Friday, December 28, 2007
Christmas Trip 2007: Leaving the hotel in HNL
Christmas Trip 2007: Chuuk (TKK) to Phonopei (PNI)
Estimated Departure Time: 10:30 AM
Estimated Arrival Time: 12:49 PM
Pushed Back: 10:30 AM
I boarded saying hello to the crew once more.
I took my seat as did others. I realized that the couple next to me were in seat 17 as opposed to my row as the lady said she thought the "14" on the boarding was the seat number, not the gate number. I guess the other guy had made the same error. The folks for those two seats took the once directly behind as they were empty. I did not have that luxury in Guam.
The flying time would be 1:04 minutes to Pohnpei says the crew before starting the safety video. The engines started and we headed out; on the islands, the airplane parks and ensures that it can get out on its own power as there is no pushback carts; at least I did not see any.
More documents were issued for the new passengers and the normal announcement of the service to be expected was given. We were served peanuts and beverages on this leg.
Soon, we started a long and what seemed early descent into Pohnpei. The water around the islands are absolutely stunning!
Christmas Trip 2007: Guam (GUM) to Chuuk (TKK)
Guam (GUM)
I left the Lounge at about 7:48a and headed for the gate, just two clicks away. They were already in the boarding process, but no seat was assigned as yet.
Soon, my name was called and I was assigned an Economy Class window seat. I asked if I would be upgraded on the other islands if there was a seat and I was told no. This would be my seat for the entire flight. Odd, I thought, but I guess it is too confusing to do otherwise.
I boarded, commending the agent on her boarding style; it sounded so great when she rattled off the names of the airports and ended with Honolulu, Hawaii. She made the announcement a few times as I was standing there.
8 CS956 28DEC Guam (GUM) to Chuuk (TKK) 8:20a 10:37a N14249
As I boarded, the flight attendants checked my boarding pass and welcomed me on board. I greeted them and advised that I would be staying with them for the duration of the flight. I walked through the 2-2 Business Class cabin which was almost full and made my way to Economy Class in its 3-3 configuration.
I noticed that there was someone sitting in my seat, so I alerted the flight attendant of the situation who was standing nearby. He asked the guy for his boarding pass and he was actually seated at an aisle seat further back in the plane. I put my stuff away in the overhead bin and took my window seat.
I said hello to the couple next to me who as it turns out was on my flight from Cairns. They were heading to Pohnpei (PNI) for eight days. I had a good chat with them about their arrival in Guam experience and they commented that they were fingerprinted and that was not a fun experience.
A gentleman passed down the aisle in a uniform other than flight crew or flight attendant and I told the folks next to me that he is our mechanic; they seemed startled, but I assured them it was fine. This flight takes a mechanic in case one is needed as there are none on the islands; that is such a cool job, I thought. There is also an extra pilot and an extra flight attendant I think.
By now all the passengers had boarded and it was push back time. The crew were now in the aisle as the safety video had started; an English version. It was a short taxi to the runway and we were airborne in no time. It was great to see Guam in the morning sunshine as I had arrived when it was dark. We made a hard left turn so I was able to see the airport and its surroundings in its entirety as we turned left and headed out; it was quite a beautiful sight.
The lead flight attendant welcomed everyone on board and explained the service for today stating that we would have a hot sandwich. The couple and I were talking about this trying to decide if we would get a meal or not. They had taken Virgin Blue from Melbourne to Cairns and mentioned that they charge for meals on that flight and I was saying that meals are done at meal time and depending on the length and type of flight.
I was actually delighted as I did not expect anything, but kind of thought there would be since this is a Continental Micronesia-operated flight and the flight is international.
Documentation for the Micronesian Islands was passed out to those who needed them; the flight attendant saying that I would get my documentation in 10 hours; I laughed. At this point, this seemed like eternity.
The meal service was soon started and consisted of an egg, ham and cheese English muffin with a fruit bowl and an apple juice. The normal fare of beverages was also served. Clean up was completed quickly after that.
It was 9:30a when we started our descent into Chuuk; wow that was quick I thought. Not much time for Duty Free, I thought as well.
For Chuuk, we were told that we had to deplane but only those on the right side of the plane; if anyone else wanted to they could but would have to take all their stuff with them; so of course I did, you never have to ask me twice to get off a plane and touch my foot on a foreign soil.
The landing was pretty much a plant, but knowing that the runway is short, it worked. We landed on runway 15 and then turned around on it and taxied back towards the gate.
There were lots of people looking at the plane coming in as this is quite the event for them.
Once I deplaned and entered the terminal, I checked for a wireless signal, but alas there was none. My phone did not work either. This is going to be a long day. I love small airports! I checked again and one wireless signal showed up, but it was protected and required a network key. I did not see any power plugs so I could recharge; besides I did not bring the electric cord.
Boarding started at :21 with priority customers first, etc. this was done by a gentleman just speaking to us not on a PA system, this was the greatest thing , so casual and so orderly.
Christmas Trip 2007: In Honolulu, HI experiencing the same day twice
Christmas Trip 2007: No shower in Guam
In Guam, I went through the Immigration and security formalities and re-entered the concourse. I searched for the Lounge and asked an agent where to find it. He pointed towards the direction.
