Batlimore - Atlanta (ok, Macon) - Chicago - Tampa - Atlanta

Not doing a good job keeping up.  Just a couple of observations.

It is so clear to me now that "frequent flyer" programs have very little meaning now.  It's not about miles, and it's not about free tickets.  It's practically impossible to get a free ticket.

It's about status levels.  I've been flirting with American, a lot lately.  And I've paid for first class.  Here's what I've noticed:

1) AA doesn't have nearly as many elites as DL, even out of their big hub in DFW.  With DL about 30 percent of the load is waitlisted for first class.  I notice short lists on AA.

2) Many DL "elites" simply aren't elite anything, but have managed to qualify for the low end silver/gold level and it has inflated the battleground waitlists.  At least 30 percent of the entire capacity of the a/c is now listed for first.  Even though those guys never get the upgrades, how long will they naively think they can?

I've had to reach the following conclusion: If you want to fly first, you have to BUY it, at least on DL.  And AA sells first much cheaper than DL.  I just bought Tampa-Port of Spain, Trinidad in first on AA for just over $800.00.

And I don't really care if I ever have status on AA.  I'll keep happily buying first as long as it's not outrageously priced.

The times are truly changing.


http://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA1740/history/20130512/2155Z/KTPA/KBWI

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1824/history/20130515/2145Z/KBWI/KATL

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/EGF3716/history/20130516/1940Z/KATL/KORD

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1977/history/20130517/2300Z/KORD/KATL

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL2304/history/20130518/0155Z/KATL/KTPA

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1386/history/20130519/1130Z/KTPA/KATL

Can't Keep Up!

It's all I can do to publish the links, lol.  Very busy!

Until . . . my work goes to practically zero in June.  That's NOT good.  Not sure what could end up happening.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1612/history/20130504/2030Z/KORD/KATL

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/FLG4083/history/20130504/2312Z/KATL/KTYS

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASQ2507/history/20130507/2150Z/KTYS/KDFW

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL1507/history/20130508/0110Z/KDFW/KABQ

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL638/history/20130510/2020Z/KABQ/KDFW

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL890/history/20130510/2350Z/KDFW/KTPA

Tampa - Chicago Midway - Keeping More Current

I did Southwest nonstop from TPA to MDW.  While tempted to do Delta, I'm glad I did the nonstop, as ATL went into a ground stop due to weather.

The basics never change!  Fly nonstop!

Even though this post is not about Delta, I am learning that they have so many different fare levels, and yes, it's true, they are not all available on Delta.com.  It takes patience now if you are going to buy a ticket with enough flexibility in it to upgrade. 

My other big complaint is that I read that Delta has 40,000 Diamond elites.  That's still too many.  I wish they would get serious about elite.  They have so many now, that the "new" elite members are overwhelming the system.  More on that later.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA1284/history/20130428/2345Z/KTPA/KMDW

Charlotte/Palm Springs/La Guardia/New Orleans/San Diego/Sequester/Porsche

My fault for not keeping up with the posts.

It's mostly because I've started traveling with an iPad instead of a laptop.

In three weeks I've flown 17 segments, lived through the effect of the Boston bombings, the delays caused by sequester, and being picked up at the gate in ATL yesterday in a $66,000 Porsche Panamera by Delta, and taken to the next gate.

No real flight issues, but the Porsche experience was just great!

The San Diego segments are shown here.  I promise to do better and keep up.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1472/history/20130422/1500Z/KTPA/KATL

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1467/history/20130421/1859Z/KATL/KSAN

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1592/history/20130427/1345Z/KSAN/KATL

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL2172/history/20130427/1858Z/KATL/KTPA

Tampa/Orange County/Los Angeles/Tampa

My big training customer is too sensitive to airfares and at times unrealistic.  Meaning, if a fare goes past $800.00, they squawk.

So, sometimes just to keep the peace, I have to accept a weird routing, as in:

TPA to SNA via MSP.  I know.  Look at a map, it look ridiculous.  But even though I live in a big market, I'm still shocked at how expensive fares can be from Tampa to the west coast.

So, thankfully the upgrades cleared out to Orange County, and Pre worked fine in TPA.  I'll still maintain that any Airbus product has a more comfortable cabin than any Boeing product, so the A320 out to SNA was very comfy in first.

I flew back out of LAX, on the nonstop red eye to TPA.  I swore off these kinds of flights years ago, but because it was nonstop and cheap (read first paragraph), I signed on.

And promptly did not clear first because the damn fare level was too damn low.  Economy Comfort is ok on Delta, but combining that with a 0615 AM arrival in TPA, well, it's tough.

I'm still trying to get my head straight.

Off to Charlotte now, and again the segment out of TPA is not going to clear because of these damn cheap fares I have to buy.  Gotta find a way around this stuff.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1329/history/20130401/1800Z/KTPA/KMSP

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL2097/history/20130401/2230Z/KMSP/KSNA

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL933/history/20130406/0555Z/KLAX/KTPA

Atlanta-Tampa-Atlanta-Austin-Memphis-Tampa

Still with me?  It's all rolling now with multiple cities per week.

The TPA/ATL flight was severely delayed due to weather in Florida.  The connection to AUS came out of Jacksonville and was delayed also, but that's fine by me.

Everything else was fine, except for the usual dumbass behaviors in coach and the arrogant, selfish BS that goes on in first.

I did clear PRE in AUS on the outbound to Memphis.  MEM is a ghost town now.  Sad, CVG is also a former Delta memory.

Weekend in Orlando, back to TPA, then on to SNA/LAX.  Whew!

Through March 31, 36,668 miles!

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL2273/history/20130323/0035Z/KATL/KTPA

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL2372/history/20130324/2000Z/KTPA/KATL

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1309/history/20130324/2322Z/KATL/KAUS

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASQ4995/history/20130327/2210Z/KAUS/KMEM

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1965/history/20130328/0045Z/KMEM/KTPA

Memphis to Atlanta - Auburn, AL - War Eagle!

OK, I went to Tennessee, so yelling War Eagle might be blasphemy, but I'm an SEC guy all the way, so this is my first ever visit to the fairest village on the plains.

Even though Montgomery is the closest airport, I just did the DL MD88 from MEM to ATL and drove it.

As we were descending into ATL, we hit some of the most violent wake turbulence I've ever encountered in almost 40 years of air travel.

Not trying to scare anybody, but this is bad stuff.  It's caused when we are flying maybe a bit too close behind another arrival.  You'll know it when you hit it, it's very violent for a few seconds.

MEM is a sad story now that DL is de hubbing the place. I've never thought much of the building, but it's so sad to see all those empty gates and jetways.  It's as bad as CVG.  Gosh when a carrier leaves town like this, I wonder who pays for all that empty gate space.

So, upon arrival in ATL, it's time to jump on the "air train" and ride to baggage claim so I can catch another train to the car rental facility.

The train was super crowded, and we stop at T concourse and this really spastic looking, dweeby guy gets on, wearing a NY Jets shirt, workout pants and some kind of awful sneakers.  I notice he's pretty tall, grey and just dressed awfully.

I'll be damned, it's Rex Ryan, head coach of the Jets.  I could read his bag tag and his name was there along with his home address and phone number, lol.

But coach, come on!  Dress a bit nicer please!  A nice sport coat and khakis will work.

I once saw Jeff Fisher strolling through BNA when he coached the Titans.  A really cool dude.  Jeans.  Cowboy boots.  RayBans.

I think the Jets and Ryan are a circus, and after this encounter, I believe it more!

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL2389/history/20130320/2220Z/KMEM/KATL