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LHR-BOS-ORD-SAN-LHR on BA and AA: Snow, Lobsters and Aircraft Carriers

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  • #31
    Today’s 738 had the Boeing Sky Interior (BSI), with blue fabric seats, with leather headrests and no in-seat video.





    Although (or maybe because) this was an older product, this was one of the more spacious and comfortable 738’s that I had been on, with extra legroom in many rows, labeled “main cabin extra”, which I did not have to pay extra to select online (FF seat selection perks?).







    Row 7 bulkhead seat…first row of Y.



    Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:29 PM.

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    • #32
      Although there were no seatback IFE screens, the plane was well equipped with wifi and streaming audio and video, as well as A/C power. With those, I did not miss the IFE seat back screens.





      Using wifi, movies were available, although these were paid movies-on-demand.





      Very reasonable time-based wifi charges, with a range of plans available. Any airline which implements a data volume-based plan has lost the plot (Are you listening, SQ?), time-based plans are the way to go.





      Different wifi plans for mobile and desktop devices.





      On your desktop, the wifi even includes an “Airshow” window! Very cool…

      Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:29 PM.

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      • #33
        Cabin ambience…one of the most spacious 738’s I have been on.





        Only coffee, tea and soft beverages were complimentary, but a variety of snacks and beverages were available on a paid basis.





        Although this flight was just around 3 hours scheduled time, hot breakfasts were not available.



        I settled for a snack box.



        My choice of beverage was a very drinkable Minute Maid cranberry-apple cocktail drink…the whole can was given to you, along with a well-filled cup of ice.



        The snack box itself just contained a small bag of crisps, and a tube of Hummus.



        Not a very generous portion of crisps, but the crisps went very well with the Hummus.



        Not gourmet dining by any means, but enough to stave off hunger pangs as I boarded my morning flight without having anything for breakfast.

        The flight landed on time in Chicago on a very cold morning.

        Overall, a very good flight on AA, with the spacious “main cabin extra” Y seat and inflight wifi enhancing the short haul experience.
        Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:29 PM.

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        • #34
          I was in Chicago for just a day. I was determined to make the best of it.



          I stayed at the Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in a prime spot just off Michigan Avenue.

          This was a recently remodelled hotel, with intimate public areas, and gorgeous hotel rooms.

          The check-in area…





          Bar, restaurant and public areas…





          My corner king room was spacious and very beautifully styled…







          Very elegant bathroom…







          Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:30 PM.

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          • #35
            Earplugs in a box…those must have been to block out the noise of snoring partners, as the room itself, on a high floor, was very quiet.





            Views of the Chicago skyline from the large windows…



            I found this to be a wonderful hotel, with great rooms, and ideally located close to Michigan Ave. It is available at surprisingly reasonable rates too. This is a hotel I would want to return to if I ever head back to Chicago.
            Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:31 PM.

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            • #36
              I headed out for quick lunch after checking into the Hyatt. There were many eating options close by.

              I didn't have any idea where to go for lunch that day. As I stepped out of the Hyatt, and walked onto the cold, windy street, I fired up Trip Advisor, OpenTable, Zagat on my iPhone and began walking to the nearest restaurant that looked interesting. As I walked, I continued to surf the apps for restaurant reviews, changing direction and destination several times as I walked, as I found a more interesting restaurant to try on my phone app than the one I was currently heading to...

              I eventually ended up at The Purple Pig, not far from the Hyatt.



              This serves a very eclectic, European/Spanish-influenced menu…



              I felt like a lighter lunch that day, so I began with pig’s ear with crispy kale and egg…







              …and followed that with Hummus, pita bread and shakshouka…





              Looking around me, I noticed that the bone marrow was very popular, as was the squid…but there was only so much I could try as a single diner…maybe next time!
              Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:31 PM.

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              • #37
                For dinner, I headed with a colleague to Gene & Georgetti…an old school Italian steak house open since 1941.



                This was quite a retro experience…to me, it was the Chicago equivalent of dining at “Shashlik” in Singapore, whereas my American colleague said that he felt like he had walked onto the movie set of Goodfellas...



