Southwest Flight 2332 from Reno (RNO) to Las Vegas (LAS)

After returning my 2013 Chevy Impala to the Alamo car return, I breezed through TSA security at the Reno Tahoe International Airport.  I went into the Fly By Lane, but didn't really need to since there wasnt even one other passenger.

Southwest Flight was leaving from Gate B3, so I made my way there.  At 9:56am they had the A Group line up.  I had not checked in until that morning, so my Business Select boarding position was only A6.  I boarded at 10:02am and sat myself in the aisle seat, 4C.  The doors closed at 10:12am.  We pulled away from the gate at 10:16am.

Southwest Flight 2332 Reno to Las Vegas

Thankfully, unlike my flight two days before, this Boeing 737-700 was wifi equipped, so I logged into the wifi while the other passengers were boarding.  The pilot came on the intercom at 10:26am to say that there was a delay due to traffic in Las Vegas.  We were already six minutes late for our 10:20am departure at that time.  We ended up taking off at 10:30am.

The two ladies sitting next to me in seats 4A and 4B were headed to a meeting at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  When the flight attendant, Tasha, took our drink orders they ordered ginger ale and tomato juice.  I requested a can of cran-apple juice.  I tried to pawn off my Business Select free drink coupon on them, but they, like me, were headed directly to a meeting after we landed.

Just before they passed out the packets of pretzels and lightly salted peanuts, Tasha brought our drinks and included a cup of ice and some napkins for my cranberry apple cocktail.  She chuckled when she gave me the napkin, since my neighbor's tomato juice had slightly spilled on it.  She wanted to assure me the the red liquid was not blood.

We started our initial descent at 11:05am and landed at 11:28am.  We taxied into gate B11 at the McCarran International Airport at 11:35 and I was able to deplane at 11:37.

Southwest Flight 745 LAS to RNO Trip Report

Since the cost to upgrade to Business Select was minimal (less than
$60), I decided to upgrade to a Business Select ticket for my round
trip flight between Las Vegas and Reno.  Since I did not check in
until the day of my trip, I was only given a boarding position of A4.
I did get a coupon for a "free" drink, as well.

Southwest Flight 745 LAS to RNO

After my flight on Delta from Minneapolis arrived in Las Vegas at gate D37, I deplaned and headed over to the C Terminal to Gate C25 to board my Southwest flight to Reno on Monday, September 22, 2014.

After exiting the tram from the D gates, I started following the signs to the A, B and C gates, but noticed one of those ominous signs that notified me that I would need to go through security again if I passed
that point.  I stopped immediately and looked around.  I noticed a
door that was emblazoned with a Do Not Enter sign beyond which I could
see the tram to the C Gates.  I passed through the doors and took the
tram to the C Gates.

The gate agent made her first pre-boarding announcement at 7:34pm and
had us line up at 7:38pm.  We boarded the plane at 7:43pm.

As I boarded the plane, a 737-700, I noticed about 10 passengers that
must have been throughs, so I sat myself on the aisle in seat 4D.
Even though I received the email about wifi the day before, this plane
did not have wifi capability, like my flight from Newark to Midway the
previous week.

The flight attendant closed the door at 7:54pm .  We pushed back from
the gate at 7:59pm and we took off at 8:07pm.

Since the flight was not full (about 80 passengers), the middle seat
next to me remained empty.   In the window seat sat a young woman from
the southern edge of Lake Tahoe.  I asked her if she might have an
issue getting there from Reno due tontine wild fires, but she seemed
to think that the fires were on the western side of the lake and would
not hinder the drive.

When the flight attendant came by, I ordered a can of Coke Zero and
with my coupon that I received with my Business Select ticket
purchase, I ordered a Fat Tire Amber Ale.  The flight attendant seemed
a bit put off that I ordered two drinks and questioned me to see if I
thought I would have time to drink both.  I answered in the
affirmative.

She brought my Fat Tire Amber Ale to me right away, even before she
started to prepare drinks for the other passengers.  The Fat Tire came
to me very cold with a bit of ice formed, so it was quite good.
Shortly thereafter she brought my can of Coke Zero with a glass of
ice. For a snack, they handed me two packets of lightly salted
peanuts.

