliment for knowing the procedure. Sheesh, put down your dukes.

nwafan20
2007-07-09, 10:53 PM
Lol, Sorry, I am a bit tired.... Well thank you.

stuart schechter
2007-07-15, 11:58 AM
Well to add to all the confusion, I got a job here that will pay for the camera!!!! Gordon, Matt, I had to ditch you guys. I am now staying until August 12th. Same return flight info. Total cost= $100. How much money my boss is paying me because she needs me to stay=entire cost of plane ticket!

An I forgot to add, the pilot, after we got off at Bozeman, gave me outdated charts, 150 of them including almost every airport NW serves and the entire Latin America chart set.

stuart schechter
2007-07-21, 01:14 AM
http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z168/flyboy14295/Montana/

hiss srq
2007-07-22, 12:35 AM
Does not look like a place that I would probably find appealing. Have you seen an airplane bigger than a caravan or a super husky the whole time you have been there? Coll shots though I wll say. Just not my bowl of cherries.

stuart schechter
2007-07-22, 12:43 PM
Right down the road (~8 miles) there is an airport just as large as westchester. Lear's Gulfstreams. Lots of private stuff.

T-Bird76
2007-07-22, 02:03 PM
Does not look like a place that I would probably find appealing. Have you seen an airplane bigger than a caravan or a super husky the whole time you have been there? Coll shots though I wll say. Just not my bowl of cherries.

Montana and the other western states are fantastic places to spend time in. I was lucky enough when I was in college to spend the summers out in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho. Similar to Stuart we'd work in various places mainly for some spending money and room and board. Its a great place to simply get lost in the landscape and reflect. Don't judge it if you haven't seen it.

hiss srq
2007-07-22, 03:05 PM
I did some time out in Utah myself, southwest Utah but never more than 3 hours from Vegas when I was a seinor in high school.

cancidas
2007-07-22, 07:11 PM
[quote="hiss srq":a23e1]Does not look like a place that I would probably find appealing. Have you seen an airplane bigger than a caravan or a super husky the whole time you have been there? Coll shots though I wll say. Just not my bowl of cherries.

Montana and the other western states are fantastic places to spend time in. I was lucky enough when I was in college to spend the summers out in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho. Similar to Stuart we'd work in various places mainly for some spending money and room and board. Its a great place to simply get lost in the landscape and reflect. Don't judge it if you haven't seen it.[/quote:a23e1]


i agree with that. camping in utah, colorado and arizona was my favourite way to get away from school when i lived in az. usually, if i had a weekend pass i'd meet up with a few buddies and set up camp. i spent two separate spring breaks in utah, the first in canyonlands and the second in moab. those really were great times!