LHR - HEL - AMS

LHR-HEL
11th August
Finnair - AY832
A321
OH-LZL
1010(L) - 1515(L)


more numpties in the way as i amble along to gate 26

straight on to the aircraft, parked my bags in the overhead bins and sat down and fell asleep

it turns out the occupant of the seat next to me is also a RN, from Sydney - off to visit a lady he met, who lives in Finland

T5

T5

HEL
11th August
Finnair - AY832
A321
OH-LZF
1615(L) - 1745(L)

Uneventful flight, and by now i was completely shattered - jet lag

again, the e-passport gates at HEL, just speed the whole process up - through in seconds

Arrived at AMS, to be met, well eventually - he said he was wearing a red polo shirt, but it was red striped :p by dutch_122

It was was the "pieces of resistance" (sic) to my trip, was to finally meet up with him.

i can confirm, he's as equally nice in real life, as he is online, and likes Westmalle beer - which i have discovered is an excellent cure for jet lag - at 9.6%vol, it has amazing sedative features :)

citizenM

Schipol

No hot water due to what i thought might be the lightening and thunder storm we’d had the night before, and by the time i surfaced all the hot water was gone and it was just tepid

I clearly was the first to ring to “feedback” this, as the guy came up to check what the matter was - read, i don’t trust the customer

anyway, to keep “me sweet” i got a free breakfast :)

and by the time i got down, quite a few other people were “feeding back” to the no hot water situation.

I can recommend that hotel to stay at -very funky, no frills but with class touches

JFK - LCY

JFK - LCY
10th August 2014
British Airways - BA2
Booked as AA 6332
GEUNB
A318
1900(L) - 0715(L)

Tried to check in online via the BA app, but i think when you’re flying on an American Airlines sharecode, this isn't possible - I know that i had a different booking reference for AA


i was hoping not for a repeat of the original flight out to the US. Apparently the other one of the 2 aircraft for this run is off having its annual maintenance meaning everyone has to get on this 1 flight - i’ve been getting quite used to not having someone sit next too me

Check in at JFK T8 is quick - this fight has its own check in desks, and around the corner from the riff raff :)

whizzed through that, then on to another experience of the TSA - now i’m not longer in the US, i can safely give “feedback” - its chaotic to say the least, albeit they have at least had a consistent approach at every airport. They really need to come to Glasgow and see how to do it without having huge queues.

Then on to the lounge - I’ve never really understood how they encourage you to drink as much alcohol as you can possibly take and stand up, then wonder why people try to open doors at FL360/become unruly

Quickly had a shower, not as good as the one’s at T5 LHR, but did the job. Shower 1 (the disabled one) has very poor water flow

Then it was onto “pre departure dinner” this was a new one on me - but basically its 2 for the price of 1 - stuff your face before the fight, the theory being you can go to sleep straight away and not be disturbed, but you can also eat on board… again
i plumped for eating once - after this trip and with all the cookies being handed out, my clothes seem to have shrunk :)

Everything about this service between LCY/JFK seems geared toward the business person, allowing for checkin happening at the last minute - last check in is 45 mins before dep, breakfast can be served 20 mins before landing, meaning the most is made of people's time i guess

anyway, i was knackered so shortly after departure, the seat was flat, the ear plugs were in and the eye shades were on and i was zonked. then about 30 mins later woke up, fell asleep, woke up - and that was how the night went. my next door neighbour was going on to a business meeting at 9 :(

arrival was quick, only 27 people on board, we all got on the bus, it moved forward about 50ft, and then we all got off again, elf and safety in’it. :)

I forgot about Border control - took about 20 mins to get through passport ocntrol, and unlike our friends across the pond, we don’t separate the non EU nationals from the EU nationals - 

Was going to use the chauffeur service to the Raddison Blu for the arrivals service, but immigration took so long, and then there was going to be a long wait to get the chauffeur service to the arrival hotel, i’d probably miss my flight to Helsinki - plus i discovered that i’d be able to use the Cathay pacific lounge at LHR T3, so just got on a tube/Heathrow Express train to Heathrow

Heathrow express apparently is one on the most expensive train rides to an airport in the world - 30 quid return for about 15 minutes of train journey - needless to say i didn’t pay that, i found a code :)

By now, my already depleted sense of humour, was non existent, so f**kwits who insisted an meandering along or using their mobiles and just stopping, plus a new trend - just stop in the middle of the corridor and leave your bags blocking the corridor, were dispatched - i had a plane to catch.

