May 13th, 2009
American Airlines
Flight 2058
N654A
Boeing 757-200
SAN-DFW
The night before at 4am I got a text stating I was cleared for an upgrade to 4F for my SAN-DFW segment. Wonderful, thanks for waking me up at 4am to tell me that…
I then woke up for good at 6am, for a 7:30am departure showered and packed and got to the airport by 6:30am.
I printed the boarding pass out and walked to the priority/First Class lane for Security. Only one couple in front of me who would also be on my flight as well.
Walked through promptly, and guess what? Got pulled aside for SSSS, but instead all he did was wipe my fingers and the handle bars on my two bags for finger printing or explosives or whatever, who knows these days.
After that I was let go and I walked down to my gate. I sat down and used the net for a bit until they started the boarding process at 7am.
They announced for First Class boarding and I stood in line and got on board the aircraft. I turned left and headed to 4F. Sat down next to a 757 and a 767 at SAN.
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We got our pre drinks, I had an OJ and just texted and waited until it was time to pack up for departure.
Clean up began as everyone had finished boarding and we backed out of the gate as once again the safety briefing was played on the TV screens.
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We taxied to the runway, and took off and within seconds we went into the clouds. Low hanging clouds over the beach, such a shame!
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We climbed to cruising altitude, as we turned left to go back to the mainland.
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After one hour of in flight they started the breakfast service. I went for the hot meal being cheese omlette and fruit. I declined the biscuits or bagel offered with it. I eat very light and knew it would be a waste of food if I took more than I knew I’d eat.
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I ate the entire thing and some fruits, and finished my OJ with it and they came around to clean it up so we could sit back for another hour and 15 minutes.
I kind of dozed off and watched the scenery go by taking pictures that were once again of interest. I primarily kept my ipod on this time just listening to my music as it went by. It was going to be a long day of traveling as scheduled, due to a 4 hour layover in DFW so I could meet up with DFW13L, but a delay in STL caused me to enjoy STL an additional 2 hrs then I wanted, making it so I was actually on the ground more than I was in the air!
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We started descending for DFW and we had quite a rapid approach, we flew by DFW Airport and flew a ways out there before turning back for DFW.
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Flaps had already begun to be deployed, and soon the gears had dropped, as we came into the runway at DFW.
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We touched down, and went off the runway heading to D gates once again! DFW13L texted me to say he made it to my gate and would be able to meet up with me.
pH2YavJl ... annel_page
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I met up with DFW13L and we hung out a bit before he had to go back to work. Thanks DFW13L for taking the time to meet up with me I appreciated it!
I was able to grab some pictures on the long 4 hr layover at DFW so enjoy them.
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I saw this again at STL later in the day, it flew DFW-DEN-STL in the same duration of my 4 hrs in DFW and flying to STL...
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American Airlines
Flight 492
N70504
MD/Super 80
DFW-STL
When it got near to boarding time I walked to C-4 where my STL flight was departing from. It flew in from MSY. Another full load was expected.
I planned to sleep on this flight, so I didn’t take any pictures.
I got on board and felt dripping water…What?! I looked up and there was heavy condensation or mist flowing out of the air conditioner up in the ceiling and it was dripping water on us. Oh lord this was going to be a long flight…
We backed out of the gate, to which luckily the dripping water had stopped, and the F/A proceeded to do the safety briefing once again.
We taxied to the runway and began our take off run. Took off into some of the clouds as we took a straight line flight to STL.
I had a coke this time for the in flight service as they passed out the premium snacks. Again I reiterate what is so damn premium about it?! Haha
After I finished the snack and drink I kind of went to sleep slowly nodding in and out as we continued our flight to STL.
Soon we began to start the descent for STL meandering around a bit as we were going to land on 12R.
Flaps came out, I could see clouds in the distance as there had been thunderstorms all over the midwest all day. I didn’t have a good feeling about my STL-MWA segment at all.
Gear came out as the flaps completely came all out. We turned a bit for 12R and came in for landing and we slowed down and turned off and headed to gate C-16.
