Best and worst flight you have ever had
Jul 11, 2003, 7:15 pm
#1
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Best and worst flight you have ever had
Best: BA Concorde LHR-JFK 9/5/02, enough said. blabbed about it enough here 
Worst: JMC 757 LYS-LGW. charter flight for skiing, terrible legroom, severe cramp, 4am start with severe hangover, crap terminal facilities, 3hours late. Only redeeming feature was the fact it was an hour long. Get me out of there!
[This message has been edited by fbgdavidson (edited 07-11-2003).]
Worst: JMC 757 LYS-LGW. charter flight for skiing, terrible legroom, severe cramp, 4am start with severe hangover, crap terminal facilities, 3hours late. Only redeeming feature was the fact it was an hour long. Get me out of there!
[This message has been edited by fbgdavidson (edited 07-11-2003).]
Jul 13, 2003, 8:52 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2003
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I'm probably going to have to update this when I've been to LHR and NRT but my favorite flight thus far was Air Canada LAX-YYZ Christmas weekend, 1998; I had a delicious chicken dinner, watched Air Bud, slept soundly, was seated next to a pretty Chinese lady, great music on the audio channels. 
Worst? July 17th AA LAS-SJC flight; NO a/c while sitting out on the tarmac in 110 degree Vegas heat. I saw everyone on the aircraft reaching desparately for the overhead air nozzles for relief. People fanning themselves, including flight attendants. And then there was this boy who sound liked the Tazmanian Devil, not even the FA knew what to think when she came across that...thing. Although that wasn't AA's fault. It got better once the takeoff roll brough the engines to full throttle, causing the A/C to kick in.
(edited to add the recent flight)
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Best regards,
Dairenn Lombard
Los Angeles, CA
[This message has been edited by dlombard (edited 07-18-2003).]
Worst? July 17th AA LAS-SJC flight; NO a/c while sitting out on the tarmac in 110 degree Vegas heat. I saw everyone on the aircraft reaching desparately for the overhead air nozzles for relief. People fanning themselves, including flight attendants. And then there was this boy who sound liked the Tazmanian Devil, not even the FA knew what to think when she came across that...thing. Although that wasn't AA's fault. It got better once the takeoff roll brough the engines to full throttle, causing the A/C to kick in.
(edited to add the recent flight)
------------------
Best regards,
Dairenn Lombard
Los Angeles, CA
[This message has been edited by dlombard (edited 07-18-2003).]
Jul 13, 2003, 9:09 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2000
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Best: NW11 DTW-NRT int'l F in 1999
Worst: BA?? Montreal (Mirabel) to/from LHR int'l Y in 1996. I called BA to a seat assignment a few months in advance. The agent told me that because I was part of a tour group, they can't assign me a seat. I ended up with the middle seat.
Keep in mind that I flew on BA outbound and KL inbound with a tour group the year before, and I got the same garbage from BA; however, KL was able to reserve a (nice) Y seat for me.
- Pat
[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 07-13-2003).]
Worst: BA?? Montreal (Mirabel) to/from LHR int'l Y in 1996. I called BA to a seat assignment a few months in advance. The agent told me that because I was part of a tour group, they can't assign me a seat. I ended up with the middle seat.
Keep in mind that I flew on BA outbound and KL inbound with a tour group the year before, and I got the same garbage from BA; however, KL was able to reserve a (nice) Y seat for me.
- Pat
[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 07-13-2003).]
Jul 14, 2003, 5:50 am
#5
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Best: BA LHR - EWR, in June, 2000. I love 777's, and the service was professional, it was only 75% full and there was absolutely NO turbulence to speak of - I was pleasantly surprised at how uneventful the flight was.
Worst: No question, Avensa Servivensa, Caracas to Miami, 1996, plane completely lost power at 35,000 feet briefly (4 or 5 seconds) - I thought, "this is it." Was in tears when we got to Miami. Vowed then to always take one of the majors or don't go. Still haven't quite been able to shake that experience.
Worst: No question, Avensa Servivensa, Caracas to Miami, 1996, plane completely lost power at 35,000 feet briefly (4 or 5 seconds) - I thought, "this is it." Was in tears when we got to Miami. Vowed then to always take one of the majors or don't go. Still haven't quite been able to shake that experience.