After checking in there, I asked about a shower facility. He said there is none but is the biggest thing on his wish list. I was a little annoyed, but what to do. I made the most of the bathroom facilities to at least change my clothing, wash my face, brush my teeth and shave. In 35 minutes I was ready to go again.
Now I wait for my flight at 8:20a to Honolulu, HI (HNL), first stop Truuk (TKK). This is going to be a very long day.
You perhaps wont hear from me until I arrive in Honolulu, HI at about 2:00a on Dec. 28, 2007. I'll have to go down to Waikiki for a room if I cannot find one that is reasonable at the airport.
Christmas Trip 2007: On my to Guam
Cairns International Airport, Cairns Australia (CNS)
I arrived at the airport about 10:46p and it was still raining. I had missed the left turn for the international terminal and ended up going around one of the round about twice and ending up close to where I wanted to be, but not quite. I think I was in the waiting area for the international terminal; kind of like the cell phone lots in some U.S. airports.
I continued driving and then found the left turn and parked the car in the Avis Return area. I took my own sweet time and got everything together as much as I could without opening the door as it was still raining a little harder now. After noting the mileage, etc. and ensuring that I had not left anything in the car, I exited, got the stuff from the trunk and headed for the door.
First item was to get my bag together and check out the shower. I walked through them and they seemed virtually untouched. I’ll have to drop a letter to the airport officials and see if they can do a little better with them. If I remember correctly in Sydney, you can at least go buy shower stuff from the nearby store. I could not find anywhere in Cairns where that could be done. In addition, the sink does not have any soap attached or any paper towels. It just all seems so mismatched. So , with that said, I decided that the shower thing would not work; instead, I washed my face and hands n the male toilets as there was soap and paper towel there. I did use the space in the shower for re-packing though; bt in the male toilet there is no place to hang your coat unless you are using one of the stalls; who designed these facilities?
7 CO903 1:35a 6:05a Cairns, Australia (CNS) to Guam (GUM) 738 N??232
Once on board, I made my way to my seat and settled in. All the other Business Class passengers were already seated. Each seat had a plastic bag with a pillow and a blanket. It is a 2-2 configuration of all leather seats totaling 14 seats. I looked over into the Economy class area and they had a while flap over the seat back that read “Resort Shuttle.” I think this is the brand that is used for the Guam operation for all those flights to/from Japan and other cities. Economy class is configured in a 3-3 configuration for a total of 141 seats.
A little girl ran forward and noticed that the door was closed; I guess she forgot something. As it turns out, they left a pillow in the baby’s chair. The baby stated crying. The flight attendant explained that the stroller was already in the hold and the airplane was pushing back so there was nothing that could be done.
We pushed back quite early at 1:11a. Everyone was accounted for I guess so there is really no need to wait around. The engines were started as we pushed back. The safety announcement was first made in English and then Japanese; there is a large amount of Japanese passengers on board; remember that “Resort Shuttle” reference?
It looks like we used the runway as a taxiway, but it was dark so I can’t really tell for sure. We straightened up for runway 15 and took off into the dark, wet skies. You could see the lights of the city below and the dark rain clouds hanging around. Not too many lights were on in the city, but you could see those of the casino still lit.
Once we buzzed 10,000’, the flight attendant also explained the noting that the flight number is CS903 as opposed to CO903 which is what is printed on the boarding pass (this flight is operated by Continental Micronesia whose code is CS).
Alcoholic beverage is on sale for 5 USD. There will also be inflight duty free which will close approximately 1 hour before arriving in Guam.
While she made her PA, we had a little chop, well quite a chop for a little while.
After her message, the inflight system started with a Duty Free commercial. One of the flight attendants came by with a complimentary headset. Next another flight attendant came by with a hot towel.
The movie had started and it was “Surviving Christmas” with Ben Affleck and the guy who played Tony from the Sopranos, James Gandolfini and Christina Applegate. I don’t think I’ve seen that one just yet. It’s been out for about two or so years I think.
The lead flight attendant came by with the appropriate forms; as it turns I don’t need anything since I am connecting to another flight immediately. It’s been a while since I’ve tansitted Guam, so we will see what gives.
The Captain came on and said that we were at 36,000’ and that is our cruising altitude for the night. He also said that he would turn of the seatbelt and that we would arrive twenty minutes early. As soon as he finished, the baby started crying once more, but that was short lived. I fel bad for the mom since the baby was not well it seemed.
The flight attendant came by with linen for the table and asked me if I wanted to have a midnight snack. I was also asked what I wanted to drink and I opted for the chardonnay. The midnight snack arrived with Chardonnay in tow; a fruit plate a small salad and a chicken and melted cheese sandwich and a Hershey’s chocolate.
The crew was very attentive to our needs and ensured we were well looked after. I fell asleep and awoke to see my tray being slowly removed from in front of me. I went back to sleep.
The next thing I knew is that I was being awaken as we were landing in Guam at 5:42a, 23 minutes early.
Christmas Trip 2007: In Honolulu, HI
Christmas Trip 2007: on board
As I boarded and took my seat, I was offered champagne, mimosa or water. I opted for a mimosa and was not disappointed.
Oops, we are leaving so gotta go.
4:08 enroutime
82F in Guam.
