rkkwan's Coachflyer report: CO IAH-OAK
Sep 18th, 2006, 06:57 PM
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rkkwan's Coachflyer report: CO IAH-OAK
Just a normal domestic flight and I'm having a bad cold, so will keep this short.
<b>CO 1574 IAH-OAK 9/14/06</b>
<b>Pre-trip</b>
Did online check-in exactly 24 hours prior to departure, as check-in time can be a tie-breaker for complimentary elite upgrades on Continental.
Gold Elite got upgraded at 3 hour mark.
<b>Baggage drop</b>
Because someone needs to bring handcream and lotion on this trip (not me), we checked bags. No line at IAH Terminal E's elite line, short line at regular line for bag drops.
<b>Security</b>
No line, no wait at 7pm. No search, no fuss.
<b>Boarding</b>
Boarding had started when we got to line at 8:25p, 30 minute before departure. Walked the blue carpet and cut the line. My companion took the FC seat, I had 10F, a window. Totally packed flight to Oakland.
<b>Flight detail</b>
Door closed at 8:49p, 5 minutes early; pushed back at 8:54p, took off 9:08p. Touched down at OAK 10:50p for flight time of 3:42. Arrived gate 10:59, 1 minute early. Our priority-tagged bag was one of first out 11:10. [I saw workers load the priority bags last on to flight at IAH.]
<b>In flight</b>
It's a 737-800 with the mid-lav arrangment. 18 FC seats (one of best ratio in CO's domestic fleet), and an extra lavatory in the front of the coach area, for coach passengers.
Just peanuts and drinks on this late flight. Video screens dropped down from ceiling. Can't remember what movie they were supposed to show, but there was some audio problem, and we switched to M:I:3. First time I watched a movie on a plane for a long time.
<b>Misc</b>
Two seats to my left was a person with some mental problems. He wouldn't shut up once onboard until he fell asleep. Turned out he was supposed to be on an early flight but didn't make it to the gate on-time. While annoying, the ground crew and the FA seem to handle him very well, and there was no flight-disrupting incident.
<b>CO 1574 IAH-OAK 9/14/06</b>
<b>Pre-trip</b>
Did online check-in exactly 24 hours prior to departure, as check-in time can be a tie-breaker for complimentary elite upgrades on Continental.
Gold Elite got upgraded at 3 hour mark.
<b>Baggage drop</b>
Because someone needs to bring handcream and lotion on this trip (not me), we checked bags. No line at IAH Terminal E's elite line, short line at regular line for bag drops.
<b>Security</b>
No line, no wait at 7pm. No search, no fuss.
<b>Boarding</b>
Boarding had started when we got to line at 8:25p, 30 minute before departure. Walked the blue carpet and cut the line. My companion took the FC seat, I had 10F, a window. Totally packed flight to Oakland.
<b>Flight detail</b>
Door closed at 8:49p, 5 minutes early; pushed back at 8:54p, took off 9:08p. Touched down at OAK 10:50p for flight time of 3:42. Arrived gate 10:59, 1 minute early. Our priority-tagged bag was one of first out 11:10. [I saw workers load the priority bags last on to flight at IAH.]
<b>In flight</b>
It's a 737-800 with the mid-lav arrangment. 18 FC seats (one of best ratio in CO's domestic fleet), and an extra lavatory in the front of the coach area, for coach passengers.
Just peanuts and drinks on this late flight. Video screens dropped down from ceiling. Can't remember what movie they were supposed to show, but there was some audio problem, and we switched to M:I:3. First time I watched a movie on a plane for a long time.
<b>Misc</b>
Two seats to my left was a person with some mental problems. He wouldn't shut up once onboard until he fell asleep. Turned out he was supposed to be on an early flight but didn't make it to the gate on-time. While annoying, the ground crew and the FA seem to handle him very well, and there was no flight-disrupting incident.
Sep 18th, 2006, 07:24 PM
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<b>CO 284 OAK-IAH 9/18/06</b>
<b>Pre-trip</b>
This time the Gold Elite was upgraded before the 24 hour mark. I was stupid and picked 3D with limited recline on the 73G (737-700). 2A was open at that time. Did OLCI, as usual.
<b>Baggage drop</b>
No wait at the elite line, short wait at the regular one, at 10:30p (2 hours before departure).
<b>Security</b>
No wait at OAK's Terminal 1 at that time, though vehicular traffic was heavy outside the terminal on the Sunday night. Again, no search, no fuss.