                A very extensive menu, looking to have been designed and printed in the days before desktop publishing, or even Microsoft Office…







                We came for the steak…



                …but my colleague was so intrigued by the signature Chicken Alla Joe that he had to order it…his chicken dish for one came on a platter that could have fed a family of four…





                Joe must have had a huge appetite!

                My 16 oz striploin…very simple presentation: steak on a plate...a thing of beauty (and flavour)…



                I scored an own goal writing this TR: I posted this picture on an empty stomach, and regretted it immediately. I began to salivate involuntarily...looking at the picture, I could almost taste the steak...tender, juicy and full of flavour...where is that "click to order" button?? Next time I write a TR, it will be after dinner!



                Charred and crusty on the outside…tender on the inside…



                Very satisfying!
                Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:32 PM.

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                • #38
                  Although we struggled and did not manage to finish everything on the table, we decided it would be a sin not to at least try one of the desserts….



                  We shared a cannoli, which unlike the supersize main courses, came in fairly normal proportions.



                  A sweet ending to a memorable dinner!



                  I uber’ed my way back to the Hyatt before checking out and flying to San Diego the next morning.
                  Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:32 PM.

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                  • #39
                    My flight from Chicago to San Diego was AA156 ORD-SAN, a 4 hour flight with a painfully early 7.10am departure time.

                    You can imagine what time I had to wake up to get to the airport. At least traffic at that hour was very light.



                    I spent a few minutes in the AA Admirals Club Lounge before the flight...just a few pictures from this lounge here...







                    They sell pre-packed sushi in this lounge.





                    The beautiful old AA bare metal paint scheme should still be around on the 738's until the last one is painted at the end of 2017 (According to this article, which also says the MD80's will also retain the old colour scheme until they are retired, also in 2017).

                    Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:33 PM.

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                    • #40
                      My plane that morning was fitted out with the newest AA 738 interior...





                      This plane had IFE...



                      ...and in-seat A/C power in Y...



                      I was in an emergency row, with loads of legroom. Nicer looking IFE boxes than on BA's 787 or A380.



                      Great IFE...





                      But I would not get to watch any of it, or even travel on this plane for that matter, because upon the pilot's walkaround inspection, he noticed the nose-cone had a crack on it which was not previously reported.

                      It looked like a small scratch, but to play safe he called maintenance, and who suspected a previous lightning strike, and upon closer inspection, the crack was deeper than it looked.

                      This plane would not fly today.

                      We were asked to deplane, while AA scrambled to find another plane to take us to San Diego.

                      I headed briefly back to the lounge. By then, the sun was up. What a waste of an early morning wake-up call.



                      Fortunately, AA found another plane for us incredibly quickly, and we were soon asked to head to another gate to board the new plane.

                      This was a 738 with the older interior...



                      I returned to my emergency row, a very spacious row, and nodded to my seatmates from the previous aircraft, who were all still also in fairly good spirits.



                      I found it interesting that the people who were late/last to board the previous plane were also the same people late/last to board this time round. Must be a habit.

                      Also, interestingly, AA allows pax in the emergency row to stow their carryons under the seat in front of them.

                      We departed almost 2 hours late.

                      Overall, AA handled this delay very well. And the pilots were obviously doing their job diligently, with a very thorough walkaround in the icy cold morning weather. I was also very impressed with the Captain on this flight, who kept us updated with a blow-by-blow account of everything that was being done, occasionally coming out of the cockpit to face pax in front of the F cabin, standing in the aisle, PA mike in hand, to address the passengers and tell them what was going on.

                      It was quite amusing how the situation escalated from "small crack in the nose cone noticed on walkaround" to "unserviceable aircraft " over an hour or so. Better safe than sorry, I guess.

                      The flight itself was smooth, and uneventful. We went from freezing cold Chicago, to warm sunny San Diego in 4 hours...



                      The baggage claim at SAN, with a model of Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis suspended over the luggage belts.

                      Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:33 PM.

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                      • #41
                        San Diego Airport has a specific spot outside the Arrival Terminals, in a carpark across the street, which is the designated pick-up point for Uber cars and other ride-sharing apps. A great idea!

                        I was directed by a helpful lady at the airport information desk to cross the streat and head to the "blue umbrella" to wait for my Uber car, which showed up a few minutes later.



