Sunday September 7th 2014
I had to get up super early this morning for this trip. My flight was due to depart around 530am and i was living closer to the airport now, but it meant that I could justify a work out in the morning. It would save me having to go for one when I reached my destination. But it ate into my sleep. But I would live. Heidi dropped me at the airport around 345am and I walked straight inside into the line full of people.
Check in apparently doesn’t open until 4am and since I had a paper ticket (yes an actual paper ticket), I couldn’t just use my phone or anything. I had to drop a bag off anyway but it meant waiting in line. Which wasn’t all that bad. When check in opened I was helped fairly quickly but it was still a bit of a wait. When I got to the front of the queue, I told the agent directing traffic that I had a “4 Pack” to which she corrected me and told me in Southwest Terms it is a “4 Part” and sent me on my way saying it will be fine.
I checked my bag through to Dallas and rather than stand in the normal security queue, I tried an old trick. Flash the Gold Card and see if it works, well it did. Premium Security for me! Through security and spat out airside. Awesome! It was a short walk from security to the start of the B concourse then it was out in search of coffee and a power point. Why a power point? I didn’t charge my phone properly before leaving the house and was hovering in the teens on my phone. Not a good thing for a day full of flying on planes without power.
I got a coffee and some water and then when and stuck it out by the gate with some power, catching up on my life for the morning. I was waiting for them to start the boarding line up calls and was close enough to hear the gate calls, but far enough away I wasn’t caught in the masses. O how much I would love an airline lounge right now!
Southwest Airlines – WN1632
Seattle Tacoma to Denver
0535-0915
Boeing 737-800 (N8616C)
Economy – Seat 19F (Seq B11)
Boarding: 0505 (Gate B8)
Push Back: 0536
Take Off Roll: 0546 (Runway 34R)
Top of Descent: 0830
Touch Down: 0901 (Runway 16R)
Shut Down: 0906 (Gate C30)
Boarding was called for the A Group and then once they were set free, they allowed the start of the B group to line up. So being B11 I had a good chance of a half decent seat. When they called down the B group I waited my turn, got scanned and headed on down the bridge. Down to our shiny new BSI 737-800. At least I could get some stuff done on the flight now that I was awake thanks to the coffee!
The flight boarded as expected and I got myself settled in. The usual process and right on time we pushed back. No real funny stuff this morning, nothing over the top at all, but then half the plane probably was not awake. The guy in the seat next to me had two pillows. One for his neck and one for his face. We had a quick taxi to the runway as they were using 16R and since the B gates are practically on the Taxiway, we were 2nd in line behind a United 737 and then we were off into the morning sky. I picked wisely as the sun was rising out the left side and I was seated on the right. So i could still see things out my window and not be blinded. Smart!
The guy next to me decided that as soon as we got the right altitude he would recline his seat back with a slam and then off to sleep he went. Although 10 minutes later he decided to tray table sleep. So why he needed full recline I don’t know. I was really waiting for the person behind him to get angry so they would start a fight. Then i could video tape it and sell it to CNN. Sadly that didn’t happen and I am still poor.
The flight went by pretty simply and I had a cup of coffee from the service and stashed the snack they offered. I had thought Southwest only served peanuts on their flights, but I was a little bit wrong. They also serve mini graham crackers. Which was new to me! But they got stashed for later on. I worked away on the WiFi which was an ok speed and nothing to complain about. The price was ok for a 2.5 hour flight at $8 but it is a day pass. Although this first flight would be the only one with WiFi.
Top of Descent came and I started to pack up my stuff. This first leg would be the only one where I had to plane change. The next two flights would be the same plane and same crew. Southwest do things a little differently, that is for sure. I saw nothing on the approach into Denver as I was sitting on the wrong side of the plane. I had wanted to be able to see something but I guess I can’t complain. We landed easily and on time and taxiied straight to the gate. We pulled into our assigned gate and within seconds the engines were off, seat belt signs dinged and everyone was getting up!
My job now once I could get off the plane was to get out into the terminal and find a bathroom, some liquids, the gate and some power. That is generally the order that is preferable, as the bathroom was required, but I passed the gate first and decided to scope out the terminal as much as I could.