I got off the plane and headed to D8 once again where my ZK flight back to MWA would leave from.
Great Lakes Airlines
Flight 5216
STL-MWA
B1900D
N258GL
I came over to the gate and there was no one there. Oh boy haha. I sat around and waited for 30 minutes until it was 6:30pm, usually when we are supposed to check in for the flight.
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The F9 plane now at STL...fast planes ain't they?
I texted my friend at GLA asking if we had to go to the ticket counter, leaving security to do so, he told me that no we could check in at the gate, whoo thank god.
However finally at 6:45pm, some people showed up and a gate agent. Most of those were on the Quincy flight that was delayed until 10:20pm, HAH, thank god that wasn’t me, been there done that and it isn’t fun!
That’s what I get for opening my mouth, the agent then advised me my MWA flight was now delayed until 9:30pm, not getting into MWA until probably 10:15pm, ewww my big mouth…
There was only two people TOTAL scheduled on my flight, including me for STL-MWA. I will say the gate agent at STL was very upbeat, and kept in constant touch and without making a gate announcement he would come to each and everyone of us and personally tell us about the delay or any updates, and as soon as he got an update he would promptly tell us even if it was the same thing, again personally telling us instead of announcing it via the speaker.
I thought this was excellent and he did a good job of doing that. I went for a walk for an hour around the airport as he said we would could do so and if for some reason the flight is able to leave earlier he would page us on the announcement. Sounds good to me!
At 8:30pm I walked back and he advised the MWA paxs, me and the other girl whom I actually knew from her brother, went to HS with his brother, small world there, saying the plane had been stuck in MCI, had to fly to Ft. Leonard, then STL to pick us up to MWA. The crew was working as fast as they could and they were expecting a 9pm arrival.
Sure enough the plane arrived at 9pm, and we did a ten minute turn around, got our bags and boarding pass and we got on board and was able to depart at 9:15pm, getting into MWA by 9:45pm.
We got on board, and the F/O advised us due to only being 2 passengers we would be asked to sit in the last row for weight issues.
The girl was completely scared to fly and literally asked do we have to stay still the entire flight? I burst out laughing and said no we are fine, don’t like bounce around but you can shift in your seat. She said oh ok thank god.
We buckled up and we taxied to 12L for take off. It was very nice having only myself and someone on the flight your own private plane if you will!
We took off and the take off was VERY rough, a lot of turbulence was to be had on the flight. The poor girl was freaked out but I kept talking to her trying to keep her calm and distracted.
It didn’t help when I actually HEARD a thud, and went “omg what was that?” She literally stared at me eyes open wide expecting me to have the answer to that. That thud did kind of worry me so I looked out the window, pitch black mind you thinking I could see something, I of course couldn’t.
We were still in the air so probably nothing to worry about. Soon we started the approach for the runway at MWA, only a twenty minute flight! Very fast!
Flaps came out, and it was once again very bumpy. Gear came out too as we lined up for the runway.
We touched down and boy was that a bad landing. Soon as we touched down, it felt like someone punched us from the left side, we almost fish tailed it felt like, and the plane went from right, to left and back as it tried to straighten up.
The poor girl was not having fun at all, I actually was kind of enjoying it haha. We slowed down but continued to taxi off the runway at high speed as we went over to the tarmac.
We finally braked to a stop and she just sat there refusing to move. She shifted a bit, and I felt the plane lurch back a bit, and immediately the girl went “OMG did I do that, I didn’t meant to, am I in trouble?” It took all of me not to crack up, and said no I doubt it, just how the plane is.
Pilot said we could get off and to collect our bag at the bag claim check in, and as we were getting off, he said to watch your step and BOOM I missed a step and flew out the plane right into the ground. Luckily I caught myself and managed to land on both feet, thank god. The two pilots raised a scorecard of TEN for my graceful fall out of the plane into the concrete, I kid haha
I walked to the bag claim, grabbed my bag and went home!
Alex