Up in to Cathay Pacific lounge or C3 as it seems to be signed, to be met by a Sarah, who sorted out a shower room - I thought the BA T5 ones were swanky - there were swanky plus - when i eventually get a house, i’m definitely fitting these rain head shower things - they’re amazing IMHO

so now at least smelling half decent, i wandered off to the lounge - it was practically empty and after the hustle and bustle of the terminal was a proverbial oasis of calm

Cathy Pacific Lounge

They even came and found me when it was time to board

HNL - LAX

HNL - LAX
9th August 2014

American Airline AA284

N687AA

B757

1440(L) - 2310(L)

More or less the same as the flight out.

Food was an afternoon meal.

on arrival at LAX, as my onward flight to JFK was also leaving T4, i just stayed in the secure side of the terminal

AA were giving out camp beds and blankets - available from Customer Services desk

HNL

Arrived at HNL

No hurricane, not even a little bit of a breeze - i wish there was it was 30C and probably about 90% humidity

Due to the hurricane, there was some sort of commandeering of the public transport system to help in the event of evacuation, so i took a speediShuttle bus to the the hotel - something like $27 return. 

there's a rep in the arrivals hall, but i found them by accident as i tried to find the bus stop

They send you an email with a link to your ticket in addition to the paper one - you can also book the return journey at the same time as buying a ticket. Transfer time was about 20 minutes via the freeway

Checkin was easy enough, used the new Hilton Honors app to select my hotel room, whilst i was still in LAX. at checkin i got given 2 bottles of water and a warmed cookie.

due to the delay, i didn't get to spend much time in Honolulu.

Went for a quick walk around the next day, but then it was off to the airport

speediShuttle picked me up on time, bit of a guided tour of the hotels of Honolulu, transfer this time was about 35 mins, and they had my at the airport at the time i asked for.

Stayed at the Doubletree Alana Waikiki Hotel - 15th Floor, which is the Hilton Honors floor
its a bit of a trek to the "seafront" - if you go out of the hotel, turn right and walk along till you come to a set of traffic lights/ Wailana Coffee house - turn left across the road, and you can walk thru the Hilton Hawaiian Village to the sea

Even the toilet signs wear Hawaiian shifts

HNL is very open design - no masses of security glass here

George relaxing on his massive chair

Leg 3 jinxed LAX - HNL

LAX -  HNL
8th August
American Airlines - AA31
B757
N184AN
0800(L) - 1030(L)

Delayed

1000(L) - 1430(L)
Take off aborted - Engine failure - Aircraft withdrawn

B757
N688AA
1330(L) - 1600 (L)

Checkin was a breeze (this is a term i may regret)
Thought the agent viewed me with suspicion, you've come from the England (I did correct him, for my Scottish readers) and you've only got hand luggage
Anyway, he filled me with lots of confidence, by stating he was "suprised they were going to fly to HNL" :)

upstairs via the moving stairs to the TSA Line - This lot were much friendlier
through in about 20 mins, and into the hallowed halls of T4

Meant to buy this

got breakfast at Homeboys - which is lovely, but bloody expensive - $12 for a croissant and coffee (i forget the price you see, isn't what you're going to pay, once the till adds Tax)

Well this isn't quite going to plan.

Apparently the weather in Hawaii is bad*, so we were delayed by 2 hours, after getting on the aircraft at 0730 (was first on), which caught the cabin crew off guard, they weren't expecting us. so i sat down, only to be told to return to the lounge.

