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Orlando International
There was a United Club in the other concourse which I could access using my Priority Pass. But since the terminal was not that busy and the Starbucks already open I decided to make use of my Starbucks Card and got me a Grande Coffee and took a seat in the rotunda where the food outlets and shops were located. I read in a few magazines I took with me in the lounge in London and Seattle and time passed quickly. Not that I really would say that, but there is not always the need of a lounge. If the terminal is not very busy, one can survive without the possibility to have a more relaxed place. And sometimes the lounges are not always a quiet place anymore. But given that a full lounge usually means the terminal is even busier if not overcrowded a lounge is the better of two worse places.
But back to the next flight. Boarding was announced to begin at 06:40 and I went to the gate a bit earlier to stretch my legs and also to try to see if I can get a glimpse on the registration of our Boeing 757. Unfortunately due to the darkness and the position of the plane I had no chance to see the registration number of the plane. But there should be another chance in Miami. Since the load of the flight was full, passengers who did not need their luggage during the flight were asked to gate check it to Miami or the final destination free of charge.
A few passengers were called to the podium and their upgrade to First Class or their place on the waiting list had cleared. At 06:44 the boarding announcement was made and passengers in First Class and AAdvantage Executive Platinum Members as well as those holding Oneworld Emerald Status were invited to board the plane using the Priority Access Lane.
07 October 2013
MCO – MIA
[Orlando International – Miami International Airport]
AA 1197 (American Airlines); Boeing 757-200 (N503AA)
Gate 13
07:25 – 08:30 [effective 07:23 – 08:17]
First Class
Seat 2 A
We boarded the plane through the second door. The Boeing 757-200 has a front door but also a second door and usually this is the part of cabin where the Economy Class begins and thus making the boarding easier as passengers in the front can turn left while all other passengers can turn right. I stored my belongings in the overhead compartment and under the seat in front of me. Pre departure drinks were offered and the choice was either orange juice or water. The flight attendant hung my jacket in closet in the front of the plane.
The safety video was shown using the overhead monitors while we were still at the gate and in the final process of departure. At 07:25 we were pushed back and taxied to runway 17 R. The captain powered the two Rolls Royce Trent RB211-535E4B engines with a thrust of 43100 lbf each and we accelerated and wheels were up at 07:34 and we climbed into the partly cloudy sky over Orlando. The captain had announced the flight time with a short 0:36 minutes.
There was no service done on this short hop and I read in a magazine and watched the landscape passing by as we cruised over the Floridian coast. Soon the announcement was made that we will begin our descend into Miami International Airport. We approached the airport from the Atlantic Ocean which means nice views towards downtown Miami with the coast line and the Art Deco Quarter. We touched down at Miami on runway 26 R at 08:10 ahead of schedule and taxied to our gate D 20, where we arrived at 08:17.
For disembarking the front door was used. My jacket was not given back and I had to ask the flight attendant to give it back to me. This caused a slightly disruption as he had to open the door of the closet. He apologized for not handing it back earlier.
I was in the terminal and walked to the nearest Admirals Club to see if I can get a shower, but before heading there I was able to catch the registration of our Boeing 757-200: N603AA.
This Boeing 757-223 came to the fleet of American Airlines as new plane on August 24, 1998. In July 2008 it was retrofitted with winglets. American Airlines has a large fleet of Boeing 757 but is retiring its aircraft over the next couple of years and will substitute them mostly with Airbus and newer Boeing narrow bodies. The plane is equipped with 22 seats in First Class in the standard 2 – 2 layout offering a seat pitch of 38 inch and a seat width of 21 inch. All seats in First Class have at least empower outlets, some have an DC outlet. Economy Class is configured in the standard 3 – 3 layout with a seat pitch of 31 inch and a seat width of 17.2 inch.