Jul 14, 2003, 7:10 am
#6
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Best: CX F HKG-AMS, I was alone in F with 4 FA's taking care of me.
Worst: Transavia LGW-AMS, Flight FULL of Nigerians transferring at AMS, heavy turbulence, aborted landing at AMS and pax standing up during takeoff...
Worst: Transavia LGW-AMS, Flight FULL of Nigerians transferring at AMS, heavy turbulence, aborted landing at AMS and pax standing up during takeoff...
Jul 14, 2003, 7:18 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Auburn, AL
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Posts: 445
Best:
ATL-DEN, 9/23/01. Felt good to be flying after Sept. 11 just to say up yours to the terrorists.
Worst:
ITH-LGA, spring 1988. On a Beech 1900 rollercoastering around thunderstorms; the only time I've ever seen passengers actually use the airsickness bags - and it was about half of them. Plane reeked by the time we landed.
ATL-DEN, 9/23/01. Felt good to be flying after Sept. 11 just to say up yours to the terrorists.
Worst:
ITH-LGA, spring 1988. On a Beech 1900 rollercoastering around thunderstorms; the only time I've ever seen passengers actually use the airsickness bags - and it was about half of them. Plane reeked by the time we landed.
Jul 14, 2003, 8:25 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Best in last 7 years: UA Int'l F EZE-MIA back in 2000. Sat in the United First Suite with only 5 pax in a cabin of 11. The purser set aside one bottle of Dom Perignon only for me. AHHHHH, Epicurean!!!
Worst: Anything on AeroLitoral (commuter arm of AeroMexico), especially in the Fairchild Metro aircraft.
Worst: Anything on AeroLitoral (commuter arm of AeroMexico), especially in the Fairchild Metro aircraft.
Jul 14, 2003, 8:36 am
#9
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Second to Best (Very Close):
Back in '99 flew UA F on ORD-GIG with stopover in MIA, when the 777's were almost brand new.
Sat next to the late Walter Payton. He was going down to Rio to watch one of his cars race. He truly was a REALLY nice guy. I am honored to have had the privilege of meeting him.
Back in '99 flew UA F on ORD-GIG with stopover in MIA, when the 777's were almost brand new.
Sat next to the late Walter Payton. He was going down to Rio to watch one of his cars race. He truly was a REALLY nice guy. I am honored to have had the privilege of meeting him.
Jul 14, 2003, 9:22 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Posts: 34
Best: LHR-BOS on BA 777. Had a row of three seats all to myself, food and drink service was plentiful, cabin staff represented the utmost in professionalism, and the flight arrived a full 30 minutes early.
Worst: RIC-BWI on US Jetstream 41. Plane was completely full, and with no air conditioning, turned into a furnace. No room to store carry-ons onboard either. We were bouncing up and down the entire way. Upon landing, the onward flight to EWR was delayed 2.5 hours. (Fortunately, I was FIMed onto another flight which got me to my final destination of PVD earlier than I would have arrived otherwise.)
Worst: RIC-BWI on US Jetstream 41. Plane was completely full, and with no air conditioning, turned into a furnace. No room to store carry-ons onboard either. We were bouncing up and down the entire way. Upon landing, the onward flight to EWR was delayed 2.5 hours. (Fortunately, I was FIMed onto another flight which got me to my final destination of PVD earlier than I would have arrived otherwise.)
Jul 14, 2003, 4:24 pm
#11
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Best: HEL-JFK in J class on Finnair, 1991 or so. With only a handful of transatlantic routes you could tell that it was a prestige run for AY, with charming and highly motivated staff on board, and it showed. Also, I ate reindeer for lunch.
Worst: EWR-PWM on PeopleExpress, Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning 1985. Eight hours late because of a snowstorm during which PE "ran out of pilots." They got a guy out of bed to come fly us to Maine. By the time he arrived the airplane had frozen solid and took two hours to get started. When we finally took off at daybreak some passengers refused to pay (you paid onboard at PE) and police met us at PWM. PE was starting to unravel at the time and collapsed/got bought out within the year.
Worst: EWR-PWM on PeopleExpress, Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning 1985. Eight hours late because of a snowstorm during which PE "ran out of pilots." They got a guy out of bed to come fly us to Maine. By the time he arrived the airplane had frozen solid and took two hours to get started. When we finally took off at daybreak some passengers refused to pay (you paid onboard at PE) and police met us at PWM. PE was starting to unravel at the time and collapsed/got bought out within the year.