We started making our initial descent at 8:51pm and landed at RNO at
9:07pm and arrived at gate B3 at 9:11pm.  I deplaned at 9:13pm.

Delta Flight DL1451 MSP to LAS Trip Report

Prior to my trip, I had reserved an aisle seat in Economy Comfort, but
was upgraded to First Class seat 7C a few days before my trip.  I was
definitely glad to get the upgrade!

We boarded at Gate G22 at 5:13pm. The storage above my seat, which was
at the back of first class, was just big enough for my bag.

When I arrived at my seat, there were some Billboard headphones and a
bottle of Dasani water.  There was an inflight entertainment (IFE)
screen on the seat back in front of me and a plug in between my seat
and the seat next to me.  When I plugged in my phone, when I boarded,
it did not charge my phone.    Unfortunately, my phone did not charge,
even after we took off.

The flight attendant took my pre-flight drink order at 5:24pm and my
margarita made with Avion tequila.  It came in a plastic cup, instead
of a glass one, as I have been accustomed to.  We pulled back at
5:42pm and took off at 5:56pm.

On the IFE, I decided to watch Godzilla, starring Bryan Cranston,
since I had never seen it.  As I began watching it, before take off,
the flight attendant hurried me to finish my margarita, which
surprised me.

Another flight attendant, Antwan, later came through to take our
dinner order.  We had a choice between a Mexican Chop Salad with
jalapeño chicken and a turkey and swiss hot sandwich.  I chose the hot
turkey and swiss. To drink, I ordered another margarita.

It was nice, since Antwan starting taking orders at our row, the rear
of the first class cabin.  Usually I have found that flight attendants
start at the front of the cabin and by the time they reach me, I only
have one choice.

The other flight attendant then came through with the hot towel.
After retrieving all of the used towels, the same flight attendant
came through and place napkins on our tray.

My margarita was brought first in a glass, then they came by with
snacks - a choice of peanuts, pretzels and Biscoff cookies.  I chose
the Biscoff cookies, as I had chosen on the flight from South Bend to
Minneapolis.

When the sandwich arrived, it was accompanied by some fruit (grapes,
sliced apple and a strawberry), a Dancing Deer Baking Company maple
oatmeal cookie, and a package of Cape Code kettle cooked potato chips.
The sandwich was also accompanied by a pickle and a packet of
Hellman's real mayonnaise and a packet of Grey Poupon Dijon mustard.

I dispensed the mustard and mayonnaise on to the sandwich and
proceeded to take a bite.  Overall, not a bad sandwich.  The bread was
nice a crispy.  The fruit was fresh and the chips and cookie were
quite good.

DL1451 MSP to LAS

After dinner, I thought that I would try one of the new mixed drinks
that is featured in the Skymiles magazine.  As I talked to Antwan, he
ascertained that I would enjoy the Silver Horizon, which is Avion
tequila and Fresca, garnished with one each of lemon and orange
wedges.  It was quite tasty and was served in a glass.

I found it interesting that the New York based crew was fully African
American.  I wonder if the flight attendants assemble their teams or
if Delta determined that such a team would be beneficial.

For my last drink I ordered a Platinum Take Off.  It was Woodford
Reserve small batch bourbon, cranberry-apple juice and a splash of
club soda.  It had a nice, deep fruity flavor.

We started our initial descent at 8:29pm Central time.  The flight up
to that point was quite smooth.  The pilot came on the intercom to let
us know that it would be another 25 minutes and that we would be
heading to Gate D37 after we landed.

We landed at 6:50pm in Las Vegas - it was an easy landing.  We taxied
to Gate D37 and arrived at the gate at 6:57pm and deplaned at 6:59pm.

Delta Flight DL4449 SBN to MSP Trip Report

As I tried to park at South Bend, the machine to the extended parking
did not spit out the ticket and the gate did not go up. I waited
about 60 seconds and hit the button again. This time the ticket spit
out of the machine. Although the entrance to the parking took some
time, I did find a prime parking spot closest to both the terminal and
the exit for when I would return.