                        After a few freezing and snowy days in Boston and Chicago, it was great to be in warm sunny San Diego.



                        When I mentioned to colleagues and American friends that I was heading to San Diego, they all said "What a lovely place!" and they were right.



                        A very pretty, laid back city, with wonderful weather and people.





                        There are several huge US naval and military facilities based here as well, not least a large naval base for their super carrier fleet...there were two state-of-the-art nuclear carriers at port while I was there...right across the water...



                        ...as well as the USS Midway aircraft carrier turned floating museum.



                        Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:34 PM.

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                        • #42
                          My last meeting of the week in San Diego ended after lunchtime on Friday. I had several hours before my flight from SAN to LHR at 7.30pm that evening.

                          I was staying at the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Central. This was a very pleasant hotel to stay in, with bright new rooms and decor.



                          Location-wise, though, the hotel was chosen for proximity to the office locations I needed to visit that week, and despite the name, the hotel was not that centrally located, being about 20-25 min by Uber away from downtown and the waterfront.

                          I badly needed to head outside for a run, and I wanted to check out all that Naval firepower as well.

                          After my meetings, I headed to the hotel, changed into PT kit. Just regular PT kit this time! Weather was perfect for a run: A sunny 19 degrees.

                          I requested a late checkout, and ordered an Uber Car to take me to the Embarcadero, by the water.

                          I began my run along the waterfront at North Harbor Drive, just across the street from the San Diego County Adminstration Centre, a historic Spanish-style building painted in pastel pink...



                          ...and continued jogging past the Maritime Museum, which comprised several ships and submarines docked alongside the pier.

                          Exhibits included the USS Dolphin...



                          ...and several older vessels...including the Star of India sailing ship from 1863, a replica ship HMS Surprise, which was used in the great movie "Master amd Commander", and another submarine, a Soviet Foxtrot-class sub. How did THAT end up there?



                          I continued running along the Embarcadero...



                          ...to the carrier CV-41, USS Midway, now a floating museum.



                          You could get right up close to this vessel, to take in it's massive proportions...









                          I would have loved to board the USS Midway itself for a walk inside the aircraft carrier, and on the deck itself where many aircraft were on display, but I had a plane to catch later that day, and just didn't have time.
                          Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:34 PM.

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                          • #43
                            And while the USS Midway loomed large over visitors and pedestrians walking along the Embarcadero, the real behemoths were across the water of San Diego Bay, where super carriers CVN-71 USS Theodore Roosevelt, and CVN-70 USS Carl Vinson, were docked.

                            I continued jogging past Seaport Village, an entertainment, shopping and F&B complex, with the two super carriers clearly visible across the water...







                            ...and reached the end of the Embarcadero Marine Park North...



                            ...before turning round and retracing my steps back the way I came, this time heading past the Maritime Museum towards the airport, before again turning back and ending my run close to the Maritime Museum.



                            A very satisfying 8km run.

                            Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:35 PM.

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                            • #44
                              I grabbed another Uber car back to the hotel to shower and check out, then headed to the airport.

                              By then, the sun was setting, and the sky was bathed in brilliant hues of pink and orange...





                              Kerbside check-in for BA...



                              A longish security line to get airside. No fast-track queue for BA FF's in this airport.
                              Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:35 PM.

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                              • #45
                                Inside, BA FF pax get to use the AirSpace Lounge.



                                This is a paid lounge, open to all pax for a fee.





                                There is a paid F&B menu...







                                ...but BA FF pax have a special complimentary menu, which I thought was a very nice touch...almost "a lounge within a lounge"...





                                I ordered a glass of sparking wine.



                                Not champagne...this was Coppola Blanc de Blanc...I was a little surprised when I saw it being poured into the flute from a freshly opened single-shot can, rather than a glass bottle. It tasted a little too sweet for my taste, and I can't say I enjoyed it too much, but maybe my opinion was coloured the moment I saw that it came from a can...

                                The roasted tomato and bell pepper soup was very good...



                                ...and the charcuterie plate was delicious as well...

                                Last edited by yflyer; 21 July 2020, 12:35 PM.

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