Even if I haven't been near the place in a while, Penn seems to be the whipping boy around here. But anyone think Penn is bad, try on LaGuardia for size.
I had no plans to be near the place, but when you find out the little puddle jumper into White Plains was posted 3.5hr late account "no crew" and you had plans for the evening in Greenwich, you look for alternatives. Because I do what flying I do all on United, know my way around their Terminal 1, so I knew exactly where to go.
I got rebooked on a flight to LGA which was "more or less" on time and getting there about the same time as I should have been at HPN and a walk to the rented car that could be measured in paces. Now even though rented cars are the ONE thing left in travel nowadays that you can change at last minute without penalty, the fun at LGA is getting to them. You have to ride two busses; second being Mr. Hertz's, to get to their counter in the Marine Terminal that has been there since Fiorello and planes landed in the East River. Getting out of there is navigating all the construction.
Ended up here about an hour after planned.
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Last week I passed through 4 airports and 2 train stations. SEA is very crowded and busy these days but the facilities are in good shape. PDX feels almost empty--especially when compared to SEA. SFO (Terminal 2) looked recently remodeled and was very comfortable. STS (Sonoma County Airport) is very small and easy to use. My flight to STS on Horizon Air departed 1 hour late because we had to wait for the First Officer to arrive. But I think I was in my rental car in less than 10 minutes after we finally arrived at the gate. King Street Station still looks good after the remodel but it does tend to echo...echo...echo in there. Portland Union Station is fine unless you have to use the mens restroom which is absolutely ghastly.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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To continue this saga of off the rails travel experiences, this "straight forward for a weekend" trip to Greenwich for a family visit, will be remembered (aside from no real fights) as "when the electronic playthings fail".
First at Hyatt, I couldn't get the room key to work - and I was to meet my Sister at a restaurant in Cos Cob. Back to the desk, stand in line and get one (actually two) that did "you put it next to your phone" was the less than tactful response I got. I travel enough not to do that, but just maybe I did.
At their parking yard, I had to live with an electronic "you're already entered" (as if I was going to pass around an "in and out card" with others. Then yesterday with the clock ticking to get to HPN for the flight, the card wouldn't work. Into the desk and a new card which worked. Now to White Plains and Hertz's check in gear wouldn't work. "We will have to e-mail your final bill".
Tolls are billed separately: who.knows how.much will be. Now to "United's counter" to check in (I'm still "not ready for" a phone bar code check in), but somehow my selected seat on the Express Jet E-145 on the single seat side and aft so I could flightsee was gone. The gal gave a new seat amidships asile. The "nice enough" gal by the window was more interested in her "electronic plaything" had the shade shut (and probably wondered why was this old fart so interested to look out). So two flights, out and back, in perfect flightseeing weather, and I was deprived on the one thing that makes air travel fun.
Well at least my CTA farecard worked OK for the return on my "Poor Man's Way to O'Hare", which by the way costs a Senior $8.20 for the round trip (that it takes 2.5 hrs is a so what to me) and that compares with $190 for the "White Glove" car service I used last month going overseas.
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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You should be careful, Mr. Norman, to never fly Virgin America (VX) while it's still around. The cabin has soft red and blue mood lighting that's nice, but the window shades are supposed to stay shut for the entire flight. There's usually an announcement shaming people who open their window blinds: "your neighbors in the middle seats will appreciate you keeping the window shades closed so they can better view their video screens." The idea is to keep everyone staring at the seat-back video monitors for the entire flight and never look out the windows (or bother the flight crew with silly requests). Hipsters love VX, but I'm happier flying on the competition.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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First, updating electronic trip from hell. Ostensibly Hyatt has my final bill posted. They didn't charge me for the $45 of parking I ran up. I'm closing my personal books for the Quarter, so when I walk from a hotel, I want the bill - complete (save for if I either smoked in or trashed the room; anyone care to give odds of either happening?).
Still, no bill available from Hertz - GRRRRRR. I guess "rent here leave there" gives their system "uh, uh's". It's hardly an earth shaking occurrence in a metropolitan area with four airports (LGA, JFK, EWR, HPN).
Mr. Vincent, never had and likely never will.
I'm on track to have five round trip flights this year; (ORD-ATL; ORD-MUC; ORD-LGA/HPN; ORD-ATL; ORD-RIC). Doing so little flying, I stick to one airline - United. Again, it sure helped for the reroute knowing exactly where to go at ORD Terminal 1.
More on that not mentioned. This need for a reroute was getting me "frazzled". I looked to the left and saw the "general population" TSA line - ouch. Then I looked to the right and saw the Premier Access line - nice. I needed a Grape Juice (hadn't had one in ten days for being on an antibiotic). So I said to the gal "how much for an upgrade, she said $125. I got out Mr. AMEX and said "Girl, you're on!!". But the First Class seat was on the aisle, and all the guy next to me wanted to do was sleep with the shade down and perfect flightseeing weather. Now for the "Gift of the Magi" moment; he wakes up on the approach to LGA and says, "Gee, I would have been happy to swap seats with you". "Even if I had the shade up and flightseeing all the way?". "Wouldn't bother me; I can sleep anywhere" (lucky him the Good Lord gave him that; He sure didn't give it to me).
So far as seat-back monitors; United has yanked them from their refurbished A-319/20's and 737-8/900's. They apparently "assume" you have an "electronic plaything" and can access their IFE from those.
Returning to ORD on the little E-145, the Attendant asked everyone to close the shades upon leaving. "Don't want the aircraft hot and stuffy for its next trip".
Come on, I was on enough military aircraft while I was "in". But if I'm paying for it, I want to look out.
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Further update; both Hertz and Hyatt have made postings to my American Express. The only thing pending is the Hertz EZ-Pass charges, which they said are billed separately. Hindsight, why didn't I just pay cash for the $10.25 tolls (or anticipated the need for a reroute and brought my own EZ-Pass with me)? I know I try to live cashless, but on a trip, I do have a little.
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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