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View Full Version : Here it is: "The Total JetBlue Experience" (a trip report from NYC to Vegas and back)


pgal
10-10-2005, 05:15 PM
Okay guys here is my trip report. I wrote it down as it was happening as I was feeling it in the moment. Enjoy!

September 25. JetBlue flight to Vegas from NYÇ departure time: 7:00am

Standing at the gate asked the gate attendent if I could board early, he said "Sure go ahead" unfortunately I was waiting for my husband to get out of the men's room. Still waiting, Just about eveyone has boarded. The gate attendent asks me "What happened"? I am still waiting for my husband!! Where is he? The gate attendent laughs. Finally my husband emerges out of the mens room. "What took you so long"? "the line was long". he says. I could have killed him. So we run down the walkway or whatever that thing is called. We board last and I run to the flight Attendent and asked her if I could please meet the pilots I am a nervous flyer and it would help me feel better. Met the pilots, Capt. Gus and Co-pilot Tim. They said: "It is a clear day, a great day to fly" Sure for you not me! found my seat the plane was packed. My husband was sitting in his seat as he never comes with me to meet the pilots. I sit down and wait.
Can't believe I am on a plane again. The leather seats are grey instead of Blue. I thought they were blue? Feel nervous, heart pounding, a little light headed. Taking deep breaths. Plane is full at 7:00 am in the morning?!!
Captain is announcing electrical equipment is being re-setted. Power will be out for 1 minute., (What does that mean?)
Lights bliniking, whirring sound, taking deep breaths TV's coming on. I got a headache. Staring at the exit sign. Waiting. I feel warm. Capt. makes another announcement: Waiting for maintenance for issue to be resolved. What issue?!!
Air is back on, much cooler. Lights are off. Power is off. Maintenance men are in cockpit. I am thinking: No matter what is happening it will be resolved and it will be a safe trip. It was.
Capt. says an instrument had to be changed. We will be taking off in another 15 minutes. What instrument?!!
Got up to go to the bathroom. Knock on door. FA is telling me to take my seat we are ready for departure. Oh my god I am still peeing!!
Ran to seat. FA demonstrating safety procedures. I can't concentrate. Plane is finally moving, moving backward, getting nervous. Okay this is the hardest part. I don't like this.
Bonanza is on TV land. God I wish Happy Days was on. Plane is moving forward. Bumps. nervous, More bumps, (Gus and Tim please get us there safely.) Chimes, more chimes, still on the ground, moving forward, plane stops. Capt announcing "we are number 3 for takeoff" I see number one JetBlue plane. Where is Laverne and Shirley when you need them. I really need to laugh right now. This stinks. I'm scared. Come on let's go. Where's number 2? I don't see number 2? Did they have to change an instrument too? I ask the FA: "What instrument did they have to change"? "Oh" she replies," A guitar, or piano not sure" Thanks that was a big help. Moving forward again. I see number 2. I wish I was home playing with my dog. Are we ever going to takeoff? Bonanza is still on. (what a boring show.) I think number 2 took off. engines reving up, oh boy, here we go. faster and faster. Oh ****, this is it, Oh boy, Oh god, I'm looking out the window, here we go, up up and away!! Well we are up. I feel funny, Okay going up more. and down, yuk. Can't look out the window. feels smooth, deep breath, going higher, shifting slightly, I am not crying. I usually cry on takeoff. I am too busy writing. Now I am a pro. (yeah right) Pro of the chicken **** club. What do I do now. Shut up and go to sleep. who could sleep. More bumps. I am on a plane going to Vegas!

