So MrsANC had some vacation time to burn . . . she says, last week . . . let's go to MCO! Oh good. A weeks lead time on an F seat to MCO during spring break. Gimme a challenge. . . . .
Booked.
ORD-MCO AA2529 (Broke down, beat up, old -say again OLD - as in 1990s - F seats, no IFE, barely stable tray tables) (N177US for those that care). No pics, not worth the effort.
Got to ORD about 1400(L) for a 1650 board time. Logistics required that. Time on target in the AA Admiral's Club between H & K concourse. Nice, actually, very nice. Drinkies, poo-poos, lunch, windows=aircraft movement=happy ANCFlyer.
Gate H17. Nondescript ORD gate, the usual. Boarded and sat. Early departure. The alley between G & H gates, to Bravo, eventually to 10C for departure. Rough climb out, first hour was a roller coaster . . . MRSANC doesn't like that stuff . . . I had my beverage in hand. . . service delayed for Y, only drinks in F. I gotta admit, it was a bit of a chop up there, through climb out until somewhere over Tennessee.
So, AA Admirals Club: Grade B. Bar service A, Food Service B+, crowded, C.
Gate and Boarding: A
Seat/Aircraft: D Broken down, old - really old - A321 from the initial US Air buy from Airbii back in the day, according to the Captain (spoke to him on deplaning). No IFE of any kind, 1st gen F seats. I mean really dismal aircraft. Obviously used for the high density shuttles from ORD-MCO-ORD (made 3 round trips on that route yesterday according to flight tracker).
Beat up AA, you can do better . . .
On Board: F F/A was reasonable. . . she gets a C. Probably her last turn for the day. Not spectacular but not impressive.
Arrival: Standard issue for MCO . . . fly past Orlando, turn and burn. Landed long, with lots of traffic in trail. Hard hit on the brakes to make room them off of 35L. MRSANC - who doesn't like to fly - grabbed my hand . . . we're okay, he just wants to make this taxiway - kind like the Tri_State in Chicagoland, you'll be fine.
Short walk to the tram, short tram ride to the terminal, broken baggage belt on 24, changed to to 25, appropriately tagged One World Priority bags off the belt quickly.
Usual commute to Ocoee. Florida has no taxes. . . . but they have tolls . . . just sayin'.
No issue with AA on this trip. Other than the beater 1995 version (complete with original issue interior) on their aircraft (N177US). Like trying to haul my 5th wheel with a Chevy 1/4 ton . . . .
Back to Chicagoland on 3/29. Another 321 is scheduled. Probably the same high density $$$ making commuter ORD-MCO-ORD bird . . . we'll see.
Stand by.
LET'S GO BRANDON!!!!