San Francisco International

I took the shuttle at 04:00 from the Doubletree to the airport, since I was unable to use online check in. Being awake there was no need to spend half an hour in the hotel room. It was too early for breakfast which was not served until 06:00. And it might be less crowded at the security checkpoints at this time compared to 40 minutes later.
The down was that I would have no lounge access at Terminal 1, since Continental moved to terminal 3 and the Alaska Airlines lounge, which I could access with my Priority Pass did not open prior to 06:00.

As I arrived at the airport, the counters of US Airways were not yet open, but there was a long line and no dedicated First Class counter. So much for avoiding queuing at the airport, but the counters opened soon later and the line moved quite fast. As I had no luggage to check, I could use an empty self-service counter and skip a part of the line. Security was fast with only one passenger in front of me and I walked through the still very deserted terminal at SFO. I stretched my legs by walking through the concourse before I took a seat the gate and read in the papers and watched people arriving for their flights and the terminal slowly waking up. I did not know why, but I am still like a child flying for the first time if I can watch planes taking off and all the work done at an airport, on the tarmac. And I have now been on more than 400 flights.

Our plane was already parking at the gate. The Airbus A 320 was delivered on June 08, 2000 as new plane to America West Airlines. The first flight of the plane was on April 20, 2000. America West chose engines of International Aero Engines, the second manufacture producing engines for the Airbus A 320. The Zurich registered company IAE is a joint venture of currently Pratt & Whitney, JAEC and MTU-Aero. Fiat Avio and Rolls Royce were founding members as well, but Fiat sold its shares to P&W and R&R in the 90ies and Rolls Royce to P&W in October 2011. IAE has a focus on engines for the A 319, A 320 and A 321 engines but has also sold engines for the McDonnell Douglas MD90. Lufthansa also used these engine on some of it’s A 320. With the merger of America West Airlines and US Airways the plane was transferred to US Airways on September 27, 2005. The plane is equipped with 126 seats in Economy Class with a seat pitch of 31 inch and 12 seats in First Class with a seat pitch of 38 inch. The seat does not recline very much.

Boarding started ahead of schedule at 05:20 with passengers needing assistance, First Class passengers and Elite passengers of US Airways and Star Alliance. I was among the first passengers to board the plane but one of the last passengers in the First Class Cabin.

23 June 2011
SFO – PHX
[San Francisco International – Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport]
US 578 (US Airways); Airbus A 320 (N660AW)
Gate 29 (Terminal 1)
06:00 – 07:54 [effective 05:54 – 07:46]
First Class
Seat 02 D

I was greeted as I entered the plane. All First Class seats were taken on this flight and my seat mate was already there. I stored my carry on in the overhead compartment of our Airbus and the laptop bag under the seat in front of me.

One of the flight attendants took care of my jacket and asked me for my choice of pre departure drink. I opted for a glass of orange juice which was brought a couple of second later. While First Class passengers were served, the other flight attendant asked the passengers boarding the plane to wait, so it was easier for the other attendant to serve us.

The flight was full in both classes. The captain welcomed us on board and gave us an update about the flight and the weather in Phoenix. He expected a smooth ride and an on time arrival.

We pushed back at 05:56 a few minutes ahead of schedule. The safety demonstration was done during push back and we then taxied for the runway. It was a short taxiway and soon the captain powered the engines and we climbed into sky above the Bay Area.

The plane was not as old as the Airbus of Air Canada but this plane looked already tired, several scratches and duck taped parts at the seat. But of course it was nice to have more space and a wider seat. However the seats had no power outlet.

We took off after a longer wait at the runway with two planes ahead of us at 06:08.

After ten minutes in flight, the seat belt signs were turned off and the crew jumped into action. And this time, this is not just an expression, the crew was really good. Orders for our choice of beverage were taken by rows and we were even addressed by name, which I had not expected. The curtain to Economy Class remained open during the flight.

Once all passengers were served, the flight attendant offered a basket with a selection of cookies, chips, biscuits and other sweet temptations. She offered continuously refills and we were addressed by name. There was one flight attendant who was only serving us in First Class.

During the flight I read in the inflight magazine and just relaxed. Later the captain came over the microphone and gave us an update about flight time and weather in Phoenix. He told us to expect a touchdown in Phoenix ten minutes ahead of schedule.
The most passengers read or slept during the flight, it was quiet and a very relaxed flight.

As we already had begun our descend into Phoenix, the flight became suddenly a bit bumpy, the fasten seat belt signs were not turned on immediately and I have the impression this came a bit of a surprise to the crew and the flight deck. But it was a short time of just 90 seconds or so.

We touched down ahead of schedule at 07:35 and taxied to our gate B10 at Terminal 4 of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, but had to wait a couple of minutes, as the ground crew had not been at their positions. Finally we reached our gate at 07:46, but it could have been five minutes earlier if the ground crew would have been on their stations. I was among the first passengers to leave the plane. The flight attendant serving First Class even addressed my by name as I left the plane.

I was a short flight, but the crew was great. So to say, it was a good way to start this mileage run. Even with their colleagues from other airlines, I would rate this crew as attentive and very friendly. But you of course notice differences, like the advertising for the US Airways Mastercard during the flight, which would not be done in Germany – but this might change as well on Lufthansa flights like so many other things.

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