CO EWR-TPA and TPA-EWR--Jan 6 - 9

Sunday, Jan 6

CO 318 EWR-TPA

I had to be in Tampa for a trade show, but my girls had given me theater tickets for Jersey Boys for my birthday back in September, and Jan 6 was the only day we could get tickets. We had a nice brunch, and drove into NYC, parked next to the theater (a mistake) and enjoyed a very good show, although I don't get why people see it more than once...it wasn't THAT good.

We got out of the theater, and the plan was get the car drop the girls off at Penn Station (we left daughters Roadmaster at the Deer Park train station). Wrong--the line was tremendous to get the car--in a panic, I sent the girls to get a cab to Penn...which they did, and they wound up getting home fine. They called me as I was boarding the flight.

Uneventful drive to EWR, parked on level 4 right next to the covered walkway and through security in like 2 minutes. This flight went from C88 which for some reason is down a flight in the southern most wing of terminal C. I visited the club first and had a quick drink, and then off to the gate. Since it was not a meal flight there was the obligatory stop at MacDonalds for a bite first.

Boarding was very organized considering the flight was mostly full. The predeparture drinks were offered and accepted, and jacket hung, and we left right on schedule. There was not much of a line to get out, so we were in the air in no time.

This was not a meal flight so we only got peanuts, but the service was very attentive, the airplane was S P O T L E S S (although I think it was brand new) and there was a video show--sitcoms.

After a short nap, we were on our way into TPA, arrived right on schedule, and off to the show--good job CO.

Wed, January 9
CO 1419 TPA-EWR

Woke up at oh dark thirty, and drove to TPA with my colleague, reprinted boarding pass and bang zoom to the A terminal and through security. This was a 757 with intl Biz First cabin, but it was a full flight. Boarding was organized again, and the agents were friendly-one said thank you for being a Plat. On board greeted warmly by the FA who asked for a drink order before I even settled in--the OJ was very good. As I said elsewhere, the world is a beautiful place from seat 2A on the 757....

Off we go and the breakfast snack is offered-fruit cup with yogurt and hot croissant...and I mean hot. It was served on real china, and seemed freshly baked. Of course the hot towel was offered first. Then time to sleep for a while--there were many movies I wanted to see on the AVOD, but the flight was too short for the Heartbreak Kid, so I will save that for PEK--should have time to see it on that flight!

Woke up after about an hour power nap and was offered another beverage by the FA, just before beginning descent into EWR. The weather was a bit cruddy but no delays..right in and arrived about 5 minutes early. Off to the car, and drove home with a stop by the chiropractor (need the old snap crackle and pop about once every two weeks).

Overall a good trip, excellent service, and best of all I had dinner with my good friend Tadjr from USAviation.

Ciao y'all.

Nice report Art, I hope you enjoyed flying in/out of my first hometown airport, TPA or TIA as the locals refer to it. Did not realize you where friends with Tad, great guy who I have known since the Piedmont days.

Cheers

LGA777

Great report. Hope you enjoyed the old TPA. I used to exclusively fly CO between SRQ and EWR or on occasion via IAH to one of the other two metro airports.

Some good reading there. Thanks for sharing. :)