*it turns out bad = hurricane x 3*

1st Aircraft interior - First Class

no power sockets

disposable headphones given out free in First

We eventually left, but half way down the runway, some thing happened, the engines wound down, we brake hard and we pull off the runway.

No announcements for 4 mins, so I'm thinking this is serious as the flight deck are clearly busy - to those that know me, yes, i had already counted the seats to the exit :)

The next thing I see, is what looks like half of LAX emergency services charging towards us - so I'm tweeting with one hand and preparing to abandon the aircraft - adrenaline definitely helps with multi tasking.

Anyway turns out they weren't coming to us as they drove past - no idea where they were going.

We go back to stand, one man refuses to sit down - he gets shouted at.

And all i could think was, i wonder what picture Sky News will use for me in the gallery of victims.  I already have my "media spokesperson" identified - he knows who he is :)

*1120*
We deplaning, new time is 1300 for a departure

This became 1330.

 2nd aircraft had UK/US/EU power sockets and cloth seats

George secured for take off

on departure from LAX

even though we left after lunch, we got breakfast

? effect of Hurricane Iselle

meanwhile i have a "mole",  who's keeping an eye on my progress (or lack of)
he's based in AMS, and is well known in the flyer talk forum for being very helpful - he's been in valuable even if just as reassurance about something. He even rang after this event to check up on me

Leg 2 JFK - LAX

JFK - LAX

American Airline AA21

N113AN

A321T

1830(L) - 2150(L)

Survived Immigration - “WHAT, you’re doing this for fun” I will never forget those words of the immigration officer :)

Eventually i find my way to AA checkin - you don’t need to talk to anyone anymore, to book, checkin, complain or as it’s more euphemistically put “give feedback” 

Then i met the TSA - interesting experience - Wondering whether they’d like my “feedback”

Now glad for being booked onto the later flight into JFK from LHR, the Admiral Club for AA, is quite basic in comparison to the lounges in the UK - coffee, orange juice and nuts - that was it, but it was a bit of a rush from one terminal to the other

Off onto the flight -  the lovely new AA Airbus transcontinental aircraft - Business Class was very impressive, First even more so. (Didn’t take many pics, it was full when i got on, and the theme for this entry is i was shattered)

Thougt these only existed in films

on Departure from JFK, it was like being on a ATC version of a  "motorway" (this is the only way i can describe it) because as we departed, going in the opposite direction was the inbound traffic about 1-2 miles away

On departure

you can see the inbound traffic (if you squint)

Up until now, all the flights i’d been on, i more or less had the undivided attention of the cabin crew - This crew were on the go throughout the whole flight, and although just as efficient, polite and helpful, they just didn’t have time to get to know their passengers I felt, either that or i was so knackered, i didn’t really care at that stage.

We departed at the equivalent of 0530 BST, so hadn’t slept properly coming up for 23 hours. After a lovely meal - see the pics, i was off to sleep for a few hours. Noise cancelling headphones made life a lot easier, seat went completely flat , although unlike BA First , no mattress and i had to make it myself :) 

The power socket and USB ports were at the side and behind of the seat - not very ergonomically positioned. IFE was very good

Easy to see, with polorised screen

Bit brief this description of the flight, can’t remember much.

Arrived in to LAX about 45 mins early, which caused the usual “no ramp” available issue - 

Hells bells, it was chaos at LAX, and was really glad to get out of the place to the waiting hotel transfer bus - found by the red signs for hotel shuttles. Tried to check up on my next flight (Hurricane warning in effect for the islands), but gave up trying to find departures or an AA representative.

Got to the Hilton, via the Hotel Transfer shuttle bus - wasn’t entirely sure i wasn’t about to be taken somewhere to be robbed and shot, but there’s no left turn, so they have to turn before the hotel, go around the houses and then double back on themselves. It just means getting to LAX is a doddle at only 5 mins

Hilton reception was efficient - receptionist was German - (Heard quite a lot of German accents) she put me in a room, facing away from the airport and away from the elevators, which was much appreciated.

To be honest, didn’t take much notice of the room, i had a shower, went to bed, got up had a shower and left.