I found the gate area and went for a stroll around the shops after finding the nearest bathroom. I grabbed some water and then headed back to the gate for a power outlet and some more relaxing. I didn’t really have all that much to do till tonight, but I was going to enjoy myself for the mean time. Once the inbound came in, I packed up my stuff and went over to a more reasonable spot to jump into the lines once they formed. I had an A group this time so that made me happy 😀
Southwest Airlines – WN4376
Denver to Kansas City
1020-1255
Boeing 737-300 (N619SW)
Economy – Seat 11A (Seq A43)
Boarding: 0950 (Gate C46)
Push Back: 1021
Take Off Roll: 1036 (Runway 17L)
Top of Descent: 1220
Touch Down: 1245 (Runway 19R)
Shut Down: 1248 (Gate B41)
Boarding was called and they pre warned us this was going to be a full flight. They were actively selling the first 15 a spaces for $40 so that people could get overhead bin space. I couldn’t care less as with an A space anyway i would get bin space and a decent seat. The funny thing for it all was that half the flight looked to be filled with one group heading back to Kansas City. Fun for them! I found a decent seat once it was my turn to get onboard but it was non reclining. It didn’t matter to me all that much as for the next 3 hours of flying it was two short hops. I was joined within 5 minutes by a nice older couple and I settled in for the flight.
Looking around as the boarding countinued it was all young, college age girls, all athletes (as they had school sporting gear on) but I wasn’t sure what sport. That was fixed as they came on to announce that the team onboard had just won their competition. YAY THEM! Me all I cared about was getting more power into my phone. I had resorted to using my portable battery pack, even though I wasn’t sure how much power was on it. We pushed back from the gate on time (who says that Southwest are never on time!) and started a long slow taxi, way off into the middle of no where.
We took off without stopping as we turned onto the active and headed up into the skies. More seat miles, same old thing. Relax, coffee, this time eat my breakfast that I had brought with me from home (bagel and banana, my on the road fuel) and relax. Relax I certainly did, with my music and nothing much else other than the window to look out of. I didn’t want to touch the laptop for this flight (to be honest there wasn’t really all that much room for it) and I stayed away from it.
By the time we got to top of descent, I had kind of drifted off into my own little world and then as we were turning towards finals for the airport, the battery in my camera died. I had drained it all the way intentionally as I was using my new camera that I got for my birthday. We landed at Kansas City and it looked deserted. There was one lonely United 757 and then one other Southwest 737 which seemed to push back not long after we landed. As we taxiied to the gate they told those of us staying on board we could not stand up until instructed and to let all the people getting off to get off.
Once they were all off, they counted up the people onboard (46!) and let us loose in the cabin. This is what I like to call Southwest Roulette. Once you’re onboard waiting for people you never know what other people are going to do about their seats. Me, well I had eyed off the unlimited legroom seat in the exit row, so as soon as they let me loose, I saw no one was in it, turned around and swung my bag into the seat. Score!
Southwest Airlines – WN4376
Kansas City to Dallas Love Field
1325-1450
Boeing 737-300 (N619SW)
Economy – Seat 13A
Boarding: 1300 (Gate B41)
Push Back: 1320
Take Off Roll: 1327 (Runway 19R)
Top of Descent: 1405
Touch Down: 1435 (Runway 31R)
Shut Down: 1440 (Gate 5)
I got settled into the new seat as the boarding announcement was made to let the crew know that new passengers were coming on and then I waited for the cabin to fill back up again. I did more of the usual as I waited for push back and tweeted away with all the people who were waking up from their slow sunday mornings out west…. Bastards.
We pushed back from the gate this time early by a few minutes, and headed back off to the runway. We climbed out 2 minutes after scheduled departure so we made some good headway. It was only a short hop up into the Sky and just over an hour to Dallas. It seems that any time I head to Texas I end up with 3 flights. Last time it was in the middle of winter and I barely made it. This time, I did pretty well in the summer with all on time flights.
The flight went along pretty boring, third flight of the day and it should be boring by now. I was getting tired and fading a little bit at the same time. So I stuck it out by reading my book and just looking out the window. No WiFi or Entertainment is that big of a deal these days, I can survive either way. The unlimited legroom didn’t hurt either.
We began descent above a giant bank of clouds so the weather in Texas was definitely not as good as what I had been through most of the day. Both Denver and Kansas were blue as far as the eye could see, however in Dallas it looked to be grey all the way.
We started approaching Dallas and again, I couldn’t see anything of the airport but I did get a decent look at the downtown area as we turned for finals and it is surprising to see just how close to the city that the airport is. Coming into Love Field is so much better than into DFW. We touched down a little bit early, not by much though. The airport was very small so it didn’t take long to taxi to the gate. As we pulled up I was called by the driver who was picking me up to check on me and i told him i wouldn’t be long. Off the plane and into one of the nicest terminals I have seen.