Christmas Trip 2007: Heading to Guam
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Christmas 2007 Trip: Cairns International Airport
I cleared Immigration again (it is confusing) and then Customs and had to hand over my boarding pass. I had notes on it since the computer had failed, so I had to write them off on another piece of paper.
I walked over to the shuttle bus counter and the lady said it was 7.50 AUD each way to get into Cairns. I could arrange for them to take me back when I was ready.
I then walked over to the Avis counter and checked the price of a car for the day; the guy initially said he had nothing, but then that he had a Hyundai Getz for 55.65 AUD plus a boat load of taxes per day. I told him I'll take it as I checked online to see if I could get the same rate. I had found WiFi from an airport Lounge as the computer was working again.
I did not take the insurance as I thought that American Express would cover it. I later called them using the direct line and they do not cover Australia and five other countries (Jamaica, Ireland, Japan, Italy and New Zealand). So I headed back to the guy and signed up for the insurance. In a foreign country where they drive on the other side of the road, one cannot be too cautious at all.
I did notice that there were three showers at the airport, but you have to bring your own towel and soap although someone had left soap in one of them. They were free of charge and located in the International terminal.
I finally left the airport and headed for the SkyRail that would take me through the rainforest. I also needed to get an adapter so I could charge the computer that had now died. I tried using the plug for the razor in the toilet, but that did not work well at all, so I gave up.
Cairns, Australia
I arrive there in no time as I got good directions from the Avis guy. I was in luck they had space (apparently you have to book 24 hours in advance). I would go up with the SkyRail and come back down with the train, then be shuttled back to my car; what fun!
I bought the tickets and headed up the mountain. It was fantastic, you could see almost all of Cairns below including a spectacular view of the airport in teh distance. At one point, as far as you can see was rainforest.
The stop also included a look at Baron Falls which provides hydro-electric power for the area.
Note: I'm a bit tired now and have to get going so I can get to the airport and get checked in, etc. it is now 9:47p local time on 27 Dec. I will continue this in a bit...
Christmas 2007 Trip: Sydney to Cairns
I figured that the person sitting in my seat was upgraded and the new seat was not yet assigned. I’ve done this to many times, I internalized… He told me to wait just outside the door and entered the airplane. In a few minutes he returned and got on the phone and called his colleague; looked like I was right, so he went to advise the lady who was sitting there. In the interim, the purser said hello to me and we struck up a conversation. I told him about my itinerary and he said; hey, we’re going to Tokyo why don’t you continue on with us. I told him that I was purposely taking the long way and he laughed. They were heading onto to Tokyo with a 1:40 minutes or so ground time in Cairns. The layover in Tokyo would be about 25 hours.
By now the agent had returned saying my seat was now empty. I said thanks for chatting and good by for now and headed to my seat.
The Business Class cabin on this Boeing 767-300ER is configured as a 1-2-2; it is always interesting to see how each airline configure the premium cabin of the Boeing 767s. Economy class was the standard 2-3-2 configuration with the cabin in two compartments. This one is much different from ANA’s as the aircraft has two Exit forward of the wing as opposed to ANA’s two exits over the wing. Qantas also uses a coat closet to divide the cabins and ANA’s does not.
I settled into my seat saying hello to the lady who seems to be sitting with her husband. I managed to stuff my bag in the middle overhead bin as the side ones that are taller were all full.
The purser came on and explained our delay saying that we were waiting on some paperwork. The Captain also explained the delay and apologized for it. He also gave some updated information on our journey today. Cairns was 26C with rain and we would arrive at 11:05a. in addition, Cairns is an hour behind Sydney. So, I wonder what I will do in rainy Cairns…
The safety demo started and it was funny to see the word “aeroplane” being used in a sentence. The demo was in English with subtitles for the hearing impaired.
We eventually departed at 9:27a and headed out to the runway. As we pushed back, I noticed a LAN Airlines Airbus A340-300 at the gate (CC-CQA), that is a nice flight from Santiago, Chile (SCL), umm… There was also a Cathay Pacific A340 taxiing around, OneWorld alliance at work, I thought.
I remember seeing the tower on our way out, but the next thing I remember is seeing the flight attendants in the aisle with breakfast; I must have dosed off.
A 250ml bottle Fruit Frusion (pineapple, orange and mango juice), Kellogg’s Sultana Bran Crunch with milk, a warm raisin bread with butter and a yoghurt was served immediately after takeoff; that was an excellent breakfast. On the main screen there was some Qantas promotional items and then the “Simpson’s Movie” started with 2:17 to go.
Tea and coffee was served immediately after and the clean up came about 10 to 15 minutes later. I got up and used the lavatory and also looked for the magazines that were missing from my seat pocket. I was able to find the Duty free one and the missing December 2007 Australian Way inflight magazine; which was almost as thick as the one from ANA. The one from Singapore Airlines was quite thick as well. I did also find “Travel + Leisure” the Australian edition among many other titles.
I sat back down and started doing some typing and fell asleep; when I awoke, they were serving some water in a bottle and a muselix in a packet which seemed like a crowd pleaser, but I declined to eat it.
I also watched a video about Cairns and decied that I would try to see the rainforest when I got there.
