Sunday, February 05, 2006
Thoughts on LAX-NRT & NRT-SIN flights:
Introduction:
I'm publishing this now as I wait for my return flight. It's 05:05AM in Singapore on Monday, Feb 6. I've left the following unedited except for any typos that I catch when I do a quick proofreading. My bags were okay. I guess NRT is an efficient airport. On Flyertalk, the word is that if you have <45 style="font-weight: bold;" size="5">
UA Free Alcohol in Y on Trans-Pacific flights:
I started to write this entry on my LAX-NRT flight. I guess I’ll finish the short wine thread I was working on then. Canepa Classico Cabernet Savignon 2004 Central Valley is the red wine that was served in Economy class. I had it twice b/c alcohol is free in Y on Asian Flights. On Domestic & trans-Atlantic UA flights, there is a $5 charge in Y. Flyertalk people think this perk might be gone soon as a competing airlines (NW?) Has started to charge for alcohol on trans-Pacific flights. This is another manifestation of my “buffet” mentality. I figure I might as well get my money’s worth so I get the free alcohol instead of a Diet Pepsi. On this NRT-SIN flight, though, I passed on the alcohol because I don’t want to sleep on this flight. My flight arrives around midnight and I want to be able to go right to bed.
OJ STYLE:
No, I didn’t murder anyone. I did almost miss a connection in NRT. My flight was delayed out of LAX b/c some woman had chest pains. She was off-loaded to the ramp area, but we were delayed while medical assitance arrived, and while her bags were off-loaded. I knew the connection was tight in NRT, but I didn’t realize at the time, how tight it was going to be as a result of the delay. We pulled into the gate in NRT at 4:45PM and the SIN flight was scheduled to leave at 5:15PM. I knew that even though I’m checked in, I can get off-loaded if I’m not at the gate 12 minutes before departure.
I had never been in the NRT airport before and that ended up costing me some time. I saw the sign that pointed towards International Connecting flights and baggage claim, but I could also see that the gates were down below. At one point, I wasted time by taking the elevator down one floor. There I found that the door was locked. The guard pointed that I had to go back upstairs. I ended up not wasting too much time as I was able to hop on the elevator immediately and go back up. It turns out that I had to follow the signs to a security check point. Luckily, the security checkpoint was quick as you don’t have to remove laptops nor shoes like you have to do in the US.
My gate was one of the farther gates. If I knew how close I’d end up cutting it, I would have jogged to the gate, but I walked briskly, but calmly. About 50 feet from the gate, I saw some Asian woman running to the gate. I figured she had been on the same flight as me and was worried she’d misconnect. I got onboard right after her and just as I got to my seat and stowed my carry-ons, I saw the ramp pull back and we were ready for take-off.
Opportunities:
I sould mention that Sidegames cancellation has already proven to be an opportunity on the LAX-NRT & NRT-SIN flight. I’m in a window seat on a 777 in a 2-5-2 configuration and I have an empty seat next to me. (Sidenote: This is a nice plane. It looks new and is a stark contrast to the 747-400 that I came in on.) This seat would have been comfortable even without the empty seat, but this is great with the extra room. On the 747, Sidegames abscene was definately huge. The seating configuartion is 3-4-3. I was in the aisle seat on the right side of the middle 4 seat configuration. Sidegames’ seat was next to me. I know for sure that I would have been uncomfortable if he had been there, though I probably would have taken an empty window seat during check-in if he had come. It turns out that I got the empty seat next to me and was able to put my laptop case under the empty seat and put my junk on the seat itself. The only seat that was occupied in my middle section row was the other aisle seat. When I wanted to sleep, I put up the arm rest and spread out over both seats.
Knowing you’re fucked:
Okay, Seamas and I have been talking about Raaf’s post about framing all setbacks as opportunities. We had even debated how I could view my suitcases being lost as an opportunity. Seamas had suggested that I avoid the possibility of having to deal with that by packing some clothes in a carryon. Little did I know that I likely am going to have to deal with this problem. By the time I actually post these entries, I’ll know what happened, of course, but right now I’d esimate that there’s a 75% chance that my bags are still in NRT. It all depends on how efficient the baggage handlers are there.
This plane pushed back at about 5:10PM. It took me about 20 minutes to get from the seat on the 747 to my gate. That should be enough time to transfer my bags, but I’m sweating it. There are a ton of bags on a 747 considering there are like 350 people on board. If the bags are sorted into ones that have to be off-loaded for connecting flights, then my bags probably made it. If the bags are mixed up in the cargo bay, then the bags might not have made it. You would think that the bags should be under me considering the plane was only 2-3 gates away from my arriving plane.
Reframe:
If the lose the bags, I’m not going to let myself get pissed. I did pack an extra shirt and underwear, so worse case scenario, I’ll have some clean clothes to change into at the hotel. I can then either hit the 24 mall, or just go shopping in the morning. My only concern is that if I don’t have any clothes, I won’t be able to go to the Four Seasons brunch tomorrow. If I get my bags back on Sat, then I still would be able to take down the brunch on Sunday. If my bags are still in NRT, I think I won’t get the bags for 24 hours :( There’s no use worrying too much or getting pissed, though. My plan is to just consider a few possibilites and just avoid getting pissed.
