SWA STL-DAL-SAT 04/25/09

Southwest Airlines
STL-DAL
Boeing 737-700
N285WN
April 25th, 2009

I recently got in touch with an old friend of mine from way back, and we got to talking and we wanted to meet up and hang out again. He is a Flight Attendant for another Airline, and he mentioned he had an overnight n SAT. So with the help of a friend of mine whom I trained with at SWA who also is a member of the airliners.net website I was able to get the passes to head to SAT via DAL and meet up with my friend and check out San Antonio!

I got to the STL Airport at around 6:30am for a 7:50am departure. I went into the bag office to talk with a former co worker, it had been almost a year since I saw many of the employees I had worked with so I spent time chatting with them and catching up on old times and such.

I checked in at the gate and sat around waiting for the –700 from MDW to show up. I continued to chat with the workers catching up and texting my friends and such. Soon the –700 landed and taxied to the gate.

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They announced to board in the usual A, B and C we had a few business select folks on this flight. I boarded the flight and got to my usual seat-17F. Great wing and window view as always!

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After everyone else finished boarding, they closed the doors and we taxied out as the F/A did the safety briefings for the flight.

It was a fairly wide open flight, I’d say 65 booked when I had checked via the employee site so not too horrible but typical for a Saturday and with the economy as well too.

We taxied out of the gate and headed to Runway 12L after a US Airways A319 took off.

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After take off since we took off on 12L which meant we went to the east. Since DAL is south, we of course took a turn to head South. Whenever we fly in the morning and I fly to DFW on AA or DAL on WN I always sit on the right side so as not to face the east when we fly South! It seemed those sitting on the left side of the plane seemed to be thinking “darn I should have sat on the left side!” Of course in the evening flights it is the opposite. Useless information :-D

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After take off we climbed and hit cruising altitude. Peanuts were passed out and drinks.

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I went ahead and took shots of the leg room for those who have not flown SWA yet.

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I kind of laid back and went to sleep waking up whenever the plane shook or something. I had been up all night since I had to leave very early to head to STL. That is what sucks living so far from a major airport.

I woke up for good and took some more pictures

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Soon it was time for us to start descending. We headed into the clouds, and it was dark and gloomy. Not the weather that I left in St. Louis! L It had been raining in Dallas for quite some time so the clouds were still hanging around and such. We did some turns and such as we descended into the clouds, which were low hanging.

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Soon flaps came out as we broke through the clouds and then gear came out and soon we touched down into DAL Airport.

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Right as we landed, I noticed a NWA Airbus A319/320 couldn’t tell was at DAL. Hmmh.. I know they made an announcement for MEM-DAL but boy they moved fast and I thought Airbus were illegal?! I joke, I guess it was a charter flight or something of that nature. Not every day you see a NWA plane at DAL!

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We taxied to the gate and if you recall I was on N285WN, well to my right was the sister ship, N284WN! What are the odds! This actually isn’t the first time this happened to me before, as big a fleet and airline WN is, it still happens!

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I got off the plane and had a short connection so I went to the connecting DAL-SAT flight which is a bit fuller but still open enough to get on board.

I ran into ANOTHER SWA employee I trained with at HDQ for CSA at DAL while checking in. I love when that happens, when you run into old friends or co workers at the last/least place you expected! Always in for a good time usually when that happens.

Southwest Airlines
DAL-SAT
N495WN
737-700
April 25th, 2009

After I chatted with the friend and checked in I went to the gate area to sit at the window waiting to board the flight. It was really gloomy and cloudy in DAL and I don’t like when that happens! Luckily, San Antonio would clear up and make for great weather to hang out in.

They called for boarding and lined up to board. I got on and went to 14F as 17F was taken, oh well still a window seat over the wing I won’t complain!

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We backed out as usual while the F/A were doing the safety briefings. I saw a bird fly by and I eyed him DARING him to hit us during take-off so I could be another bird strike story—it didn’t happen :-P

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We had a great view of downtown Dallas we taxied by and the NWA plane too.

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We headed to runway and took off after a private jet took off, boy they are LOUD!

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DAL-SAT is the usual run of Texas intra state flight. Take off, throw peanuts out and go back and land. Once we took off we broke through the clouds and got the sun! Beautiful!

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I half slept in this flight too, taking pictures whenever I woke up. This was the peanuts only flight and a drink, and I refused both.

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Really quick flight and we landed and as we landed I saw a 777 and ‘I’m like what the…

Seemed a Russian Airline was getting their engines worked or fixed on at SAT. Pretty cool Deal! I saw my friend’s plane on the ground, and I was supposed to have arrived before him! Shoot! Oh well! Haha I texted him to see where he was and I decided to meet him at the bottom of the escalator in Baggage area.

We met up and headed to the hotel for some fun in the city!

Once again Southwest keeps things simple. Yes, I non revved but I am reminded why I went to work for them, seeing the great Employees, and the fun of riding them everywhere.

Alex