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Indy

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 04:13:28 pm

Indy
Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Got a mileage run on Oct 30th.

IND-DTW-MEM-TPA-DTW-IND for $212.50 3,150 miles

Not bad and no long layovers either. One CRJ and thats IND-DTW and I got an aisle seat for that. Rest is all 320's and 757 with window seats. I'll provide the details when the trip is complete. 45 minutes in MEM might not be enough time to sample the food. But I can always run off the plane, get some food and get to my next plane provided the connection is close.

Food4Geeks.com - Even Geeks Like To Eat.

Boofer

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 03:42:10 pm

Boofer
Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Indy wrote:

But I can always run off the plane, get some food and get to my next plane provided the connection is close.

Have you ever connected at MEM before? If you're there during a big flight bank, then you probably won't have time to get food. It's a dark, dungeonesque terminal with narrow, crowded hallways. And the airport food sucks, BTW. It does a real disservice to the otherwise awesome food scene in Memphis.

Can I get a peanut crumb with that thimble of Coke?

Indy

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 05:23:07 pm

Indy
Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

This will be my first time in MEM. Not sure if I'll have enough time to even grab subway.

Food4Geeks.com - Even Geeks Like To Eat.

wanderer

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 09:38:19 pm


Member

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 142
Location: IND

Boofer wrote:


Have you ever connected at MEM before? If you're there during a big flight bank, then you probably won't have time to get food. It's a dark, dungeonesque terminal with narrow, crowded hallways. And the airport food sucks, BTW. It does a real disservice to the otherwise awesome food scene in Memphis.


MEM is a dump. Last time I was down there, they were improving the food court - but, yeah....it is a dis-service to the Memphis food culture.

Has anyone ever been stuck in MEM between the banks? GHOST TOWN! It is Scary.

Indy

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 09:45:10 pm

Indy
Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I've never been stuck and I hope it doesn't start now. This trip btw will be run in 1 day. About 12 hours total. Just killing off time and a credit card lol.

Food4Geeks.com - Even Geeks Like To Eat.

Boofer

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 09:57:58 pm

Boofer
Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

I haven't been "stuck" in MEM per se, but I have been there between banks. One time, my flight IND-MEM was late getting there, so I arrived outside of a bank. I agree - eerily empty. And another time I was delayed awaiting the last flight MEM-IND. It was just our plane that was late, not a weather thing. So it was just the IND pax, all alone, in that dark, cavelike airport, with even the crappy food shops closed already for the night.

It's a good airport for connections, as it's not subject to a lot of the normal contributing factors for delays. But bring a couple granola bars.

Can I get a peanut crumb with that thimble of Coke?

Indy

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 01:43:12 am

Indy
Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Ok today was the big day. I arrived at IND just after 8am and quickly got through security. So that left time to kill. Breakfast was Subway. I know. Wonderful huh? My morning flight to DTW leaves on time. BTW if you ever have a chance to fly on a CRJ I'd recommend passing on it. Unless you are short you will not enjoy this jet. It was cramped in every possible way. You know I'm just going to fast forward past the CRJ part because it sucked. We arrived at the C concourse and this was my first experience with the "tunnel". In case you haven't seen it yet just imagine what someone on drugs would have designed. That would be it. It was great though. I enjoyed the walk. Naturally my DTW-MEM flight was at the opposite end of the A concourse. Gate A65. That was a long hike. It took so long to get from my CRJ flight to that gate that I was in the last quarter of people boarding. It was a really short layover.

I must say I am impressed with the A320. It had good head room and a nice wide aisle. The funny thing is I'm walking down the aisle and I'm wondering where the hell the row numbers are. Because I'm 6'5" tall I couldn't see they were under the edge where the air vents and passenger lights are. But it was comfortable. Can't complain about the A320 at all. So we get to MEM. Wow is that place ever overrated. Frankly that is an embarrassment to the NW network. I honestly can't believe they keep that place. We came in to gate 42 (B concourse I think) which is right next to the international arrivals. I wanted to laugh. It was so crummy looking and pathetic. I've never seen anything like it. Then I remembered that as bad as their setup is ours is worse. So I guess I can't laugh at theirs too much. But anyway I walk off the jet and I ask a NW rep where the TPA flight was. He says "right here". I'm like wow. Same gate. Same jet. Same seat. Thats a new one for me.

BTW on the way to MEM we flew over some amazing color just north of the city. The fall color is wonderful. We did run into some turbulence and the pilots had to climb to 37,000 feet. It was odd. We ran into a thin cloud layer at 37,000 feet that reminded me of the low clouds you get around 2000 feet. Just had to share that.

The flight to TPA was boring. Nothing really special there. TPA is a nice O/D airport. Of course I had nowhere to go in TPA. My departing gate was 1 over and I had 15 minutes before boarding was to start. This time it was the 757-200. 5600 series. I wonder if this one will be fitted with winglets. I found it odd that this jet had tv screens but they weren't playing. It would have been nice to have some entertainment. So I thought that stunk. The flight too was boring. But fortunately I had nobody sitting in the other 2 seats so I had room to myself. So we get to DTW and of course we arrived at a gate in the teens. My departing gate for IND was A65 again. Strange. Same gate twice. So I get to that gate and there is a problem. The flight is delayed. The delay was over an hour. We end up getting a new jet. And where was this jet?

A8... only a few gates over from where I came on. So back all the way across the A concourse again. It was another A320. It was a mad rush to get us boarded. They asked us to board as quickly as possible so the crew wouldn't become illegal. So we must have set a record for the fastest boarding of a nearly sold out A320. The flight back to IND was uneventful. We of course landed on the far runway and away from the terminal so we had to tax forever. I thought it was strange that the pilot chose to taxi on the cross wind runway instead of a taxiway. I don't recall ever seeing that happen. But the flight was good so I can't complain.

I am glad this is over with. No more 5 flights in a day stunts. Next run will be strictly for miles.

Sorry for the rambling post. I'm tired.

Food4Geeks.com - Even Geeks Like To Eat.

Boofer

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 09:25:16 am

Boofer
Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

You ought to make your next run to include LAS. Get there on an evening arrival and take a redeye back. Should give you time to get over to the MGM or the Luxor to gamble a little bit. If you win, you won't care about a CRJ or a crappy connecting airport. Very Happy

Can I get a peanut crumb with that thimble of Coke?

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