Haven't done any flight review lately, but I flew FC on DL JFK-LAX last Sunday. Only my 5th time flying in the front cabin, ever, and quite a few things happened, so here it is:
Why
I had to make a last minute trip to NYC. Cheapest coach fare is about $800 on VX and/or B6. So, I decided to cash in some of my DL miles. Outbound I was in coach LAX-ATL-LGA. Return, I got the non-stop from JFK in FC for 35,000 miles total and $20 tax and $150 fees.
Facts
Schedule: Sunday 7/26 3:50p 7:20p
Flight: DL 711 (Sunday-only flight)
Aircraft: B757-200 N6705Y (ex-Song, delivered in 2000), 26F/158Y. With live TV and AVOD.
Seat: 2A
Airport Access
I took the E train to Sutphin Ave and then switched to the JFK AirTrain. I had done this once before, and this time I knew better to take the elevators from the subway to the AirTrain lobby. Don't use the escalators. [BTW, NYC Subway is now $2.25, up 25 cents. AirTrain still $5.]
Delta's transcon and some other flights now depart from Terminal 4, which is where I went directly. Trancon FC have access to Sky Clubs at T2/3, but only the KLM Oasis Lounge at T4. I decided to check out the Oasis, even though it is landside.
Oasis Lounge
This lounge is run by KLM. It's not very big and many airlines at T4 use it, but when I got there at 2:20, it was pretty empty. I used the shower (one stall inside the men's room), which was nice. Free drinks, fruits as well as some hot food - samsosa, rice and chicken. It also has a decent view facing some of the planes parked at the T4. There are 4 computers to use if one doesn't have a laptop - that's me.
Security
At 3:10p, the regular line for T4 Concourse B was horrendously long. End of line almost at the bottom of the escalators. By my estimate, it'll take 45 minutes to clear; though TSA's website said 15 on that day. Anyways, I used the bypass line and got through in no time.
Boarding
When I got to the airport at 2:20p, the monitors say my flight departs from Gate B23. I've only used this terminal once before (a month ago), so I didn't realize B23 is a bus gate. By the time I got through security, there's not even a gate number for my flight 711 to LAX. I went to B23, and was instructed to go downstairs to the buses.
That was about 3:20p and they had just started boarding the first bus. [The plane was full, so about 184 passengers, which requires 2 buses.] Unlike in China, where FC passengers are taken in a separate van, here everybody takes the same buses. I got on and the bus backed out of the "gate" at around 3:30p. But instead of driving us to the plane, it just sat there for 15 minutes! I had one of the few seats, but it was stuffy, and people were starting to complain. Turned out the aircraft had just arrived and we had to wait until they deplaned the passengers from the inbound flight.
So, by the time we got the plane on the apron (remember I was in the first bus), it was already 3:50p, the scheduled departure time. A bottle of Dasani water was provided at each FC seat, but no individual beverage service before departure.
The second bus came shortly afterwards, but we had to wait for a third bus (I assume some late connecting passengers from T2/3 and/or those that got delayed at the security at T4). And after everybody got boarded, we had to wait for dispatch to deliver a new flight plan for the crew, presumably because of the delay and the weather. It started to rain hard - the typical summer thunderstorm.
(to be continued)
rkkwan FC report DL transcon 7/26
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No pre-departure drinks!?!? Oh, the horror
(Does DL normally serve PRD?)
Our PRD = Dasani
I have no idea if that's the norm or not.
Departure
Door closed at 4:35p, 45 minutes late, and we were pushed back from the parking spot 4:40p. Then it was the usual "grand tour of JFK" on summer afternoons. [Last month, it took 85 minutes for my other DL JFK-LAX flight to get from gate to takeoff.] But unlike that time when they turned on the AVOD (international 752) for us, this time there was no entertainment on the ground on this live TV system.
