IAD-LAX On a Very Busy Travel Sunday

I am flying from Dulles – IAD to Los Angeles – LAX today. The day started off well. I got up at 6 AM, showered, finished packing, and was out the door a little after 7 AM. The Mrs. drove me to Dulles – IAD and decided to park and see me in.

A FlyerTalk discussion board provided advanced warning that Dulles would be a zoo. All United IAD-LAX flights from 9 AM on were booked solid. I was looking forward to two things: 1) Taking advantage of United Premier status for the first time; and 2) Offering to give up my seat and catch a later flight in exchange for a flight credit.

Premier Status
Having Premier status paid off immediately. The lines to check in and clear security were long and deep. Doing both was taking close to two hours for passengers. But, with Premier status, I was able to use specially designated lines, where the wait was only 10 minutes.

The Mrs. was originally skeptical of my Las Vegas Mileage Run. She thought it was a waste of time. But after seeing how long the general member check in and security lines were, she was sold. She immediately saw the benefits to Premier status and apologized for ever doubting me.

United Flight 233
Things didn’t work out as well for Flight 233, which was canceled due to mechanical difficulties. That sent over 100 passengers scrambling to make alternative travel plans.

I used the Customer Service courtesy phone to call and arrange for another flight. After a long hold, I finally got in touch with Shannon, a United representative that was very patient and helpful. She tried to get me on several flights that were scheduled to take off in the morning, but was unable to. She finally got me on American Airlines Flight 75, leaving at 6 PM. Part of the reason Shannon gave me the extra effort was of my Premier status.

American Airlines
Unlike United, American Airlines has no Customer Service Desk in the terminals. That meant I had to take the shuttle back over to the Main Terminal to obtain my boarding pass. United originally told me they would arrange to have my checked bag transferred over to American. But the American Ticket Agent recommended I go retrieve my bag personally and recheck it in with American. That entailed going back to the United Ticket Counter, and then going to the United Baggage claim, getting my bag, going back to the American Ticket Counter and rechecking my bag. In other words, it was a lot of walking and walking and walking.

I am currently booked on a Y-Class ticket which I believe means better seating and bonus miles. The bad part is I have a middle seat.

In Limbo
After getting back to Terminal D, I decided to sit down to a decent lunch at Moe’s Bar and Grill. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and an Iced Tea. There was a big part of me that wanted a beer after my morning ordeal. But I needed to get some work done, and didn’t want to get too distracted.

After lunch, I updated my presentation and called a few friends to catch up. And now I’m in limbo until the flight, which is about 3 hours away. I’m ready for a break!

Celebrity Citing
During my airport wanderings, I saw Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. He was being escorted by three body guards, one taking lead and two following. Interestingly, he was pulling his own carry-on, wheeled suitcase. At first, I was surprised nobody was helping Justice Scalia with his bag. Then I realized that the security detail’s responsibility is to protect the Justice, not lug bags around.

American Flight 75, IAD-LAX
As expected, the flight was full. I got to sit in Business Class, which was nice. But not as nice as United's Economy Plus - which seems to offer more leg room. The bad part was having to sit in the dredded middle seat. I always prefer an aisle seat, so I can get in and get out faster.

As it turned out, the guy to the left of me was heading to the same conference. He was interesting to talk to. The guy next to me reeked of garlic - which was not a pleasant experience. I kept on thinking about the positives - like if I got attacked by a vampire, the garlic aroma would protect me. Those thoughts didn't help.

This turned out to me my 2nd flight on American in three weeks. Both United and American have pros and cons. But I still prefer United over American.