Saturday, October 24, 2015

More Adventures in Flight

Montana, Illinois, Colorado, Arizona and California
All in 10 days....
  
When architects get busy, they get very busy. 

When they slow down, they immediately start to worry. 

Then they get busy again and remember wistfully how nice it was when things were a little slower.

In our firm when things get busy it means we travel a lot. When I'm really busy I try to do the impossible and work on my flights.

Today on my flight from Phoenix to Chicago I was hoping to get some work done and scored a nice exit row seat with legroom and enough room to actually open my laptop.

Then my seatmate arrived. 

Lets just say the seat did not accommodate her well.  She was way too big for the tiny airplane seat and she groaned pitifully trying to squeeze into it. 

Luckily for me exit row seats are pylons (to accommodate the tray table), so you can't lift an armrest and expand onto your neighbor.  For this I offer my sincerest gratitude.

Then as the plane began to move she started a prolonged asthma attack. It was only her second time flying so there was some major anxiety going on.

Enter the flight attendants. 

It was a large 321 aircraft and every seat was filled. Yet, they came and checked on her constantly. They brought lots of water, cold compresses and some soothing words.

Real pros. 

I didn't get any work done, but I did get to watch an amazing Phoenix based flight crew. One that American Airlines can be very proud of.


Roadboy's Travels © 2015

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Morphing Some More

The Only Way to Fly

A lifetime ago I lived in Alaska and flew on two airlines all the time; Alaska Airlines and Western Airlines. 

Western's advertising featured a kinda fat bird reclining on the top of the plane with a glass of champagne chortling the byline "Western Airlines, the onnnnly way to fly".

Although I was kinda broke in those days I bit when Western advertised a special where you got a lifetime membership to their exceuiive lounge, extra frequent flier miles and a companion pass. 

I was planning a trip to Hawaii (as does everyone in Alaska). So the deal sort of resulted in a free membership.

Of course less than a year later Western was purchased by Delta. 

Amazingly Delta honored the lifetime club membership (which I still use). And, since Delta does not sell lifetime memberships, I get a few sideways looks now and then when I check in.

I then moved to San Jose and wound up flying American a lot (since San Jose was a mini-hub for American at the time).

Aside from the warm crock of nuts in first, I never really liked American. Staff seemed patronizing, I disliked its mercilous CEO (Crandell) and having to change planes at DFW. I am not a fan of DFW airport.

Then I moved to Phoenix and flew Southwest alot. So much that I scored the 100 segment free companion pass award year after year.

But one day a flight came along where the best routing was on America West. I moped. AWA was so mediocre. And, despite living in Phoenix, I had been religiously avoiding AWA for years.

But, when I got to the airport, the AWA ticket person noticed all my premium tags from Delta, Southwest, American etc. On the spot she upgraded me to first and awarded me a trial elite status. 

Since Southwest was getting more and more of the kinda drunk tatoo and trailer trash in tank tops crowd flying it, I slowly migrated to AWA and have remained loyal even through the US Airways thing. This week alone I flew 2 RT's on some of US Airways last flights.

So the morph is complete and I'm back flying American.

The morph did net Roadboy immediate 2 Million Miler Lifetime Platinum status, so I will reserve judgement. 

And, I am once again getting warm crocks of nuts and Diet Dr. Pepper (smile). But damn I've also had to endure three lousy connection, crap flights through Dallas in the last month.

Seems like a slow motion ride having to wait 2 more years to watch American slowly do to Phoenix what US Airways did to Pittsburgh.

Hope I'm wrong.

Roadboy's Travels © 2015

Saturday, October 10, 2015

You Need A Room Mate

WiFi Everywhere!

Just a quickie. I just received a note from one of my favorite hotel chains; Spain's Room Mate.

Now, when you check into any Room Mate hotel in Spain, you'll be issued a portable WiMate modem (allowing unlimited mobile WiFi anywhere nationwide). Soon the service will be offered at all Room Mate properties worldwide.

For those that have never heard of Room Mate do look into them. They offer truly distinctive properties throughout Spain. They also have additional properties in Italy, Holland and Turkey.

Here, across the Atlantic, Room Mate has expanded with properties in New York City, Miami (2) and Mexico City.

Every Room Mate hotel is unique and offers truly exceptional customer service.

I experienced an example of that exceptional customer service at the Room Mate Leo in Granada. I left my travel folio (with my passport) in the cab that delivered me from the airport. Once I realized what had happened the desk staff worked literally all night to make sure it was returned saving my vacation.

Roadboy's Travels © 2015