Chasing Daylight....

There’s something about an evening flight heading West across the country that makes you feel like you’re chasing the turning of the Earth itself. Trying to capture those last moments before you inevitably lose the pursuit, the light sinks beyond the horizon, and you have to give up and console yourself with whatever’s on the in-flight entertainment for the next six hours. And why is it that this feeling is always more poignant on a Sunday?


Tonight that particular battle was lost by my flight 223 from BOS West to LAX at the end of a great weekend in the Bay State. The movie tonight was “The Blindside,” and I’ll admit I enjoyed it though I probably never would have gone out to see it on my own. Once I got over the shock of Sandra Bullock with blond hair, it was all uphill from there.


So then….now that the scene has been set…..what to write about? It’s a brisk 5 ½ hour hop from coast to coast tonight due to a light headwind…but seems like I should have time to ponder a thing or two (I’d like to note at this point that the flight attendants are talking about ‘that one time when it took eight hours to go from JFK to SFO’ and I’m really glad that’s not the case tonight). However, maybe I can blame my lack of momentary inspiration on the guy sitting next to me. He’s giving me nothing. Not a comment on the pasta, not a “hey, going home?” Nothing. He’s been reading the paper since take-off, and now that we’re well across the country….yep, still reading.


He is, however, a polar opposite from my seat mate on the second leg of my Friday flight from St. Louis to Boston. This is the exact reason I have no writing to show for myself from those 2 hours. It started innocently enough, I said, “goin’ home?” And I’m still not entirely sure where we went next, but there was even some frantic back-of-boarding pass note taking as we exchanged tips for the best places to eat, stay, and visit across the county. I happily passed along my list of best Boston brunch spots, and in return I received the run-down on what to do in a weekend in Palm Springs, and more than I think I’d ever know about the neighborhoods and museums of the great city of St. Louis.


During what may have been the shortest dinner service I’ve ever experienced on an American flight, my new friend and I discover we share a common love of Rachel Maddow, and the rest of the flight passed quickly as we switched from proper neutral seat-to-seat conversation to more boisterous political discussion. It was easily the most entertaining flight I’ve had recently, complete with a flight attendant who told us when asked that she didn’t have a helper to serve dinner because she “doesn’t like anyone getting in her way.” I should have gotten her name so I could give her a good review. She even managed to make the 20 min wait for our gate entertaining.


Her best story of the night was in response to the ground crew’s union rule that they have to stop servicing planes in thunderstorms for obvious safety related reasons. She informed us that some travelers do not take well to this situation and will start threatening to fly a competitor next time, to which she has always wanted to answer, “Have fun, Delta’s gates are around the corner. I’m sure it’s sunny and 90 degrees there.” When you’re already on a delayed flight waiting for a gate, sometimes the best medicine for cranky travelers is to hear how they sound to the other occupants of the flight.


Really my travel this weekend has had some really great service. The flight crews, the waiters and bartenders in Boston, and especially the agent at the Admiral’s Club in St. Louis who took nearly half an hour with me to carefully explain all about system-wide upgrades. As a bonus I even got his account of the filming of “Up in the Air,” which yes, he got to be in (though he told me most of the scenes filmed in the Club didn’t make the final cut.)


Well, the ice has melted in my vodka, and the episode of “The Office” has now ended, so that can only mean I’m a cookie and glass of sparkling water away from our decent into LAX. So, unless something overly exciting happens that just needs to be commented on, I’ll sign off until I’m back in the air in a few weeks for a short hop to Austin.


Until then, wishing you light headwinds and entertaining acquaintances….

Over Albany....

As the year draws to a close, I’m once again in the air. There’s something beautiful about a window seat on an evening flight, the lights laid out beneath you like a map in gold and silver. When I travel so much its easy to forget the little things that made me drawn to flying in the first place. Day to day its all too easy to get distracted by worries over the weather, or the person in the security line in front of you who wants to place each individual item they are carrying in a separate bin to send through the x-ray. Air travel is one of those things where if you’re all about the destination you’re likely to miss out on the pleasure to be had along the way.

Right now I’m embarking on a landmark flight. Its flight 471 and I’m on my way to my childhood home north of Seattle, a relatively short flight from LAX. When this plane flies over Albany, Oregon I will have flown my 100,000^th qualifying mile this year on American Airlines. After all the time on American’s silver jets this year, I find it somewhat ironic that my milestone will be reached while on an Alaska Airlines flight, but that’s life’s little sense of humor for you.

Fittingly, this month the movie “Up in the Air” debuted. In it the main character travels more than 11 months out of the year, and is eagerly reaching his 10 millionth mile on none other than American Airlines. His tipping mile, unlike mine, will be over Dubuque, Iowa. In the movie, this seeming king of frequent fliers is allegedly only the 7^th person to have flown 10 million miles with the airline. However, the “American Way” in-flight magazine assures me that there are many more than this in reality. In the interest of maintaining a sense of exclusivity American’s not saying how many there are or what the benefits of achieving such a goal might be, though they make it clear that there are many.

I have no delusions of reaching such a lofty travel milestone, in fact I’m astounded that I’m reaching 100,000 this year. I’ve never done it before, and doubt if I’ll do it again. Still, I can relate to the movie. This ultimate travel maven is followed as he embarks on his nearly continual itinerary, complete with preoccupations with rental car upgrades, hotel frequent guest programs, and a variety of “single serving” friends, doing it all in the name of reaching this long awaited travel goal. (For a detailed explanation of my personal connection to the plot of this movie, please read the posts below).

Besides all the miles (and dollars) I’ve spent on planes this year, there’s something that holds intrigue for me about little worlds wherever you find them. I always love to be an interloper whether its learning about the passions of obsessive frequent fliers, dedicated sci-fi fans, or even storm chasers. For an excellent and eye opening, and well researched, look into these seemingly insular groups that compose our modern society check out Shirley Cadron’s book “Who are You People?” This light read is billed as a look at “fanatical passion in America,” and is well worth the time.

Though Cadron doesn't choose to discuss frequent fliers in her book per se, the analogy is a good one. People who travel consistently for work, or just to maintain their lives, have plenty in common, both in experience and knowledge. As demonstrated by the many I've met along the way, they also have a wealth of stories and advice, and are more than happy to share both. The skies and the airports are something they have gotten to know innately, and most of them are proud of it. Like any specialty, its knowledge that’s not easily attained and they’re well aware of the fact. Tonight I feel like I’ve really joined them. As I take a moment to stare quietly out the window at the scattered points of light and dark voids underneath us I smile and hope that somewhere down there is Albany and my 100,000^th mile is passing, fittingly, on my way home for the last time this decade.

Cheers, and happy holidays.