At 5:07p, the cockpit crew told us we were #15 for takeoff, which was actually very very good. At 5:27, we were #3. We took off from Runway 22R at 5:31p. We turned left and flew back over Long Island and looped around 270-degrees before heading Northwest. Estimated flight time was 5:32.
Service start was delayed because of the thunderstorm. And they announced that due to the boarding mess, they didn't have the menu for the BOB for the cattle-class denizens. For us in the front, there was no menu either (don't know if that's norm or not), but the very experienced LAX-based FA described the choices for us. And we got a hot-towel service.
Initialy cruise was at FL300, and later 340, 350 and finally 360. After the initial 20 minutes, the flight was mostly turbulence free, except for a few bumps near the Kansas/Colorado border.
Seat
Not much to write about the domestic FC seat. It was comfortable enough for a 5.5-hour transcon. My seat 2A is very good. 1A/B has no cutout in the bulkhead and too close to galley. And since they serve food from front to rear, you really want to be near the front. And 2A is well in front of the engines so I could get some nice photos.
Entertainment
This domestically configured ex-Song 752 aircraft has live TV with 18 channels, as well as some movies/music/games on demand. Moving map too, of course. I believe movies and games cost money for those in coach, but complimentary in FC. The seat takes single mini-plug, unlike the older DL 752 I flew on ATL-LGA that uses a twin-plug. Oddly, the 18 channels only include one network - NBC. No ABC, CBS or FOX on this flight. The signal was mostly constant except when the plane was making a turn, when the picture could be lost for a few seconds. One nice thing is that one can still use real buttons in the armrest for volume/TV channels, and don't have to use touch the screen all the time.
The moving map has very good resolution. I'll post some pictures later on. And if you're listening to music (not live TV), the music stays on when you switch over to the moving map.
Food
The choices we got are chicken with asparagus and rice, or fettuccine with portobello mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. It seems like everybody wants the pasta, which was what I got. It was pretty good, and was served with a salad, fruits, and warm bread (bread from a basket).
I don't drink on planes anymore, but the FAs were pretty good at refilling my seatmate's wineglass. [BTW, my seatmate found his pasta cold, and had to send it back for reheating.]
Later on, an "ice cream truffle" was served. Think of a Dove Bar in a cup. The FAs brought some more Dasani for everybody as well; but otherwise, I just waved at a FA to get more of whatever drink I wanted with no problem.
Finally, at around 1:30 before arrival, we were offered some fresh fruits and chips. I grabbed a banana.
Meanwhile, at the back of the bus, they announced that again due to the mess at boarding, they didn't get the flight fully catered. Not only did they not have menus, but they short-loaded the fresh food BOB (salads, sandwiches & orzo), so they were all out with only some snacks left. [On my previous JFK-LAX in coach, I had the orzo and it was not bad for $8.]
No freshly-baked cookies?
Security Threat?
While my seatmate went to the bathroom mid-flight, I took out my dSLR to take a couple of pictures of our seat, and then I walked to the rear of the FC cabin and took a picture of the FC cabin. [I know people may not want their faces shown, which is why I take the picture from the back towards the front.]
A little while after I got back to my seat, that nice FA came and told me I can't take pictures that show the cockpit door for security reason. I said "okay, okay" and that was it. He didn't ask me to delete the ones I had taken.
Grand Canyon
We flew directly across the Grand Canyon on this flight:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL711/history/20090726/2020Z/KJFK/KLAX
It was about 7pm local time and the light was simply amazing. I have seen the GC from cruising aircraft a few times, but never this pretty. [I'll post pictures later on.] And my seat on the left hand side and well clear of the wing/engine was absolutely perfect for pictures.
I know Fodorite yk will cringe, but the pilot came on the PA to tell us to look. And not only that, but he got off the autopilot and make a little left turn so we could get an even better view.
Then, that same FA pulled out his own camera and asked me to take a few snap shots from my seat for him.
