Off to beautiful (warm, muggy) Orlando, Florida, for a big departmental all-hands. I flew Frontier, rather than United, and it was a refreshing experience. <\/p>\n
Since Frontier flies from Concourse A at DIA, I took the bridge from the main terminal. Therefore I missed (according to another person flying from my office) the latest musical chairs in the main security line, i.e., if you have just your briefcase and notebook computer (no added carry-on), you can go through the Express Lane now at security. Huh.<\/p>\n
My flight was on an Airbus (I believe ) A319. Sort of the Airbus equivalent to the 737, but a bit wider (which was nice). Frontier does not have a 1st Class cabin, which was also nice.<\/p>\n
A new experiment this trip was my Palm Keyboard. With it I was able to do some worthwhile work both at the gate and on the plane. Cool. Worked on my quotations, mostly, but it could<\/i> have been for something work-related. Indeed, the experiment was successful enough that it may be actually worthwhile for me to get (next FY) a wireless Palm. Assuming our new internal standards review of PDAs still okays the Palm.<\/p>\n
One thing I liked about how Frontier worked (vs. the Bigger Corporation Which Is United) was demonstrated when a mother and two kids came on close to the end of the boarding period. It was a pretty full flight. The woman’s father was already on, but in 1B, with no vacant seats. And the tickets she had were scattered all over, and there were no places with two seats together, let alone three.<\/p>\n
The flight attendants quickly mobilized and got folks to vounteer to shuffle around, so that one kid could sit next to Gramps, the other with Mom. That meant the folks shuffling generally had to move to “B” seats, i.e., center seats, flanked on either side by people. Definitely less desireable.<\/p>\n
Here’s the cool part. (1) Folks were willing to do this. (2) The flight attendants rewarded them with unlimited free drinks.<\/p>\n
Now, I don’t know about (1), but I know that on United, the most those folks would have gotten as a reward was a single free drink … and most likely they would have simply gotten the thanks of the flight attendants. Not that that’s wrong, but it’s a sign that Frontier is definitely interested in making their customers happy<\/i> that they empower their flight crew to do these sorts of things.<\/p>\n
Finished off an entire book on the trip. That it was a Robert Parker book makes that somewhat less surprising.<\/p>\n
New security rule: only one person can be standing up by the front lav (the one by the cockpit door) at a time. Makes sense, but haven’t run across that one lately. Of course, most of the carriers I’ve flown on have an 1st Class cabin that would apply there, which I don’t fly.<\/p>\n
Sometime over the last decade or so, luggage has changed. I remember how suitcases were suitcases, dagnabbit, hardsided and beautiful. Now everyone (okay, 80% of everyone) uses some sort of black, wheeled pullman bag. It makes spotting my own black, wheeled pullman at the baggage claim to be that more difficult.<\/p>\n
We ate, this evening, at the 4th ranked Best Steakhouse in the US for four or five years running, Charley’s. And I can believe it. Fabulous, flavorful steak. I would have eaten more, but it was 11 p.m. at night. Great stuff, though, and I speak as someone who likes his steak.<\/p>\n
The place is also given excellent marks by the Wine Spectator, which I can also believe. A marvelous wine selection. I’ve never seen Silver Oak sold by the glass ($20). Plus, they carry a number of magnum wine bottles of varying prices — but all of which are a better deal than normal 750ml bottles.<\/p>\n
For the twelve of us, it came to $1100, minus tip. Whoo! Great meal, though. I fear things can only go downhill from here.<\/p>\n
Downhill defined as, “It’s Midnight, and we have a 7 a.m. phonecon we have to be at.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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Every seat on the plane was equipped with a small TV and a...","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/travel"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10558,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2006\/12\/22\/not_this_weekend.html","url_meta":{"origin":2092,"position":1},"title":"Not this weekend …","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 22-Dec-06 5:46pm","format":false,"excerpt":"Rrrg. Arrgh. Though, at this point, I'd have to point more at the TSA than Frontier. UPDATE: Yes, these Frontier signs were mocking us the entire afternoon and evening. Bottom...","rel":"","context":"In "Homeland Security"","block_context":{"text":"Homeland Security","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/politics-law\/homeland-security"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/\/images\/430068af94.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10560,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2006\/12\/22\/queueing_up.html","url_meta":{"origin":2092,"position":2},"title":"Queueing Up","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 22-Dec-06 2:46pm","format":false,"excerpt":"The indoors Frontier line switches back and forth multiple times across the Concourse A bridge. Yikes! UPDATE: As a result, the A Concourse security gate was closed. That was going...","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/travel"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/\/images\/8a34a638ec.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15588,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2009\/08\/14\/saving-the-airline-animals.html","url_meta":{"origin":2092,"position":3},"title":"Saving the Airline Animals","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 14-Aug-09 7:58pm","format":false,"excerpt":"Republic has won the bidding for bankrupt Frontier Airlines, beating out Southwest.\u00a0 Republic improved its initial $108.75 million offer, removing pre-closing conditions and receiving antitrust clearance as part of submitting what was deemed the best offer for the bankrupt Frontier. The other suitor, Southwest Airlines, said its refusal to remove\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Big Business"","block_context":{"text":"Big Business","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/big-business"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/frontier.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13144,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2008\/07\/10\/continuing_the_fight.html","url_meta":{"origin":2092,"position":4},"title":"Continuing the fight","author":"***Dave","date":"Thu 10-Jul-08 9:40am","format":false,"excerpt":"While the approval of the FISA bill is a significant blow, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), who have been at the forefront of law suits against the telcos just...","rel":"","context":"In "Homeland Security"","block_context":{"text":"Homeland Security","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/politics-law\/homeland-security"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21008,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2011\/05\/10\/wrapping-up-my-star-trek-new-frontier-marathon.html","url_meta":{"origin":2092,"position":5},"title":"Wrapping up my “Star Trek: New Frontier” marathon","author":"***Dave","date":"Tue 10-May-11 7:13pm","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been playing catch-up on Peter David's Star Trek: New Frontier series.\u00a0 Here are the last two book reviews, for books 16 and 17 of the series. 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