Went back to the bathroom to finish peeing. What a relief!!!!
Cruised for about 3 hours now. listening to music, reading, snacking, Are we there yet?!
Asked the FA "how do you like your job"? Oh it's a little boring at times" Did she say boring? More snacks JetBlue's blue chips, cheese and crackers, Okay enough snacks. 55 minutes to landing. Boy this is a long flight. One more trip to the bathroom. Green acres on TV land. Whoa, what was that dip? the plane is so still now. Are we moving? Another dip. Capt. announces we are getting ready to land. Here we go. I love these little blue pillows. so comfy behind my neck. My ears are popping. Looking out window, see the wing. Maybe I won't get nervous this time.... oh here we go......I don't want to look out the window anymore. Litttle bumps. Oh my god. getting slightly nervous. I don't like this part. Loud noise. "Cleared for landing" lights are off. Can't believe I did this, can't belive I am here...Very loud noise, rumbling noise, What was that?!!
Scared.. I can see the city. Just a peek. Plane rocking side to side. Whirring sound, coming down, Suppose I just let go... Deep breath, were close, here it is. BUMP. TOUCH DOWN. WE LANDED. I'M HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Return flight, September 29. Departure 12:45pm
Go to the airport. We see a display of historical aviation. Oh how interesting we look around and what do I see: BONANZA AIRLINES! There was actually an airline called Bonanza airlines in 1945. In 1968 merged with some and west coast airlines. Today Norhtwest is somehow a part of that history. Too funny.

As we are going through security they pull us aside because there is something in our luggage. I stupidly bought my in-laws lighters from the Bellagio. No lighters allowed on the plane! I Knew that. My husband has to go through the whole process of being searched and then we had to have them mailed back. Well guess what. LATE AGAIN FOR BOARDING!

Had to get a sandwich before boarding. No food only snacks. Flight is to long. We wait forever to get the sandwiches. I am having an anxiety attack. What is taking so long? We get the sandwiches and run to the gate. We are just about the last ones to board. I see a pilot in front of me, holding a ceasar salad, I push forward to ask him if he is a pilot? He replies: "yes" I tell him I am a nervous flyer, he responds: "come on in to the cockpit to say hello" Great. Go into the cockpit. he was the captain! Told me there would be some turbulence. Go to my seat. Waiting patiently for takeoff. "I enjoy the freedom that flying gives me". (Glen Harrold tape) I keep repeating that to myself. What's going on? Feeling anxious. I see airline mechanics in cockpit. What are they doing? Nothing I can do but sit here and wait. Some instrument being checked. AGAIN!! nervous. Getting ready for depature. Lights blinking. Feel warm, Plane rolling back. Lights off, Watcching TV land. Bonanza is not on. Winding sound. Air is on. Feel cooler. "Time to spare fly by air" I read that in one of my flying books. We are moving down the runway. "Traveling is a part of life" One of my friends once told me that when I would never fly. Getting ready. Still on the ground., 40 minutes past scheduled talke off. Starving. Can't wait to eat my sandwich. Here we go. moving faster. Loud roar of engines. Faster. Rocking. Here we go. Bell chimes. In the air. Terrrified, Bumpy, little bumpy., Oh god moving up and down. scared. Why am I still so scared. Deep breath, Oh god please let me get home to Romeo (that's my dog) Bumpy. Going higher. Don't like the feeling in my stomach. In the air.

queezy, holding my head. My husband looks at me and laughs. Very funny.
Eat my sandwich. feel better now.
Cruising.
Listen to music, read a magazine. I'm on a plane. Can't believe it. little bumps here and there. Feeling a little scared. It's night out. First time flying at night. Almost there. Deep breath. TURBULENCE!!
Capt. announcing "Going to be a bit bumpy"
Close to landing. go with it. Starting to descend. Oh boy here we go again.
It's really bumpy. ears poppimg. Feeling queezy the whole flight. Decending. Going down. I can see the city. Getting ready to land. Don't like this at all. Lights are on (Thank god for Will and Grace on TV) Close to landing. No more Trip reports all this writing is making me nervous. I don't like flying at night one bit. Can't see anything. Where are we? Too dark. Feel too closed in. Oh god I hate these bumps. I'm not enjoying this at all. close to home. Lights off again. Why?!!
Maybe I am going to start taking Dramamine.
This is it. capt announcing "Flight Attendants, please be seated for landing" Oh god here we go. Almost home (yeah!) That I am even on a plane is a miracle!
Very loud rumbling noise under plane. Exit sign light on (Why?) is it always on? I'm very nervous right now. Deep breath. TOUCHDOWN. THANK GOD.

As I was leaving the plane the Capt asked me how I did. I said Okay. I wasn't feeing so great. He responded: "It wasn't that bad. No not at all.

Well there it is. I hope you enjoyed it and maybe you felt like you were right there with me.

