I arrive at Logan in plenty of time and check in. I have four suitcases and am surprised when they don’t charge me extra baggage fees. Then, weather and air traffic control problems push my 4:30 flight to 4:45, then 5:00, and then 6:00 PM. Finally we board, but the pilot announces we are waiting in line for clearance to take-off.
Luck is with us though. We move forward into a take-off position at about 6:20 PM. We will be in Newark in less than an hour. I think I can still make the 8:00 PM flight to Birmingham. Our pilot tells us that when flight #355, scheduled to take off before us, returned to the gate for help from airport security with a disruptive passenger he maneuvered us to the front of the line. Once we are finally in the air, the flight to Newark is uneventful.
- A note about mobile phones: The proliferation of cell phones is unbelievable. Everyone has them and everyone uses them everywhere. From my seat in 14C, the person beside me in the window seat has one; the young girl across the aisle has one; the businessman in front of me has one…From car services to boyfriends to business partners, they are all being called.
We arrive in Newark at 7:05 PM, but this time there is no clear gate and we sit on the tarmac for what seems like an eternity. Finally, I hurry off the plane. Gate C73 is a long way and I have about 10 minutes before my flight’s scheduled boarding time. I hotfoot it; sometimes jogging, sometimes walking fast.
Arriving breathless and perspiring at the check-in counter, I ask, “Have you started to board?” “No.” Phew, I have made it. But wait, a uniformed Continental agent is beckoning me to follow her. “Are you traveling alone?” The sweat is rolling down the back of my neck. Tap, tap on her keyboard. I stare in dismay as she rips up my boarding pass in front of my eyes. But then she says, “A seat in business first class, on the house.” We board almost immediately.
Traveling in Style
At first I am confused. Business class—that will be nice. But wait! No, this is FIRST class, baby! I stretch out. I peruse the dinner menu. The stewardess offers champagne. I had told myself, no alcohol on the flight as it aggravates dehydration and jet lag. But faced with Chateau du Val d’Or 1996 or St. Emilion Grand Cru, my resolve weakens. “Just water for now,” I tell the stewardess. “Lovely,” she says, “I’ll be back just before take-off to take your dinner order.”
Each seat has its own TV and fully reclines for your sleeping comfort. A man who resembles Hugh Grant is sitting next to me. I am still sweating. I wash my face with the steaming hot towel that the stewardess offers and sit back and relax.
I succumb. I order red wine and it is served with mixed nuts. But these are not your regular airplane peanuts in a foil wrapper. These come in a little bowl and are served warm. They are followed by smoked Norwegian salmon and sliced goose breast with horseradish sauce; then rolls, salad, more wine, and the entrée. I select the Cappelli Napolene Bianchi, a healthy-ish pasta dish with eggplant. I am still resolved to beating jetlag, so I drink lots of water and say, “No, thanks,” to the third glass of wine the stewardess apologetically offers me after she sees that she has neglected to refill my nearly empty glass. With a sigh, I skip the fruit and cheese served with port and the Häagen-Dazs with chocolate topping. I watch Seinfeld re-runs and about 11 PM lie back and go to sleep. The next thing I know, someone is shaking my shoulder. “Do you want breakfast?” “No, thanks, just coffee.” It is 7:00 AM Greenwich Mean Time, but only 2 AM EST. I’ve slept for about three hours. I feel groggy, but get ready for landing.
Jody’s UK Memories 