CO777
10-31-2010, 07:32 AM
A new year a new trip report? Correct! Maybe some of you guys remember my huge trip through the United States back in 2009. If not you can read the first part here. (http://www.wings900.com/vb/spotting/45159-eastcoast-westcoast-09-boston-part1.html)
This trip was very stressful. 15 flights, 12 days, many different hotel rooms, ups and downs and a big hole in my wallet. But it was worth the stress and I have many fragant memories. When I edited the last pictures a couple of months later during the cold winter months I decided to return to the US for catching some rare planes which I would never get in Europe. As a plane spotter I have two favourite airports in the USA. Miami and Los Angeles. Miami for the exotic planes from South America and the smoking Cargo Trijets. LAX for the variety of airlines and aircrafts. So it was time to make a plan to connect both cities and add some new aircraft types and airports in my flight log. I didn't want to fly as much as I did it in 2009. Just the international flights and one intercontinental flight. I tried to concentrate more on plane spotting and relax on the beaches instead of hopping from one city to another and spend the most time in a plane. Main goal, no stress!
One week in Florida and one week in the westwards states. I made many many different plans with different airlines, connection flights, stopovers etc. Continental Airlines was always the cheapest solution and I was able to earn some extra miles for my M&M membership. So I booked FRA-EWR-FLL/MCO-CLE-PHX/SNA-IAH-FRA.
I am going to explain in the next parts why I choosed exactly this city and why I had some more flights as I already planned. So please relax, sit down and enjoy the next pages...
Day 1, 26. Sept
FRA - EWR (11:20 - 14:00)/actual (12:22 - 14:30)
Continental CO51
Boeing 777-200ER/N77012
I tried to book my flights directly on the CO website but always got an error when I entered the multiple cities destinations. At ebookers.com I was able to book the CO flights. I decided to use this website for booking and made an annoyingly error. Instead of choosing a connection flight to FLL with a 2hour stopover in EWR I choosed a flight with a 6 hour layover in EWR. I was really pissed! I spent hours of searching for the best flights and connections and finally I didn't find a single minute to check everything twice. And EWR is not a well known place for plane spotting! Ok my fault. I have to live with that.
I already flew to Newark with CO two years ago so I knew what I had to expect. My dad drove me to the train station in Wuerzburg where I took my train to the airport at 06:26 am. I arrived there at 08:00 am. Still a lot of time left until depature. I went to the CO counter to check in and drop my bag but it was still closed. Since CO joined the Star Alliance all flights starting in Terminal 1 and no longer in Terminal 2. Fiveteen minutes later (and some stupid "security" question by the agent) I had my boarding passes. Sadly the lady wasnt able to put me on an earlier flight to FLL. I had to try it in Newark. Next step was to check the display. Perfect 1 hour delay. I was so many times in Frankfurt thats why there is nothing new for me to explore. I walked to Terminal 2 and went to McDonalds for breaksfast and watched some planes arriving. Weather was terrible. Deep clouds and a light rainshower. When I was finished I used the Skytrain back to Terminal1, Concourse A (never did this berfore). If you plan to exit the Skytrain in Concourse A you need a boarding card because there is a security checkpoint at the exit but you will be directly at the gates. I was the only person during the screening. So if you wanna avoid long lines at Terminal 1/A use the Skytrain at Concourse C and drive to A and exit there. I searched for a nice place where I was able to overlook both runways so I was able to see when my plane arrives. It was already 12:00 pm and no Continental 777. Just the 764 from Houston. An additional big delay? I decided to have a look at my departure gate and..... ohhhh.... boarding already started. I was one of the last people who entered the bus (yes it was a bus gate!) to the plane. Still wonder how I missed my bird while I was sitting at the window! Finally I made it to my seat and the plane was 100% full. The cabin made a clean impression and the IFE was great. With touchscreen and a huge and clear display. Two years ago the 777 had an very old IFE with terrible monitors and movie/tv selection. Flight time was 8 hours and 8 minutes. Shortly after take off the lunch was served. Later I watched A-Team and falled asleep for at least two hours.
Picture of the Inter City train interior. Not so comfortable like in the ICE trains.
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_001.jpg
My train from Wuerzburg
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_002.jpg
Closed Continental check in area
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_003.jpg
The huuuuuge and world famous destination board in Frankfurt
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_004.jpg
Terminal 2
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_005.jpg
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_006.jpg
Some views out of the Skytrain over Concourse A & B
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_009.jpg
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_010.jpg
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_011.jpg
The new pier next to Concourse A is still under construction. My plane to Newark waits on a remote stand (to the left)
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_012.jpg
The last passengers enter the plane
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_013.jpg
The sun came out for a couple of minutes when I boarded the plane.