We landed in a few minutes a little delayed but not by much. We were instructed to ensure that we had the boarding pass with the "D" on it if were exiting in Cairns; some people did not have it and had to go find it onboard. Sucks to be them I guess.
Christmas 2007 Trip: In Sydney Airport
27 Dec at 7:15a
I followed the signs to Immigration and Customs. There was not much of a line at all, so it was smooth sailing, well almost. The officer asked me the flight number for my connecting flight, to which I answered “I don’t know.” He looked at me strange, then asked, is it the international Qantas flight, to which I said no as I was planning on taking the domestic flight at 1:20p anyways. He then let me through saying as long as I don’t take the international flight then it is O.K.
At customs, they sent me to the quarantine area and then another officer asked if I had any food and if it was all my bags and then let me go through without doing the quarantine as he deemed I was not a risk and had nothing to hide.
As it turns out, I damaged the edge of the computer, so when I close it, it does not stay off, but keeps shutting itself down as the latch seems to be broken. This is bizarre as this feature has been broken since I got the computer and I’ve been trying to get Fujitsu to fix it all the time; now they will just blame it on the computer being dropped and it will never be fixed at their expense; sigh…I can’t wait to hear how much they will charge me.
But I digress; outside, there were several meeters and greeters. I was thinking of possibly driving up to Cairns as I saw the car rental signs. I walked over to Thrifty and asked how much of a drive was Cairns. The lady looked at me strange and said that they only rent cars and that I should ask at the information desk and pointed to it. I ignored that comment and went over to Avis and asked the guy there the same question. He says, that it is about 12 hours to Brisbane and he was not sure how much further to Cairns. His answer for the time to Brisbane did it for me as I don’t have that much time to make it up there and stop and enjoy the Gold Coast. At Avis, they do try harder. I thanked him and headed towards the departure area which is located upstairs. I saw a Citibank ATM and stopped to use it, but the line was too long so I gave up.
While I waited, I was trying to connect to the Internet; Sydney airport had a connection which told you to connect to Opus and Telstar; the rates (quoted in AUD) from Opus were hard to comprehend, so I decided not to bother since I was not sure what I was doing just yet.
Upstairs, I saw that QF167 was leaving at 9:05a; it was 8:08a and you had to check-in in area D. I went there and told the lady of my plans; she says I should try the flight although is fully booked, actually over booked. I also asked about the other flights to Cairns that day. She said the 1:20p looked O.K., but the later one at 7:35p or so was full. I decided to just go ahead and try 167 then, so as not to chance it.
In a few minutes, I was called and given a seat. I cleared security and headed towards the gate through the Duty free area. As I walked, I saw a free Internet kiosk; I was in luck I thought. I waited until 8:45a and gave up on it. I did see the A380 at the gate across the way though and took pictures and a video, so you will see those later.
I went down to the gate and presented my boarding pass, which the electronic gate reader rejected. The agent checked and said that my seat was assigned to someone else. He said I should walk down with him and he will sort it out.
Christmas 2007 Trip: Singapore to Sydney on the A380
I finally found a place that has Internet access and I can use my computer. I had no luck in the Sydney airport and when I got to Cairns airport, my battery ran out before I could make the update and I could not find a place to buy an Australian adapter in that airport. So you can catch up with me in the next few posts.
26 Dec. 2007
Singapore Changi International, Singapore (SIN)
As instructed, I went back to the Transfer Desk at 7:50p and waited. I then asked the agent if the standbys were cleared and she went and got my ticket. She asked me for my passport and then gave me a boarding pass for seat 33E on the main deck. I asked if there was a seat available on the Upper Deck and she advised me to ask when I got to the gate. She then instructed me to get to the gate as they were boarding. I then thanked her and went towards the gate.
I stopped briefly to enter a blog post about getting a seat on the flight. Needless to say, I was very excited about this happening.
I walked over to gate F31; the only area specifically designed for the A380 at Changi and cleared security. I had forgotten about the water I had taken from the previous flight and the security folks tagged me on that one. I just drank it right there and then.
I asked the agent if I could switch my seat from the lower deck to the upper deck and she obliged, writing the number on the boarding pass and changing the “MAIN DECK” designation to “UPPER.” Cool, I figure that I always fly on the lower deck, so now it is time for a change.
I took a picture of the seating configuration, noting that I was at the back of the bus in row 80; kind of nice I thought, row 80 on the A380…
5 SQ 221 26DEC WE Singapore (SIN) to Sydney, Australia (SYD) 380 830P 700A 27DEC 9V-SKA
As I boarded, I went to the right for the upper deck and passengers in the main deck and Suites (although they are on the upper deck) went to the left. It was weird going up so high while boarding an airplane. I stopped and looked outside to see how high I was. An agent cautioned me to come this way, so I did.
On entering the plane, I was greeted by two flight attendants. The male took my boarding pass and sent me down the aisle on the right. I walked past the Business Class seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. They are so wide, I think that three persons can sit in them with ease. A flight attendant was handing out hot towels as we were boarding.
When I got to the Economy Class section, a flight attendant took my boarding pass and showed me to my seat; WOW! I thought. She even offered to hang my jacket, which she took along with my boarding pass. Now this is service I thought.