Took the Airport shuttle - was about 5 mins to get to the terminal 4, at 6 in the morning

Leg 2 pt 2 LHR - JFK

LHR - JFK

British Airways - BA177

G-RAES

B777-200

1310(L) - 1555(L)

Well, what can i say - from the minute i walked through the doors at LCY to leaving, i thought i was being treated like royalty, it hasn’t stopped since. this IS definitely the way to travel.

GAMA had better up their game :p

Check in was a breeze, with another Manager trying to sort out the compensation - no luck

then whizzed through security. It's like arriving at GAMA - everything is just waiting for you to turn up :)

Was pointed in the direction of the lounge, then discovered that the lounge i thought was supposed to be in, wasn’t that one, i had to go back downstairs and goto the BA Concorde Rooms - holy moly.

Entrance

?Board Room - whatever it's called - conference facilities, computers and TV

Restaurant cubicles

I didn’t have to do anything, my drinks got brought to me, was offered a fully meal (plumped for a breakfast, shall we say i think i was the last person to get served breakfast) even had time for a shower (i had to do that myself:P - i can recommend one of those funky rain shower head things)

Then it was time to get on the flight - was one of the last on, due to getting slightly lost. Now this is just surreal, i got shown to my seat - someone from the cabin door actually took me to the seat - i did say “why, don’t you trust me to find it” and none of this fighting to put stuff in the overhead bins - i have 2 just to myself :)

Initially i was in Seat 1A, but that can get a bit noisy apparently, so was offered whatever seat i wanted - there were 5 of us, out of a total possible 14, - took 3K - to get some scale of the space/length the seat takes up - whilst there are 2 windows, the space is equivalent to 3

My Seat - 3K - Note the 2 windows each seat gets - mind you can't 

see much out of them as they're so far forward

the pull out telly, plus my warmed nuts ;)

Champers arrived, everybody came to introduce themselves - think the only one who didn’t come to say hello was the Pilot :)

**
Nearly forgot to mention the sleep suit, ear plugs, eye mask and wash bag - wonder if AMW will let me wear that on nights :)
**

Anyway back to the plot - there was none of this “chicken or beef” malarkey on the flight for me- There’s a 6 page food and drinks menu to digest (forgive the pun)

I’ll let the pics do the talking

i cannot fault the service, the crew (Lesley, Geraldine and a gent who's name escapes me) were polite, friendly, engaging and un-intrusive and knew their wines - clearly well trained.

After the meal, where i nearly blew up (with hind sight saying that to the crew may not have been the best choice of words, will have to think of a better one) i ate so much, whilst i went to the toilet, the crew made my bed - came back to a flat "bed", mattress placed down and then a duvet/pillow supplied.

I’m now sitting at my “command post” with wine, listening to music, all at FL380, with blue mood lighting

someone pinch me :)

Then, at about 40 mins to landing, afternoon tea arrives - sandwiches (crust removed) scones with jam and cream and sweets - i may have scoffed them all before remembering to take a pic

Got to be 3rd off the aircraft :) which meant i was first in the queue to Immigration :) 

This didn't go quite according to plan, as there was another aircraft just arrived in front of us, but the back half of my flight, became the front half when they were moved to another set of US Customs lines - i'm not entirely sure what was going on, but there was some medical emergency going on, which meant they had to move people quick - Big EBOLA warnings everywhere

Hallway was bloody hot whilst waiting, but i was impressed to see that families with children were taken out of line and taken to the front, and relieved - i just love that sound of screaming kids :)

Firstly i have to say hello to some new viewers - the crew from my British Airways and Finnair flights

Need to put the pics up separately on to the blog - outwith wifi, my laptop has no net access, but the pics are on the phone - transfer hell :)

Slightly out of sequence (and focus) BA177 over taking a BA 787

Can't remember its proper name, but it tasted lovely

Starter - Scallops :)

Main

High Tea - There was clotted cream, scones - but no evidence remains :)

George looking forlornly over his home county