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_014.jpg
Parked next to us. Air China A332 in Star Alliance livery.
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_015.jpg
This trip was very stressful. 15 flights, 12 days, many different hotel rooms, ups and downs and a big hole in my wallet. But it was worth the stress and I have many fragant memories. When I edited the last pictures a couple of months later during the cold winter months I decided to return to the US for catching some rare planes which I would never get in Europe. As a plane spotter I have two favourite airports in the USA. Miami and Los Angeles. Miami for the exotic planes from South America and the smoking Cargo Trijets. LAX for the variety of airlines and aircrafts. So it was time to make a plan to connect both cities and add some new aircraft types and airports in my flight log. I didn't want to fly as much as I did it in 2009. Just the international flights and one intercontinental flight. I tried to concentrate more on plane spotting and relax on the beaches instead of hopping from one city to another and spend the most time in a plane. Main goal, no stress!
One week in Florida and one week in the westwards states. I made many many different plans with different airlines, connection flights, stopovers etc. Continental Airlines was always the cheapest solution and I was able to earn some extra miles for my M&M membership. So I booked FRA-EWR-FLL/MCO-CLE-PHX/SNA-IAH-FRA.
I am going to explain in the next parts why I choosed exactly this city and why I had some more flights as I already planned. So please relax, sit down and enjoy the next pages...
Day 1, 26. Sept
FRA - EWR (11:20 - 14:00)/actual (12:22 - 14:30)
Continental CO51
Boeing 777-200ER/N77012
I tried to book my flights directly on the CO website but always got an error when I entered the multiple cities destinations. At ebookers.com I was able to book the CO flights. I decided to use this website for booking and made an annoyingly error. Instead of choosing a connection flight to FLL with a 2hour stopover in EWR I choosed a flight with a 6 hour layover in EWR. I was really pissed! I spent hours of searching for the best flights and connections and finally I didn't find a single minute to check everything twice. And EWR is not a well known place for plane spotting! Ok my fault. I have to live with that.
I already flew to Newark with CO two years ago so I knew what I had to expect. My dad drove me to the train station in Wuerzburg where I took my train to the airport at 06:26 am. I arrived there at 08:00 am. Still a lot of time left until depature. I went to the CO counter to check in and drop my bag but it was still closed. Since CO joined the Star Alliance all flights starting in Terminal 1 and no longer in Terminal 2. Fiveteen minutes later (and some stupid "security" question by the agent) I had my boarding passes. Sadly the lady wasnt able to put me on an earlier flight to FLL. I had to try it in Newark. Next step was to check the display. Perfect 1 hour delay. I was so many times in Frankfurt thats why there is nothing new for me to explore. I walked to Terminal 2 and went to McDonalds for breaksfast and watched some planes arriving. Weather was terrible. Deep clouds and a light rainshower. When I was finished I used the Skytrain back to Terminal1, Concourse A (never did this berfore). If you plan to exit the Skytrain in Concourse A you need a boarding card because there is a security checkpoint at the exit but you will be directly at the gates. I was the only person during the screening. So if you wanna avoid long lines at Terminal 1/A use the Skytrain at Concourse C and drive to A and exit there. I searched for a nice place where I was able to overlook both runways so I was able to see when my plane arrives. It was already 12:00 pm and no Continental 777. Just the 764 from Houston. An additional big delay? I decided to have a look at my departure gate and..... ohhhh.... boarding already started. I was one of the last people who entered the bus (yes it was a bus gate!) to the plane. Still wonder how I missed my bird while I was sitting at the window! Finally I made it to my seat and the plane was 100% full. The cabin made a clean impression and the IFE was great. With touchscreen and a huge and clear display. Two years ago the 777 had an very old IFE with terrible monitors and movie/tv selection. Flight time was 8 hours and 8 minutes. Shortly after take off the lunch was served. Later I watched A-Team and falled asleep for at least two hours.
Picture of the Inter City train interior. Not so comfortable like in the ICE trains.
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_001.jpg
My train from Wuerzburg
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_002.jpg
Closed Continental check in area
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_003.jpg
The huuuuuge and world famous destination board in Frankfurt
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_004.jpg
Terminal 2
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_005.jpg
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_006.jpg
Some views out of the Skytrain over Concourse A & B
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_009.jpg
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_010.jpg
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_011.jpg
The new pier next to Concourse A is still under construction. My plane to Newark waits on a remote stand (to the left)
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_012.jpg
The last passengers enter the plane
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_013.jpg
The sun came out for a couple of minutes when I boarded the plane.
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_014.jpg
Parked next to us. Air China A332 in Star Alliance livery.
http://www.julian-mittnacht.de/usa10/_day01/01USA2010_015.jpg