I actually scored a seat in the Exit row at the back of the plane, just three rows from the back; the last two rows have a 2 seats together configuration. The Economy class section is configured in a 2-4-2 configuration. The cabin interior is that of a combination of an Airbus A340-600 and the Boeing 777-200 as the lighting is from the Airbus and the bins from the Boeing . It is all really nice and clean; very well done I thought. The windows are huge, tapering to a smaller circumference as it goes to the outside of the plane.
They had poinsettias on the sides of the plane as it is Christmas; this was a very nice touch and added character to the cabin. Every seat has a video screen with Audio/Video on Demand service. There also an Ethernet cable, a USB port and a port for what looks like a headset or a video in/out cable. Below the seat is a power cable to charge your electronic stuff. All that is missing is the Internet now.
People were just getting themselves settled in and taking pictures all over the place. There is a step at the back of the galley that leads to the lower deck. It is actually quite steep though. I’ll have to take the camera around later and take some pictures.
I looked through the KrisWorld entertainment guide and oh wow! Way too many movies. The menu choices are:
· Entertainment
o Movies
§ New Releases
§ Action
§ Comedy
§ Drama
§ Family
§ European
§ Chinese
§ Japanese
o TV
o Music
o Radio
o Games
o Settings
· Just for Kids
o Movies
o TV
o Music
o Radio
o Games
· Travel
o Flight Path
o Connecting Gate
o Live Text news
o City Guide
o Inflight Phone
· Learning
o Health Info
o Executive Book Summaries
o Cultural Quest
o Take a Flight
· PC
o File manager
o Spreadsheet
o Presentation
o Media Player
o Photo Viewer
We pushed back at about 8:41p and it was difficult to tell; I had to look through the window by the door to tell. The two right engines were started first and I did not even hear when the left ones started. In a few moments, we were on our way. I was psyched!
For takeoff, we had to clear the seat area of everything, but we were able to place them under the seats in front of us. Except that folks by the doors did not have that luxury; their stuff had to go in the bin above.
Takeoff was smooth and very quiet. It is different being so far off the ground, you hardly feel it all. I talked with the flight attendant who was sitting in front of me after we were clear of the ground for a bit. I wanted to know if this was the only plane they had so far. He said yes and they were getting another in January and then one more and after that one per year I think. Additional routes would include London and Tokyo. I felt special to have been on the only aircraft they have which had only been flying since Oct. 25, 2007 when I was here last.
I got up to use the lavatory after the seatbelt sign went off and while the service started with the flight attendants handing out a brown amenity kit that contained a pair of socks as well as a toothbrush and toothpaste. This was followed by a menu; you know how I love that part of the flight. I was talking to another passenger and we decided to take a walk downstairs to check it out. We chatted for a bit and before long the seatbelt sign came on as we were having some turbulence. So we had to go back upstairs to our seats. This plane is huge!
Today, well tonight, we will have dinner followed by breakfast. The menu had a page with all the beverages listed. It is the normal fare, except on Singapore Airlines you also have the Singapore Sling included.
For dinner we would have:
appetizer
Marinated prawns with crispy romaine lettuce
main coursesBaked fillet of perch with garlic paste, wood fungus and carrots, fried rice
Or
Beef goulash with vegetables and mashed potatoes
cheese
Cheese and crackers
dessert
Ice cream
from the bakery
Roll and butter
hot beveragesCoffee – Tea
For breakfast
fruit
fruit appetizer
from the bakery
Assorted breakfast rolls (roll, muffin)
Butter – fruit preserve
Hot beverages
Coffee – tea
The crew then came by with glasses of beer, wine, apple juice or orange juice and as usual always smiling. Then they followed that up with roasted peanuts in a plastic packet with a napkin included.
Dinner was then served and I opted for the perch which was really tasty; the lady next to me had the beef which also looked good, but would have been too chewy for me. Although the meal was good, it took a while to chew it as there was some shrimp in it that really stuck to my teeth.
Dinner was quite good and was cleared up expeditiously; I was able to brush my teeth after chatting with two guys for quite sometime. I also was able to check out the cabin below, although out efforts to see the Suites were denied. I did find out the Business Class was full except for possibly two seats. Economy class looked very full as well.
There are three compartments on the main deck for Economy Class and not enough lavatories I think as the lines were quite long on both decks. The main deck had a 3-4-3 configuration while the upper is 2-4-2 as it sloped at the top. It was hard to see so many people in one space, but it is impressive!
I then walked back to the back of the plane and took the stairs back to the upper deck. It was time for a little sleep and watch some more of the spectacular entertainment system.
With about 1:30 to go, we got hot towels although I just missed it as I was asleep. We were then served breakfast which was quite good. The sun had come up so it was good to see outside.
We landed without any issues after the crew prepared the cabin. It was weird to land when sitting so high off the ground. The engines were not as quite as I thought they should ne though.
The GE90s are much quieter on landing.
I started to gather my things and ended up dropping the computer :-(. This will cost me to have it fixed now, I thought since it is my fault. As we deplaned, there was some kind of hold up and I got a chance to see the Business Class cabin and take a few pictures. There is really no way of seeing the Suites if you exit this way. I assume that there is another stairs near the forward galley behind the cockpit.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Christmas 2007 Trip: I got a seat
See you in Sydney.