Jul 14, 2003, 9:58 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2000
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Best (in coach): CO Nonstop IAH-BDL (11/00) with my then girlfriend (now wife) and another couple who are very good friends of ours. I was Platinum at the time so I got my upgrade five days out. I called the night before departure and burned 10,000 miles to upgrade my g/f and snatch the last seat in first. I then persuaded our friends to move to coach bulkhead so I swapped and let the girls sit up front, me and my buddy right behind the curtain.
The flight attendant saw this and said "That's really generous of you. Everthing's on me tonight". So there we were in D & F, vacant middle seat tray table holding our non-stop margaritas and grand marniers. The only things we were missing from First was the wide leather seat and the food since we had the most important things: the legroom and the drinks (bulkhead didn't go all the way to the floor). The FC FA even gave each of the girls a bottle of wine.
The first officer came around to go for a stroll and didn't make it past us. He ended chatting with us for about 30 minutes....I had just soloed two weeks before.
The flight attendant saw this and said "That's really generous of you. Everthing's on me tonight". So there we were in D & F, vacant middle seat tray table holding our non-stop margaritas and grand marniers. The only things we were missing from First was the wide leather seat and the food since we had the most important things: the legroom and the drinks (bulkhead didn't go all the way to the floor). The FC FA even gave each of the girls a bottle of wine.
The first officer came around to go for a stroll and didn't make it past us. He ended chatting with us for about 30 minutes....I had just soloed two weeks before.
Jul 14, 2003, 10:47 pm
#13
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It was the best of flights and the worst of flights.
A 9 pax aircraft out of Juneau. The pilot was a bit of a "cowboy" who loved flying over the glaciers while turning around and talking to to the pax. The scenery was gorgeous but I wanted to tell the pilot to keep his eyes on the road (or ground).
Had a similar experience in Australia, again, in a very light plane. Captain kept turning around and talking to the pax while flying over the outback. Now, perhaps, these pilots are so familiar with their territory, but as a "white-knuckler" in a small plane, I was not looking to my pilot as a tour guide.
A 9 pax aircraft out of Juneau. The pilot was a bit of a "cowboy" who loved flying over the glaciers while turning around and talking to to the pax. The scenery was gorgeous but I wanted to tell the pilot to keep his eyes on the road (or ground).
Had a similar experience in Australia, again, in a very light plane. Captain kept turning around and talking to the pax while flying over the outback. Now, perhaps, these pilots are so familiar with their territory, but as a "white-knuckler" in a small plane, I was not looking to my pilot as a tour guide.
Jul 15, 2003, 3:50 am
#14
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Posts: n/a
Best flight: Dec 2002. CX FC LAX-HKG-BKK-HKG-LAX. Seat 2A. On AAward. The only way to fly. SO booked for repeat Dec 2003!
WOrst flight: July 1971. Aeroflot Coach PRAGUE-KIEV. They were convertible military transport planes with the worst seats, food, and FA.
WOrst flight: July 1971. Aeroflot Coach PRAGUE-KIEV. They were convertible military transport planes with the worst seats, food, and FA.
Jul 15, 2003, 5:43 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2002
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My BEST flight was Bos to OGG 9/18/01. Had the plane almost to ourselves and the FA's were just about tripping over themselves to help us. Maui was deserted as could be expected. It was the best trip I have ever had.
I don't know the code for the airport in Kingston, Jamaica, but holy smokes, we were coming out of Montergo Bay and had a short stop to pick up passengers at Kingston. It turned out to be over 5 hours because the AC broke. We arrived at JFK at 2:00 AM, they had a van drive us from JFK to Rhode Island, where I lived at the time. We arrived home at 7:00 AM. This was 6/97.
I don't know the code for the airport in Kingston, Jamaica, but holy smokes, we were coming out of Montergo Bay and had a short stop to pick up passengers at Kingston. It turned out to be over 5 hours because the AC broke. We arrived at JFK at 2:00 AM, they had a van drive us from JFK to Rhode Island, where I lived at the time. We arrived home at 7:00 AM. This was 6/97.