Burlingame, Dallas, probably the North Pole
In Transit
Buongiorno,
American Airlines Flight 1064 from DFW to SFO has left on time and should arrive as scheduled. According to Flightware this is the same plane that will take us from San Francisco International Airport to the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. One interpretation of this is that there is a possibility that this plane will leave SFO on time and get to DFW on time. Currently drinking an American interpretation of a cappuccino. What a way to slaughter or besmirch the name of such a fine beverage. At my right hand is what has the appearance of a croissant but tastes and has the texture of a float of stale wonder bread. It is little wonder the French don’t like Americans.
For the purists in the group, croissants are a style of viennoiserie pastry. Which of course relates back to the Austrian city of Vienna, otherwise known as the birthplace of croissants. The ancestor to the modern-day croissant was called the kipferl, which dates back to the 13th century and comes in various shapes and sizes. So maybe the Austrians won’t like us for destroying one of their dishes, 700 or 800 years later. Or perhaps it is just a lot of water under the bridge.
In less than 24 hours we’ll be sitting in the Hotel Britannia lobby or at a cafe somewhere in Roma. Maybe overlooking the Roman Forum, or the colosseum, or perhaps the Piazza Navona which appears in so many of the old films, there are so many places to enjoy a good cappuccino. It is too bad we only have 48 hours in Roma. There is always next time.
It is time to finish packing and head down to the shuttle to the airport and begin the check-in adventure we weren’t able to do online as instructed. On and off the shuttle was a piece of cake. The first step was to try the automated check-in. Did expect it to work, but that is where they will send you. Of course, it said see agent.
Then it was back into the line we were in yesterday, at least we were able to stand in the priority line this time. A fewer minutes later we were called over to the counter. Apparently, they hadn’t removed yesterday flight on British Airways from our flight record. That was the first step. Once that was done we were told all is good, however because there is a broken seat in First Class, I don’t have a seat and I should see the gate agent for my seat assignment. Oh yes, of course, you’ll still be in First Class. The same First Class that was completely full yesterday. We shall see ….
So we walked to Clear at security. Oh no, you’re in the wrong line you need to go to Clear with Pre-Check down the hall just past security. No problem. The pre-check in was very short. In fact, the Clear line was longer. A woman and her child gave up on Clear and just went to pre-check. We stood our ground. Ten or fifteen minutes later a Clear employee directed up to a machine for verification.
The verification process took longer than normal because we had to update to the new version. We were finally lead to the end of the pre-check line. It used to be you got to go to the head of the line, but apparently now you go to the end of line of those people who have been cleared. Standing at the end of the line, looking towards the final screening point, there was the woman and her child walking toward their gate. They had abandoned Clear, got processed through pre-check, and then through the final screening, before we even got to the point to begin the final screening. Let’s see, we pay for this faster service?
Through security we we headed to the Admirals Club for a little substance and coffee. It’s included in our ticket. No, it isn’t free, we paid for in the ticket price. People always get confused about that. Nothing is free.
The cappuccino out of the machine in the Admirals Club was better than the $6.50 cappuccino in the hotel. The oatmeal was better in the hotel; the oatmeal in the Admirals Club had been sitting too long. As the clock approached going on 10 a grip was made to the help desk in the Admirals Club to see if a seat had become available to Dallas, and to test the possibility of moving back into business class to Roma. The two agents were very nice and helpful. A seat was assigned to Dallas. We were even going to be able to sit together.
The flight to Roma was still uncertain. There were two seats but one of them had a”block” on it. One of agents tried to have the block removed; even going so far as call his superior. There was nothing they could do. They were able to have us listed as numbers 1 & 2 on the priority list should a seat(s) become available. They said the gate agents in Dallas were now the only people who could potentially assign the seats. Apparently economy class on the flight to Roma is oversold. This apparently motivates them to move us to business or even first class, thus freeing up an economy seat(s). We have another three or four hours to find out.
We did get business seats from San Francisco to Dallas. We were in row five which is the last row in business/first class. The seats are two by two instead of three by three in economy. There isn’t much one can say about a three hour flight. The food, a loose term, was pasta or chicken. Neither of which was anything other than airline food.
We landed in Dallas on time. Terminal C. The flight to Rome was from Terminal D. We had an hour and fifty-five minutes as the airplane to Dallas was early. Finding how to get to Terminal D was easy, just follow the signs. Up the escalator, on to the train. The train runs in two directions. Apparently the closest one was the one headed toward Terminal E. Leave C, two stops at Terminal E, then two stops at Terminal D. Ours is the second stop. At the foot of the escalator was out gate!
We hobbled over to the gate agent and told our story of woe. He said no problem. You aren’t sitting together, 1A and 1L, but you are in business/first class. All our worries have been unfounded. We walked around a bit. Trying to get some exercise in before the ten-hour flight to Roma.
At the gate forty minutes prior to take off. Group 1. On board in our seats by 4:46, for a 6:16 take off. The aircraft was a Boeing 787-8. They are they old style “pods”. Honestly compared to Swiss Air or Turkish Airlines, these pods really suck. They would be termed cheap knock-offs at best.
The crew was really nice and attentive. The food was airline food. Being in row one put us right at the galley. Lots of light and noise. 1A and 1L actually face the galley. 1D & 1H in the center faced away so they were probably a little better. Sounds a lot like a first world problem. Be happy you have a bed and can lay down to sleep.
December 17th is coming to a close somewhere over the Atlantic or more possibly over the North Pole. Bounanotte a tutti! Ciao Enrico.
Comments