Christmas 2007 Trip:The A380 at the gate in Singapore Changi (SIN)
So, just because you cannot be here, I've made a video for you. The aircraft is being serviced at the moment at gate F31 in SIN.
Christmas 2007 Trip:Tokyo to Singapore: The journey
Plans available:1) S$6 per ½ hour2) S$8 per hour (+10mins bonus, total 70 mins)3) S$12 per 2 hours * Promotion valid till 31 Dec 2007. I chose option 3; the exchange rate is 1.42 to the USD.
Tokyo-Narita International Airport, Japan (NRT)
I left the Northwest WorldClub at gate 15 and headed for gate 32. It is pretty amazing that Northwest has at least three Clubs here. This just shows the scope of their operation. The Club I used has an Air France Salon right next to it. The two Clubs I checked out were nicely done and in my opinion are far superior to the ones in the U.S.
Just before I left the Lounge, a Korean Airlines A300-600 pushed back, an Air France Boeing 777-200ER arrived followed by an Alitalia Boeing 777. Prior to that the Aeromexico Boeing 777-200ER on which I arrived was pushed to a hard stand. As I walked to my gate, I saw a Continental Boeing 767-400 at the gate; it had just arrived from Guam. SkyTeam at work, I thought.
As I got to the ANA gate, I looked around the gates and now it is Star Alliance at work. I passed a United Airlines Red Carpet Club, but I have no credentials for it, so I did not even ask about it. Down the way is an ANA Star Alliance Club. At the gates were a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777; this one makes one stop in Bangkok I think on its way to Singapore. It was a choice, but got in at about 7:30p, too close to the 8:30p departure and would cost more. There were also, a few ANA airplanes, mostly 767s, an ANA Boeing 777-300 with a logo celebrating 10 years of Star Alliance, an Austrian Boeing 777 that came in from Vienna, Austria (VIE); I had missed taking that flight in last October when I visited Japan. As I boarded, a SAS Airbus A340-300 taxied in.
4 NH111 26DEC WE Tokyo-Narita, Japan (NRT) to Singapore (SIN) 763 10:40A 5:15P 26DEC JA603A
We pushed back at 10:38a; it took a little time for the engines to start though. As we pushed back, the safety video started. It was English, Japanese and Chinese subtitles plus hand signals all at the same time.
We had a minimal taxi time and takeoff was without delay as we were the only one in line for takeoff. As we taxied, there was a camera showing us what was ahead and once we took off, it showed what was below us. This is always cool to see.
The flight attendant made an announcement about what to expect for the flight. We would get a snack first and then have a choice of seafood or pork both served with rice. They also explained the document requirements for the flight once we arrive in Singapore including the fact that Singapore does not allow chewing gum into the country.
The entertainment system was activated and there was news playing on the main screens throughout the cabin. There were already headphones available in the glove compartment in the seat pocket in front of me. The entertainment system seems identical to the one on the Aeromexico flight and actually had the same issue where the movie would be playing once you got to the channel, but as I learned, pressing Stop twice takes care of that.
Channel 1 – Forward/Downward camera
Channel 2 – Airshow
Channel 7 – The Bourne Ultimatum
Channel 8 – Stardust
Channel 9 – Mr. Bean’s Holiday
Channel 10 – Crossing Over (Chinese)
Channel 11 – Take Me Out to the Snowland
Channel 12 – Talk, Talk, Talk (Japanese)
Channel 13 – The Burmese Harp
Channel 14 – Prison Free-for-All (Japanese)
Channel 15 – Eye In the Sky (Cantonese)
Channel 16 – Eye in the Sky (Mandarin)
Channel 17 – ANA Travel Navigator
Channel 18 – ANA Gourmet Guide
Channel 19 – 5 Minutes Chinese Lesson
Channel 20 – National Geographic
Channel 21 – Best Hit USA: Time Machine Special
Channel 22 – ANA Sound Shower (music videos)
Channel 23 – Travel Information (Japanese)
Channel 24 – Cabin Information (information about the passenger layout area and is about 0:55 long)
The Captain came on the PA, gave his welcome aboard and said that the flying time was 6:30; I think that was the amount of time left. He also said that our arrival time would be 17:15 local time in Singapore.
The appetizer was a snack pack of starch, regular rice, cashew items with your beverage of choice. The flight attendants came by and handed me a picture of the two meals with the descriptions in Japanese and English; I picked the seafood, which was a combination of different types of seafood; I know that one of them was fish. Both meals came with a chocolate cake, a roll, a 280ml bottle of water and peas plus a potato salad and a cookie.
The meal was quite good and they followed it up with an offer for white or red wines.
I looked through the entertainment selection and I decided to watch the Mr. Bean’s Movie.
I fell asleep at some point and awoke when we had half way to go, as I was still sleepy, I went back to sleep. My circadian rhythm is off; my body is in sleep mode as it is currently night time where I live.
I awoke again at 2:02 to go; local time where I started the journey on Christmas eve is 1:07a. I’d normally be awake anyways…The seatbelt sign was on for a while and when it came off at 1:57 to go, you heard a cheer come up from the cabin; I was also relieved as well as I really needed to go to the restroom.