Introduction:
I'm publishing this now as I wait for my return flight. It's 05:05AM in Singapore on Monday, Feb 6. I've left the following unedited except for any typos that I catch when I do a quick proofreading. My bags were okay. I guess NRT is an efficient airport. On Flyertalk, the word is that if you have <45 style="font-weight: bold;" size="5">
UA Free Alcohol in Y on Trans-Pacific flights:
I started to write this entry on my LAX-NRT flight. I guess I’ll finish the short wine thread I was working on then. Canepa Classico Cabernet Savignon 2004 Central Valley is the red wine that was served in Economy class. I had it twice b/c alcohol is free in Y on Asian Flights. On Domestic & trans-Atlantic UA flights, there is a $5 charge in Y. Flyertalk people think this perk might be gone soon as a competing airlines (NW?) Has started to charge for alcohol on trans-Pacific flights. This is another manifestation of my “buffet” mentality. I figure I might as well get my money’s worth so I get the free alcohol instead of a Diet Pepsi. On this NRT-SIN flight, though, I passed on the alcohol because I don’t want to sleep on this flight. My flight arrives around midnight and I want to be able to go right to bed.
OJ STYLE:
No, I didn’t murder anyone. I did almost miss a connection in NRT. My flight was delayed out of LAX b/c some woman had chest pains. She was off-loaded to the ramp area, but we were delayed while medical assitance arrived, and while her bags were off-loaded. I knew the connection was tight in NRT, but I didn’t realize at the time, how tight it was going to be as a result of the delay. We pulled into the gate in NRT at 4:45PM and the SIN flight was scheduled to leave at 5:15PM. I knew that even though I’m checked in, I can get off-loaded if I’m not at the gate 12 minutes before departure.
I had never been in the NRT airport before and that ended up costing me some time. I saw the sign that pointed towards International Connecting flights and baggage claim, but I could also see that the gates were down below. At one point, I wasted time by taking the elevator down one floor. There I found that the door was locked. The guard pointed that I had to go back upstairs. I ended up not wasting too much time as I was able to hop on the elevator immediately and go back up. It turns out that I had to follow the signs to a security check point. Luckily, the security checkpoint was quick as you don’t have to remove laptops nor shoes like you have to do in the US.
My gate was one of the farther gates. If I knew how close I’d end up cutting it, I would have jogged to the gate, but I walked briskly, but calmly. About 50 feet from the gate, I saw some Asian woman running to the gate. I figured she had been on the same flight as me and was worried she’d misconnect. I got onboard right after her and just as I got to my seat and stowed my carry-ons, I saw the ramp pull back and we were ready for take-off.
Opportunities:
I sould mention that Sidegames cancellation has already proven to be an opportunity on the LAX-NRT & NRT-SIN flight. I’m in a window seat on a 777 in a 2-5-2 configuration and I have an empty seat next to me. (Sidenote: This is a nice plane. It looks new and is a stark contrast to the 747-400 that I came in on.) This seat would have been comfortable even without the empty seat, but this is great with the extra room. On the 747, Sidegames abscene was definately huge. The seating configuartion is 3-4-3. I was in the aisle seat on the right side of the middle 4 seat configuration. Sidegames’ seat was next to me. I know for sure that I would have been uncomfortable if he had been there, though I probably would have taken an empty window seat during check-in if he had come. It turns out that I got the empty seat next to me and was able to put my laptop case under the empty seat and put my junk on the seat itself. The only seat that was occupied in my middle section row was the other aisle seat. When I wanted to sleep, I put up the arm rest and spread out over both seats.
Knowing you’re fucked:
Okay, Seamas and I have been talking about Raaf’s post about framing all setbacks as opportunities. We had even debated how I could view my suitcases being lost as an opportunity. Seamas had suggested that I avoid the possibility of having to deal with that by packing some clothes in a carryon. Little did I know that I likely am going to have to deal with this problem. By the time I actually post these entries, I’ll know what happened, of course, but right now I’d esimate that there’s a 75% chance that my bags are still in NRT. It all depends on how efficient the baggage handlers are there.
This plane pushed back at about 5:10PM. It took me about 20 minutes to get from the seat on the 747 to my gate. That should be enough time to transfer my bags, but I’m sweating it. There are a ton of bags on a 747 considering there are like 350 people on board. If the bags are sorted into ones that have to be off-loaded for connecting flights, then my bags probably made it. If the bags are mixed up in the cargo bay, then the bags might not have made it. You would think that the bags should be under me considering the plane was only 2-3 gates away from my arriving plane.
Reframe:
If the lose the bags, I’m not going to let myself get pissed. I did pack an extra shirt and underwear, so worse case scenario, I’ll have some clean clothes to change into at the hotel. I can then either hit the 24 mall, or just go shopping in the morning. My only concern is that if I don’t have any clothes, I won’t be able to go to the Four Seasons brunch tomorrow. If I get my bags back on Sat, then I still would be able to take down the brunch on Sunday. If my bags are still in NRT, I think I won’t get the bags for 24 hours :( There’s no use worrying too much or getting pissed, though. My plan is to just consider a few possibilites and just avoid getting pissed.