I got through security pretty quickly. I had to wait for two couples
with one couple having a baby. They were a bit slow, but I still made
it to Gate A5 within 10 minutes if exiting my car.

On this trip I reserved seat 5C, an aisle seat. I have normally
reserved a spot in the exit row, but have found that it is usually
populated by someone even larger than I, which makes for an
uncomfortable trip. I thought I would try a different tact and get a
regular seat.

The only problem with Delta flights out of South Bend are that all of
the planes are CRJs. Not only is it a small plane with few seats, it
also requires one to check their bag. It is always disappointing,
since I have a carry on to facilitate a quicker, more efficient trip.

DL4449 SBN to MSP

The gate agent came around well before we boarded and attached a pink
baggage claim ticket to my carry on. This time I received claim
ticket 9006493238. I have never had to use a claim ticket for my
carry on, luckily enough.

Boarding started at 3:45pm for a scheduled 4:10pm departure. I always
wait until the end to board, since I have to check my carry on. This
strategy has sometimes ended with a small confrontation in the exit
row with someone who has tried to poach my seat.

I was nearly the last to board the CRJ200 and was greeted by our
flight attendant, Allie. I cozied into my seat in row 5, joining an
older lady, Diane, who was headed to Oceanside/San Diego, CA. She
manages self storage units in North County San Diego. She was
originally from Goshen, IN and is a practicing Jehovah's Witness.

The doors were shut at 4:05pm and we pushed back from the gate at
4:08pm and took off at 4:20pm. The pilot came on the overhead and
said that it would take an hour and five minutes to get to Minneapolis
and said that it should be a fairly smooth flight. We took off late,
because the pilots were waiting for a landing gate. That was curious
because the Delta app indicated that we would be landing at Gate A2.

When Allie came around, I asked for a can of Fresca with a cup of ice
and Biscoff cookies.

We started our initial descent at 4pm Central time and touched down at
4:25pm. Our flight and landing were both smooth. We taxied to Gate
A2, arriving at the gate finally at 4:34pm.

After deplaning at 4:39pm, I was able to get my bag at 4:52, though it
came through the side door behind me, instead of on the lift rack near
the exit into the terminal. There must have been too many bags to fit
on the lift rack.

Southwest Flight 2496 Newark to Chicago Trip Report

Southwest Flight 2496 Newark to Chicago

We flew out of Gate A15 at EWR, which is the same gate at which we deplaned the day before.  Our boarding assignments were A17 and B13, respectively.  As I did the day before, we boarded at the end of the A30-A60 line without a problem.

As we made our way down the jet bridge, I noticed that the plane was an older model 737-300, which made me worry about wifi availability.  We found a spot in row 10 in seats 10A and 10B.  After getting situated, I noticed that the seats do not recline.  Luckily, I don't normally recline my seat and the person in front of me did not recline theirs.

We pulled away from the gate at 8:48pm, 7 minutes prior to our scheduled time of departure and took at at 8:59pm.  As we were ascending, a flight attendant announced that there was no wifi on the flight - surprise!  I had received an email the day before from Southwest touting the ability to use wifi and watch Dish, but no one must have told the email marketing folks that not all of the planes are wifi equipped.

When they came by for drinks, I ordered a can of Coke Zero with ice and my daughter ordered some apple juice.  When they came around with snacks, they only offered pretzels.

We landed at 10:45pm in Chicago after a pretty uneventful flight, except for an interesting nose dive during the descent.  As we were descending the pilot maneuvered the plane at a steeper nose angle than usual, so much so that everyone on the plane noticed.  There were quite a few gasps for the second or two it took for the pilot to make the correction. We deplaned at gate B18, having reached the gate at 10:52pm.  Since I was with my daughter, it would have been nice to deplane at B1, like I had done that Friday.

My daughter's foils had already arrived at baggage claim, but we had to wait briefly for our two other pieces of luggage, but they came out on to the conveyer within a few minutes.