I took the opportunity to check out the aircraft. There are two exits forward of the wing as opposed to being over the wing. The Economy class cabin is divided into two parts; the first part has five rows then the rest of the cabin goes from row 22 the Exit row to row 40. Economy class is 2-3-2; standard for a Boeing 767 and Club ANA Class is 2-1-2. Each seat also has a footrest in Economy class.
I also noticed that the entertainment system has an Interactive mode; this mode was disabled on the Aeromexico system. This mode basically allowed you to navigate the system differently, the sections are:
Movie
Video
Audio
Games (10 games)
Business & News
I found eleven additional programs under the Video section that I did not find when going channel by channel.
Simple is Best
Shoten
Suberanai Hanashi
Just for Laughs Gags
Frasier
Virtual Trip
Pingu
Baby TV
Santa Claus is comin’ to town
Around China
On the Road
With about 1:30 to go, we were served vanilla ice cream and juice, plus tea or coffee with a moist towelette in a plastic casing.
I started to run out of battery so I ended the transaction.
We landed on a cloudy afternoon in Singapore, but it was a beautiful sight to see teh city on landing. The beaches were awesome as well.
It was 5:05p when we arrived at the gate. I got my stuff together and departed the airplane.
Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN)
I headed for the Singapore Airlines Transfer Desk in Terminal 2 immediately. I had to take the quick train from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.
I took a number and was serviced efficiently after a few phone calls about the ticket, etc. I was then told to return at 7:50p to be possibly assigned a seat.
I don't think I will have an opportunity to blog again until I arrive in Sydney on Dec. 27, 2008 at 7a, but we will see.
Tick, tock...
I made a quick entry at a free kiosk just outside the Transfer Desk, to let you all know what is going on. I then walked around until I found some really cool desk for laptop users. They have power cables, typically every country is represented except Australia in terms of plugs. I then got wireless Internet acess for the following rates:
Plans available:
1) S$6 per ½ hour
2) S$8 per hour (+10mins bonus, total 70 mins)
3) S$12 per 2 hours * Promotion valid till 31 Dec 2007.
Before sitting down, I took a video of the plane at the gate not being serviced as yet. I'll add a photo as well.
Christmas 2007 Trip:I've arrived in Singapore (SIN)
I just arrived in Singapore about 36 minutes ago. I've found a free public terminal to make this entry. I will try to find somewhere so that I can use my own computer. I don't have any Lounge access for any of the facilities at this airport so we will see how I get on.
I am checked in for the A380 flight (SQ221) to Sydney, Australia (SYD), but wont know if I get a seat until 40 minutes before departure; 7:50p. In the mean time, I will walk around, check the plane out if it is at the gate (local time is 5:41p) and try to find a Lounge or some kind of Internet access. I also need to charge the computer, so that will pose a challenge as well.
PS: The Blogger interface is in Spanish, I am guessing it is still remembering the settings from Mexico.
Christmas 2007 Trip:I got a shower...
I exited the airplane after saying goodbye to my new found friends. My goal now was to find a lounge and get checked in for my next flight either on Japan Airlines or ANA, not necessarily in that order.
I followed the signs to International Connections and had to clear security showing my ticket as I did do. My preference to Singapore is Japan Airlines, but I'd take ANA if I needed to do so.
As it turns out, we arrived in Terminal 1 and Japan Airlines is in Terminal 2 and since there is a NWA WorldClub in Terminal 1, that sealed the deal that I will take ANA.
I started looking for a Lounge and found two, but one opened at 1p and the other at 8a; it was now 7:30a.
My next task was to find a check-in counter for ANA. I saw the gate of departure and headed there and all the check-in counters I passed were not yet open and of course there was no one at the gate as yet.
While I walked, I found a place where I could get a shower for $5 or a room and a shower for $9 for an hour; so if push came to shove I could still have a shower for a minimal cost.
I walked almost the length of the Terminal and finally found a check-in desk. I presented my documents and within a few minutes, I had a window seat on the 10:40a departure.
It was now 7:39a so I still had time to walk back leisurely to the NW WorldClub where i arrived at 7:54a. They were not yet opened so I waited around; an agent saw me waiting and opened the door and welcomed me in.
I asked if there was a shower available and she pointed me to another club that had showers. As it turns out, the Club was right next to the gate where I arrived. I hustled over there entered and got the shower. This was one of the best showers I've had I have to admit.
I welcomed the opportunity to change clothing as well. Now I am ready for a the next 7 hours in a plane.
After the shower I had breakfast in the lounge. This is really a nice lounge with a good view of the planes lots of setting and a number of Macintosh for the Internet as well as complimentary WiFi. There was also ample reading material. I did notice that the Christmas tree was in a pile on the right when I walked in. It's only one day after, that was quick I thought.
I am also charging batteries as I am not sure when I will be able to do this again.
Next stop is Singapore where I will have about 3 hours to connect to the A380 flight assuming we arrive ontime. See you in Singapore.
Christmas 2007 Trip:Happy Boxing Day from Tokyo, Japan
Tijuana International Airport, Tijauna, Mexico (TIJ)
I had to show my passport as well as my Transit card on my way into the jetway. I did not have my immigration form as the officer had taken it, so the agent had to ensure that I had a departure stamp; after searching a bit and with my help, he found it. By the way, I have to find a place to get a shower in Tokyo as when I get to Singapore, I won’t really have enough time to do so.
