Washington Dulles International

Opposite the Gate where we had arrived was a monitor and I looked for the Gate for my next flight as the connection time again was not that long. And there was the nice c-word “Cancelled – Air Traffic Control”. Okay, I looked for a United Airlines Desk and found it near one of the Red Carpet Clubs. There were several passengers queuing and only one agent was working and there came more and more people. After a few minutes another clerk game and opened another counter. She does not look very happy, but she does her job with routine as it seems. A few minutes later two other agents appeared and now after twenty minutes of queuing it was my turn. I have heard form the conversation of other passengers, there must be a storm in the morning at the East Coast and therefore in early morning a lot of flight got delayed or had to be cancelled and now timetable was a little bit mixed up.

I was asked if there was a need to fly via PHL to LGA as the later flight was overbooked and I would not make my connection with the latest flight IAD to PHL. As my flight from PHL arrived at LGA nearly at midnight I was happy to get an earlier flight into LGA saving me some dollars for the taxi but did not showed my happiness. So I got on the direct plane from IAD to LGA. Okay, 500 miles and one segment (which is not that important any more since the changes in the earning structure of Miles and More) less than via PHL, but who cares if you can save some money on other costs … and I was over my budget already for this trip at this point….

I spent the time in IAD by walking through the terminal, having a healthy Veggie Delight at Subway’s and reading in my magazines and chatting with some other passenger while waiting at Gate D 8 for our flight to LGA which was delayed (but I was told about this by the agent rebooking my flight)

Finally with nearly a delay of nearly an hour at 20:05 it was time to board the plane. There were several planes delayed at this afternoon.

18 January 2006
IAD – LGA
[Washington Dulles – New York La Guardia]
UA 7246, Embraer
19:20 – 20:51 [20:20 – 21:35]
Economy Class
Seat 07 D

The plane was waiting on the tarmac, so we had to use the stairs at the end of the jet bridge. Hand luggage was again collected and the tag “delivered at aircraft” attached to it. We were greeted by the only female flight attendant on this flight. The plane was fully booked as expected.
Even before the safety demonstration was done the captain informed us about the delay and the estimated flight time to LGA and told us to expect a bumpy flight. Flight attendant hat to remain on her seat and therefore there would be no beverage service during the flight. Safety demonstration was done with the help of an audio tape if I remember correctly.

We pushed back at 20:20 and again the captain told us the number of planes before us and again just a few seconds before turn up that he will now be the next to take off. Finally we took off at 20:35 and headed to New York’s La Guardia Airport. Before we finally touched down the Captain again came over the micro and gave us updated weather information and informed us that he expect side winds. During this short flight I got more information as on much longer flights. Well done …

The flight was as expected a little bit bumpy but nothing worse. We had again nice views on New York’s skyline while approaching La Guardia, where we touched down at 21:25. We needed another 5 minutes to reach our gate. There we had to wait another five minutes and the flight attendant discussed something with the ground agent. She informed us that all baggage would be brought to the belt to save some time. She apologised for this, especially as we were an hour delayed at this time, but she could not change it. Well, as this was my final destination and I had arrived more than two hours earlier than planned I was happy.

New York La Guardia

So I and other passengers headed for the belt. The signs were a little bit confusing as they show the belt on opposite directions, but I followed the other passengers, as they seem to know where to go and so we arrived at the belt, where parts of the luggage had arrived and I had to wait less than two minutes to pick my luggage out of the circling trolleys, bags and suitcases.
I had printed the timetable of the M 60 and as the next bus should arrive in a few minutes I decided to take the bus instead of a taxi or the shuttle service. The bus was not full and again some flight attendants were in the bus (Delta and Continental, if I remember there luggage tags correctly). As on Thursday the week before I took the Bus to Astoria and changed to the subway. It was 21:50 at this time, but I was not alone on the platform. I boarded the subway with came after some minutes. In the car I boarded was a police man or a member of security staff standing and in this car were more people than in other cars. I left the train at 57 Street / 7 Avenue and walked to the Holiday-Inn Midtown, which I had booked for my last night again.
57 Street / 7 Avenue was full with people; it seems that several people came from Broadway Musicals, though I would expect the shows are not that early finished.

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