Getting ready for my first American Airlines flight I called and asked how much time should be allowed for check-in, the standard answer was: 90 minutes. Baloney! All it took on Friday morning was 3 minutes for me to figure out I still have to go to those computer screens although I have luggage to check-in, then 3 more minutes to correct my mistake of typing in my last name in the first name field and to roll the suitcase to the TSA person. He asked everybody in line (4 people total) to take the locks off. When I showed him my TSA-approved lock (with the red diamond on it) he said, leave it on.

Then off to security check, another maybe 3 minutes, we were told to take our shoes off. The security guard was in good mood, he said he just wants to see if everyone has matching socks. So my total check-in time was no more then 10 minutes. The flight was oversold, and vouchers for $400 were offered to people who?d agree to take a later flight.

We took off on time, landed on time. Enough leg room in the coach even with the person in front of me reclined all the way. I didn?t rent the headphones as I didn?t care to watch ?the terminal? (or the ?spiderman2? on the way back). The flight to Boston was 5,5 hours, returning we were in the air for 6,5 hours, beats me why.

Some time before vacation I called the airline requesting vegetarian meals. They have trays with the names of the passengers who?d requested special meals. I hope nobody was left hungry as my tray had vegan food, not just vegetarian, and the name on it was definitely not mine. The food was fine, by the way, both breakfast and dinner.

Boston met me with white rocking chairs right there in the airport!! And to get the suitcase took maybe 10 minutes. A little longer to wait for a shuttle (not reserved) for a $12 ride to the hotel.

Going home the security was more serious, lines longer, still about ? hour for everything (Saturday evening). Why is it the security people get surprised and ?get somebody? to hand-check my camera and films? Don?t people use the traditional cameras with the old dependable 35 mm? By the way on a prior flight I just tossed my camera into a checked-in suitcase, no damage to that film.

The pilot asked the passengers not to congregate. This felt creepy. Somebody behind me asked for a drink, do you want vodka on the rocks, or just the bottle? asked the stewardess. She handed a tiny bottle and asked for $5. Another passenger said loud: he wants water, not vodka.

The passenger next to me asked at dinner time: what is it on my tray? ?Chicken? was the answer. He ordered vegetarian, his name was printed on the tray, still his dinner was wrong. A little later they brought him another meal.

In Boston my suitcase had a small round red patch glued to the airport paper band: TSA cleared. I don?t know if they?d opened it or not. When I got my suitcase in San Francisco after about a ? hour delay, I?ve noticed the lock is on a side, not in the middle. Later I found a note, about double the size of a bookmark, with a number like A1.1 Table 1, time and date, notice of baggage inspection. The note has a URL, e-mail address and phone numbers on it. Everything inside looked the way I packed ? zipped clear plastic bags. Nothing messed up.

Now I need to re-adjust to my time, the first day I woke up at 4.30 am (7.30 Boston time!) and felt like a lunatic at work.

Eastbound flights are always shorter than westbounds because of prevailing winds.

I'm not surprised that security was tighter at Logan. We all know why.

Ooopsss... I FORGOT TO TIP THE PILOTS!!!! Gotta go back.

Faina, any chance you can wave down the pilot flying over SF and sort of throw some money up to him, with hopes if not the correct pilot they will pass your tip along? Just a thought.

I can shoot an envelope up, sure they'll love it!