I think what I learned this time is never board late. Try to avoid that. It caused me more anxiety. Next time I bring my sandwiches. No lighters in luggage or anything that might cause a delay at security. and most importat. Have fun. Both flights were actullay very good. it was what was going on in my mind that caused most of the stress.

I had a great time in Vegas and I would do it again. When I was there I was thinking how great it was that I had this forum to help me. I had an opportunity to have a dream come true and I did it because of all of you!! THANK YOU.

Passenger Mark
10-10-2005, 05:30 PM
What a great real-time report. Good for you for keeping your senses when they were talking about MX issues. As you thought... everything was fine!

Thanks for taking the time to post and share!

cshollingsworth
10-10-2005, 05:45 PM
i really liked your report! i am flying to las vegas in a little under 2 wks. i am soooo scared! we are flying on southwest. it is a 4 hr. flight from where we live. yikes! i will be just like you, SCARED!!!

thanks for the report...i'm anxious to go to vegas (we are getting married) just not anxious to fly.

:rolleyes:

spleisher
10-10-2005, 06:30 PM
Great report! I think you may find someday that you will like night time flights more than you think. Night time air is generally smoother, and the view of all the lights outside can be sooooo beautiful. It's just different, but you'll ge more used to it with experience.

GOOD GOING!!!

Costanza
10-10-2005, 06:46 PM
What a great trip report! I am very impressed that you are able to eat on the plane. I am usually so nervous that I can barely manage to choke down a can of diet coke. By the time I land I am usually famished and dying of thirst! Congratulations on a great and successful trip.:cheers:

tabbygirl
10-10-2005, 07:23 PM
And while I can totally feel your pain, you made me laugh, too. "What a boring show." I can't imagine being stuck in the sky with the Cartwrights. And "'Pro of the chicken____ club" - HA!!

Oh, and yeah, I am always nervous enough to have to make that one last pit stop on the plane while still on the ground...even though I just made one in the terminal. TOTALLY relate. I actually didn't know they would let me do that until my last flight, when I was desperate. The FAs acted like it was very common.

I love when the FAs are bored. On my last flight I caught both of them sitting quietly, reading novels. YES! Ho-hum.

You did great! You really did. The nerves were there but you handled it! Thank you for sharing all the details - you know we understand!

Angela

PS: I'm surprised to note that one of my strongest reactions to this report is, I want to fly somewhere! Yeehaw!

kallieb
10-11-2005, 01:29 AM
Paula!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!!!:wave:

You worked it through. It was hard in some spots, but the bottom line is that it sounds like this flight had a lot more successes for you that some of your previous flights.

Well Done. :hyped: Bravo. :pompoms: Hooray. :tiphat:

Now....it's time to plan your next flight. Build on your successes.

aerobat
10-11-2005, 05:49 AM
That's a great trip report, Paula! It really put me there with you, and made me laugh, too. I really think that if you can just keep flying regularly, all of it will become very familiar. You are right about not boarding late! It's really important to allow extra time before a flight to get completely ready with time to just sit quietly, if possible, and lots of extra time at the gate before boarding, and not much caffeine (or any), and yep, your own snacks.
Congratulations, Paula!! :tiphat: Do that some more!! :)

UGOBill
10-11-2005, 09:42 PM
Paula, loved your report. It made me laugh and I felt like I was on board with you. Congratulations! Bill

Lori
10-12-2005, 12:10 AM
Paula, great report! I started feeling the anxiety as I read about each takeoff - like I was there! I think you've persuaded me to write so I don't cry! Thanks for posting!

Agne
10-12-2005, 02:07 PM
Paula, great report !!

While you were writing the report, we were watching you:
tracking Pgal (http://www.takingflight.us/forums/showthread.php?t=3172)

Congratulation !!!!!

:)

chispi
10-19-2005, 08:50 AM
Paula,

I loved your report. I think I felt exactly the same as Lori, a lot of anxiety, as if I were there. It helped me think about my own reactions... I go crazy even when is not me who is flying... therefore where is the risk, why am I so nervous? Isn't it just me and not the plane?

Thank you and well done!
:thumbsup:

jrojas
06-28-2007, 04:00 AM
I loved your report, it made me laugh cuz of the way you describe it, its almost as if I can see you go through those things, wow! youre a funny person :)