DTW-BWI-ISP trip reports and pictures

[nwafan20]

LEG ONE (Pictures to come)

Trip report-

DTW-BWI WN 737-700 with winglets NOTE: SUBBED, was supposed to be a
733.

flight 602
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA6 ... 933Z/KDTW/

KBWI

Sched departure: 3:25 PM EDT
Act departure: 3:33 PM EDT
Sched arrival: 4:21 PM EDT
Act. arrival: 4:30 PM EDT

8/04/07

Plane was a 737-700 with winglets in old colors.
Well, first time on Southwest, and it was sure an interesting
experience. I arrived at the airport about 11 AM for my 3:25 flight
and spotted until around 2:00. At 2:00 I got to my gate and noticed
there was already a moderate line for "group A" So I joined the line.
Now, I had my scanner on and on my belt and forgot to turn it off. So
it was going off on Tower,and we ended up having a group of 7 or so
talking about aviation in the A line, it was pretty amusing.
Our aircraft arrived a few minutes early and we heard it on the radio,
landed 21R, same runway I would later depart on.

Boarding began, and finally it was "A" lines turn. Now I know where
the phrase "Cattle Car" came in, as I found my seat in seat 7A I was
laughing because the flight attendant was saying into the mic "C'mon
move along, hurry up, we have a lot of people to get on" Cattle car
anyone???

Either way, quick taxi to 21R, held on the runway for about 2 minutes,
departed and had a slight bank to the left. Climb to about 10,000 was
fairly smooth, it was also a slow climbout due to traffic above us on
nearly the same heading. Once at about 12,000 feet the air got pretty
rough and the pilot ordered the flight attendants down (Were just
starting to take drink orders). Got to what was supposed to be the
smoothest air (29,000 feet), nope, still rough. Pilot announced he was
going to climb, we dropped down to 27,000 and drink service restarted.
It then got rough again, so he ordered the flight attendants down
again, and we dropped to our final altitude of 25,000. There, the air
was moderate, but flight service resumed. I got a Sprite can.

NOTE TO ALEX: PLEASE remember to include a glass of ice when someone
asks for a can, not many people like luke warm soda ;) :)

Flight attendants this leg had minimum contact with PAX, the pilot has
done more talking than them.

Anyway, on approach pretty smooth. Landing was probably THE BEST
landing I have been on, such a smooth touchdown. we taxied to the gate
and I made my way out onto the concourse, pretty nice airport.

1st leg:

RATINGS:

On time: A-, slightly late
Cleanliness of airplanes: A, very clean, especially with the time they
had to turn the plane around

On board service: B, no IFE but I knew that coming in. Drink and snack
service was OK, note the luke warm soda. I really don't like WN's
method of drink delivery, I much prefer the cart.

Employees: C, Flight attendants weren't all that nice, saw the flight
attendant yelling at a few kids. But pilots were nice

Rating this leg: B-, but the next leg was better.

[nwafan20]

Southwest 737-700, new colors, with winglets

Flight 864
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA8 ... /KBWI/KISP

Sched departure: 5:55 PM EDT
Act. departure: 6:08 PM EDT
Sched arrival: 6:36 PM EDT
Act. arrival: 6:56 PM EDT

Boarding began slightly early. I, through pure luck was number one in "A" (it was 10 minutes before departure and no one was in A line). So I got in line and transferred photos to my computer. I was finally called to board and the gate agent told me to hand my boarding pass to the flight attendant and told me to say "General boarding has now begun" Is this normal WN operations? Well anyway, I have never sat in an exit row so I decided to do it now. I was boarding behind a preboard passenger, we got to row 11 (exit row) and he was talking to someone and wasn't moving so I slid into the exit row.

About 10 seconds later, he gives me this REALLY nasty look and says "Who thinks I WASN'T GOING TO SIT THERE" he literally yelled at me on the airplane. I kindly reminded him that it is Southwest policy, and the ticketing agent noted it as well that "Pre-board passengers are not allowed to sit in an exit row, so therefore how was I supposed to know you were going to break the rules and sit there anyway." He gives me an even worse look and says "So what? Thats my seat, get up!" At this point the flight attendant is now standing right there and she tells him to "go take a seat elsewhere because you are not allowed to sit in an exit row. If you do not comply I can have you removed from the aircraft." The guy just said "Whatever" and gave me one last glance/death stare. The flight attendant later came over to me and apologized, I told her that there was no need.

Anyway, flight pushed back right after the neighboring gate pushed,and we were on our way with a roll onto the unknown runway. Takeoff was a little rough due to bad runway conditions (patched a lot). Climbout was normal, cruise was very smooth. Flight attendants were pretty nice, For service I had a water and they handed out 2 packs of peanuts, I love peanuts :D.

Visibility getting into ISP was pretty bad until we dropped below about 6,000.

The landing was ok, not the best, not the worst. The pilot comes on and says "Welcome to... Uh....... Long Island, yeah, uh Long Island (Hysterical laughing in the background from co-pilot)" The whole aircraft laughed.

Visited the cockpit after landing, nice fellas, both were headed back to BWI for the night.

Made it into the terminal at ISP, down to baggage claim, got my baggage which was waiting for me and waited for my pickup. After a bit of a wait, Gordon showed up, we hoped into the car and left.

2nd leg:

RATINGS:

On time: B, slightly late

Cleanliness of airplanes: A, clean.

On board service: B+, Drink and snack service were better this time. I had a water and they were handing out 2 packs of peanuts.

Employees: A-, Flight attendants were pretty nice, so were pilots, but they just didn't seem to be all that happy.

Rating this leg: B+, better than the first, but not the best flight ever. I hope to have better returning flights.

[nwafan20]

MANY MANY MANY MANY more to come!

For these ones, sorry for the quality, photoshop somehow got quality into "9" and I havn't re-edited them yet
DTW Photos:

Crappy Smith terminal at DTW:




Boarding lines:


Some DTW spotting in the terminal:

[Alex T]

Matt--


From what I have been told, we only hand out the Ice when asked, example...Someone asks for a Can, we give them the can, if they just ask for a drink, ie "coke please" we give them the cup with ice and coke in it, it seems the F/A are pretty literate, you have to tell them what you want, so in your case "I would like a can of coke with Ice please" and I usually order it that way so I know I get the Ice as well, some F/A ask some do not.


As for Carts on board, we do not do this for one reason, it takes more TIME, to serve, and it blocks the aisle when people need to use the bathroom. I have noticed it is quicker to serve 137 passengers with 3 F/A all working each getting an average of 8 rows to each F/A and going back and forth, rather then using 3 F/A to take a beverage cart and serve each row, by row, by row. Thats the method and why we do it the way we do, you may not like it and you don't have to but thats why.

As for your handing the A card to the F/A this signals to the A F/A (front F/A) that the operation agent has started general boarding, and that A folks and back may now sit in the exit row, as you saw, no pre boards are allowed to sit in the exit row.

Good report and pics, sounds like to you they are a standard airline, nothing bad nothing good, just standarized and prolly something different from you expect on NWA or another Legacy Airline.

Glad you enjoyed the trip. Any more questions on our policies please dont hesitate to ask!
Alex