Arrival
We got a very standard approach to LAX. Touched down on Runway 25L at 8:08p, for a final flight time of 5:37. Even though we had the outermost gate of T5, Gate 59, we were towed in. Door opened 8:16p, 56 minutes behind schedule.
Anyways, that's it. The photos may have wait a while, but eventually, I'll post them...
Overall, I enjoyed the flight only because I was in FC. For the peasants in the back, it had to be pretty bad. Long security line, bus gate, stuck on the bus, no menu, ran out of food, almost an hour late.
Thanks for reading.
yk - What? Is this DoubleTree?
AA = DoubleTree
We got:
AA serves freshly-baked cookies in FC. Not sure if that's on all domestic routes though. I remember smelling the aroma of chocolate chip cookies all the time when I sat in the back.
But I did get a cookie on my AA flight to LAX!
1) Pre-departure drinks
2) Warmed nuts
3) 3-course meal
4) Chocolate chip cookie
5) Ghirardelli chocolate
6) Fizzy drink (water w/gas) prior to arrival
Now we know why the paparazzi hang out at LAX T4 and not T5.
Nice report rk.
I fly AA a lot in/out of JFK, to SFO on 767 and can never get an upgrade to BC. I made the mistake once of upgrading on SAN/JFK flight on an old AA 757. Waste of upgrades IMO - lousy old FC.
Lots of miles on AA so it's hard to buy DL or UA tix.
J62, but you still get the chocolate chip cookie on the 757!
Unfortunately, all the ex-Bos transcon on AA are 757 I believe... They're terrible to sleep in, esp for the red-eye. I don't know how business people do it?
Correct YK - just like a Doubletree!
yk - I flew a 763ER (that continues to CDG) on the early LAX-BOS last month.
Thanks for the report Ray - it pretty much jives with my experience in DL F.
As for the AA vs DL thing, bear in mind that the AA service on JFK-LAX strives to be a true premium product. DL's service isn't really trying to compete with AA or UA on this route. Indeed, by all accounts JFK-LAX is actually a relatively easy upgrade for most Platinum Medallions, so they may not get much paid traffic for the front.
One thing to note is that DL is switching almost all of the JFK-LAX flights to the internationally-configured 752 by September, which will make the seat at least, very competitive with the competition. Probably no cookies though.
Ray - nice detailed report as usual. I used to fly DL a lot and the pre-flight drink service in FC was very routine, even on short-haul flights. Maybe that's changed and tg's comments may explain that. Sounded like a nice trip regardless (except, as you say, for the folks in the back).
A few weeks back a group of us from FT were at Delta and the question of no pre-departure service came up. It was mentioned that it should always be provided unless circumstances were unusual and that any lack of such service should be reported.
So this flight would have been a deviation from procedure unless the circumstances of the late AC arrival precluded, somehow, the service.
To tell you the truth, a pre-departure service will be pretty messy on that day initially. The stairs were pulled up to Door 1 on the 752, not Door 2, so all passengers have to walk through the FC cabin.
However, after all passengers were boarded, we did wait for about 15 minutes for the new flight plan to be delivered to the plane. They could have done a beverage service for FC at that time.
Yeah, messy. But they do it on other single aisle aircraft and on the 757 at places where they board from 1.
I've yet to figure out the rhyme or reason for the milk and warm cookies. I think I've seen them on about 25% of my domestic F flights on AA this year. Pre-departure drink service has been spotty too but that's not high on my priority. I'd like to see a higher cookie ratio though
Sorry, the photos are a year late, but here they are:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/dllaxnyc0709
nice photos ray. I especially enjoy seeing all the different liveries as it's one of my own pastimes.
I flew out of JFK yesterday and a couple of Delta 747's caught my eye - very strange to see since I don't believe Delta has ever had their own 747s. Obviously NW metal, but in Delta livery.
J62 - Delta has operated five 747-100, delivered in 1970-1, and were gone by 1974-5.