Denver International

I drove to the airport and returned my rental car at the Hertz airport station and took the shuttle to the terminal.

Since the First Class counter was not busy, but the self-check in facilities, I used the counter, where an agent checked me in and issued the boarding passes for the flight to Philadelphia as well as the onward flight to Charlotte.

Security had a fast lane for passengers traveling in Business or First Class as well as premium passengers. Nobody was at the beginning of the line to check boarding passes, but the system of honor as I may call it seems to work and the line was short.

I passed security without further problem in ten minutes and took the train between the three terminals of Denver International Airport to the B gates. I walked to the Red Carpet Club West, where I got access without problem. The lounge is upstairs and could be reached by an escalator. Boarding Passes and elite / lounge access cards where checked downstairs by two agents. There was no line as I arrived but I had experienced longer lines during previous visits. I asked for a WiFi card and got one. Upstairs, the lounge was full, but there were a few chairs and tables at the window. I like the good view to the tarmac from this lounge, though that means in summer it could be quite warm. I spend the next 50 minutes in the RCC. Five minutes prior to boarding time went down to the gate, where boarding had already started.

24 June 2011
DEN – PHL
[Denver International – Philadelphia International]
US 482 (US Airways); Airbus A 321 (N509AY)
Gate B 17
11:15 – 16:51 [effective 11:15 – 16:51]
First Class
Seat 03 D

I was greeted while entering the plane. Despite the fact that I was one of the last passengers in First Class I had no problem to store my carry on in one of the overhead bins. A big bottle of water was already placed on the seat. This time, no pre departure drinks were offered.

Pillows and a blanket were already placed on the seat. They were available as this was a longer flight.

The most passengers had already boarded the plane as a soldier with a dog - I think a German shepherd dog – boarded the plane. The flight attendants looked at each other and also a few passengers were a bit surprised to see such a big dog in the plane. I later heard that she was rebooked from a United Flight and while rebooking the dog became a child and thus causing now a big problem. The dog has its own seat, but does not help much. Now, how to solve this situation? If she could get a bulkhead seat, the dog could lay there. I am not sure, if this is within the rules, but who cares. The only available bulkhead would be in First Class. A lady sitting in 1 D gave up her seat without further question. It seems she flies DEN – PHL quite frequently as she was known by the crew. So the dog and the soldier got 1 D as the passengers at the window had no problem with the dog.

So the situation was solved quickly and the doors, which had already been armed, were now finally closed and we were ready to go. Kudos to US Airways for solving this issue fast and pragmatically, it would have been easy to blame United for the mistake and refuse to let the soldier travel on the plane. It was not possible to get the dog into the cargo compartment anymore.

Since boarding had started early, our delay due to this incident was not that bad at all and we pushed back slightly delayed, though the systems like farestats or flightaware indicated an on time push back which is not quite true; it seems they did not catch the second door closing but the first one.
The captain came over the microphone again and told us, we could nevertheless expect an on time arrival.

Safety demonstration was done while at the gate and commenced as we were pushed back. After a short taxi, we finally took off at 11:39 and climbed into the sunny sky above Denver.

Time to give a bit of information about the plane. The A321-200 was quite new. The plane was delivered to US Airways on February 18, 2009. It made its first flight in Hamburg Finkenwerder on February 09, 2009. The plane has 16 seats in First Class, with a seat pitch of 36 inch and a seat width of 21 inch. Economy Class has the usual 3-3 configuration with a seat pitch of 32 inch and a seat width of 18 inch. There were no power outlets at the seat, but the plane was equipped with Gogo internet access.

Our plane had the V2533-A5 engines by the Zurich based International Aero Engines AG (IAE). Each of this engines has a weight of 2,3 tons and a thrust of 147 kn with equals 32,000 lbs.

Ten minutes in flight, the seat belt signs were turned off and the crew began the service. In Economy it was food for purchase, while we in First Class could expect a proper meal.

A few minutes later our order for our preferred choice of beverage and the lunch was taken. For the later chicken terriyaki with rice or spinach lasagna was available. I took the lasagna and asked for a ginger ale to accompany the lasagna.

Beverages were brought first, while the meal was heated and the trays prepared, soon later a hot towel service followed. I am not sure, why it is done in this way, I would expect the hot towel service first. Maybe I am used to have it this way but somehow it seems strange to do it this way.

The meal came with a small bowl of salad and a starter plane which consists of scampi, slices of cucumber and a marinated pineapple.

The meal tasted not bad at all. Later as my glass was empty, I got a new can with ginger ale. In addition I also had the big bottle of water.

How to describe the crew on this flight? On the same level as their colleagues from Lufthansa I would say. The flight attendant serving first class was okay; he checked the cabin routinely, but not as often as his colleagues on SFO – PHX. But on the other hand the flight was longer. Anyway I have to reason to complain about. I was addressed by name as the order for meal was taken but not later.

The remaining flight was uneventful, a bit bumpy while we approached Philly. I updated my trip report but did not use the internet. During our final approach the views to downtown Philadelphia were great and I really like the approach into Philadelphia for this reason.

We touched down at 16:44 and taxied for our gate, which was B 11.

I left the plane as one of the first passengers and entered the terminal and walked to the US Airways Club.

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