<b>Boarding</b>
Boarding started at 11:50p, 40 minutes before departure. Packed flight, once again; and boarding was slow. Many stupid passengers on this one (or maybe because their brains stopped working late at night).
I had 14F, the exit row seat that has 62" pitch.
<b>Flight detail</b>
Door closed 12:27a, 3 minutes early; pushed back at 12:30a, took off 12:39a. Arrived IAH 5:54 for flight time of 3:19. Arrived gate around 6:00, 18 minutes early. Again, our priority-tagged bag out first, at around 6:20. [Long way from gate E12 to Terminal C baggage claim for both passengers and bags.]
<b>Inflight</b>
Only beverage for the red-eye. Not even peanuts in coach. Movie shown was Robin Williams' RV. I passed and went to sleep.
It was nice that they didn't wake us up until just before final approach at 10K feet. Quick turning on the lights, collect trash one last time, and we landed.
<b>Misc</b>
1. First time I was on a red-eye that was totally full. I wish I was on that delayed Aloha flight from OAK to OGG across from our gate that had like 30 passengers.
2. Crazy people on board again. This time a lady 2 rows in front of me, in the middle seat, acting as "baggage police" telling people how to load the overhead bins. Yikes.
<b>Pre-trip</b>
This time the Gold Elite was upgraded before the 24 hour mark. I was stupid and picked 3D with limited recline on the 73G (737-700). 2A was open at that time. Did OLCI, as usual.
<b>Baggage drop</b>
No wait at the elite line, short wait at the regular one, at 10:30p (2 hours before departure).
<b>Security</b>
No wait at OAK's Terminal 1 at that time, though vehicular traffic was heavy outside the terminal on the Sunday night. Again, no search, no fuss.
<b>Boarding</b>
Boarding started at 11:50p, 40 minutes before departure. Packed flight, once again; and boarding was slow. Many stupid passengers on this one (or maybe because their brains stopped working late at night).
I had 14F, the exit row seat that has 62" pitch.
<b>Flight detail</b>
Door closed 12:27a, 3 minutes early; pushed back at 12:30a, took off 12:39a. Arrived IAH 5:54 for flight time of 3:19. Arrived gate around 6:00, 18 minutes early. Again, our priority-tagged bag out first, at around 6:20. [Long way from gate E12 to Terminal C baggage claim for both passengers and bags.]
<b>Inflight</b>
Only beverage for the red-eye. Not even peanuts in coach. Movie shown was Robin Williams' RV. I passed and went to sleep.
It was nice that they didn't wake us up until just before final approach at 10K feet. Quick turning on the lights, collect trash one last time, and we landed.
<b>Misc</b>
1. First time I was on a red-eye that was totally full. I wish I was on that delayed Aloha flight from OAK to OGG across from our gate that had like 30 passengers.
2. Crazy people on board again. This time a lady 2 rows in front of me, in the middle seat, acting as "baggage police" telling people how to load the overhead bins. Yikes.
Sep 19th, 2006, 03:17 AM
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rkkwan, tell us more about your companion. And what about the "fasten seat belt sign." Usually Continental never turns off the seat belt sign if it is a red-eye. Once again, you missed the important parts!
Glad to hear they have a toilet near the front of coach. On my last flight, the flight attendant woke everyone up to say, we have too many people trying to use the toilet in the back of the plane. Please look back here before getting out of your seat to use the toilet.
Glad to hear they have a toilet near the front of coach. On my last flight, the flight attendant woke everyone up to say, we have too many people trying to use the toilet in the back of the plane. Please look back here before getting out of your seat to use the toilet.
Sep 19th, 2006, 04:18 AM
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wally - Some of CO's 738 have that extra lavatories in the middle of the plane for coach. But they are the minority (I don't have exact number). The newer ones they order don't have them.
No turbulence on either flight. Seat belt signs off for basically the whole flights, both ways.
Note my title "Coachflyer". My companion flies FC, I fly coach. If that person wants to write the first class report, it's up to him/her.
No turbulence on either flight. Seat belt signs off for basically the whole flights, both ways.
Note my title "Coachflyer". My companion flies FC, I fly coach. If that person wants to write the first class report, it's up to him/her.
That's scary, but I'm glad no harm was done.
Sep 19th, 2006, 05:26 PM
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P_M: Thanks. Already much better today.
Checked email and found that on the return flight, the upgrade was issued at just over the 3-day mark. (Actually just before the outbound flight).
Checked email and found that on the return flight, the upgrade was issued at just over the 3-day mark. (Actually just before the outbound flight).
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