Southwest Flight 4567 From San Diego to Chicago Trip Report

I took the very early morning direct flight (Southwest Flight 4567) direct from San Diego to Chicago Midway, due to depart at 6:35am, so that I could get home at a decent time.  You lose so much time every time you go from West to East.  On this flight I received a boarding assignment of A19, one better than my flight to San Diego on Monday on Southwest Flight 449.

I arrived at the airport on the Alamo shuttle at 5:15am  after returning my Chevy Cruze.  There was a line of about 20 people in the TSA line, which I was able to bypass due to the A List Fly By Lane.  I got through TSA in less than 5 minutes, since there was only one person that I needed to wait on to put my belongings through the scanner.

Southwest Flight 4567 San Diego to Chicago

Boarding was a breeze on this newer 737-800.  I ended up in aisle seat 5D, since A1-A15 was full for this flight.  Amazingly I didn't see any preboards on this flight and I can't imagine that there were any "through" passengers as it was a 6:35am flight.  We backed out of the gate at 6:45am and took off at 6:51am, since we were the first in line to take off.  Take off was a little more difficult, as the plane leaned left a bit just after take off.  The pilot easily corrected it.

While in-flight I chose Ritz cheese crackers and the Chips Ahoy 100 calorie pack for my snacks.  To drink I chose a can of Coke Zero.  I always ask for a cup of ice, as well, since I have not received ice on occasion when I have not specified as such.

In seat 6D, the row behind me, sat an older gentleman, who was a chair puller.  He would use my seat as an aid to get out of his seat and to sit down as well.  Luckily, he did not get up and down too often during the flight, or it would have gotten very annoying.

The whole flight was turbulence free, except with bumps during the descent and we landed at Midway airport in Chicago at 12:10pm with a very rough landing.  The plane landed roughly and then reversed engines really quickly, which caused a large jerk.  We arrived at the gate, B1,  at 12:12pm , 28 minutes early!  It made up for my 30 minute late arrival in San Diego on Monday night.

Southwest Flight 449 Chicago to San Diego Trip Report

Southwest Flight 449 Chicago to San Diego

My drive to Midway airport was uneventful, thankfully.  I took my normal route from Mishawaka, so that I did not have to pay any tolls - State Road 2 to US 94 to 59th Street.  Per usual, I parked at Midway Park Saver, which is conveniently situated across from the CTA.  As luck would have it, I found a parking space very close to the entrance.  In fact, it was the 2nd space on the exit side, which will be great for my return.

As I walked to the TSA line, the iPad guy had me go through the PreCheck line - hooray for me!  After having someone cut me off before getting my identification checked, it was smooth sailing.  I got through TSA by 6:05pm and my 7:25pm flight (Southwest Flight #449 to San Diego) was to board at 6:55pm.  I checked the monitor to verify that I would be taking off from Gate B19 and off I went.  After being seated, the gate was changed to B1, though an almost inaudible announcement was made to let us know of the change.  I never received a text from Southwest to notify me of the switch.

Of course, my flight was delayed by 30 minutes, though no reason was given.  We finally were asked to form the boarding line.  I had A20 this time due to my A List Preferred status and the wonky Southwest algorithm for assigning my place in line.  There were 5 "throughs", so they boarded first.  There were some "preboards", or "blue sleeves", as well.  Regrettably, the gate agent allowed several family members board with some of them.

They called for A1-A15, then A16-A30 and off we went.  When I got on the newer 737-800, the first 5 rows were pretty much full, so I made my way to row 6.  After waiting for a guy to put his carryon above my seat, then proceed to row 7, take a few things out of his backpack and then place the backpack in the overhead above his seat, I settled into seat 6C on the left side of the aisle facing forward.

I ordered two Fat Tires, while on board, but, when I paid with my Southwest Premier Visa, I was told that her machine was broken and could not print a receipt.  She said that she would check with another flight attendant to see if they could print a receipt for me.  She never came back around to give me a receipt.  I will need to find another way to get reimbursed.  For my snacks, I picked the Wheat Thins 100 calorie pack and Ritz cheese crackers.

Unsurprisingly, we landed in San Diego 30 minutes past our scheduled arrival time.  I deplaned and made my way to the shuttle bus to take me to Alamo so that I could procure my rental car.