3 AM58 25DEC TU Tijauna, Mexico (TIJ) toTokyoNarita, Japan (NRT) 777 1:25A 645A 26DEC N777AM
As we boarded the flight, the chief purser, a lady greeted us and again told us which aisle to take to our seats. The Business Class cabin was a lot fuller this time around, but still not completely full. We actually boarded through the first door as opposed to the second one this time.
I made my way back to my same seat as I had a through seat. There were lots of new faces on this leg of the trip. I think that most of the through passengers were sitting in the rear cabin.
I noticed that I had a new blanket; I am assuming a new pillow as well. Plus there was a bottle of water (similar o the one I got from McDonald’s in Mexico City) as well as an amenity kit which had toothpaste, a toothbrush, a pair of socks and a blindfold all in a see through plastic zippered case. A nice touch I thought.
The nice young couple soon joined me again and we greeted each other. We pushed back at 1:41a for this 12:10 journey to Tokyo’s Narita airport. The right engine was started as we commenced our pushback and so were the safety videos. The same drill as before, except this time, the Japanese one ran to completion before takeoff.
Takeoff was smooth and swift; I noted that the TV monitor said 514’ as the elevation; a drastic difference from the 7,348’ at which we started in Mexico City.
We are having a little chop as we head off the coast of Long Beach and toward Malibu at about 30,000’.
About ½ hour after takeoff an announcement came on about documentation for Japan that we will receive shortly.
The Captain came on at 2:47a and made an announcement as we continued to experience rough air as we made our way up the northern California coast line. He said that we had to leave 34,000’ then to 30,000’, then 29,000’ and finally 28,000’ as that is smoother. He said that we would fly to Anchorage, AK then to Petro (something) in Russia then to Sapporo, Japan before making our final descent into Narita.
We are expecting a delay of twenty minutes (arrival time is 6:24a) as we have a very strong headwind for most of the flight, he continued. Forecast for Tokyo at arrival is overcast skies with a temperate of 8C; local time in Narita is +15 hours from Mexico City and +13 hours from Tijuana. As he finished up his speech in English the turbulence ceased. Then the Japanese agent came on and translated what he said.
The flight attendants then came through with the immigration forms as well as a menu which highlighted a midnight service and breakfast.
Midnight service
So that you can rest during the flight, our flight attendants will offer you a Light Meal Service.
Later, if you wish, you may choose from a variety of refreshments available in the rear cabin.
Breakfast
Appetizer
Seasonal fruit plate
Main Course
Chicken enchiladas, dressed with Poblana sauce and cheese, offered with refried beans
Or
Rice omelet with tonkatsu sauce
Muffin
That chicken enchiladas really sounds great. The flight attendants then handed out a Tokio guide which was only available in Spanish.
The light snack turned out to be a cold 6” turkey and cheese sandwich with lettuce and a Nestle Crunch bar. The Airshow now predicts our arrival time to be 7:10a. That really cuts into my valuable ground time. Oh, the system is only Video on Demand as there is no way to interact with the audio at all.
Oh, I did talk with the guy who was next to me a bit and found out they are married for 6 months and this will be his first time to Tokyo, they would be staying for a week; this after many moments of silence and smiling a lot.
Movies started about 3:27a Tijuana time; we were just passing Cape Mendocino just north of San Francisco, CA with 10:33 to go at 32,000’. The system seemed to work properly this time as when I changed channels the movie was not playing, it only started once the channel was selected.
I fell asleep with about 10 or so hours to go and with 4:24 to go and at 9:20a TIJ time Dec. 25, we started to almost butt the Int’l dateline, so our day became Dec. 26; our arrival time was now estimated to be 6:45a, so this means that it is now 2:21a on Dec. 26 at the dateline. This is a bit confusing.
With 4:10 to go, the crew handed out hot towels; a much needed refreshment. I was already up and about having done the morning things when you wake up at 11:30a on Christmas Day in your time zone. Enchiladas are on their way; yeah!!!
The breakfast was great, but kind of odd since it was so early in the morning local Tokyo time and also local Tijuana and even Mexico City time. After breakfast, I finally watched Stardust, listened to some retro music; I then decided to watch Ratouille and fell asleep before it got finished.
I was awoken when we started our descent into Tokyo by the guy next to me as it was time to get the cabin ready for landing.
We landed smoothly and as soon as we did so, everyone was in a mad rush to put their jackets on and you could hear the seatbelts clicking throughout the cabin. I shook my head in dismay. As soon as we slowed down somewhat, people started getting up and opening the overhead bins. I motioned to the ones closest to me and they sat down. The flight attendants were also in the cabin trying to get everyone seated. One kid decided he would not listen so I shouted to him in English to sit down; he did and gave me a stare. I did not care really, as the last thing I wanted was for us to make a sudden stop and he comes crashing down on someone. I am not sure why there was such a rush to get off the plane. As it turns out, our taxi time was 16 minutes! As we stopped short of the gate, he got up and jumped about four rows only sitting down when the flight attendant made yet another announcement.
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