Flight home for Christmas Options

[talldude]

This past friday I flew home for christmas and I like to mention a few things about the flights. First, I got a really good laugh when the flight attendant said, "if there is anything we can do to make your flight more comfortable, please don't hesitate to let us know". Right off the top of my head I thought about getting off that tiny Saab and waiting for the next flight which would have been a DC-9, a little bit better. I was extremely uncomfortable siting in that lonely one seat on the left side of the plane. I was asked repeatedly to keep my legs not in the aisle. It wasn't my fault!!!!! Blame my DNA But I had to take the flight. Next thing I learned, never drink too much before that Saab flight, lol. I guessed if I couldn't fit in the seat, I couldn't get into the lavatory. So when we landed at MSP we waited for 15 minutes for a gate marshall. Not only was I holding myself, but I was watching my watch, making sure I could catch my connecting flight which was scheduled to depart 8 minutes from the time we actually got to the gate. I would have had a nice 1 hour layover, but no, we were delayed. I ran like I never ran before, but thank god for the tram. Without it I would have missed my flight, but there was still some running involved since it didn't go all the way to the gate. Still running but no time to pee, I made it to the flight on time right before the door closed, success :lol:. Finally, for the first time in all my flying, that last flight is the first time ever, I didn't get my bag on the other end. But no worries, it was sent to me on the next flight. These last couple of flights have been the most stressful flights I have ever taken. I'm sure others have been through worse, I'll just name a few I have heard of...
1. Sitting next to a guy wearing a tank top with big hairy smelly pits
2. Some person who doesn't understand the word, shut the hell up
3. Cancelled flight for 3 days, not going anywhere soon.

[flyingfox]

You flew one of Northwest's aging DC9's then tall??? lol cool :lol:

But for a person of your tall size, you must select the A380 as it has enough height room for you and more leg room too

Good trip report by the way, gives a good change from the song, I'm Driving Home for christmas

Well you mentioned DC9 and MSP, put two together and you get Northwest They are still keeping their heads above water, cool :D

[TWA727]

Sounds like ohhh so much fun! those little DC-9's are fun, and the saab's are ok, as long as you dont have too pee! Glad you got there safe!

[bluebird121]

:D On all of the flights i have been on you can book seats with extra leg room although it costs extra..maybe worth it if you are cramped for more than a couple of hours..but i have not got long legs and i find that even the normal seats do not have much leg room at all..i do the exercises which you are advised to ..even on a short journey.. as i feel it is necessary when the space is so limited..and i did notice that a lot of folk were actually just standing in the aisle just to give their legs a stretch..so you have my sympathy having long legs Tall.It sounds as if you had quite a time of it though..

[Jumpshot724]

My flight home for Christmas was nice. Arrived at KSYR at 0500 for my 0600 flight onboard jetBlue's flight 61. When we got to the airport (went with my friend, she was on the 0605 Northwest flight to KDTW, then she was connecting to KDEN) it was a MADHOUSE. The jetBlue and Northwest ticket lines were HUGE. However, I have to give the jetBlue ground crew props because I was on line for no more than 15 minutes (it curved alllll the way back, Northwest line was the same length) and thus was handing my bag to the TSA agent while my friend was still 5 people from the counter. Went up to the security checkpoint and made it through in about 5 minutes, and went right to my gate (couldn't wait for my friend because my flight was already boarding) and sure enough as soon as I got there they called my row and I stepped aboard my A320. We didnt push back until about 0620 though because of TSA delays with the bags, which I knew was going to happen because when I handed my bag to the TSA lady there was already a huge pile in the middle of their check area, and my bags were the last ones she was taking for a while. We finnally pushed back and taxied pretty slowly I'm guessing due to the snow and ice on the taxiways because it was quite bumpier than usual. We then tookoff and climbed through the cloud cover, breaking through the tops and leveling off from a left turn at about 2500 feet to see a BEUTIFUL sunrise. First off, clouds less than 50 feet below us extending to the horizon, then rising on the horizon were very distinct stripes. A dark red band, a bright orange band on top, a bright yellow band on top of that, a bright green band ontop of that, and then a turquoise blue followed by the dark blue night sky. Very very pretty. Flight was good, flew directly over JFK heading south, then made a 90 degree left turn, then another 90 degree left turn, then another 90 degree left turn, and then one more 90 degree turn onto finals (yes, a 360 in total) and made an approach to 22L at JFK. Flight was fine until the gear came down, then we strated getting some crosswind gusts. I was in the 5th from last row and I could feel the back of the plane fishtailing, and then the pilot using the rudder to correct it. This happened a few times and when we finnally got over the runway, we floated a little to much and they just extended the spoilers and we dropped the remaing 5 feet or so onto the runway, bouncing back up, and then finnally hitting the runway again and staying there. No reverse thrust used and we used a high speed turnoff before taxiing to our gate and parking right next to one of the brand new Embraer-190's who was preparing to depart for Boston. We parked and despite being 20 minutes late pushing back we were only 5 minutes late to our gate. Oh another thing to note, on approach to the runway you could see NYC off to the right and it was BRIGHT red. It was as if all the buildings were made of shiny metal and the bright red sunrise was reflecting off of every single building. So pretty. :D

P.S. - I was in an aisle seat too, and I put my legs there. They don't care as long as you move them when someone is comming towards you to walk by. I just keep them as close to the side of the seat in front of me and no one has ever said anything to me, because I move them when someone is going to walk by.

[katana bhoy]

Well my flight home for christmas wasn't exactly a flight home. I was going thousands of miles away from home for christmas to the US of A from bonnie scotland. The flight from glasgow to amsterdam was pleasant but forgettable apart from the superb crosswind landing at Schipol. Smooth landing where the in- wind wing nearly kissed the runway, magnificent from the pilot flying.
The second leg was terrible, ten and a half hours on a completely full jumbo jet where the air quality was disgusting. Five hours into the flight i could feel my throat being put under attack from manky unfiltered ,pressurized air. The food and drink was good but as i said the air quality was disgusting. My first time on a jumbo and i hoped it would be the last. I landed at Houston totally shattered, unable to grab any decent sleep and unable to contemplate the return journey in two weeks time. If this is long haul air travel you can keep it, i'm sticking to Ryan Air.......Then there were the U.S Immigration Officials..........

[SF3aviatrix]

Right off the top of my head I thought about getting off that tiny Saab...I was extremely uncomfortable siting in that lonely one seat on the left side of the plane. I was asked repeatedly to keep my legs not in the aisle. It wasn't my fault!!!!!....I guessed if I couldn't fit in the seat, I couldn't get into the lavatory.

Get your seat changed now for your return flight! Take the last row, the seat at the end of the aisle on the A models (11B). Nothing in front of your legs for the entire length of the aircraft. Otherwise the first row on the right side is good for the long legged. (1C&D or 1B&C on the B model). If they are all taken, perhaps the F/A can help you out on the return. If a short person is seated there, don't be bashful and ask for a seat swap. I have had some pretty talldudes get reseated accordingly when they didn't fit well.

Mesaba SF340A

Mesaba SF340B

As far as the bathroom, it is a tiny fit but you should have gotten up and gone! Ya gotta go if it's an emergency (or about to become one).

[talldude]

Here's the seat map of the Saab I was in... http://www.nwa.com/travel/trave/seatm/sf3/index.shtml
I was in 7A.

Anyway, I'll take that advice and try to get the best seat I can, but when I return I have a good chance to fly on a RJ-85, CRJ 200, or DC-9. Right now I don't know what my plane will be.