Red-eye flight number 2

I was home for about 15 hours after Vegas before I left for London.

I knew taking red-eye flights two nights in a row was a really bad idea. But I did it anyway.

Thankfully I was able to sleep a few hours on the flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam. That helped...a little.

Too much travel in a short period of time. Being sick has made it even worse than it should be.

Red-eye flight number 1

I don't like red-eye flights. I can sort of sleep on planes, but beds are so much more comfortable.

I am about to take the first of back-to-back red-eye flights. I wouldn't do this on purpose. I am doing this to maximize my time at home before leaving on an international trip.

I am taking the red-eye from Vegas to Minneapolis. I could have kept my original flight but then I could only be home for three hours before leaving the country for two weeks. I think I made the right decision, but probably won't know that for sure until Wednesday when I arrive in London.

Hopefully I will sleep on this first red-eye.....and will dream of how to use the miles I am accumulating.

11-12 December 2010

I think these are pretty accurate weekend totals for the amount of time I spent in airports and on planes.....this weekend.

Saturday-
4 hours on a plane
3 hours in the airport

and then back home when they closed the airport. I could have just about gotten to Europe in that amount of time. I am just trying to get to Vegas.

Sunday-
I am on hour 4 in the Salt Lake City airport. We have a plane, but don't have pilots to fly it.

Plus.....
4 hours on two different flights
7 hours in two airports - Minneapolis and St. Louis

It has been a very long day. Lesson learned.

Lesson = consult crystal ball before booking travel, especially during the winter months.

On-time flights

So far...only one of my flights has left on time. Unfortunately, it was the one I missed because my previous flight was delayed. I am feeling very confident that I will make it to Las Vegas tonight. Only 24 hours later than when I should have arrived.

Third plane

I am on my third plane in two days and still haven't left Minnesota yet. I am now back on a direct flight to St Louis instead of going through Detroit or Atlanta first. I wouldn't have minded going to Atlanta if my flight could have made it out at 7:20 am. De-icing the plane apparently caused it to lose a circuit. Then we had trouble getting to a gate so the mechanics could board to fix the issue.

I got a first class upgrade and while I rarely drink, especially this early, I am taking advantage of the free alcohol. Cheers! Still hoping to get to Vegas.

Mileage run

Today will likely be my first and only mileage run. A mileage run is flying just to get miles; typically to make or keep elite status with an airline.
Yes, I live in Minnesota.
Yes, I know it snows in Minnesota in December.
Yes, I knew the risks.
I booked this trip a month ago and was very optimistic that I could avoid delays at all four airports I was scheduled to be at.
Yesterday it became five airports when my first flight was canceled.
I think the snow fall total was seven inches when I left for the airport. Worried. But still a bit optimistic.

My initial flight plan was Minneapolis to St Louis to Atlanta to Vegas. It wasn't just a mileage run. I just chose to take the long way to Vegas. It was supposed to net me nearly 10,000 miles.

Probably a foot of snow now.

All Minneapolis to St Louis flights were canceled. I was forced to add another leg to my trip and decided on Detroit because the storm was supposed to miss them. I was sure that I was going to be fine if I could get out of Minneapolis.
Three hours later I am still on the tarmac in MSP. The first problem was the right engine wouldn't start after de-icing. We were towed back to the gate for a jump. About ten people gave up and de-planed.

After an hour or so at the gate with the poor mechanics working very hard both engines started. We then went to the de-icing pad to de-ice the rest of the plane and the left engine died. They were finally able to re-start it.
Kudos to all of those people who are working outside in a blizzard to get our plane going. Applause!

The flight attendants say NOT leaving is not an option because this plane is needed somewhere else. I am comforted by her calmness.

My flight from Detroit should have departed ten minutes ago. I am still in MSP.

Update - runway is closed for snow removal. De-icing has stopped.

I'm sure I will get to Vegas eventually. Hopefully the nice folks in Detroit can get me to Vegas from there. I am over trying to get 10,000 miles.

No red tail

My flight on Sunday from Minneapolis to DC might have been the last on a NWA-branded plane.

My flight from DC back to Minneapolis is on a Delta plane. Delta does have nicer seats.

On an unrelated note - Al Franken, our new Senator, is on my flight. A woman just thrust her baby at Al and asked if she could take his picture holding her infant. (Update - this made the Drudge Report - courtesy of an article written by the baby's dad.)

Red Tail?

I am sitting at MSP (Minneapolis - St. Paul airport) waiting for my flight to DCA (Washington National airport) and am wondering if the plane will be NWA (red tail) or Delta.

(BTW - I know lots of airport codes, but that can be a different post.)

Delta airlines is merging (translation - absorbing) Northwest airlines. I get about one e-mail per week from NWA about the merger. Growing up in Minnesota - the world HQ for NWA - I am a little sad that brand is going away. I now take a picture of my plane every time I fly. I have been doing this for several months now. Eventually, I will be on a NWA-painted plane for the last time, and I want to be sure and capture this historic moment.

I have a picture from my last flight ready to upload in case tonight's plane does not have a red tail.

I like to fly

I really do. I know some people hate flying, or are afraid.

I get excited every time I go to the airport. It doesn't matter if it is a short trip, like to Chicago....or a long flight, like to Japan.

My first plane ride was on Eastern Air Lines to Orlando, Florida. I was a high school sophmore. Eastern stopped flying in 1991. (According to Wikipedia. Image is from their site.)